THE Philippines Graphic and the BusinessMirror have recently announced the expansion of the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards (NJLA) to member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as Oceania (Australia and New Zealand).
As such, the two publications have just opened the Asia-Pacific NJLA—named after one of the Philippines’s first National Artists for literature: the poet, storyteller and journalist Nick Joaquin.
A separate contest from the annual NJLA for authors in the Philippines, the NJLA Asia Pacific is the fulfillment of the announcement made by the Philippines Graphic and BusinessMirror Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon two years ago.
Both the magazine and the broadsheet seek to bring the best literary works from writers across the Asia Pacific to its readers in the Philippines, just as the original NJLA and the online literary section of the Philippines Graphic offer the best new works from Filipino authors and writers based in the Philippines to the world.
Mechanics
THIS new contest will accept previously unpublished entries of original poetry and short fiction works in English (written originally in English, or translated into English, with credit given to the translator if he or she is not the author) from residents and citizens of member-countries of the Asean, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
It is also open to expatriate Filipinos residing in these areas. Noncitizen residents from the countries and territories included in the contest must provide proof of residency from the places where they currently live.
Writers native to these territories, or those residing there, may also compete in the Asia-Pacific NJLA.
Poetry and short-fiction pieces, as well as short biographical notes on the authors may be sent to asiapacific.njla@gmail.com.
The works qualified to compete in this contest will be published in the twice-monthly Tony&Nick section of the BusinessMirror and on the newspaper’s web site.
Tony&Nick was so-named to honor the friendship of the late ALC Group Chairman Emeritus and the Philippines’s former Ambassador to Lao PDR Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, as well as National Artist for Literature and Magsaysay Awardee for Journalism Nick Joaquin. Their camaraderie created and supported the original NJLA (formerly the Philippines Graphic Literary Awards) that lasted for nearly three decades.
Publication and prizes
CASH prizes for the fiction winners of the Asia-Pacific NJLA, in US dollars, are $1,000 (first prize), $600 (second prize) and $400 (third prize).
The panel of judges and the Philippines Graphic Literary Editor will select the Tony&Nick Poet of the Year. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 (also in US dollars).
Authors whose works see print in Tony&Nick will not be paid any honoraria; however, the NJLA secretariat will not charge any fees to include the authors’ works in the contest, which is usually the case for such competitions.
The prizes and any others that contest sponsors may add to the prize pool will be given to the winners during the Asia-Pacific NJLA awards night in the Philippines, which will be celebrated as part of the anniversary party of the BusinessMirror.
Winners and the international judge will be transported to and billeted in Manila prior to the awards night. They will also be provided with transportation back home courtesy of the contest sponsors. Winners from Australia and New Zealand should shoulder their visa requirements.
The contest period will cover all works accepted for publication by the Literary Editor from April 2018 to July 23, 2018. The acceptance for publication means the work will be published, at the earliest, on the week immediately following the written acceptance of the manuscripts emailed to the authors.
Contest winners will be notified through an official e-mail from the Literary Editor by mid-August 2018. Details of their travel to and stay in the Philippines will be coordinated by the NJLA secretariat.
The Philippines Graphic will republish the winning works in its print edition and on its web site. Both the Philippines Graphic and the BusinessMirror reserve the rights to reprint all the winning pieces in any future compilations of NJLA winning works without any additional compensation to the winners.