The Manila Critics Circle was founded in 1981 when Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta, Alfredo Navarro Salanga, Alfred A. Yuson, and Isagani R. Cruz realized that Philippine books were not getting the attention they deserved. What to Cruz "seemed like a quixotic venture at that time" was featured in the Asiaweek Literary Review. That magazine article carried this lede: "Considering the Philippines' relatively high literacy rate, it is ironic that reading is not a favourite pastime among Filipinos. A quartet of dedicated Manila littérateurs believes it's high time something was done to dispel this literary lassitude." Over the last four decades, this intrepid group of critics grew to include Leonides V. Benesa, Arlene Babst-Vokey, National Artist for Literature
Virgilio S. Almario,
Alice Guillermo,
Doreen G. Fernandez, National Artist for Literature
Resil B. Mojares, Roger Bresnahan, Miguel A. Bernad, SJ, Juaniyo Arcellana, National Artist for Literature
Cirilo F. Bautista, Soledad S. Reyes, Joel Pablo Salud,
Danton Remoto, and Ruel de Vera. The present set of MCC members are Shirley O. Lua, Dean Francis Alfar, Alma Anonas-Carpio, Michael Coroza, and Tony La Viña. Jenny Ortuoste, who passed on last July 21, 2024, continued to participate in the 42nd cycle of nominee selection for the National Book Awards until her health no longer allowed her to join the meetings and deliberations. The National Book Awards has had several sponsors who helped defray the huge expenses holding such awards has entailed: several corporations, agencies, and schools such as Artlab, the
Ateneo de Manila University,
Ayala Museum, Benguet Corp., Betty's Sans-Rival & Catering Service, Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., the
Cultural Center of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Equitable Philippine Commercial International Bank, Far Eastern University, Filipinas Foundation, Filipino Bookstore, Fortune Tobacco Corporation, Ganesh Art Center, Heritage Art Gallery, Jollibee Foods Corporation, La Tondeña,
Land Bank of the Philippines, Magnolia Corporation, Manila Electric Company, Mobil Philippines, Nestlé Philippines, Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines,
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation,
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Philippine Studies Association, Primetrade Asia, San Miguel Corporation, SGV & Company, University of Santo Tomas, and the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center, now known as the UP Likhaan center. Government agencies have also provided support by letting us utilize their facilities. The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the administrator of the Manila Metropolitan Theater, and the Hyundai Hall in Areté, Ateneo de Manila University have served as venues for the awarding ceremonies of the National Book Awards. Today, the NBDB covers the costs of mounting the National Book Awards. The NBDB also adds to the MCC's expertise by inviting other critics, organizations, and schools to participate in the process of judging which books are the best of the year. The winners receive cash awards from various donors, as well as the NBDB, and these awards are given in those donors' names. For the 42nd cycle of the National Book Awards, we have the Gerardo P. Cabochan Prize (short fiction in Filipino), the
National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista Prize (short fiction in English), the Pablo A. Tan Prize (nonfiction prose in English), the Philippine Literary Arts Council Prize (poetry in English) the Victorio C. Valledor Prize (poetry in Filipino), the Alfonso T. Ongpin Prize (art), the Elfren S. Cruz Prize (social sciences), the John C. Kaw Prize (history), and the Hilarion and Esther
Vibal Prize (journalism). The 42nd National Book Awards honored the best books written, designed, and published in the Philippines, and this cycle of the awards highlighted titles published in 2023. A total of 326 titles submitted across 31 categories consisting of four languages: English, Filipino, Bikol, and Ilokano. Following the awarding of winners during the 41st cycle last February 2024, the 42nd cycle of the awards is in November 2024 in the historic Intramuros in Manila. When the National Book Awards began in 1981, there were few quality books being published in the Philippines. Four decades later, hundreds of Philippine books are now of great quality, professionally published and widely read. == Award Categories ==