I have been fortunate to become part of the De La Salle University (DLSU) Literature Department both as a student under the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program and later as a member of the faculty teaching Creative Writing and other literature subjects.

As a student, I had the opportunity to study under some of the country’s most respected literary icons, including National Artists Cirilo F. Bautista and Bienvenido Lumbera, alongside scholars and writers such as Dr. Teresita Erestain, Dr. Zeus Salazar, Tony Perez, and Dr. Marjorie Evasco, among many others.

Being part of the faculty also meant being surrounded by professors, writers, translators, artists, media practitioners, editors, and scholars whose contributions continue to shape Philippine literature and culture. Currently, the department is chaired by Dr. Carlos Piocos III, with Dr. Jose Kervin Cesar Calabias as Graduate Program Coordinator and Dr. Clarissa V. Militante as Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

With this, the department marks a major milestone this year through “LitUp: The Diamond Anniversary,” a celebration organized by the department in partnership with the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center and the DLSU Libraries, with support from the DLSU College of Liberal Arts, the DLSU Office of the President, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Several events are open to the public, with free registration available through the Literature Department and its official Facebook page.

The DLSU Literature Department traces its roots to School Year 1965-1966, when the Academic Council approved the opening of a literature major program under the Department of Letters, which later evolved into the Department of Languages and Literature.

Sixty years later, the Department of Literature under the College of Liberal Arts now offers programs including the Bachelor of Arts in Literature major in Creative Writing and Literary and Cultural Studies, Master of Arts in Literature, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Master of Arts in Literary, Cultural, and Performance Studies, and the Doctor of Philosophy major in Literature.

To commemorate this milestone, the department officially launches the week-long exhibit “Chronicles of the Written Word: 60 Years of The Department of Literature (1966-2026)” beginning June 1 at the 6th Floor Learning Commons of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall and running until June 6.

The exhibit highlights the achievements of faculty members, students, and alumni who helped shape the department’s literary and cultural legacy through the decades.

A LitUp Book Fair will likewise run from June 4 to 6 at the 6th floor hallway of the Learning Commons, accompanied by lectures, book launches, cultural activities, and literary conversations celebrating the department’s contributions to Philippine literature and the arts.

Among the highlights is the 60th Anniversary Distinguished Literature Alumni Lecture featuring acclaimed filmmaker and writer Jose Javier Reyes on June 5 at the Philippe Jones Lhuillier Learning Resource Center.

The lecture forms part of the department’s Lit Talks alumni series, which gathers distinguished alumni to reflect on their literary journeys and professional experiences after leaving the university.

The event will also include a lecture by Dr. Shirley Lua discussing the body of work and contributions of Direk Joey Reyes to Philippine cinema and literature.

Another major event is “Literary Lives: The Department of Literature’s Diamond Anniversary Lectures,” a whole-day lecture on June 4 honoring the Lasallian legacies of National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista, Dr. Marjorie Evasco, and Dr. Isagani Cruz.

The event will feature lectures by faculty members Dr. Dinah Roma, Dr. John Iremil Teodoro, and Dr. Ronald Baytan discussing the contributions of these literary figures to Philippine literature and to the development of the Department of Literature itself.

The celebration also includes the fifth installment of the National Artists Series, titled “Mañosa and Tropical Modernism: Architecture, Aesthetics and Heritage Amidst Climate Crisis,” scheduled on June 3 at Pardo Hall.

Featured speakers include architect Angelo “Gelo” Mañosa of Mañosa and Company and architectural historian Dr. Gerard Lico of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Architecture.

The lecture explores the continuing relevance of tropical modernism, heritage conservation, and architecture amid climate-related challenges.

One of the most anticipated events is “Masaganang Ani: Book Launch of Department of Literature Faculty, Student and Alumni Authors” on June 6, 3 p.m. at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall Roof Deck.

The event will launch 24 new books from 20 authors composed of faculty members, students, and alumni. These literary works span poetry, novels, novellas, short story collections, plays, personal essays, critical essays, and children’s literature—highlighting the growing body of Lasallian literary works across genres and generations.

To culminate the week-long celebration, the department will hold an Arts and Literature Night beginning 5 p.m. on June 6 at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall Roof Deck—a gathering billed as a night of music, literature, conversations, and celebration among alumni, faculty members, students, and friends of the department.

For six decades, the Department of Literature has remained one of the important spaces nurturing Philippine writers, scholars, educators, and cultural workers. Through “LitUp: The Diamond Anniversary,” the department celebrates the continuing role of literature in shaping conversations, preserving memory, and engaging with contemporary realities.