A memorial edition of three books by writer and educator Dr. Mario Ignacio Miclat will be posthumously launched on September 12 in celebration of his 72nd birthday.
Completed before he succumbed to COVID-19 exacerbated by cardiovascular morbidities, the set consists of a book of poetry, Kailan Diwata at 70+ na Tula; essays, Hundred Flowers, Hundred Philosophies; and novel, 21 West 4th Street. The books will be a valuable addition to Miclat’s body of works which have given him awards like Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, Kampeon ng Wika by Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan from the City of Manila, National Book Award, Palanca Award, UP Centennial Professorial Chair Award and UP Centennial Publications Award, among others.
The auspicious event will also announce the winners of the 2021 Maningning Miclat Poetry Award. The Top 3 poets in Filipino and English divisions will each receive Dr. Miclat’s set of 3 books as well as Maningning Miclat’s book of verses, Voice from the Underworld, an anthology of poems, essays, stories titled Fairground: A Literary Feast edited by Gémino H. Abad and Alma Cruz Miclat, Soul Searchers and Dreamers, Volumes I and II by Alma Cruz Miclat, and 9-year-old Maharadya Miclat-Janssen’s book, #Rajisms. Grand prize winners will each receive P28,000.00 cash prize and exquisite Julie Lluch trophy.
Dr. Miclat’s books were published by the Maningning Miclat Art Foundation, Inc. with the support of the Filipinas Institute of Translation, the UP Diliman Chancellor’s Office and UP Institute of Creative Writing.
The Sept. 12 program by Zoom and Livestreamed at the Maningning Miclat FB page will feature writer Elizabeth Lolarga and UP ICW director Joey Baquiran who will discuss Dr. Miclat’s novel and essays respectively while performance poet Vim Nadera will read National Artist Virgilio S. Almario’s introduction to the book of poetry.
Meanwhile, judges of the Maningning Poetry Awards- Marjorie Evasco, Dinah Roma and Marne Kilates- will read the citations for the Top 3 winners in English poetry: Alfonso Manalastas, Eunice Andrada and Ralph Lorenz Fonte. A poem by the grand winner will be read by Roma. Judges Elynia Ruth Mabanglo, Rebecca T. Añonuevo and Michael Coroza will read the citations for the Top 3 winners in Filipino poetry: Genesis Roy D. Historillo, John Brixter M.Tino and Rowell delos Santos Ulang. A poem from the grand winner will be read by Coroza.
The event hosted by awarded playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas will have special music numbers by actor and singer Banaue Miclat-Janssen, musician Jay Gomez, and the music tandem of Micah James Sanchez and Pamela Joy Herrera-Sanchez.
Zoom link of the Sept. 12, 6:00 p.m. event is: (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9530645524?pwd=L3pRUjc2UysvdmhkanpTWmltamVJdz09; Meeting ID: 953 064 5524; Passcode: MMAFI).
To order the limited memorial edition of only 300 sets of hardbound Mario Miclat’s books, email maningningfoundation@gmail.com or call/text 09995042898.