HUGZONE HorizonS

THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (NPC) and the Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas (SKP), launched yesterday the NPC-SKP annual editorial cartoon competition. The NPC-SKP Editorial Competition will be called The BoyTogs Awards in honor of Romeo “Boy” Togonon, a hard-hitting editorial cartoonist who died two years ago and who would have been a young 58-years-old on Monday.

Although Boy and I belong to the same Flower Power generation, he was more of my Dad's colleague than I. They worked together for years at the defunct Daily Express. On the occasions that I would visit my Dad in that smoke-filled art room, I would often find Boy playing pekwa with the other artists, mostly graduates of UST. Pekwa or domino is a game that my Dad introduced to the young artists. But often Mang Hugo would be in one corner doing some oil paintings to augment his pin money.

My Dad, Boy Togs, Larry Alcala and several other editorial cartoonists established the SKP thirty years ago. I served as Boy Togonon's secretary when he was president of SKP (I also performed the same task for Nonoy Marcelo and Mang Larry).

Benny Antiporda, the present NPC President, looks at Boy as his own kuya. A self-confessed firebrand, Benny says that Boy was his calming influence. During Boy's wake, he was the one who sobbed loudly when giving a toast. Early this year, he broached to me his idea of creating the contest and promised that he would look for precious funds for it. In honor of Kuya BoyTogs.

The competition is open only to active SKP members. The city of Manila and Mayor Alfredo Lim aka "Dirty Harry", one of Boy's friends, will be the main sponsors of the initial edition of BoyTogs Awards.

The prizes are: P30,000 for the First Prize, P25, 000 for the Second Prize, and P20,000 for third Prize. Five thousand pesos will each be given to five consolation prizes. Submission of entries and announcement of winners will be on October 10. Prizes will be handed during that day’s NPC Celebrity Night. O papaano, galit-galit muna habang gumagawa ng entry!

At the launch of the contest, Boy's widow Sonia and their three big sons came in full force. Photo shows Mrs. Togonon receiving copies of the newly published SKP Roster Book from me and Benny. Others in the photo are: (front, left to right) Roni Santiago, Manila Bulletin; Ardie Togonon; Rene Aranda, Philippine Star; Barry Jose, DAR. (back, left to right) William Depasupil, NPC Director; Louie Logarta, NPC Secretary; Jerry Yap, publisher; Franz Togonon; Mickey Togonon; and Roniel de Guzman, NPC Director.