Winners of My Favorite Book 2010 awarded

MANILA, Philippines - It might not have been the most expected way to start an essay-writing contest awards, but it sure was fun!

Then again, expect Tita Virgie Ramos to always think out of the box, especially when putting together an event. For the past many years, Tita Virgie has been helping us organize the culminating awards of My Favorite Book contest and this year’s awards were held in March at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center. 

So how did we begin this year’s awards? With a nail-biting performance by Zion Show, the husband-and-wife acrobatic team of Isaac and Jocelyn, champion of Talentadong Pinoy Season 2. The couple, who met in Bangkok while working with their respective acrobatic groups, elicited applause and gasps throughout their performance. And laughter, too, as Isaac invited YS editor Paolo Lorenzana to go on stage. Paolo was asked to hold a balloon in front of his, er, sensitive parts and the acrobat attempted to burst it with a dart spat from his mouth.

An economist who writes: Second-prize winner Giselle Jose (second from left) is awarded by NBS vice presidents Cecilia Ramos-Licauco and Presy Ramos, and Gift Gate president Virgie Ramos.

Thankfully — and much to Paolo’s relief — the acrobat succeeded.

National Book Store founder and general manager Nanay Socorro Ramos welcomed everybody with her trademark grace, reiterating her habit of reading the STAR from cover to cover. That sure made STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte smile.

STAR editor in chief Isaac Belmonte ruminated on the predicted 2012 end of the world — but assured everybody that even if humans become mutants, we will still be holding the awards. Yoly Crisanto, head of Globe Telecom corporate communication division, reiterated Globe’s support for the book awards.

So, yes, maybe Isaac was right. Even if aliens land on earth and make us mutants — we will still be book-loving mutants.

Enjoying the speeches of Palanca Hall of Famers Butch Dalisay and Krip Yuson, and STAR columnists Jim Paredes and Jessica Zafra were NBS president Fred Ramos, NBS vice president for purchasing Cecilia Ramos-Licauco, NBS vice president Presy Ramos, STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil who hatched the Favorite Book contest 10 years ago, and NBS Foundation head Trina Licauco Alindogan. 

Taking over hosting duties this year were STAR Lifestyle columnists Quark Henares, Erwin Romulo and Reggie Belmonte. Also there to celebrate the awards with the Lifestyle staff — Millet Mananquil, Ching Alano, Igan D’Bayan, Therese Jamora-Garceau, Scott Garceau, Lai Reyes, and myself — were our favorite columnists — Jessica Zafra, Congresswoman Lucy Torres who came with Richard Gomez, Raymond Gutierrez, Georgina Wilson, Saab Magalona, Laureen Uy, Tetta Matera, Christine Dayrit, Bum Tenorio, Raymond Ang, Raya Mananquil, Bea Ledesma and Miguel Ramos who doubled as paparrazzo.

Chef Gaita Fores prepared a wonderful spread for lunch — savory crepe millefoglie, lasagna with asparagus and crumbled pistachio, Norwegian salmon, salad of mixed greens, grilled flatbread, roast steak with mushroom and cepe cream, and chicken galantina. And for dessert we had toffee pudding, pecan salsa caramello, and apple and pears strudel.

Dearest Nanay with Lucy and Richard Gomez, and STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil

Different, too, is this year’s crop of awardees. For the first time, the winners are all women. Taking the grand prize for My Favorite Book 2010 is Sandra Ebrada, who wrote about her love of Edgar Allan Poe. Sandra is taking her PhD in Philippine Studies at UP Diliman, straddling the worlds of anthropology, literature and history. She teaches part-time in a university. Sandra won P50,000 — half in cash, half in NBS gift certificates — and a Globe Handyphone. Second prize is Giselle Jose who wrote about The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky. Giselle is majoring in economics at UP Diliman and was awarded one of the Ten Outstanding Students of Makati in 2009.   She won P30,000 and a Globe Handyphone. Third prize was Zarri Juevi, who wrote about The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Zarri is a passionate student, and a poet in three languages — English, Mandarin and Tagalog. She won P20,000 and a Globe Handyphone.

Book lovers unite once again!: The STAR Lifestyle staff with columnists — (first row, from left) Erwin Romulo, Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil, Lucy Gomez, Raya Mananquil, Bea Ledesma, Jessica Zafra, Therese Jamora-Garceau, Saab Magalona, Igan D’Bayan, (second row, from left) Richard Gomez, Quark Henares, Reggie Belmonte, Tanya T. Lara, Ching Alano, Lai Reyes, Jim Paredes, Bum Tenorio, Miguel Ramos, Scott Garceau and Raymond Gutierrez

The five honorable-mention winners won P5,000 from STAR and P5,000 NBS GCs. They were Mary Ann Tamayo, who essayed The Great Malayan by Carlos Quirino; Sofia Benares who wrote about Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Elvie Victonette Razon-Gonzalez, who wrote about Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney; Katrina Gaw, who wrote about the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling; and Sonia Sygaco who wrote about The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.

In all, it was a fun luncheon as we met another batch of winners and spent time with fellow book-loving friends. Why, we even got to bring home the fruits used as table décor! Or, at least, Bea went home with a pineapple.