Printed matter received / Hubert d'Aboville's project

During the holidays, I received two novels by F. Sionil Jose, Rene R. Olbes’ book of photographs entitled “The Philippines a Century Hence, Then and Now” — the book was sent me by Rafaelita Pelaez, mother of young piano virtuoso Rudolf P. Golez — Jennifer Gordon Russell’s poems, Jaime Laya’s book of columns and “Manuel D. Baldemor’s “European Journey of Discovery” by Reuben Ramas Cañete.

“The Samsons” by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose consists of two novels: “The Pretenders” and “Mass”.

Nick Joaquin is concededly the greatest Filipino writer in English but Jose is more widely known abroad, particularly in the US and Asia, his novels having been published by Random House of New York, and translated into several languages.

There is no better way of evaluating Jose’s novels than by quoting literary critics. I shall quote a few:

“The foremost Filipino novelist in English, his novels deserve a much wider readership than the Philippines can offer. His major work, the Rosales saga, can be read as an allegory for the Filipino in search of an identity.” — Ian Buruma, The New York Review of Books

“One of the (Philippines) most distinguished men of letters.” — Time

“Jose is famous for two bodies of work. One is the Rosales sequence, a set of five novels published over a 20-year span which has become a kind of national saga.” — James Fallows, The Atlantic

“Jose could become the first Filipino to win the Nobel Prize for literature.” — John Griffin, The Honolulu Advertiser

“In Filipino literature, the creative work of Jose occupies a special place ... Jose is a great artist.” - Igor Podberezsky, Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow

“He is a masterful story writer.” — Christine Chapman, International Herald Tribune

Rene Olbes’ photographs are of cathedrals and churches, bridges and streets, buildings and structures, gateways and parks, monuments and statues throughout the country, and maps.

Many of the locations, sites and sights have been hallowed by time and may now be considered historical. Others, in years to come, will likewise be regarded historical. Olbes has done a great service to historians, academicians and the rest of us Filipinos.

The poems in “Moments to Spare” by Jennifer Gordon-Russell (Mrs. Wallum) are a complete surprise to me: I have known Jenny only as a member of the Entrepreneur Volunteer Assistance Charity Foundation which is helping Aetas make a better living. For Jenny’s mission she has been made a Member of the British Empire.

Jenny’s poems are uncommon perceptions of the commonplace. An eloquent commentary on them is the book’s foreword by Peter Quinn, United Press managing director.

Manuel D. Baldemor, a Global Village artist, has been painting scenes in Europe and Asia for years, and has held countless exhibitions there. He has designed UNICEF Christmas cards for 18 years, and painted the epic mosaic mural for the Basilica of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Lisieux, France.

Cañete’s book, profusely illustrated, traces Baldemor’s self-discovery, growth and progress through his European travels which have contributed to making him the celebrated (yet unassuming) artist he is today.

Jaime C. Laya, a banker by profession — he is currently chairman of PhilTrust Bank — has served as Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, chairman of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts, and the Intramuros Administration.

Indeed, he is so immersed in our history, culture, arts, traditions and customs that these subjects are dominant in “Wala Lang”, a collection of his most recent columns in the Bulletin. Reading them seems like taking a brief, condensed, illuminating course in Philippine history, culture and the arts.

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Hubert and Ara d’Aboville held a press conference on the Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival, and I quote: “which aims to develop and upgrade eco-cultural tourism in Puerto Galera. The creation of this unique cultural event combines world-class music and the visual arts with indigenous culture set in the utter beauty of nature with a magnificent view of one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

“The event is also a strong advocate of forest and marine conservation guided by the principles of corporate social responsibility and private-public partnership.”

A Frenchman, Hubert is as dedicated as his Filipino wife in promoting both our ethnic culture and tourism.