In a letter to Rosalinda L. Orosa
(AA'46 w/honors; PhB'48), Nicolas Law, director general of the International
Biographical Center (OBC) of Cambridge, England, confirmed Orosa's nomination as
International Woman of the Year for 2000-2001.
Adds Mr. Law: "This prestigious award is made available
to only a few illustrious individuals whose achievements and leadership stand
out in the international community. Congratulations on being one of these so
nominated."
The Philippine Star's late founding chairman Betty Go
Belmonte expressly invited Orosa to join the paper because her critiques and
cultural essays in the Chronicle, Daily Express, Times and other publications
here and abroad have made her name synonymous with the cultural scene for nearly
five decades.
Her international awards include the German Officer's Cross
of Merit for her "extraordinary gifts and achievements and outstanding
merits," the French Officer dans l'Ordre de Arts et des Lettres, the UN
Decade of Culture Award, a Canadian citation, the Premio Zobel. She was the lone
Asian awardee in Mexico's first F. Zarco International Competition (1968) among
over 400 leading journalists from five continents.
Some of Orosa's critiques and essays have been translated
into German, Chinese and Spanish and published in India, Korea, Thailand, Japan,
Mexico and Germany. She has been quoted alongside critics of the NY Times,
London Times, NY Post, cited by the Milwaukee Journal, the UPI, API and the US
State Department.
The late eminent composer-conductor Maestro Federico Elizalde
described her in his radio program (1975) as "a formidable critic
comparable to anyone in the world." After a visit to Manila in 1973, Henry
Popkin, NYU professor and London Times theater correspondent, wrote Orosa:
"I find nothing to add to your critiques."
Reprinted from the Philippine Star, 5/17/2000