Ricky Lee, Gawad Plaridel recipient

Acclaimed scriptwriter Ricky Lee, this year’s recipient of the UP Gawad Plaridel (which is awarded by the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication), elaborates on the personal importance of this latest honor: “It’s highly significant to me because it’s given by UP. It’s like a homecoming of sorts. My formative years as a writer were spent on this campus. I never graduated from my course in AB English, but every time I launch a book, I always drop by the UP Chapel. UP grounds me, criticizes me, betters me.” Lee wrote the screenplays of the award-winning movies “Brutal,” “Salome” and “Himala.” Previous recipients of the Plaridel are Inquirer founding chair Eugenia D. Apostol, filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, screenwriter Jose F. Lacaba and actresses Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos. Bayani San Diego Jr.