Assistant Professor Laurence Marvin S. Castillo, PhD, of the Department of Humanities (DHUM), co-editor of the book “Hindi Nangyari Dahil Wala sa Social Media: Interogasyon ng Kulturang New Media sa Pilipinas” was a recipient of the 2023 Philippine National Book Awards Best Book on Media Studies. Featured in said work is DHUM Asst. Prof. Ivan Labayne’s essay, “Sa Operasyon ng Komunikatibong Kapitalismo”.

The book was co-edited by Dr. Rolando B. Tolentino and Dr. Vladimeir B. Gonzales of the University of the Philippines Diliman, and was published by the Ateneo de Manila University Press in 2021.
A “five-year project in the making”, Asst. Prof. Castillo says the book is one of the first anthologies in the country to focus on the investigation of new media. He also underlines its significance during the COVID-19 pandemic, where there is extensive use of social media and widespread disinformation.

Meanwhile, Asst. Prof. Labayne’s article focused on an analysis of freelance work and late capitalism. “It illustrates how individual freelancers make sense of their experiences”, Labayne shares. The article’s preliminary assessment of freelance work in the Philippines was based on conversations with three freelance workers.

“Umaasa kami ng ang aklat na ito ay isang ambag sa patuloy na talastasan hingil sa birtuwal o didyital na rekonpigurasyon ng iba’t ibang uri ng pampolitikang praktika lalo na at tuluy-tuloy ang matingkad na katangian ng larangang online bilang isang terrain para sa paglulungsad ng mga proyektong mapagpalaya at sa pakikipag-laban para sa panlipunang hustisya”, Asst. Prof. Castillo said during the book’s launch in November 2021.

The awarding ceremony of the 40th National Book Awards was held on May 13 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

The Philippine National Book Awards is held annually to honor exceptional books written, published, and designed in the Philippines.

MA Sto. Tomas