8 Literary
MARCH 29, 2017
Artlets senior wins Rector’s Literary Award; Ustetika jurors praise quality of entries By ELMER B. COLDORA and NIKKO MIGUEL M. GARCIA FOURTH-YEAR Literature student Raymond Gold Padao from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) won the much-coveted Rector’s Literary Award (RLA), but it was fellow Literature senior George Deseo who brought home the bigger cash prizes for placing first in Fiction and Tula and several minor prizes in other categories of the Varsitarian-organized 32nd Gawad Ustetika, the biggest and longest-running campus literary derby in the Philippines. Padao had earlier won first prize for the Essay for “Trinkets, Tools, and Toys” to qualify him for the RLA, which is given to any first-prize Ustetika winner. Chosen by the incumbent rector himself (in this case Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P.), the RLA is given to the work that best reflects “the University’s Catholic vision of grace and redemption.” Padao’s essay talks about the challenges of adolescence. Padao had also placed second in Tula for his suite of poems, “Sirang Orasan at iba pang Tula.” However, the biggest winner in cash terms during the awarding night held March 9 at the George Ty Hall of the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building was Padao’s fellow senior, George Deoso, who won first prize in the Fiction and Tula for “The Interrogation” and “Mga Mumunting Dagundong,” respectively; as well second prize in Katha for “Rebelyon” and third prize in Poetry for “The Voyeurs of Doom: Poems.” Because he participated in practically every category and won prizes therefrom, Deoso brought home a whopping P37,000. Ustetika has had a history of granting very generous prizes. At present, first prize is P10,000, second P7,000, and third P5,000. Honorable mentions or special citations also have cash components. Ustetika juror and former Varsitarian editor in chief Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera, who spearheaded the first Ustetika in 1985, noted the high number of quality entries this year so that all prizes were awarded.
32nd Gawad Ustetika FROM PAGE 1 Hagbong awards were given posthumously—to former Varsitarian Filipino staffer and foremost fictionist Rogelio Sicat and to National Artist for Theater and Literature Rolando Tinio. Peralta earned his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the old UST Faculty of Arts and Letters. His Master of Arts in Anthropology was obtained from the University of the Philippines, while his doctorate degree in the same field was from the University of California, Davis Campus. Before he turned to anthropology, Peralta wrote award-winning plays such as “My Brother’s Keeper,” “Play the Judas” and “Longer than Mourning.” His early plays were noted for their explorations of Philippine ethnic themes, which prefigured his later career as an anthropologist and his eventual directorship of the National Museum. Although retired from government, Peralta is a consultant at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization. “I just write what I know,” he told the Varsitarian. “I don’t wave flags that I’m doing this for the Filipino. It must be knowledge that must be kept and made available to people
In previous installments, he said, some of the prizes were withheld because the jurors felt no entry deserved them. Nadera, one of the country’s foremost poets in Filipino and the head of the Philippine High School for the Arts in Mt. Makiling, Laguna, added that there were numerous high-quality entries that in many categories, jurors had to name first, second and third honorable mentions. “Kapansin-pansing wala masyadong hurado na nagbigay ng karangalang banggit [lang]. Ibig sabihin, nakita nila na mas karapat-dapat maging una, ikalawa, at ikatlong karangalan,” said Nadera, who was also one of the judges in the Tula category. “Kumbaga, mas magagaling ang mga lumahok ngayon,” he said. Nadera however suggested that the winners should still pay heed to writing workshops as essential to their craft. “Diretso na sila (sa mga palihan) kasi nanalo na naman at hindi na nila kailangang dumaan sa proseso. Sana matupad na itong hiling ko,” he said. Complete list of winners: Poetry: Jan Dennis Destajo (Architecture), “Consolations in Between,” first place; Irish Foja (Artlets), “Gravity is Female,” second; Deoso, “The Voyeurs of Doom: Poems,” third; Marian Karen Cabalona (Accountancy) “The Erratum Effect,” Ma. Doreen Evita Garcia (Artlets), “Undocumented” and Harvey Castillo (Artlets), “The Ghosts of Lotteries Lost,” honorable mentions. Fiction: Deoso, “The Interrogation,” first; Leanne Claire Bellen (Artlets), “Si Magayon,” second; Marianne Freya Nono (Graduate School), “TXT,” third; Lloyd Opalec (Artlets), “When Monsters Love,” Janelle Dino (Artlets), “Hail Goretti, Full of Grace” and Castillo, “The Ugliest Drowned Man in the World,” honorable mentions. Essay: Padao, “Trinkets, Tools, and Toys,” first; Castillo, “Cataract Clouds and Turning Tables,” second; Noreen Miano (Artlets), “A Trail Runner,” third; Bellen, “A Wooden Consolation” and Aaron Philip Dela Cruz (Artlets), “Getting Used To,” honorable mentions. Katha: Christian Mendoza (Accountancy), “Tatlong Mga Daliri, Kamay at Paa,” first; Deoso, “Rebelyon,” second; Patrick Ernest
like intangible heritage.” Peralta said he had always emphasized the reflection of Filipino culture in his literary works. “What is important to me is that the culture of the Philippines is documented and made available to the people. As I said, I do not wave flags. I do not even think that I will leave a legacy to people. Everything that I write is public property,” he explained. Peralta, who is also a poet and essayist, highlighted the importance of having selfconfidence when writing a literary work, especially in preserving the country’s culture. “First thing I tell people when they come listen to me; ‘don’t belittle the things that they say. Think it out for yourself,’” he said. The acclaimed playwright considered language as a significant aspect in writing about the Philippine culture. For him, language is a “genus” for having a variety in its usage. “What is the bearer of culture? It is language. If it is not in your language, it is not in your culture. You cannot even think beyond your language. It is language that will define a culture and the culture will define the people,” Peralta said. Saint-maker Fr. Villarroel was considered as one of the University’s longest-serving archivists, acclaimed for his historical research, Positio Super Introductione Causae, which paved the way to the beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz and companion martyrs in 1981. San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila is
Fourth-year literature student Raymond Padao is the recipient of the coveted Rector’s Literary Award. M. T. PROVIDO
Celso (Education), “Ang Hindi Matapos-tapos na Pagtatapos,” third; Samantha Manalansan (Education), “Boda de Oro,” honorable mention. Tula: Deoso, “Mga Mumunting Dagundong,” first; Padao, “Sirang Orasan at iba pang Tula,” second; Joshua Russel Iringan (Artlets), “At Nakipanahan sa Gitna Natin: Mga Tula sa Panahong Gaya ng Amin,” third; Julius Villavieja (Artlets), “Patay Mali Siya… Patay Malisya: Isang Pahayagan,” honorable mention. Sanaysay: Mendoza, C., “Bakit ang Cool Kapag Americans ang Nagsasabi ng ‘You’re Driving Me Nuts’,” first; Jann Kyla Mendoza (Artlets), “Biyaheng Fairview sa UV Express,” second; Deoso, “Isang Lihim Para Kay H.,” third; Marianne Joy Ligan (Artlets), “Soria, Soria, Soria,” Celso, “Ang Tunay na Calling Ko” and Patrick John Danque (Artlets), “Ang Pinag-uusapan ng mga Filipino pag Nakikita ng Ibang Filipino Abroad,” honorable mentions. One-Act Play/Dulang Isang Yugto: No
the first Filipino saint. Since then Fr. Villarroel earned the reputation as a “saint-maker,” for providing the historical spadework that resulted in the beatification of other candidates, such as Beato Buenaventura Garcia Paredes and companion Thomasian martyrs, who were killed during the Spanish persecutions in the 1930’s. Professor De Castro noted that the Spanish Dominican priest became her mentor in the University archives. She called him a “father, mentor, and friend.” “I had this great benefit of being trained under him and he would pass on a lot of information to me,” De Castro said in an interview with the Varsitarian. The history professor also acknowledged the great contribution of Fr. Villarroel in her knowledge about religious history. “He patiently answered my questions about the peculiarities in religious life, why things happened the way they did, what were the different activities that they did. He gave me good answers which helped me in my writing of religious history and Philippine history in general,” she said. Fr. Villaroel received the Gintong Aklat Award for his two-volume masterpiece, “A History of the University of Santo Tomas: Four Centuries of Higher Education in the Philippines,” published in 2012. He also authored 23 books and 65 articles on theology and the histories of the University, the Philippines, and the Church. “The most important for
winner, first; Opalec, “Bulong ng Hangin,” second; Mendoza, J., “Paper Cranes,” third; Rani Mae Aberin (Artlets), “Forever Young” and John Michael Peña (Artlets), “Writer’s Block,” honorable mentions. Complete list of jurors: Poetry: Carlomar Daoana, Mariano Kilates, and Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta Fiction: Chuckberry Pascual, Sarge Lacuesta, and Augusto Antonio Aguila Tula: Vim Nadera, Joselito Delos Reyes, and Rebecca Añonuevo Essay: John Jack Wigley, Jose Wendell Capili and Shirley Lua Katha: Edgar Samar, Eros Atalia and Jun Cruz Reyes Sanaysay: Gary Devilles, Oscar Campomanes and Beverly Siy One-Act Play/Dulang Isang Yugto: Jose Victor Torres, Jerry Gracio and Ralph Galan
me among his works aside from the [Positio Super Introductione Causae] would be the History of UST. Nothing can match the devotion and rigor of his scholarship works, which he manifested in writing and researching. It is the product of ten years of research,” De Castro said. For De Castro, it is important for every Thomasian “to appreciate the decadelong of work Fr. Villaroel has written” about the history of the University. “I hope Thomasians would really find time to read it in order to be able to understand why Santo Tomas remains to be a beacon of influence, hope, and of course, a great symbol of faith and Christianity in this part of the world which is Asia.” In 2009, Fr. Villaroel’s “Alma Mater: The University of Santo Tomas as seen by its own poets” was published by the UST Publishing House. He collected and edited the 144 poems dedicated to the University written by students and alumni. The book includes Claro Recto’s masterpiece, “A Benavides” (To Benavides), which won first prize in Certamen Poetico—a national poetry competition—during the third centennial of the University. Recto’s poem ends with the line: “Y en coro inmenso gritad; Gloria al Padre Benavides! (And in immense choir shout; Glory to the father Benavides!).” ELMER B. COLDORA and CEDRIC ALLEN P. STA. CRUZ
ASHES ASHES serve as a reminder For the laity in the form Of a cross over their foreheads Year by year by year by year— Their virtues’ color, Charred plumes of a vulture. Their worldly existence, A forest presumed to burn soonest. Yet the sleight of hand, Yet the twist of fate, Yet the turning of tables— Such year by year reminder Gets slowly crossed out As f locks of vultures feast On the vestiges of their faith, A forest that has burned, turned ashes. NIKKO MIGUEL M. GARCIA