THE UST Department of Modern Languages held its first Spanish poetry recital at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
A total of 29 freshmen from various colleges participated in the University-wide contest, where participants recited famous Spanish poems.
“This is one way of connecting to our past and lifting the legacy of Spain in the Philippines,” Artlets Dean Melanie Turingan said in her opening remarks.
English Language Studies (ELS) freshman Kia Simasiku emerged as champion for her performance of “Mal de ausencia” by Luis Alberto de Cuenca.
“Despite self-doubt, you just have to really believe in yourself,” Simasiku told the Varsitarian. “Don’t be afraid to try new things, experience it, and just hope for whatever’s gonna come out,” she added.
Simasiku opted to translate the Spanish poem into English per line.
“[B]efore I studied the Spanish version, I actually memorized the English version so I would understand. Just in case I forget, at least I know what the story’s about,” the ELS freshman said.
Jozef Benedict Padilla of the College of Information and Computing Sciences, placed second for his recital of Pablo Neruda’s “Soneto XVII.”
Legal Management freshman Precious Joy Madlangbayan bagged third place for her performance of “Volverán las oscuras golondrinas” by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
Royce Randall Lim, chair of the UST Department of Modern Languages, said the event sought to recognize the importance of the Spanish language and the diverse influences that had shaped the country.
“UST’s rich history is intertwined with the Spanish language, and it has been a place where Filipino identity and culture were shaped and preserved,” Lim said.
“It celebrates Spanish as a cultural bridge, not just a colonial relic, but as a living, evolving part of Filipino heritage that enriches the nation’s artistic and intellectual traditions,” he added.
The recital was part of celebrations for the 60th founding anniversary of the Faculty of Arts and Letters.
