Poetry Reading: Racing The Rain

It is already a custom. The winning Salanga Prize is told or read aloud during the celebration of the National Children's Book Day. This year, the winning poems by Raymond Falgui were read out loud and performed.

Jay Menes followed the dictate of tradition reading Green Leaf. He then moved on to beat box as I read Racing The Rain. The short clip can be viewed here.

Special thanks to our dear Diannne de Las Casas for the beat box. It has been initiated!

The 2010 Alcala Prize

Since there is already a winner of the Salanga Prize, the 2010 Alcala Prize now commences.

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2010 PBBY-Alcala Prize. The contest is co-sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
The winner shall be given a cash prize of P20,000.00, a gold medal, and an opportunity to be published. Prizes will be awarded in an appropriate ceremony to be held during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day on July 20, 2010.
Contest Rules:

1. The contest is open to all Filipino citizens except those who are related to any PBBY members up to the third degree of consanguinity.

2. Entries must be based on the 2010 PBBY-Salanga Prize-winning poetry collection by Raymond Falgui. Copies of the said poetry collection may be requested from the PBBY Secretariat.

3.All entries must be original unpublished illustrations that have not won in any previous contest.

4. All entries must consist of three (3) illustrations that are of the same size and medium, based on any 3 poems in the winning collection.

5. A contestant may send in more than one (1) entry.

6. Each entry must be signed by a pen name only, preferably on a small piece of paper pasted on the back of each artwork. Entries with a signature or any identifying marks are automatically disqualified.

7. Together with each entry, contestants must submit a separate envelope, on the face of which only the pen name of the contestant shall appear. The envelope must contain the contestant’s full name, address, contact numbers, short description of background, and notarized certification vouching for the originality of the entry and for the freedom of the organizers from any liability arising from the infringement of copyright in case of publication.

8. All entries must be sent to the PBBY Secretariat, c/o Adarna House, 2nd Floor, FSS Building, 20 Scout Tuason Street, Quezon City by April 30, 2010.Winners will be announced no later than May 28, 2010. Non-winning entries must be claimed no later than June 25, 2010, after which they will no longer be the responsibility of the organizers.

For more details, interested parties may contact PBBY by calling 372-3548 or emailing pbby@adarna.com.ph.

The 2010 Salanga Prize for Children's Poetry

Congratulations to Raymond Falgui, fictionist, poet and English teacher at UP Diliman, for being the first winner of the 2010 Salanga Prize for Children's Poetry. He will be formally awarded on July 20, 2010 at the Museo Pamabata during the celebration of the 26th National Children's Book Day (NCBD).

Poet and publisher, Rayvi Sunico and Metrobank's Most Outstanding Teacher of 2009, Prof. Dina Ocampo served as judges to this year's Salanga Prize.

The 1st PBBY Poetry Contest

It will still be known as the Salanga Prize. But next year, PBBY is opening up the contest for children's poetry to fly and soar. Bring out the poet in you! Contest rules are in the PBBY website.

My Poem Will Visit A US 1st Grade Classroom

Sue Ferguson, a school librarian from the US made my day today when she sent me this email--

I am emailing to find out if I could have your permission to use the poem you made up about parts of a book in a lesson I am going to give my first grade classes next month. I think my classes would really enjoy it.

I said yes, of course. Happiness!

And then there is this email from Mario Feir, a rare book collector of Filipiniana inviting me (and Kenneth Yu) to view and see his library in Bonifacio, Global City. Now I wonder if Kenneth, after my infamous blog posts about his student days in Xavier School, would be glad to join me one weekend?