Literary Lives: Diamond Anniversary Lectures Honor The Department of Literature’s Literary Luminaries
As part of the week-long celebration of its Diamond Anniversary, DLSU’s Department of Literature organized three lectures last June 4, 2026 revolving around the legacy and contributions of its most respected and influential writers from the perspective of its most accomplished faculty members. The lectures were held at the Philippe Jones Lhuillier Learning Resource Center, 14th Floor, Henry Sy Sr. Hall.
The first session honored the legacy of National Artist for Literature Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista, describing his impact on Lasallian education and his contributions to the writing of Philippine poetry. University Fellow, Full Professor, and award-winning poet Dr. Dinah Roma delivered the lecture titled “The Rigors of Poetry: On the Legacy of Cirilo F. Bautista,” which examined Dr. Bautista’s poetic discipline, literary craft, and national imagination, through a recollection of her own engagements with him as a student, colleague, and writer.
The second session honored the legacy of Dr. Isagani R. Cruz. Dr. John Iremil Teodoro, Director of the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center, delivered the lecture, “Si Isagani R. Cruz Bilang Lasalyanong Guro at Gurong Filipino,” which reflected on Dr. Cruz’s life and work as a professor, administrator, University Fellow, cultural worker, and public intellectual.
The third and final session honored the Lasallian legacy of University Fellow and Professor Emeritus Dr. Marjorie Evasco. Full Professor and pioneering queer scholar Dr. Ronald Baytan delivered the lecture, “Harbinger of Light: The Legacy of Lasallian Poet Dr. Marjorie Evasco,” which reflected on Dr. Evasco’s life-work as a Lasallian educator, feminist poet, curricular innovator, and cultural advocate. Through a recollection of how Dr Evasco’s teaching practice and clear insight in the classroom shaped his own path as a queer scholar, Dr Baytan’s lecture underscores the significance of Lasallian values and pedagogy in shaping the minds, touching the hearts, and changing the lives of students at the university.
We, at the Department of Literature, thank everyone who joined us in remembering the life, work, and enduring legacies of Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista, Dr. Isagani R. Cruz, and Dr. Marjorie Evasco, and for taking the time to join us in celebrating 60 years of commitment to the practice and teaching of the Philippine literary arts.
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