‘400 Years, 400 Books’

The UST Publishing House will inaugurate the “400 Years, 400 Books” exhibit on Jan. 24, 6 p.m., at the Miguel de Benavides Library lobby.

Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas, will deliver a message during the brief program which will precede the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Guests will be welcomed by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, director of the Publishing House.

Among the expected guests are some of the authors whose books are part of the “400,” including National Artists for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, Francisco Sionil José and Virgilio Almario. Cocktails will follow at the lobby of the Tan Yan Kee Student Center.

Begun by then UST Publishing House director Mecheline Manalastas 10 years ago, the project is the UST Publishing House’s contribution to the university’s Quadricentennial celebrations which will wind up on Jan. 27.

The UST Publishing House, which traces its origins to the UST Press founded in 1593, and therefore antedates the university itself, recently received the Publisher of the Year Award for 2011 from the National Book Development Board and the Manila Critics Circle. It has been going through a restructuring aimed at        modernizing and professionalizing its operations as one of the country’s leading academic publishers. Since June 2010, over 60 new titles have been released.

These include both scholarly titles, such as “Puentes de España en las Filipinas” by Manuel Maximo L. Castillo, “Tomas Pinpin and Tagalog Survival in Early Spanish Philippines” by Damon L. Woods, “Gitnang Uring Fantasya” by Roland Tolentino, and “Alinagnag: Sanaysay ng mga Panlipunang Panunuri sa Panitikan;” art books such as “European Journey of Discovery” by Manuel Baldemor; and literary titles by authors ranging from multi-awarded writers Gemino H. Abad (“Imagination’s Way”), Alfred A. Yuson (“Lush Life”), Cirilo F. Bautista (“The House of True Desire”), José Y. Dalisay (“Pinoy Septych”), Tita Lacambra Ayala (“Talamundi”), Charlson Ong (“Blue Angel, White Shadow”) and Eugene Evasco (“Mga Pilat sa Pilak”), to rock star Lourd de Veyra (“Superpanalo Sounds!” and “Insectisimo”), and young poets Carlos Piocos III (“Corpus”) and Louie Jon Sanchez (“At Sa Tahanan ng Alabok”).

Among recently released titles are essay collections by two PDI columnists, anthropologist Michael L. Tan (“Thinking, Doing Culture”) and popular historian Ambeth R. Ocampo (“A Calendar of Rizaliana” and “Talking History”), and PDI Entertainment editor Emmie G. Velarde (“Show Biz, Seriously”); along with two UST Pop titles—“101 Bugtong na Hindi Alam ng Titser Mo” by German Gervacio and “Metro Serye” edited by Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta. The collection also includes a translation into English of Gabriel Miro’s “Our Father San Daniel” by Marlon Sales; and titles by Filipino writers in the diaspora, like Jim Pascual Agustin (“Alien to Any Skin” and “Baha-bahagdang Karupukan”), Cesar L. Aguila (“The Big River and Other Stories”), Norma O. Miraflor (“Available Light”), Fidelito C. Cortes (“Everyday Things”) and Richard T. Chu (“Chinese Merchants of Binondo”).

The exhibit will run till Jan. 27.