In a sentimental mood

I was born in the Year of the Sheep so this new lunar year is supposed to be a good one for me. I'm not taking a chance on leaving it all to fate. So certain decisions I am firm about, more firm than usual. My January surgery and the prognosis that the tumor removed from me was benign prodded me to value my family and friends double their worth in my life. They are my true riches, indeed.

So when a friend invites me over and my calendar is empty, especially on a new holiday like yesterday's Chinese New Year, I go without hesitation. If the visit is over and there's time and no appointments for the next day that require my turning in early, I inquire from other friends living nearby if I may visit. "Oh do not ask 'What is it? Let us go and make our visit." Thanks for the line, T.S. Eliot. I seem to be living it!

GCF's insight on hugging: "The vaster your hugging experience and the older you get, the more people you get to embrace." Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/184517/rules-of-hugging#ixzz3SFQw14um Photo by Franco Regalado

And at lost last, someone took a picture of me and Gilda in a pose I've always wanted to do with her: my hugging her from behind. She has this extremely instructive essay on how to calibrate a hug so that it's sincere and not uncomfortable or showing emotional neediness. She's aware I've always been an awkward hugger so where best to learn the rules than from the master herself?

It was a good way to end an early evening together so I could move to the next visit at nearby Fisher Mall where I met up with Bobbie Malay and Satur Ocampo. I always run into them at book launches or similar events, but we never get to go beyond the surface greetings. This time it was just the three of us talking about our families, children and grandkids, what true fulfillment is like over a light meal at Kokoro Ramenya. You never get to talk about these subjects at length in a noisy party.

Earlier, we browsed through a pile of books on sale at P10 pesos each and up. I brought home four; the couple brought home their own stash of Filipino-authored titles.

Like old folks with little time left, we promised to do it again, and they said they would also visit their almost next-door neighbor Gilda who has an injury on her dominant right hand and temporarily can't write or paint.

The ladies talked about cafes and artsy places in the city. Then it hit me, and I said aloud, "Why go to artsy cafes? I'll take Gilda's boudoir anytime. The hot chocolate with fresh pinipig is always good." Cora Alvina (right) heartily agreed. The others in the picture are (clockwise): a retired accountant who wants to study art, Gilda's neurologist Dr. Bernardo, Gilda and Marissa Alegre Macuja.

Elmer's feast

The cover of Elmer A. Ordoñez's Snows of Yesteryear: A Family in War and a Sentimental Education, an "autobiography disguised as a novel."

The last day of January 2015 was a double book launch day in different parts of sprawling Metro Manila. There is no longer a sleepy hour in terms of road traffic on EDSA. There was the fiction anthology Fast Food Delivery at Greenbelt 4 Makati City at 3 p.m., then Snows of Yesteryear at Solidaridad Bookshop in Ermita at 5 p.m. By 12 noon in Sison, Pangasinan, where the Victory Bus I was riding in en route to Cubao from Baguio City made a 15-minute pit stop, I decided I'd just head straight to Dr. Ordoñez's launch and buy my copy of Anvil's FFD another day.

I had only one body, which was still in recovery from surgery, and I could only manage an event at a time. It was a wise decision, considering I had my backpack on my back, a walking cane on my left hand, a bag of 40 pieces of brownies and two Mario Parial paintings that my husband Rolly had carefully packed in preparation for a Parial retrospective where they would be included. Eeek! Bag lady forever!

But the gods and goddesses of literary Olympus looked kindly on this traveler. I entered Solidaridad past six and climbed its two flights of stairs to catch Dr. Ordoñez fielding the last two questions from the audience concerning his latest book.

I make it a point to be at friends' book launches. I know the difficulties writers go through in order to write, to support writing, to finish a manuscript and to find a publisher. When others try to inveigle me to be involved in so-called "book projects" with an eye on a launch day, I pull back, decline politely (on rare times, impolitely, if the "client" is over-demanding). A book is a work of love; one's life, one's strife, one's passions and convictions are in it. It cheapens the writer if demands on meeting strict deadlines so a book party can fall on a propitious date are made.

I'm glad for the cool, laidback Prof. Ordoñez. He finished his manuscript, then saw it in printed form after turning a young 85 in December. The good news is he has another book in the back burner. I say, "Bring it on" and "More power to prolific octogenarians!" Thanks for setting such a fine example, sir.

P.S. Puwede bang bumati? Mila D. Aguilar, thank you for seeing me to my door. I love a writing community, especially one that looks out for the members' health and safety.

The author whose book's title comes from French poet François Villon's line "Where are the snows of yesteryear?" In Dr. Ordoñez's case, he refers not only to "those wintry times in foreign climes, but on a life--from early years in Manila and Pasay, the war years, and my intellectual formation through adulthood, marked singularly by struggle for a just, democratic and sovereign country..." Photos by Babeth Lolarga

That's my kumpare Amadis Ma. Guerrero on the right, I suppose doing a shotgun interview of the book author.

Happy also to see another former colleague, friend and lover of letters Alejandrino "Al" Vicente who's also in the midst of writing a collection of short fiction (or is it a novel?).

National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose and wife and muse Tessie also have reason to celebrate because their bookshop turns 50 years old in June this year.

The author's political color is evident in his guests who turned up last night: Ka Bobbie Malay and her mahal, Ka Satur Ocampo.

I get my chance to pose with the man who wrote a generous intro to my third poetry book, Big Mama Sez: Poems Old & New. Thanks for this memento, Geraldine C. Maayo, a devoted student of Doc Ordoñez.

Doc signing my copy

Not a wallflower at a party

Or so I think. I just couldn't forgive myself if I missed a milestone like F. Sionil Jose's 90th birthday party. Occasions like that are about the only time I see, press palms with or buss my writing mentors, idols and confreres. A friend said that in her excitement, she hyperventilated that night and forgot to have her picture taken with friends she hadn't seen in a long time.

While I was recuperating in Baguio from an ailment I would rather not discuss at length and my husband was forced to stay home and stay still because of a knee fracture, we went on a reading marathon of Manong Frankie's short stories and novels. It reached a point where we'd try to discuss what we had read and ended up mixing the characters and plots. Rolly counted how many times Frankie used the word "sybarite" in a novel. That sounds like my husband all right. You can keep the editor at home but not the editor from NOT working.

Thank you to the people who pressed the button of my camera so I can have a few mementos of the evening of Dec. 3 at the Cultural Center's main lobby.

Alfredo Roces, who I've been reading since high school, the birthday boy and fictionist Rony Diaz

It was Manong Frankie who told my class of high school kids: "You must not forgive a writer his sins just because he's a good writer." He's shown with a reader who's glad to have a few seconds with him before he was deluged with more well-wishers.

With Tessie Jose, who continues to make Frankie's life of letters possible, and sculptor Julie Lluch. Manang Tessie has kept her figure. This was the same outfit she wore when Frankie turned 80.

The heavyweights' table, only because two other National Artists for Literature are sharing space: Bienvenido Lumbera and Cirilo Bautista. The writers' wives are by their side, too: Shayne Lumbera and Rose Bautista.

Ka Satur Ocampo and Ka Universe Gilda Cordero Fernando

Three muses of literature Susan Lara, Marj Evasco and Gilda

Two publishing greats: Eugenia "Eggie" Apostol and Gilda yet again

Celeste Legaspi sings "Gaano Kita Kamahal" for the birthday celebrator (he with the black beret)

Blurry though it may seem this precious photo of laughing writing couple Roger and Fe Mangahas is full of meaning to me: love conquers all, especially dictatorships, aging and personal tragedies.

The untouched birthday cake that features likenesses of the covers of Frankie's novels. The cake people flocked to was the one baked by Estrel's, specializing in caramel cakes. It was given by the University of Santo Tomas's The Varsitarian which Frankie edited in his youth.

Lolarga and Silverio win 1st Chit Estella awards

By Eimor P. Santos, VERA Files

In death, Vera Files trustee and journalism professor Lourdes "Chit" Estella Simbulan continues to champion human rights campaign in the country.

The 1^st Chit Estella Journalism Awards honored the best journalistic reports on human rights, Dec. 7. This is in line with the celebration of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week with the theme, "My Voice Counts in Ending Impunity: I Work for Human Rights-Based Governance".

Inquirer Publisher Raul Pangalangan receives award in behalf of Elizabeth Lolarga

This year's awardees were Ina Alleco Silverio of Bulatlat.com for her online story, "Three months after Sendong, Iligan residents still far from rebuilding their lives" and Elizabeth Lolarga of the Philippine Daily Inquirer for her print story, "365 political prisoners go on hunger strike".

The works of Silverio and Lolarga were chosen among seven other finalists, four from online and two from print which were all published between October 1, 2011 and October 1, 2012. The winners each received P10,000 and a trophy, funded by the Simbulan-Estella family, and co-presented by the University of the Philippines Department of Journalism and Vera Files.

The Chit Estella Journalism Awards and and the Memorial Lectures that followed  awarding ceremonies  are intended to keep alive Simbulan's ideals of excellent journalism and human rights advocacy.

Simbulan, better known by her byline Chit Estella, died in a vehicular accident May 13 last year on  Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. She was 53.

Former Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Satur Ocampo, who was the guest speaker, presented a historical perspective of the human rights situation in the country and its connection with the counter-insurgency campaign of the government."Araw-araw may nangyayaring paglabag sa karapatan, lalo na ng maliliit na mamamayan (Everyday violations of human rights happen, especially to the common man)," he said Satur Ocampo during the memorial lecture of the said awards ceremony at the UP College of Mass Communication Auditorium.

A journalist with the old Manila Times before the declaration of Martial Law in 1971,Ocampo spent many years in the underground movement and as a  political prisoner. He now writes a column for the Philippine Star.

Satur OcampoOcampo called on President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino to exercise his powers as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to  end human rights violations, especially now that more and more children are becoming victims. He cited the report of the local rights group Karapatan which revealed that children aged 10-16 are being raped, tortured and illegally arrested by the military.

Human Rights Commissioner Cecilia "Coco" Quisumbing acknowledged the vital role of the media in stopping human rights violations.  She enjoined media to " stay away from press release journalism" and  do more research in doing reports.

Estella's husband, UP Prof. Roland Simbulan, said Chit's death has led him to another advocacy: road safety. He now heads a group called Families of Road Victims and Survivors, basically a support group but is also working on making roads in the country safe.

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true.")

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/lolarga-silverio-win-1st-chit-estella-awards-040456299.html;_ylt=AqYvQQnvinXnHILHpIj.QmPhV8d_;_ylu=X3oDMTFnZmkyMjJyBG1pdANCbG9nIEluZGV4IGJ5IEJsb2cEcG9zAzEwBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJsb2dJbmRleA--;_ylg=X3oDMTFpYWhhajZmBGludGwDcGgEbGFuZwNlbi1waARwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANibG9nBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3#more-id