Sunday at the park, and book lover Mario T.

IF SHAKESPEARE did not make much of his three-day travel from his Stratford-upon-avon home to London, how can I complain? Intellectual Property of the Philippines director general Ricardo Blancaflor asked rhetorically.

Blancaflor’s trek to Quezon City was for good reason: the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day called “All for Summer Slam,” a Planas Garden “school fair” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle held last April 22. This event is a continuing though young collaboration between the National Book Development Board and IPO, and this year, with the Quezon City government, too.

Unesco has led the International Day of the Book or World Book Day on April 23 since 1995. Meant to promote reading, publishing, and the protection of copyright and intellectual property, it is a day dedicated to books and authors and illustrators and the inexplicable joys of the act of reading.

The fortuitous choice of date is laden with history. In 1616, Miguel de Cervantes, acknowledged as the author of the first European novel, “Don Quixote,” and William Shakespeare both died on that day.

The United Kingdom with its long literary tradition has shifted its celebration to the first Thursday in March. That the day is of utmost significance to that country is evident when at its launch, Prime Minister Tony Blair was at its helm. An enviable feature of their celebration is the release of WBD resources and activity packets and the £1 book coupons that children are given to exchange in the local bookstores.

I had to restrain myself from being green with envy over that and their free packet of tips to visit libraries and bookstores and encourage children to read and write. Meanwhile, we in Manila have talked of holding a “midnight” reading madness or a reading night or a public library revival campaign. Nevertheless, we also had a rich offering last Sunday, thanks to the many friends and partner organizations like the Quezon City Public Library, Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society Inc., Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (Filscap), Anvil Publishing, Vibal Publishing, Visprint, Metroserye, and Komikon, the group of independent komiks creators.

There was a copy-rap competition, poetry reading, and a jail booth for copyright pirates plus a free photo session with a “pirate” to highlight the crime that it is, and a book fair. The Batutes were there, a poetry jousting duo named to honor the king of balagtasan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, aka Huseng Batute. Encouraged by their teacher Vim Nadera, himself a performing poet, Siege Malvar and GP Abrajano were led to discover their talents when Nadera required a performance for a final grade.

There were storytelling and the special appearance of Wanlu, the well known ventriloquist and puppeteer for children. And rock bands galore, so that the day stretched until after sundown. Park habitues were pleasantly surprised—free books, ice cream, and stories, too?

The awarding of the first three grantees of the National Book Development Trust Fund Act (or RA No. 9521) in the amount of P200,000 each was the day’s highlight. The grantees are “Kasaysayan at Vulnerabilidad: Ang Kabihasnan at Lipunang Pilipino sa Harap ng Pananalanta ng Balang 1569-1949” by Ma. Florina Y. Orillos-juan for the Environment and Biodiversity Category, “Traditional Medicine in Colonial Philippines, 16th to the 19th Centuries” by Ma. Mercedes G. Planta for the Health and Wellness Category, and “The Siege of Fort Pillar” by Antonio R. Enriquez for the Novel Category.

Former NBDB chair Dr. Dennis T. Gonzalez deserves full credit for the realization of this dream trust fund after the law was passed in 2009, exclusively for the promotion of Filipino authorship and the completion of local manuscripts for publication, especially in science and technology and areas of discipline where locally written books are limited.

The fund is held in perpetuity, drawing only from interest earnings of the principal amount provided for by the General Appropriations Act, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

A day that celebrated the printed word was also an appropriate one for book lover and intellectual Mario Taguiwalo to go, dying in the quiet and dignified manner he had stipulated—and with no mourning, please. The last time I heard him speak was at a Unesco forum a year ago when he spoke with the usual eloquence on the economics of education. This year, when he knew his cancer could not be healed, he designed a life on his own terms, in the company of his wife Beaulah and son Homer in a houseful of books that, they teased, would one day all just come tumbling down on them. Reading remained a passion to the end, and Mario was read to when even that began to tire him. One of his last requests was a copy of “Robin Hood” with illustrations by Robert Pyle ordered from Amazon.

What a life and what a graceful way to leave. Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (nenisrcruz@gmail.com) is chair of the National Book Development Board, a trustee of the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation and a member of the Eggie Apostol Foundation.