THE 10TH ASIAN CARTOON EXHIBIT 2008 in SM Mall of Asia

Elizabeth Chionglo (comic creator of Love Knots) and Azrael Procopio Magalpok of Komiks News Now

The Japan Foundation, Manila and the SM Super Malls in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan present the "10th Asian Cartoon Exhibition: Asian Environmental Issues" from January 16-31 (SM-Mall of Asia, Pasay), February 1-6 (The Podium, Ortigas) and February 16-29 (The Block, North Edsa).

The exhibition officially reels off with an invitational opening on January 16 (Wednesday) at the SM Mall of Asia at 7:00 pm. The traveling exhibit will showcase 77 works produced by 10 leading cartoonists from Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. The exhibit seeks to shed light on the burdens placed on the environment which have serious consequences not only for Asian nations but also for everybody all over the world. Representing the Philippines is Elizabeth T. Chionglo, cartoonist for the English-language daily Philippine Daily Inquirer. Some of her works include Bobita and Loveknots; the latter won the Catholic Mass Media Awards in 2005. The featured Japanese cartoonist is Yokota Yoshiaki, a multi-awarded cartoonist who won Gold Prize at both the 17 th and 25 th Yomiuri International Cartoon Contests held in 1995 and 2003 respectively.

The other cartoonists are Em Sothya, cartoonist of the Cambodian-language Rasmei Kampuchea Daily; Chen Li Qing (a.k.a. Li Qing), senior staff writer at Jinan Daily, an influential Chinese-language daily of Shandong Province; Mohd Irfaan Khan, producer for the weekly talk show on children’s cartoons itni Si Baat on Sahara TV; Jitet Koestana, a freelance Indonesian cartoonist and illustrator; Kong Bo Hyuk, a freelance Korean cartoonist and illustrator who won the Lotus Best Cartoon Award of the National Buddhist Cartoon Contest in 2004; Tran Minh Dung (a.k.a. Nhop), cartoonist of the Vietnamese-language humor magazine for youths Tuoi Tre Cuoi; Thi-wa-wat Pattaragulwanit, editorial cartoonist of the Thai-language daily business paper Krunpthep Thurakip and English-language daily Bangkok Post. Other participants include John Pek Teck Leong (a.k.a. Zuan), a freelance Malaysian illustrator.

The Japan Foundation has been holding The Asian Cartoon Exhibition (of one-cut and multi-cut cartoons) every year since 1995 for the purpose of capturing Asian society, culture and customs of daily life through the medium.

The 10th Asian Cartoon Exhibit is open to the public from 10 am to 10 pm. For inquiries, please contact the Japan Foundation, Manila at tel. no. 811-6155 to 58 or log on at JFM website www.jfmo.org.ph.