An exercise of the soul

Last Saturday, August 29, in ceremonies held at the Ateneo de Manila University in conjunction with the 41st Writers’ Congress, I was presented with the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas Award along with 10 other writers by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Writers Union of the Philippines).

The citation said that I was being honored for my essays in English and my journalism, which all told have covered some three decades of my life, and stints as writer, editor and publisher.