From Gigo Alampay of Canvas:

We’re pleased to announce that Ms. Eline Santos has won the 2008 Romeo Forbes Children’s Storywriting Competition for her story, “Doll Eyes.” We had a very strong set of entries in the final round, but in the end the judges (singer/actress Lea Salonga, Tin-Aw Art Gallery owner Dawn Atienza, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Head of the Graduate Studies Office of UP’s College of Arts and Letters Wendell Capili) were unanimous.

Congratulations to Ms. Eline Santos and to all the other finalists! CANVAS wishes to also thank all the other writers who submitted entries. We look forward to everyone’s continued participation and support in our future competitions.

This year’s contest is based on an original and untitled oil painting by Joy Mallari, winner of the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards and finalist of the Osaka Triennial and ASEAN Art Awards in 2001. She was part of the prestigious artist collective Sanggawa, which counts Elmer Borlongan, Joy Flores, Mark Justiniani, and Federico Sievert among its members.

Read “Doll Eyes” and all the other final round entries here.