C & E Publishing, Inc. received a Gintong Aklat (Golden Book) award for Fundamentals of Pediatrics: Competency-based in the Natural and Applied Sciences category. The two-volume textbook was recognized in the opening of the 37th Manila International Book Fair at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on September 14.

Launched in September 2014, the book is the first contemporary, locally authored reference material on comprehensive health care for Filipino newborns, infants, children, and adolescents published since the release of the fourth and last edition of the pioneer pediatrics book in 2000. Its editors were Drs. Xerxes Navarro, Aurora Bauzon, Juliet Aguilar, and Olympia Malanyaon.

Fundamentals of Pediatrics was among 395 entries this year. Entries for the Natural and Applied Sciences category were assessed according to the book’s contribution to the field of study, accuracy of content, and depth of research. The judges were Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, vice chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman Office of Research and Development, and Dr. Marilou Nicolas, former dean of the University of the Philippines Manila College of Science.

Teresa Maria Custodio, chair of the board of judges of Gintong Aklat Awards 2016, explained that all aspects of bookmaking are considered in choosing the winners: production, design, and content. She emphasized the importance of narrative which shows how effectively the medium carries the message and delivers it to its intended audience. “Design should support content—it is a science,” Custodio said.

Organized by the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), the Gintong Aklat Awards are given every two years to outstanding publishers.

“The entirety of a book—its merit in all aspects of production—is the mark of an outstanding publisher,” said BDAP President Ani Rosa Almario in Filipino during her opening remarks.

The award has seven categories, namely Literature in Filipino, Literature in English, Food, Arts and Culture, Social Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences, and Inspiration and Self-help. It also confers a Best Book Design award.

Tailored for medical students, residents, pediatricians, and healthcare practitioners who engage in child care, Fundamentals of Pediatrics has been endorsed by the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Foundation as a valuable reference in all local medical schools and as a review material for licensure examinees.

Copies of the textbook are available at all C & E Bookshop branches nationwide. For orders or inquiries, interested parties may call tel. no. (632) 929 5088 or email C & E at customerservice@cebookshop.com.