Through the initiative of the National Book Development Board to support Filipino authorship and to assist authors in completing their manuscripts, a research on gender studies was awarded a grant of Php 200,000.00. The awarding ceremony was held on July 15, 2015 at the NBDB library in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

The recipient of the 2014 National Book Development Trust Fund grant on gender studies is Dr. Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, a computer science professor at the Ateneo De Manila University. Her manuscript is a collection of short stories of women in science.

One of the advisory committee members, Dr. Blesshe Querijero, believes that by highlighting the lives and experiences of these women of science who have done much but of whom we have heard so little, the research can be a beacon for new role models to guide our youth who are ever exposed to various propaganda.

The manuscript was endorsed by the gender studies advisory committee headed by Usec. Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr. Joining him are Dr. Blesshe Querijero and Dr. Judy Taguiwalo.

Executive Director Ms. Graciela Mendoza-Cayton personally handed the first tranche of the grant to Dr. Rodrigo. The remaining tranche will be given as her work progresses.
Earlier this year, grants were awarded in the Islamic Studies and Biodiversity/ Health and Wellness categories. The four manuscripts awarded are PAG-TUHAN: Tausug Gnosis as a Living Tradition by Mr. Darwin J. Absari under the Islamic Studies category; MPA for Teachers: A Fun Activity Guide that Illustrates the Science Behind Marine Protected Areas by Ms. Grace Quiton-Domingo; Come Back to Me: Lives Taken, Shaken, and Changed by the Lack of Reproductive Health Rights by Ms. Rosario I. Tañedo; The Birds of Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, and UP Diliman by Amado C. Bajarias Jr. for the Biodiversity/Health and Wellness category.

Founded in March 2009 by virtue of Republic Act No. 9521, the National Book Development Trust Fund (NBDTF) authorized the creation of One Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (P150,000,000.00) trust fund under the NBDB to support and promote Filipino authorship and to complete local manuscripts or research works for publication, especially in Science and Technology, and in subject areas where locally authored books are either few or non-existent.

The NBDB’s mission is to promote the development of the local book publishing industry, enhance market growth by championing lifelong learning through reading, and uphold excellence and ethical practices in publishing.

Related articles:
http://nbdb.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1038&Itemid=1
http://choosephilippines.com/do/events/2675/national-book-development-national-grant-2015/