FilBookFest gathers, toasts Filipino ‘kindred spirits’

Clockwise from top left, Literacy Initiatives International
Foundation Executive Director Gemma Nemenzo, His Excellency
Former President Fidel V. Ramos, and the Philippines’ Butch
Dalisay and Neni Sta. Romana Cruz gather on stage during a
welcome reception for the participants of the Filipino American
International Book Festival. The program was held at the
Philippine Consulate in San Francisco on Sept. 30, 2011.

It’s long been believed that in the area of the arts a chasm exists between Filipinos in the Philippines and Filipinos in the U.S. That gap became a little narrower on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2, 2011, when writers and artists from both sides of the Pacific gathered in San Francisco for the Filipino American International Book Festival.

At a welcome reception hosted by the Philippine Consulate on Friday, Sept. 30, 2011, Gemma Nemenzo, executive director of the Literacy Initiatives International Foundation, which organized the two-day event, hailed the gathering of “kindred spirits” and recognized the presence of the writers from both sides of the Pacific who have gathered to promote their works and to take part in discussions on writing, publishing, Philippine history and the Filipino-American experience. The gathering was the largest of its kind, Nemenzo said.

The Philippines’ Pete Lacaba, center, and National Artist Ben Cabrera,
right, enjoy a light moment between events at the Filipino American
International Book Festival in San Francisco with Lacaba’s friend, Rico
Ramirez. Ramirez is a former mayor of Maragondon, Cavite,
Philippines, and is, like Lacaba, a former Martial Law detainee.

Present during the ceremony at the Philippine Center in downtown San Francisco were the Philippines’ Butch Dalisay, Pete Lacaba, National Artist Ben Cabrera, Ambeth Ocampo, Isagani Cruz, Vim Nadera, Teo Antonio and Mike Coroza, just to name a few. U.S.-based Filipino-American writers hobnobbing with them that evening and for the rest of the festival included Luis Francia, John Blanco, Marivi Soliven Blanco, Oscar Penaranda, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Ben Pimentel and Paulino Lim. Also present were representatives from Manila’s biggest publishing houses—Anvil Publishing chief Karina Bolasco, Ateneo de Manila Press director Maricor Baytion, and University of the Philippines Press marketing director Carljoe Javier—as well as representatives from the Book Development Association of the Philippines.

“This event is long overdue,” Consul General Marciano A. Paynor Jr. said in his welcome remarks. He expressed his hope that FilBookFest, as the event has been fondly called by the organizers and participants, will be the start of a regular dialogue between the writers and artists of the Philippines and those based in the U.S. who celebrate their Filipino heritage.

Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, the evening’s guest of honor, also paid homage to the artistic traditions of the Philippines and rallied the crowd, urging everyone in the hall to help make FilBookFest  a success. “Kaya natin ’to!” (“We can do this!”) he exclaimed, enjoining all to join him.

The boisterous response suggested that the success of the festival was assured and that, as far as the groups in attendance were concerned, a partnership indeed had begun.

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Read Filipino-American writer Ben Pimentel's column about FilBookFest:
Wacky FVR, elegant Lotis Key, majestic Balagtasan by MTV

Butch Dalisay writes about seeing old friends at FilBookFest:
FilBookFest in San Francisco

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz is already looking forward to the next FilBookFest:
Same time in SF in 2013

Cecile Manguerra Brainard thinks the FilBookFest organizers should do it again:
Re the Filipino American International Book Festival