SOH Flourish

Remembering the Gentle Genius: Happy 110th Birthday, Fr. Horacio de la Costa, SJ

Today, we celebrate the birth of a true titan of the humanities in the Philippines. Born on May 9, 1916, in Mauban, Quezon, Fr. Horacio de la Costa dedicated his life to a vocation he simply listed as "Catholic Priest"—yet he became so much more: a brilliant historian, the first Filipino Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus, and a voice of wisdom for a growing nation.

The words in today's image, written when he was a young scholar, remind us that our education and careers are but paths to a higher calling: the fullness of our humanity. Fr. de la Costa’s "gentle genius" continues to inspire the School of Humanities, reminding us that scholarship is a path of identity, purpose, and service.

Source: Horacio de la Costa, "In Defense of the A.B.," in 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩, 1927–1945, ed. Roberto M. Paterno (Quezon City: 2B3C Foundation, Inc., Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus, and Ateneo de Manila University, 2002), 72–74. Originally published in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘜𝘐𝘋𝘖𝘕, January 23, 1934, p.5.

The community is cordially invited to the PhD dissertation defense of Vitalian Christopher L. Napone this Wednesday, May 6, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. 🎓

📍 Online via Zoom
📧 To request the link, please email Dr. Azada-Palacios at [email protected].

School of Humanities Open House 2026
9:00 AM - Saturday, May 2, 2026
Live-Stream

Flourish School of Humanities Open House 2026

The School of Humanities and the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices invite you to the launch of 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗡-𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗣 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

The first session features Filipino fictionist Ronaldo Vivo, Jr. for a talk titled “𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗕𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗗: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼."

📍 Venue: NGF Room, De la Costa Hall (Onsite) & via Zoom (Hybrid)
🗓️ Date: April 29 (Wednesday)
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

The event will also feature a book sale of Vivo’s works, including titles from Penguin Books SEA. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

🔗 Register here: https://go.ateneo.edu/ailap-SSVivo

FEES:
• PHP 300 (Regular Rate)
• PHP 150 (Hybrid/Zoom Rate)

See the original post below for more details!

go.ateneo.edu

𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝗵𝗮𝘆: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Derived from 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪-𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪 (variety) and 𝘣𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘺 (life), 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙮 celebrates the vibrant creative ecosystem of our Fine Arts community. Join us as we showcase the culminating works of our graduating seniors from Creative Writing, Information Design, Art Management, and Theater Arts!

Experience a week of:
🎨 Thesis Exhibits & Art Markets
📚 Book Launches & Publishers' Talks
🎭 Performance Showcases & Staged Readings
🛠 Creative Workshops & Portfolio Reviews

📅 April 27 – May 2, 2026
📍 Various Venues, Ateneo de Manila University

Whether you’re a fellow student, an industry professional, or an art lover, we invite you to immerse yourself in the next generation of Filipino creativity.

🔗 For the full calendar of events and guest entry details, visit:
https://www.ateneo.edu/features/2026/04/saribuhay-fine-arts-festival-2026

Outside guests may register for entry through https://go.ateneo.edu/FAFest2026

Saribuhay: Fine Arts Festival 2026 | Features | Ateneo de Manila University Saribuhay—derived from sari-sari (variety) and buhay (life)—embodies the vibrant biodiversity of Ateneo’s Fine Arts community. It reflects a creative ecosystem where diverse disciplines coexist, intersect, and thrive, generating a dynamic exchange of ideas, practices, and expressions.

📢 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 📢

The 23rd English in South East Asia (ESEA) Conference is coming to Ateneo de Manila University this December! 🌏✨

With the theme "𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘀," this is a prime opportunity for graduate students to contribute to vital conversations on multilingualism, translanguaging, and the evolution of ELT.

🗓️ Conference Dates: December 3–5, 2026
⏰ Proposal Deadline: May 15, 2026
🔗 For more information and to submit your proposal, visit https://www.ateneo.edu/features/2026/04/graduate-research-presentations-23rd-esea-conference

Graduate research and presentations at the 23rd ESEA Conference | Features | Ateneo de Manila University The 23rd English in South East Asia Conference, to be held at Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines from 3 to 5 December 2026, invites graduate students to present research and classroom-based work that responds to issues of multilingualism, translanguaging, and the persistence of native speakeri...

🎥 SOH Co-presents: 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺: 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢

In celebration of Earth Day 2026, the School of Humanities invites you to a special screening and talkback session for this award-winning documentary by Baby Ruth Villarama.

Witness the stories of Filipino fishermen navigating the challenges of the West Philippine Sea. This screening is part of a global conversation sparked by the 𝘐𝘧 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 International Art Biennale and the Ateneo Art Gallery’s .

🗓 21 April 2026 (Tuesday)
🕕 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Hyundai Hall, Areté

Free and open to the public! Limited slots are available, so be sure to register early at go.ateneo.net/AAGFoodDelivery

[𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗪] Screening of “Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea” on 21 April 2026, Tuesday, 6:00pm-8:30pm at the Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University.

Co-presented with Voyage Studios, Ateneo de Manila University’s School of Humanities, ADMU Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, and Areté, the screening will be followed by a talkback session with the filmmakers.

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖
Register at go.ateneo.net/AAGFoodDelivery

"Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea” is a documentary directed by Baby Ruth Villarama that focuses on the challenges faced by Filipino fishermen on the West Philippine Sea as they defend themselves against the aggression of the Chinese Coast Guard. Produced under Voyage Studios, the film was first released in June 2025 at the DocEdge Festival in Auckland, New Zealand, where it received the Tides of Change award.

This event is organized in line with Earth Day 2026, Ateneo Art Gallery's , and as part of a global conversation sparked by the If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale. To learn more, visit iftreescouldtalk.art.

Ateneo Art Gallery's is a presentation of film, video works, and lectures that explore moving image as a medium in contemporary art practice.

For inquiries, email [email protected]

Join Kritika Kultura for an in-depth session with Cat Aquino and Dominique Duran, co-creators of the anti-imperialist manga 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦, on April 15, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Faura AVR. This event explores their creative process and historical research in a conversation led by Andrea Anne I. Trinidad and Molinia Anne Velasco-Wansom. Admission is free and open to the public—simply register at https://go.ateneo.edu/KKReadingAquinoDuran. Please bring a valid ID for campus access.

𝗞𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗔 𝗞𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦

𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻
Co-creators of 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦

To register, visit https://go.ateneo.edu/KKReadingAquinoDuran.

𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘬𝘢 𝘒𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢, in collaboration with the Literary and Cultural Studies Program, Ateneo Archive of Philippine Literature in English, the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices, the Department of Fine Arts, and PLUME, invites you to “𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻,” with graphic novel creators 𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼 and 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻. The event will be held on 𝟭𝟱 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝟱:𝟬𝟬–𝟳:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠, at the 𝗙𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼-𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺, 𝗔𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆.

The program will include an in-depth, behind the scenes exploration of the creative process behind 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦: 𝘝𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘦 1, an anti-imperialist epic fantasy manga inspired by the Spanish colonial history of the Philippines. Participants will be guided through selected pages from the graphic novel while gaining insight into each stage of its development from conceptualization and historical research to scripting, storyboarding, penciling, inking, and toning. The event will also highlight the sequential art techniques employed in bringing the narrative to life. Drawing from the traditions of Japanese manga, Filipino komiks, and both Western and Eastern graphic novels, the program will foreground the creators’ efforts to produce a work of anti-colonial q***r Filipino fantasy for a global audience of teen and adult readers.

The conversation with the graphic novel creators will be led by Ateneo faculty and scholars, 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗜. 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱 and 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗺.

Admission is free and open to the public. Please bring a valid ID for campus access.

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗦

𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼 is a Filipino writer, Otherwise Award fellow, speculative fiction editor, and memory and trauma studies researcher. Once a Philippine history teacher in Manila, they moved to Glasgow, Aarhus, and Barcelona for their master’s degree in children’s literature. They currently divide their time between Manila and London.

𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻 is a Filipino illustrator and comics creator with work appearing in numerous anthologies, and Senior Art Director for the award-winning indie video game Until Then. Dominique is based in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦

𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗜. 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱 earned her AB-MA degree in Filipino Literature from Ateneo de Manila University. She is currently an Instructor at the Department of Filipino in the same university, where she teaches courses in Literature and Pop Culture. Her research centers on fan studies and popular romance.

𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗺 is an educator and artist, teaching in the Animation Department at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the Information Design program in the Department of Fine Arts at Ateneo de Manila University. Velasco-Wansom earned her undergraduate degree in Multimedia Arts from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and her Master's degree in Art Studies (Art History) from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Media Studies at the University of the Philippines. Her research interests include animation history, media art, graphic design, popular culture, and multimedia.

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗞𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗔 𝗞𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗔

Kritika Kultura is acknowledged by a host of Asian and Asian American Studies libraries and scholarly networks and indexed in the MLA International Bibliography, Arts and Humanities Citation Index (Clarivate), Scopus, EBSCO, the Directory of Open Access Journals, and the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs (ICCTP). Read KK issues and learn about submission guidelines and events on https://archium.ateneo.edu/kk or email the editors at [email protected].

Register here: https://go.ateneo.edu/KKReadingAquinoDuran.

Last February 19, the Ateneo de Manila University Literary and Cultural Studies Program (LCSP) recently hosted "On Writing, Diaspora, and Translation," an insightful conversation and book launch featuring renowned author and publisher Cecilia Manguerra Brainard. The evening also marked the launch of the new edition of Linda Ty-Casper's 𝘈 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯.

Read more about the event at https://www.ateneo.edu/news/2026/02/ateneos-literary-cultural-studies-program-hosts-conversation-book-launch-cecilia

Ateneo's Literary and Cultural Studies Program hosts conversation and book launch with Cecilia Manguerra Brainard | News | Ateneo de Manila University Home > News > Ateneo's Literary and Cultural Studies Program hosts conversation and book launch with Cecilia Manguerra Brainard Ateneo's Literary and Cultural Studies Program hosts conversation and book launch with Cecilia Manguerra Brainard 27 Feb 2026 Ateneo de Manila's Literary and Cultural Studi...

✨ 100 Years of "Dead Stars" ✨

The School of Humanities, in partnership with the Ateneo Library of Women's Writings (ALiWW), the Ateneo Fine Arts Department, and the Ateneo Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, cordially invites you to the 23rd Paz Marquez Benitez Memorial Lecture: "𝗣𝗮𝘇 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘇 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘇 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀"

Join us as we celebrate the centennial of this pioneering Filipino short story with a lecture by renowned critic Dr. Rosario Cruz-Lucero, followed by a dramatic reading and an exhibit of archival materials from the ALiWW collection.

🗓 18 March 2026 (Wednesday)
🕒 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University

Secure your spot and register here: https://go.ateneo.edu/PMBandtheEnduringLightofDeadStars

For more details, visit the official university event page: https://www.ateneo.edu/events/2025/11/05/paz-marquez-benitez-enduring-light-dead-stars-23rd-paz-marquez-benitez-memoria

The Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings (ALIWW), in partnership with the School of Humanities, Department of Fine Arts, and Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, cordially invites you to the 23𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐳 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐳 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐳 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 titled "𝐏𝐚𝐳 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐳 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐳 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬". The lecture will be held on 18 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 2026, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 2:00 𝐭𝐨 3:30 𝐩.𝐦. 𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲.

This event forms a part of the centennial celebration of the pioneering short story, “Dead Stars,” first published in September 1925 by author, editor, and educator Paz Marquez-Benitez. Fictionist and literary critic, 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳-𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐨, will deliver the lecture delving into the story’s transformative impact on Philippine literature and its continuing relevance a century hence. Complementing the lecture will be a 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 “𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬” along with an 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐋𝐢𝐖𝐖 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 through which the audience can gain a more personal glimpse into the life and work of Paz Marquez Benitez.

This invitation is open to faculty, scholars, students, and alumni who would love to re/discover 'Dead Stars' and deepen their understanding of the story and the works of Paz Marquez Benitez.

Kindly RSVP by scanning the QR code on the invitation, or filling out the registration form (http://go.ateneo.edu/23rdPMBLectureReg), or by contacting ALiWW directly via:

● 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥: [email protected]
● 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞: 8426-6001 loc. 5561

We look forward to your being part of this event.

📢 ESEA 2026 Registration Rates are LIVE!

Planning to attend the 23rd English in Southeast Asia (ESEA) Conference this December? Registration rates and payment details for ESEA 2026 are now available.

Secure your spot early to take advantage of Early Bird rates!

📍 Host: Ateneo de Manila University
🗓️ Conference Dates: December 3–5, 2026

For more information and to register, visit ateneo.edu/advisories/2026/03/esea-2026-conference-registration-rates-now-available

Tag a colleague who needs to see this! 👇