THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) Publishing House is now the winningest academic press it was again named Publisher of the Year at the 32nd National Book Awards for the fourth time.
The UST Publishing House was last named Publisher of the Year in 2003, 2004, and, recently in 2010.
“I am extremely proud and happy. We, together with my team, really worked hard for this. It is a herculean task to make sure that a manuscript is transformed into a book. Now I realize that it is not in the dance (cheerdance) or the ball (UAAP) that UST is really good at, it is in the books,” Publishing House Director John Jack Wigley told the Varsitarian.
The National Book Awards recognize only the best of the previous year’s locally published books yearly supplied by the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) and the National Book Development Board (NBDB).
The winners were announced last Oct. 24. They will receive a cash prize and trophies made by award-winning sculptor Michael Cacnio.
The formal awarding will be held on Garden Ballroom, EDSA Shangri-La, Mandaluyong City on Nov. 16.
Some of the books published by the UST Publishing House that were given recognition were “Sa Kasunod ng 909” by Edgar Calabia Samar; “After the Body Displaces Water” by Daryll Delgado; “Pictures as Poems & Other (Re) Visions” by Marne Kilates; “Isa Lang ang Pangalan” by Rebecca T. Anonuevo; “Halos Isang Buhay: Ang Manananggal sa Pagsusulat ng Nobela” by Edgar Calabia Samar; and “Walking through Philippine Theater” by Basilio Esteban S. Villaruz.
The MCC is a non-profit organization of professional literary critics founded in 1981.
Among the members of the Circle are National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, Cirilo Bautista, Isagani Cruz, Shirley Lua, and Joel Pablo Salud.
The UST Publishing House traces its roots from the UST Press before until it got its present name in 1996. The defunct UST Press had its recorded in 1593.
