GRADUATES of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) on Saturday came together at the Manila Hotel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Philippines’s oldest liberal arts school and UST’s largest academic unit.
The gala night brought together more than 500 alumni from Artlets’ 13 programs — the most out of any academic unit — as well as graduates of its precursor colleges, the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (Philets) and the College of Liberal Arts.
UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., an Artlets alumnus himself, highlighted the faculty’s role in shaping students into not just academically excellent individuals but also learners with “appreciation for knowledge and humanistic values.”
Ang graduated from Artlets’ philosophy program in 1990.
“As I witness how the Faculty of Arts and Letters has evolved, I cannot help but feel immense pride. I am part of the long tradition of excellence,” the Rector said. “It has produced national artists, outstanding media practitioners, esteemed philosophers, linguists, historians, and professionals who have made a lasting impact in society.”
Recounting his years in the liberal arts college, Ang noted that while much has changed, “the essence of a liberal arts education remains — that it forms not just skilled professionals but thoughtful, ethical, and socially responsible human beings.”
“May these carry us forward in shaping our future and also shaping each and every one of us to speak with Thomasian values,” he added. “I am very proud to be an Artlet.”
Although the faculty became “Artlets” only in 1964, its roots trace back to 1896 with the establishment of Philets, making it the oldest and biggest liberal arts college in the country. The college is set to mark its 130th anniversary in 2026.
What is being celebrated this academic year is the establishment of Artlets as a result of the merger between Philets and Bachelor of Arts programs from the defunct College of Liberal Arts in 1964. The Bachelor of Science programs remained and that college became what is known today as the College of Science.
Three alumni from the old Philets were present at the event: ex-professor Pacita Syquia Almario (1954) and former Varsitarian editors Jullie Yap-Daza (1961), a veteran journalist and columnist, and Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo (1964), critically acclaimed author and director of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.
Daza, who graduated with a Litt. B degree in journalism from Philets and was the Varsitarian’s first female assistant editor, recounted the “magical” journey that led her to a career in journalism.
“I found out that UST was the only university offering journalism. So I enrolled,” she said in her speech on behalf of Artlets alumni. “And that was the beginning of my magical journey towards a career in journalism.”
“At the time, the curriculum offered by UST was something right out of heaven,” she added. “And to this day, I have not heard of any other middle school, college, or university that offered the same curriculum that I enjoyed in my time. So, I hope your students, your children, and grandchildren will experience the same magic that you’re looking forward to a life in journalism.”
Prominent Artlets alumni who attended the event include former senator Joey Lina, former presidential adviser Ronald Llamas, Manila Bulletin columnist and former Varsitarian editor Nestor Cuartero, former journalism program coordinator Robert Roque, Eggshell Worldwide Communication managing director Ro-Charmaine Pidal-Pahate, and Faculty of Civil Law Dean and DivinaLaw founder Nilo Divina, among others.
Entertainment personalities and UST alumni Isko “Brod Pete” Salvador, Bimbo Cerrudo, Isay Alvarez, Lou Bonnevie, Jojo Alejar, and The Rainmakers delivered performances during the event.
Literature alumnus Michael Blanco, from the prominent Blanco family of Thomasian artists, unveiled a study of the mural set to be mounted on the walls of St. Raymund de Peñafort Building.
The mural is a visual chronicle of Artlets’ history, tracing its evolution from Philets to the modern era, akin to the gala night’s theme, “From Pen to Pixels: Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future.”
It includes portraits of former Artlets deans, faculty patron St. Thomas More, and distinguished alumni and literary titans Ophelia Dimalanta, F. Sionil Jose, and Cirilo Bautista, all of whom had written for the Varsitarian.
Artlets Dean Melanie Turingan expressed her gratitude to the alumni who returned to celebrate the milestone.
“We are here together with individuals, who, in their own little way, were able to impart important lessons we cherish and place in our hearts,” Turingan said. “We sit beside fellow Artlets who were once our inspiration, confidants, constants, and gifts given by God to share a wonderful moment of our young adult life.”
“Thank you, everyone, for coming home — for coming back.” with reports from Fernando Pierre Marcel B. de la Cruz
