RICKY LEE DELIVERS UST’S PAZ LATORENA MEMORIAL LECTURE TODAY

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee headlines this year’s Paz Latorena Memorial Lecture today, 2 p.m., at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Lee wrote the screenplay of several iconic Filipino films like “Himala,” “Brutal,” “Moral” and “Karnal.” He also authored several books of fiction like “Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata,” “Para kay B.” and “Si Tatang at Mga Himala ng Ating Panahon.” His “Trip to Quiapo: Scriptwriting Manual” has been a staple for budding writers. His immense experience in writing will be the focal discussion of the lecture with the theme “Pagsulat, Noon at Ngayon.”

The lecture series honors the legacy of Latorena (19081953), a venerable figure in Philippine literature. Latorena made significant contributions as a professor of English and literature at the former UST Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, where she mentored a generation of writers, artists and journalists, including National Artist F. Sionil José, Eugenia Duran Apostol, Genoveva Edroza Matute, Zenaida Amador, Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta and Alice Colet-Villadolid.

The event will also host the inaugural Paz Latorena Onthe-spot Essay-writing Contest for senior high school students.

The annual literary event aligns with the celebration of UST’s 413th founding anniversary and National Literature Month, providing a platform for students, faculty members and professionals to engage in discourse on the current state of Philippine literature and its direction for the future.

The UST Department of Literature organized the event in collaboration with the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.