THE UST Publishing House spotlighted non-academic titles from new authors at the 2026 Philippine Book Festival at SM Megamall Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City.
Included in this year’s catalogue is “Tanga ka na lang kung naniniwala ka pa sa kapangyarihan ng kuwento,” a debut short story collection born from the master’s thesis of UST Department of Creative Writing instructor Benjamin Joshua Gutierrez.
The 13-story collection was composed of long and short narratives rooted in the pandemic and the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, with overlapping realities and lived experiences from his hometown Hagonoy, Taguig.
“‘Yong laman nito ay mayroon siyang attempt na ipakita ‘yong version ng kuwento ko na sana, I hope na makita rin doon sa buhay ng ibang mga tao,” he told the Varsitarian.
Gutierrez sought to deconstruct the conventional structure of storytelling and likened literature to “hip-hop,” in which all forms of expression are welcome, regardless of style or polish.
In the book’s titular story, the ending is revealed in the beginning, an approach he said was drawn from how some hip-hop performers throw a punchline first before the full narrative.
Contemporary poet Isabel Cabal’s debut poetry collection, titled “She-Devil,” tackles the demonization of women and the systemic pressures that come from their personal and societal spheres.
“There is a pattern or a recurring historical occurrence, where women are usually demonized for certain things or making choices… So I was able to navigate through certain instances in my own life that allowed me to figure out the pattern,” Cabal said.
Historical figures such as Joan of Arc and Eloy Meduses, who were stereotyped and confined to particular narratives, serve as central inspiration for her collection.
Cabal said she faced backlash from family members who were concerned about the contents that hit too close to home, which she described as “raw honesty.”
Some poems were revised or omitted to reconcile these tensions.
“And I think that’s what every woman would go through when they’re writers. They have to choose between their personal life, the people in their personal lives, sometimes over their craft,” she said.
Cabal expressed hope that female readers would find solidarity and affirmation from her collection.
National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, also known as “Rio Alma,” had a book signing for his newly released poetry collection, “Kinutsaritang Liwanag.”
The collection discusses the lingering imprints of colonialism on Filipino identity, while also addressing social, political, and historical issues intertwined with it.
Alma said the concept of “spoonful of light” translates into small fragments of understanding offered by colonial powers over the centuries.
“Kinakailangan natin humarap sa mga manipular na ‘yan, kahit sa kutsaritang laki, sapat na ‘yon para magbangon tayo mula sa colonial na pamumuhay,” he said.
The inaugural volume for the Archivo Series, titled “The Art of the Visayan-Hiligaino Language,” was launched at the festival. It was originally written in 1878 for the Archdiocese of Jaro, by Mariano Cuartero O.P. It documents Hiligaynon grammar and vocabulary.
The book was edited by the late literature and communication professor Jenny Ortuoste, who worked on it as part of her research project under the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts, and the Humanities.
Publishing House Director Benedict “Ned” Parfan told the Varsitarian that the project traces its origins to the discussion between his predecessor, Ma. Ailil Alvarez, and former archivist and graduate school faculty member Regalado Trota Jose.
“The UST Archives is also one of the richest archives in the Philippines because they have books that are hundreds of years old. And it’s not really accessible to the public, so it’s about time that we start reintroducing them into circulation,” he added.
With the theme “Rainforest of Knowledge,” the Philippine Book Festival 2026 ran from March 12 to 15. Charlize Ann D. Lavastida and Kirsten Therese C. Barrameda, with reports from John Kobe S. Balod
