Varsitarian holds 31st Gawad Ustetika

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

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