WOW: I got an Award for being part of this project!
The National Book Award goes to Siglo: Passion, edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Vincent Simbulan, published by Kestrel IMC, Mango Books, and Quest Ventures.

Comic books have experienced amazing and welcome growth through recent years, seeking both polish and distinct identity from the manifold influences they bear on their staples and stitching.

Siglo: Passion is proof of just how far comic books in the Philippines have evolved. Full-color, edgy, and moody, Siglo: Passion also boasts of top Filipino creative talent, not just great comic book talent: Nikki Go-Alfar, Lan Medina, Reno Maniquis, Edgar Tadeo, Hiyas De Guzman, Vicente Groyon, Honoel Ibardolaza, Paolo Manalo, Andrew Drilon, Carlo Vergara, Jason Banico, Marco Dimaano, Quark Henares, Antonio Abad, Ma-an Asuncion, Gerry Alanguilan, Jaime Bautista, Michelle Soneja, Cyan Abad-Jugo, Luis Katigbak, Jonas Diego, Joel Chua, Ariel Atienza, Jeremy Arambulo, Angelo Suarez, Rafael Kayanan, Leinil Francis Yu, Jose Illenberger, Jac Ting Lim, Camille Portugal, Oliver Pulumbarit, Wilson Tortosa and Ma. Camille Francisco.

That it defies easy classification is part of its significance, as is the fact that Siglo is closer to a literary anthology than it is to the funny books. That it emerges so full-formed in the category that features such exemplary finalists shows that Comic Books have indeed come of age. It shows that valor lies in trying to do what has not yet been done before and Siglo: Passion does it with pride, for which we honor it today with the National Book Award for Comic Books.


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See Ruel De Vera's actual delivery of this speech at a video here:
http://alanguilan. com/sanpablo/ 2006/09/at- national- book-awards- komikero- video.html
Thanks to Gerry Alanguilan and Budjette Tan for the transcript and video. Thank you to Dean, Nikki and Vinnie for letting me be part of this.