The Filipino

Blooey P. Singson

The Philippines is a popular setting for mass market novels, such as Neal Stephenson’s "Cryptonomicon,’’ Alex Garland’s "The Beach,’’ Vendela Vida’s "And Now You Can Go,’’ Shohei Ooka’s "Fires on a Plain,’’ and even a chapter of Yann Martel’s "Life of Pi.’’

Quite often, Filipinos also make it to the printed page as random domestic helpers: Filipina househelps can be found in John Lanchester’s "Fragrant Harbor," Sophie Kinsella’s "The Undomestic Goddess," Margaret Atwood’s "Robber Bride," Plum Sykes’ "Bergdorf Blondes," Tom Wolfe’s "A Man In Full," Holly Petersen’s "The Manny," and Helen Fielding’s "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason." There is even a Filipino waiter during the company dinner scene in Kurt Vonnegut’s "Player Piano." However, there is also a wealth of Filipinos featured as protagonists, pivotal characters, or supporting roles in popular novels.

PIVOTAL CHARACTERS

In Mitch Albom’s novel "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," the final person that the protagonist Eddie meets in heaven is a Filipina girl named Tala, who died in the battleground in World War II when Eddie was assigned in the Philippines. Tala is only one of the many Filipinos that have made their way into popular novels, and The Five People You Meet in Heaven is only one of many novels that has references to the Philippines.

Hunt for Filipino cameos in the latest titles from your favorite authors available from over 100 exhibitors at the 29th Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), the biggest and longest-running book fair in the Philippines, slated on Sept. 12-16, at the SMXConvention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

With the theme "Words without Borders," the MIBF celebrates the power of literature to cross the boundaries of time, place, and culture, showcasing the largest and most varied collection of literature, textbooks, educational supplements, general references, religious and inspirational titles, self-help books, management books, Filipiniana, coffee table books, popular novels, children’s books, art books, graphic novels, rare and hard-to-find titles, magazines, audio and e-books, multimedia, teaching supplies and services, publishers’ technology, and travel materials.

Robert Heinlein’s "Starship Troopers,’’ winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960, is considered a sci-fi classic, adapted many times into games, films, and is a great influence for a host of other military science fiction novels. Few Filipinos know that the protagonist of the Starship Troopers novel is a young Filipino soldier named Juan "Johnnie" Rico, as the more popular 1997 adaptation blurred this fact and cast Casper Van Dien in the starring role.

"Starship Troopers’’ traces the story of Juan Rico and his exploits in the mobile infantry, a military unit of the future trained for combat in interstellar wars between humans and an alien species of giant arachnids known as "the Bugs." Juan Rico rises in the ranks in the military as the war progresses, while Heinlein explores war’s moral and philosophical aspects.

Another military science fiction novel in the tradition of Starship Troopers is Orson Scott Card’s "Ender’s Game,’’ where one of the military geniuses is a Filipino named Fly Molo. He is the protagonist Ender’s left-hand man in battle training, and is a recurring character in Card’s later books, where he ends up as the country’s main commander in taking over Taiwan.

Tom Robbins’ "Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas’’ is a comedy starring a half-Filipina half-Irish broker named Gwen Mati, whose life is turned around by a weekend trip filled with madcap incidents and wacky characters.

Caleb Carr’s "Angel of Darkness’’ features a series of murders of young children 19th century New York. El Niño, a mysterious Aeta is discovered as a loyal servant of a Spanish diplomat whose daughter has been abducted. He later on joins the team of investigators and kills an enemy with a poisoned dart.

A host of Filipino characters also add color to Michael Chabon’s detective story, "The Yiddish Policemen’s Union’’: the main character’s informant, Benito Taganes, an ex-boxer turned doughnut shop proprietor; a boy who delivers lumpia to the detective; a gossipy maid, a family driver, and even a couple of hired thugs.

In the bestselling novel "Kite Runner,’’ a Filipino was shopping at the flea market just before Baba, Amir’s father, had his seizures.

Find these books and more at the MIBF, which showcases the largest and most varied collection of literature, textbooks, educational supplements, general references, religious and inspirational titles, self-help books, management books, Filipiniana, coffee table books, popular novels, children’s books, art books, graphic novels, rare and hard-to-find titles, magazines, audio and e-books, multimedia, teaching supplies and services, publishers’ technology, and travel materials.

The 29th Manila International Book Fair is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and Publishers Representatives Organization of the Philippines. For details, e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com.