FILCOLS celebrated the World Book and Copyright Day 2012 last April 22, 2012 at the Planas Garden, Quezon City Memorial Circle. Dubbed as Summer Slam, the program was packed with action, excitement and of course, respect for copyright. It started at 9:30 am and ended at a little past 8:00 p.m. Around two hundred people from all walks of life became part of the celebration.
The program opened with welcome remarks from Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, the Chair of the National Book Development Board and Atty. Ricardo Blancaflor, the Director General of the Intellectual Property of the Philippines. It was followed by the Awarding of the National Book Development Trust Fund to the winners. Ma. Florina Y. Orillos-Juan for Ang Kabihasnan at Lipunang Pilipino sa Harap ng Pananalanta ng Balang 1569-1949 and Ma. Mercedes G. Planta for Traditional Medicine in Colonial Philippines 16th to the 19th Centuries went up the stage to receive the grant. Antonio R. Enriquez for The Siege of Fort Pillar won for the Novel Category but he was not present during the ceremony.
Afterwards, The Batutes (Siege Malvar and GP Abrajano) performed a modern version of balagtasan. They were followed by a rap contest organized by IPOPHL. The winners were a professional rapper, a guy who works for a real estate company (walk in contestant) and a copyright advocate. Cash prizes were given away.
The contest was followed by performances from Quartermoon and Carlos Castaño band. Kuya Rich, the storyteller, amazed the young audience with a story about street children. Up next was the Quezon City Public Library puppeteers featuring a story about caring for the environment. The text was written by broadcaster Tintin Bersola-Babao. Miko Pepito surprised everyone through his spoken word performance in the Filipino language.
Then came the segment of Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society or FILCOLS. It featured games for the kids and adults. One of the games asked the kids to bring authors in front of the stage. Napoleon Almonte, FILCOLS’ Executive Officer for Licensing and author of Rizal is My President, Siege Malvar, the author of young adult novels Crash and Roles from Visprint and Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, author of The Proxy Eros from Anvil were brought in and had fun dancing with the kids. The kids who persuaded these authors to come with them got books as their prizes. Longest breath games asked the young and the young at heart participants to say “No to Piracy” and “Yes to Copyright” as loud as they could. Books written by FILCOLS members were given as prizes to the winners.
The highlight of the FILCOLS segment was a performance by Wanlu, the champion ventriloquist from the Talentadong Pinoy show. During his show, one of his puppets mentioned the value of authors in the modern world. There was laughter everywhere when Wanlu joked around with his marionettes, and hard and soft puppets. But it was when Wanlu’s performance featured human puppets that the crowd went really wild. Wanlu gave original DVDs as gifts to those who acted as his human puppets. He then segued to the importance of respecting copyright by patronizing local and original products (such as his DVD).
Bebang Siy, FILCOLS’ Executive Officer for Membership and Documentation, served as the emcee. She ended the FILCOLS’ segment by thanking the organizers, co-organizers, FILCOLS’ funders namely NORCODE and KOPINOR, and the team that made the participation of FILCOLS in Summer Slam a success: the Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines (FWGP) headed by Ime Morales and some of its Steering Committee members Teena Estrada and Claire Agbayani, Zaldy Arboso, Maritez and Marisa Laudinez and Anthony Marabe of Siyudad ng Antipolo Arts Guild (SINAG), Paul Arpee Zapata, Black Pen Publishing, Pandora’s Books Online Shop, Balangay Productions, Jojo Perez and Wanlu. Siy also reminded everyone that copyright is authors’ human rights.
As the night closed in, a series of performances by live bands entertained the crowd. Some were FILSCAP members, some were invited by IPOPHL: Kaligta, Hinlalato, Toto Sorioso, Speakeasy, Mom's Cake who wowed the crowd through their costumes and impersonations of famous singers, Black Summer, Dee Jay Alvaro, who came down the stage to join the audience in singing Filipino songs, and the divine rocker Mr. Art Gallero.
Summer Slam or the World Book and Copyright Day 2012 Celebration was organized by the NBDB and the IPOPHL in partnership with FILCOLS, FILSCAP, Komikon, Metroserye, QCPL, Vibal Foundation and Visprint.
Let's do it again :)
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