“The MCC founded the Awards in the early 1980s, which in recent years has been supported by the NBDB and private individuals”
The Manila Critics Circle (MCC) and National Book Development Board (NBDB) recently announced the winners of the 41st National Book Awards (NBA), with the awarding ceremony to take place next February.
For this cycle of the NBA, 235 works were nominated by their publishers from all across the country, with 35 emerging as winners in categories spanning seven languages: Filipino, English, Bikol, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray.
The MCC founded the Awards in the early 1980s, which in recent years has been supported by the NBDB and private individuals.
At present, the MCC is a group of writers (myself among them) whose own individual works and works under their editorship are banned from nomination and consideration, to avoid conflict of interest.
Warmest congratulations to the winners and finalists! To those looking for stocking stuffers, any of these books would make great Christmas gifts.
They are available in physical stores and on some of the publishers’ websites, and some publishers have Shopee/Lazada storefronts as well.
The full list of winners:
LITERARY DIVISION
BEST NOVEL IN ENGLISH
“Yñiga: A Novel” – Glenn Diaz (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
BEST NOVEL IN FILIPINO
“El Arbol de la Alegria: Southern Quartet I” – RM Topacio-Aplaon (Isang Balangay Media Productions)
NATIONAL ARTIST CIRILO F. BAUTISTA PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN ENGLISH
“Song of the Mango and Other New Myths” – Vida Cruz-Borja (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
GERARDO P. CABOCHAN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN FILIPINO
“Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento” – Rowena P. Festin (University of the Philippines Press)
PABLO A. TAN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF NONFICTION PROSE IN ENGLISH
“Even Ducks Get Liver Cancer and other medical misadventures” – Wilfredo Liangco (Milflores Publishing)
“Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman” – Eric Ramos (Milflores Publishing)
BEST BOOK OF NONFICTION PROSE IN FILIPINO
“Pasasaan” – Jesus Aman Calvario (Isang Balangay Media Productions)
BEST ANTHOLOGY IN ENGLISH
“Kalandrakas Part 1, 1890-1945: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990” and “Kalandrakas Part 2, 1946-1990: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990” – Ricardo M. De Ungria (Ed.) (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
BEST ANTHOLOGY IN FILIPINO
“Plus/+ at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities” – Rolando B. Tolentino and Chuckberry J. Pascual (Eds.) (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
BEST BOOK OF LITERARY CRITICISM/CULTURAL STUDIES
“Isang Dalumat ng Panahon” – Christian Jil R. Benitez (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
BEST BOOK ON MEDIA STUDIES
“Alternative Cinema: The Unchronicled History of Alternative Cinema in the Philippines” – Nick Deocampo (University of the Philippines Press)
PHILIPPINE LITERARY ARTS COUNCIL PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN ENGLISH
“Coming Home to the Island: Poems” – Arlene J. Yandug (Xavier University Press)
VICTORIO C. VALLEDOR PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN FILIPINO
“Sa Ika-ilang Sirkulo ng Impyerno” – Miguel Paolo Celestial (Isang Balangay Media Productions)
BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL AND COMICS IN ENGLISH
“Death be Damned” – Mike Alcazaren, Noel Pascual, and AJ Bernardo, Authors; AJ Bernardo and Josel Nicolas, Illustrators (Komiket Inc.)
BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL AND COMICS IN FILIPINO
“Josefina” – Russell L. Molina, Author; Ace C. Enriquez, Illustrator (Adarna House)
BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN ENGLISH
“It’s A Mens World” – Ken Ishikawa, Translator; Bebang Siy, Author (Isang Balangay Media Productions)
BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN FILIPINO
“Ilustrado” – Chuckberry J. Pascual, Translator; Miguel Syjuco, Author (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House)
BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN HILIGAYNON
“Nada” – Alice M. Sun-Cua, Translator; Carmen Laforet, Author (Sto Niño de Cebu Publishing House)
BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN TAUSUG
“Sarena’s Story (Suy-Suy ni Sarena): The Loss of a Kingdom (In Paglawa’ sin Hambuuk Sultaniyya)” – Benj Bangahan, Translator; Criselda Yabes, Author (Pawikan Press)
BEST BOOK ON DRAMA AND FILM
“Huni at Pakpak: Mga Dula, Mga Sanaysay” – Luna Sicat Cleto (University of the Philippines Press)
BEST NOVEL IN BINISAYA
“Arkipelago: Nobela” – Januar Yap (Advaux Publishing)
BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN BINISAYA
“Dili Pwede Mogawas ug Ubang Mga Sugilanon (Can’t Go Out and Other Stories)” – Elizabeth Joy Serrano-Quijano (Ateneo de Davao University Publication Office)
BEST ANTHOLOGY IN BINISAYA
“Sinug-Ang: A Cebuano Trio” – Erlinda Alburo, Ester Tapia, and Corazon Almerino (University of San Carlos Publishing House)
BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN BINISAYA
“Ang Nakayatak kay Nayatakan (Who Steps Upon Is Stepped Upon)” – Adonis Durado (University of the Philippines Press)
NON-LITERARY DIVISION
ALFONSO T. ONGPIN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK ON ART
“Julio Nakpil (1867-1960) Collected Works Volume 1: Piano, Vocal, and Chamber Music” – Maria Alexandra Iñigo Chua (Ed.) (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House)
ELFREN S. CRUZ PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
“Transfiguring Mindanao: A Mindanao Reader” – Jose Jowel Canuday and Joselito Sescon (Eds.) (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
JOHN C. KAW PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK ON HISTORY
“The Chinese Mestizos of Cebu City 1750-1900” – Michael Cullinane (University of San Carlos Publishing House)
BEST BOOK ON PROFESSIONS
“Raising Quality Education in the Philippines: Selected Speeches and Writings” – Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ (Ateneo de Davao University Publication Office)
BEST BOOK IN JOURNALISM
“Duterte Watch: Descent into Authoritarianism Collected Commentaries” – Vergel O. Santos (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House)
BEST BOOK ON HUMOR, SPORTS, LIFESTYLE, AND BUSINESS
“The You-have-to-go-through-a-lot-of-crap to-get-to-good-ideas book” – David Guerrero (Milflores Publishing)
BEST BOOK ON FOOD
“Flavors of Iloilo” – Rafael J. Jardeleza Jr. (Iloilo City Government)
BEST BOOK IN SCIENCE
“The Role of Rainforestation in Forest Landscape Restoration and Conservation in the Island Municipality of Pilar, Camotes, Cebu” – Guiraldo C. Fernandez, Jr. and Marlito M. Bande (Aletheia Printing and Publishing House)
BEST BOOK IN SPIRITUALITY AND THEOLOGY
“The Islands of Faith: Crossroads of Mission” – Andrew Gimenez Recepcion (Ateneo de Naga University Press)
BEST BOOK IN PHILOSOPHY
“Life-times of Becoming Human” – Neferti X. M. Tadiar (Everything’s Fine)
DESIGN
BEST BOOK DESIGN
“Transfiguring Mindanao: A Mindanao Reader” – Karl Castro, Book Design; Jose Canuday and Joselito Sescon, Editors (Ateneo de Manila University Press)
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