"Our world has come to depend much on the work of journalists. From them we expect information, enlightenment, guidance, insight, contemporary history, the truth. And all this we wish them to deliver to us lucidly, wisely, and gracefully — in memorable language. All those who knew the late Gerry Gil will remember that he did all that as a newspaperman, columnist, writer of letters to the editor, writer of editorials, writer. His erudition and wide reading, his insight and his humor, his passion for accuracy and his fearlessness, and especially his clear and graceful language — all are found in the book put together by his friends, impelled by Gerry’s spirit."
The Manila Critics Circle
presents the National Book Award for Journalism to this book that will
provide models for writing classes, historical data for contemporary researchers,
and a class memory for journalists past and future.
Informatively, the National
Book Award is the highest publishing award in the Philippines. It’s now
on its 17th year, and like the Academy Awards, there are nominees and the
winner is announced during the awarding ceremonies.
Sept 1998 email from
Isagani Cruz
De La Salle University