Building on the successes of conferences honoring the late Edel Garcellano in 2018, 2019, and 2023, we organized a fourth iteration aimed at preserving his legacy as PUP’s foremost literary critic, poet, and scholar.

This year’s theme diverged from the earlier focus on literary and cultural studies, but the shift toward exploring PUP’s broader literary and intellectual history remains deeply aligned with Edel Garcellano’s impact on the university’s landscape. This initiative sought to spotlight the contributions of PUP thinkers and writers, including those who intersected with his academic journey—who he had known, debated with, or influenced.  

The plan, through the pioneering efforts of PUP’s Institute of Social History, is to document and critically examine the rich intellectual tradition of the “Sintang Paaralan”—an endeavor that remains both timely and necessary.

The conference was made possible through the collaborative efforts of PUP and the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) officials, alongside key institutional units, including the PUP Research Institute for Culture and Language, the Center for Creative Writing (CCW), and the Center for Philippine Studies (CPS), in partnership with the NRCP Humanities Division, as well as the support of Edel Garcellano’s family. 

Research production

After a series of productive meetings with the NRCP Humanities Division to finalize the event details, we set our sights on fostering a deeper research culture and mentorship, primarily aimed at encouraging PUP faculty to actively engage in research production while also promoting membership in the NRCP Humanities Division.

These efforts culminated in the 4th Edel Garcellano Conference on Philippine Studies and Intellectual History, held last Nov. 12 at the PUP Theatre in the College of Communication Building, PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila. 

The conference offered a full day of insightful discussions, featuring a keynote address, a plenary talk, and research presentations alongside conversations, with hybrid sessions also conducted via Zoom.

The scholars Dr. Romeo P. Peña and Dr. Charlie S. Veric discussed their perspectives on Philippine Studies. 

Peña delivered the keynote address titled “Ang PUP, ang Social History, at si Edel Garcellano,” which traced the establishment of the PUP Center for Social History and the influences of Edel Garcellano. In his own paper titled “How the US Invented Filipinization: 1898-1946,” Veric examined the impact of US colonialism on Filipino identity formation. 

The conference also honored the outstanding contributions of PUP faculty, staff, and students with the PUP Literary Incentives Award, a recognition to foster excellence in literary production and research.  

Insight and collaboration

Key sessions showcasing research by PUP faculty were central to the conference’s program, enriched by insight from NRCP Humanities Division rapporteurs. These discussions spanned diverse topics. 

Prof. Jomar G. Adaya’s paper, “Mula Institute of Social History Patungong Center for Philippine Studies: Ilang Tala sa Kasaysayan ng Sentrong Pampananaliksik ng PUP” traced the origin and depth of CPS as a research center and was guided by comments from Veric.

Prof. Lenin Carlos M. Mirasol’s discussion on “Si Dominador B. Mirasol at Ang Utopya sa Agos ng Kanyang mga Katha, 1960s – 1998” received thoughtful feedback from Dr. Ma. Crisanta Nelmida. 

Prof. MJ Rafal paper, “Realismo Bilang Utopya: Ang Kaso ng ‘Buhawi’ ni Rogelio L. Ordoñez,” an analysis of the author’s work, was further refined by comments from Dr. Louie Jon A. Sanchez.

The anthology “Mga Agos sa Disyerto,” which featured the socially relevant works of Dominador Mirasol and Rogelio Ordoñez, marked a turning point in Philippine literature. In various ways, their works shaped the literary tradition and left a lasting influence on today’s generation of PUP writers.

Adding to the discourse, Prof. John Paolo Sarce explored the intersection of soundscapes and gender in “The Soundscape in City: Constructing Philippine Cities through Sound and Music in Cuenca’s Night Music and Song of the Black Opal.” Dr. Joyce L. Arriola provided recommendations for further development.  

Prof. Marvin M. Lobos presented his work, “Si Rogelio L. Ordoñez at ang PUP – Linangan sa Paggawa at Ugnayang Industriyal: Paunang Tala sa Kasaysayang Intelektuwal ng Politeknikong Unibersidad ng Pilipinas bilang Pamantasan ng Uring Anakpawis,” and Prof. Rosemarie O. Roque introduced the potential of documentary theater in her paper, “Breaking Ground: Introducing Documentary Theater as a Creative Practice at PUP.” The two presentations received insightful critiques from Dr. Glecy C. Atienza.

This conference emphasized conversations with PUP faculty members, aimed at helping them navigate their academic trajectories and address gaps in fields that remain underexplored. 

The collaboration, which also marked the beginning of a sustained effort to enrich the university’s research culture, will continue to grow and deepen as the research projects presented evolve into published works.

Looking ahead 

As the CCW chief, Prof. Merdeka “Dekki” Morales, often emphasized in our conversations, there is a pressing need to dedicate effort to studying the lives and contributions of PUP’s scholars, particularly women writers and revolutionary martyrs, who have profoundly shaped the university’s identity and ethos.  

Too often overlooked, these individuals play a pivotal role in PUP’s history and the broader cultural narrative—something students and the next generation ought to study and appreciate.  

These lines from Edel Garcellano on writing and reading and the ways by which we navigate our chosen paths are a constant reminder of the responsibility of politically committed writing: “Delikado ba ang mga sinusulat mo? Ang mga binabasa mo? Kung sirkero ka at nadulas ka habang naglalakad sa alambre, malalaglag ka ba diretso sa lupa o may safety net na sasalo sa ‘yo?”

They strike a deep chord in me: a call to be resolute in our writing, and to realize that there is much work to be done. 

In looking ahead, the CCW is committed to once more build on the success of this year’s conference. Anchored on the enduring legacy of Edel Garcellano and PUP’s literary and intellectual history, the conference series promises to remain vibrant for the years to come.

Jenna Dolovino is a media correspondent for Manila Today and a staff member of the PUP Center for Creative Writing. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in sociology and nurtures a passion for creating zines that highlight the experiences of women and workers.

Read more: The crisis in Philippine education began 120 years ago

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It was in September when the secretariat started planning for the 3rd Edel Garcellano Conference on Literary and Cultural Studies at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Santa Mesa, Manila.

The conference, launched in 2018, was aimed at highlighting the pivotal role of criticism and scholarship in the Philippine academe, aligning with the significant research undertaken by theorists and literary scholars through the years.

When we issued our call for the submission of abstracts, we received tremendous response from scholars and researchers who approached the idea of utopia through an interdisciplinary lens and critiqued the prevailing dystopian trends. The conference would again be conducted in person after a challenging three-year pause caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We scheduled the conference on Nov. 16-17 at Bulwagang Bonifacio and ICTO Lab 1 in the Ninoy Aquino Library and Resource Learning Center on campus. It was attended by students from PUP, writers, researchers, and other professionals from various institutions of higher learning, as well as members of Edel Garcellano’s family.

Support from the PUP Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension and Development ensured the provision of food and refreshments for the attendees. The conference’s success was the result of collaborative efforts between the Center for Creative Writing and the Center for Philippine Studies under the Research Institute for Culture and Language, and in partnership with the Gender and Development Office.

Why Edel Garcellano?

For nearly three decades, spanning 1987 to 2002 and again from 2012 to 2016, the novelist, poet and literary critic Edel Garcellano taught humanities and philosophy at PUP. His impact on his students was profound. He passed away on April 23, 2020, yet many still reminisce about his teaching methods and pedagogical approach with a sense of nostalgia.

Esteemed figures in Philippine criticism and literature, such as Caroline Hau, Neferti Tadiar, Bliss Cua-Lim, and John Blanco, acknowledge his influence on their work.

The decision to name the conference after him stemmed from his influence as PUP’s foremost literary critic and scholar. The conference continues to serve as a tribute to his legacy, honoring his enduring impact on the university’s intellectual landscape.

‘The Persistence of Utopian Imagination’

In its third iteration, the conference was organized in keeping with the essence of Edel Garcellano’s intellectual work of defying mainstream thought.

The theme was “The Persistence of Utopian Imagination,” which not only acknowledged his unexplored utopianism but also provided a platform for scholars, researchers and students who, like him, challenge conventional ways of thinking.

We divided the two-day conference into two keynote sessions and 12 panel sessions covering diverse topics related to utopias such as peasant experiences, feminism, hope, creative writing, social movements, gender studies, literary and visual cultures, archives, digital culture, philosophical interventions, and Edel Garcellano’s praxis.

The keynote speeches delivered by Dr. Jayson C. Jimenez from the Department of Philosophy and Humanities and Dr. Emanuel De Guzman from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on Nov. 16 and 17, respectively, offered insightful philosophical and sociological perspectives while exploring utopian ideas.

Both keynote speakers are scholars who made their mark in the academe and who consider Edel Garcellano as a sui generis writer and critic; the paper presenters in the sessions are some of the best young writers today who, in one way or another, have been influenced by his work.

The discussions and conversations in the open forums helped the students satisfy their piqued curiosity on possible research topics and gain a deeper understanding of the topics presented.

Imagining possibilities

At the end, Edel Garcellano’s wife delivered a message—titled “Encountering Edel while Imagining this Conference’s Possibilities”—in which she expressed appreciation for the event and “its planned theme of the imagined Utopia and locating his work in it.”

“Young people, you, young people,” the journalist Rosario Garcellano said, “because you are now the frontliners in the fight for a better future, have to be awake, correctly informed and contextually aware” in the face of the ever-shifting dynamics within society.

Much like how we carefully organized the conference, those who encountered Edel Garcellano would agree that his commitment to shedding light on the plight of the oppressed and to helping others understand systemic injustice resonated in the discourses he led, and in the classrooms he stood in. In and despite his constant critical stance, he wanted discourses like this conference to go beyond the academe, and to open doors of possibilities and hope—the last word, his wife recalled, in a short story that he wrote in his late 20s.

But now, “exhaustion sets in more often,” Rosario Garcellano admitted, “along with the sinking feeling that this continuing struggle is Sisyphean and ultimately meaningless.” Yet, she said, “it is during such low times that we must fight to come to terms with what we, you, are here for: to engage, to resist, to write, to produce.”

The legacy of Edel Garcellano lives on, not only in his scholarly works but also in the commitments he ignited. And just as he imparted his wisdom to young poets, so did Rosario Garcellano remind the next generation that “to write is already to choose,” a dictum that maintains resonance in this time of socioeconomic and political unrest.

Her words also echoed what Edel Garcellano constantly explained to his students and friends: “The condition that afflicts everyone oppressed and exploited by state power,” she said, “and the necessity of recognizing it, naming it, to begin the process of healing.”

“It’s an abiding hassle, to be blunt about it,” Rosario Garcellano conceded, “but surely and always it is a declaration of hope, a demonstration of a profound awareness: This is not right, this is unjust, this needs a principled stance, resistance.”

With the success of this conference, we believe as its organizers that it stands as one of the legacies of PUP in modern times. The conference’s emphasis on Edel Garcellano’s literary legacy and critical commentary on societal issues will help shape the future discourse within the academe and the struggle beyond it.

Jenna Dolovino is a media correspondent of Manila Today and a staff member of the PUP Center for Creative Writing. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in sociology, and nurtures a passion for creating zines that highlight the experiences of women and workers. —Ed.

Read more: The crisis in Philippine education began 120 years ago

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