awards

THE MADRIGAL-GONZALEZ BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

The U.P. Institute of Creative Writing established the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award in February 2001 through the initiative and generosity of the Madrigal-Gonzalez family. Its aim is to encourage writers who have published a first work in English or Filipino to continue in the pursuit of excellence in the literary art by providing a degree of relief from financial pressures in order that he or she might focus on the next literary project.

When it was launched in February 2001, the Award, consisting of P50,000.-, covered all works in English, in whatever literary genre in the field of creative writing, published during the two-year period 1999 and 2000. Nominations for the Award came from publishing houses and University presses, creative writing center, writers’ organizations, and other lovers of literature.

The Award is yearly, and alternates from year to year between works in English and works in Filipino.

During the first year of the Award, 2001, the judges were myself, Marjorie Evasco, and Jessica Zafra. The winner was Angelo R. Lacuesta for his story collection, Life after X; from among 30 entries, other excellent works were shortlisted: Reine Arcache Melvin’s A Normal Life and Other Stories; Luis Joaquin M. Katigbak’s story collection, Happy Endings, and DM Reyes’s book of poems, Promising Lights.

In the second year of the Award, 2002, on works in Filipino published over the period 2000 and 20001, the judges were Benilda S. Santos, chair, and Rene O. Villanueva and Herminio S. Beltran, Jr. The winner was Ellen L. Sicat for her novel, Paghuhunos. Short-listed were Jose Rey Munsayac’s novel, Ang Aso, ang Pulgas, ang Bonsai at ang Kolorum; Allan Popa’s Hunos: Mga Tula, and Abdon M. Balde, Jr.’s story collection, Mga Pangarap at mga Pangitain.

In the third year of the Award, 2003, on works in English published over 2001 and 2002, the judges were myself, Marjorie Evasco and Ruel De Vera. The winner was Ma. Felisa H. Batacan for her novel, Smaller and Smaller Circles.

In the fourth year of the Award, 2004, on works in Filipino published over 2002 and 2003, the judges were Rogelio G. Mangahas, chair, and Rebecca T. Añonuevo and Fidel D. Rillo, Jr. The winner was Luna Sicat-Cleto for her novel, Makinilyang Altar.

Last year, the fifth of the Award, on works in English published over 2003 and 2004, the judges are Neil C. Garcia, Jessica Zafra and Jaime An Lim. The winner was Vicente Groyon for his Palanca winning novel, The Sky Over Dimas.

back to awards| home