Instituto Cervantes wins Anvil Award of Merit for Berso sa Metro

MANILA, March 3 (PNA) -- The Instituto Cervantes in Manila has won a prestigious Anvil Award of Merit in the 45th Anvil Awards Competition held recently at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City .

Instituto Cervantes’ Berso sa Metro, an innovative reading campaign in the three urban rail transportation systems in Metro Manila, won this year's Award of Merit under the Educational Public Relations (PR) Program on a sustained basis.

First launched in October 2007, the “Berso sa Metro” campaign showcases a collection of Spanish poems placed side by side with their Filipino translations in the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metrostar Express (MRT3). It aims to strengthen the cultural bond between the Philippines and Spain and educating the passengers in Spanish literature.

With a wide array of poetic masterpieces by various Spanish, Latin American, and Filipino poets, the Berso sa Metro is an interesting way of spreading literature on a daily basis, reminding people of the beauty of words as they speed to their destinations.

The much-coveted Anvil Awards, dubbed as the Oscar of Public Relations in the Philippines is given annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) to outstanding public relations programs and tools that reflect and promote public interest, good values and genuine service to the community and society.

University of the Philippines economics professor Cayetano Paderanga Jr., who served as Chairman of the Board of Jurors, led this year’s distinguished multi-sectoral jury.

Instituto Cervantes Director José R. Rodríguez received the award. With him were Administrator Manuel Valenzuela, Chief Librarian Manuel Pérez, Academic Head Juan Robisco, and Deputy for Cultural Affairs Jose Ma. Fons.

The Instituto Cervantes organized the Berso sa Metro campaign in cooperation with the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, the Spanish Embassy, MRT and LRT. (PNA)
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