2016 has turned out to be a year of achievement for my father, Paulino Lim Jr. As a critically-acclaimed writer and professor of English literature, recently he was one of the twenty-three honored with the 2016 Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas—for his fiction and scholarly essays that are constructive criticisms of the political, social and religious problems in the Philippines.
And in March, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his significant contributions to Philippine literature from his alma mater University of Santa Tomas—the Parangal Hagbong Award for the 31st Gawad Ustetika (the longest running literary competition), is given by the Varsitarian, the official student publication. When in college, he was a reporter and associate editor, and wrote many short stories for the newspaper.
Is it any surprise that I’m always citing my father as a role model? Even at 81 years old, he’s still writing, still creating and still inspired to look at the world and critically examine its beauty and its horrors.
Congratulations, Dad! We are so very proud of you!
