Same time in SF in 2013?

SAN FRANCISCO—The first Filipino American International Book Festival (FilBookFest) on the first weekend of October went beyond everyone’s expectations. The members of the organizing committee, headed by Gemma Nemenzo, executive director of Literacy Initiatives International Foundation, thought they were being far too ambitious when they dared dream of having at least 30 authors from the Philippines and from the United States (of Filipino-American ancestry). And more than a hundred of them came, led by National Artists Virgilio Almario and BenCab from Manila. Heading the book signing was former President Fidel V. Ramos for what he called his—believe it or not!—biography, “Trustee of the Nation” written by W. Scott Thompson. It was FVR who also formally opened the bookfest not with any usual ribbon-cutting but with the striking of the ceremonial gong.

How does one measure the success of such a gathering? FilBookFest participants complained that they could not attend all the literary discussions and hot off-the-press readings of new releases, and do book shopping and food tasting, besides. That only meant that the two-day program of activities had simultaneous offerings too good to miss. That was my lament, too. Such complaints do sound like left-handed compliments.

But what I thought more remarkable was a feature on newly released biographies which had Felice Sta. Maria reading from her father Doc Prudente’s biography by Nelson Navarro, Thompson from the FVR biography, and Tony Joaquin from Nick Joaquin. The poetry session of R. Zamora Linmark and Barbara Jane Reyes was of special interest, too, because Linmark was my son’s literature professor in La Salle, whom he described as very strict but from whom he learned so much, even the writing of his very first short story. Linmark was then in Manila on a Fulbright grant.

In the Children’s Area of the San Francisco Main Public Library were two venues specifically for the FilBookFest. Washington State-based Reni Roxas of Tahanan Books, Ani Almario of Adarna House, and Nila Mata of Vibal Publishing discussed the writing and publishing of children’s books. Other features were the day-long, digital storytelling workshop by Myke Gonzalez, and a Target-sponsored (Target is a large US retailing company committed to literacy and children’s education) and -specified session that I presented on how to keep kids reading. What a delight that the chain was a generous donor and knew what it wanted.

A crowd drawer was the balagtasan by instant superstars—Filipino music scholar and marathon kundiman singer Mike Coroza, poet Teo Antonio, and performance poet Vim Nadera—who now brand themselves the “MTV.” Imagine a debate in poetry, and one can only marvel at such talent and artistry. It was so well received someone in the audience was moved to tears, and they have had to do repeat performances in Union City and New York. Another predictably lively session was Ambeth Ocampo’s “Queridas ni Rizal.” How can history be so engaging and so humorous?

Special mention must be made of the equally generous supporters from Manila. The Asia Foundation made possible the participation in the FilBookFest of seven of us—the balagtasan trio, Carljoe Javier, Marites Vitug, Ambeth and myself.  And though it may seem politically incorrect for the US-based initiative to solicit from anyone in the Philippines, genuine book-lovers showed their support: Vice President Jojo Binay, Sen. Joker Arroyo, Ramon Z. Abad and James Coyiuto of the Coyiuto Foundation.

The first FilBookFest provided a successful template for forthcoming ones—the next one is scheduled in 2013, same time, same season two years hence.

With books still on my mind especially after the Dollar Day sale of the Friends of San Francisco Library the weekend prior to the FilBookFest, I was pleasantly surprised, during my grandson Diego’s regular visit to his pediatrician, to meet the warm and welcoming Dr. Carol Fine of Kaiser. Of course, the toddler yelled and cried as he was being examined, but was instantly soothed when the doctor read him a special present for his 15th-month visit—an age-appropriate book to take home, titled “I Like It When…”

In Manila, I also witnessed Diego’s ninong , developmental pediatrician Dr. Francis X. Dimalanta occasionally handing out books to his patients. If only that were the standard in every pediatrician’s clinic—or even a short read-aloud from the doctor, perhaps?

* * *

Fil-Am writer Oscar Peñaranda (one of the tireless hosts and drivers of the Manila delegation) pointed out that the correct year of the landing by Filipino mariners under Spanish naval command on Morro Bay, California is 1587. I had said that the celebration of the Filipino American Heritage (or History) Month in the United States every October since 1988 was based on the documented arrival of the first wave of Filipinos on American soil in California on Oct. 18, 1857. How could I have been off 270 years, especially since it has been emphasized over and over again that this was 20 years before the first colonial settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. My apologies for this glaring typographical error.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (nenisrc@gmail.com) is a member of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, the Eggie Apostol Foundation, and a trustee of the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation.