The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University, held their 31st Gawad Ustetika, their annual literary derby which recognizes aspiring Thomasian writers’ works in different categories, such as Poetry/Tula, Fiction/Katha, Essay/Sanaysay, One-Act Play/Dulang May Isang Yugto, and Short Story for Children/Maikling Kwentong Pambata, last March 5, 2016 at the Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. Building. Third-year AB-Literature student George Deoso won first prizes in the Poetry and Tula category, respectively, and he also bagged the third place in the Sanaysay Category. The Rector’s literary award was awarded to the Thomasian Engineer Associate Editor Paulo Miguel Gabuat. The Parangal Hagbong, the lifetime achievement award given to Thomasian writers who have contributed to the growth of the Philippine literary scene, was awarded to the Novelist Paulino Lim, Jr.
Below is the list of this year’s winners in each category.
One-Act Play/Dulang May Isang Yugto
First Place -“Deadline” by Reena Medina
Second Place – “Layo” by Miko Jan A. Portes
Third Place – “Curfew” by John Michael V. Peña
Honorable Mention – “Binhi” by Rani Mae B. Aberin
Sanaysay
First Place – “Kuwentong Nota” by Patrick Ernest C. Celso
Second Place – “Ang Paggiba sa Palaruan ng Pool” by Ma. Beatrice C. Pancho
Third Place – “Patayin sa sindak si Juan dela Cruz” by George G. Deoso; “Panty” by John Evan P. Orias
Katha
First Place – “Ang Lalaki sa Banyo” by Miguel A. Herrera
Second Place – “ZXCVBNM” by Christian P. Mendoza
Third Place – “Ang Pinakamahabang Pedestrian Lane sa España” by Nathan Micah A. Bagayas
Honorable Mention -“Working Scholar and Other Fees” by Patrick Ernest C. Celso
Tula
First Place – “Ang Watak-Watak na Salinlahi ni Godot: Mga Tula” by George G. Deoso
Second Place – “Ang Pamilya Sta. Maria” by Joshua John G. Dela Peña
Third Place – “Pangngalan” by Nathan Micah A. Bagayas
Maikling Kuwentong Pambata
First Place – No winner
Second Place – No winner
Third Place – No winner
Honorable Mention – “Isa Dalawa Tatlo” by Miko Jan A. Portes
Essay
First Place – “Origin Story” by Maria Tanya Patricia P. Cruz
Second Place – “The Last Ten Years” by Nathan Micah A. Bagayos
Third Place – “It’s not just a game!” by Kimberly Mae J. Crisologo
Honorable Mention – “That Moment When I Envisaged A Priest” by John Alfred F. Rabena
Fiction
First Place – “The Lampiko” by Paulo Miguel J. Gabuat
Second Place – “Aswang” by John Evan P. Orias
Third Place – “The Woman” by Johannah Mari B. Felicilda
Honorable Mention – “One Night in the Life of Ivan Dihagiba” by George G. Deoso
Poetry
First Place – “Poems in Praise of the Matriarch” by George G. Deoso
Second Place – “Spare Weather” by Jan Reitchelle C. Atanacio
Third Place- “(Dis)closures” by Patricia Camille H. Que
Honorable Mention – “Flowering Shade and Other Poems” by Nikko Miguel M. Garcia and “Choreography #1, Why is it hard to forget you, Adam’s Sonnet, Trajectory, Around the World in Six Words, An Arbitrary Picture” by John Michael A. Espino
The Rector’s Literary Award
“The Lampiko” by Paulo Miguel J. Gabuat
“The Lampiko” by Paulo Miguel J. Gabuat
Judges for this year’s Gawad Ustetika include notable literary figures such as Palanca-winning poet and former Varsitarian associate editor Carlomar Arcangel Daona, poet and Ustetika founder Vim Nadera, fictionist Jun Cruz Reyes, Esquire editor-at-large Sarge Lacuesta, known historian Victor Torres, and UST Publishing House director John Jack Wigley.
First reported in The Varsitarian.net: http://varsitarian.net/breaking_news/20160306/31st_gawad_ustetika_celebrates_philippine_literary_scene
