Ateneo’s Department of Filipino Launches Santelmo 13: A Landmark All-Filipino Issue on Translation

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the Department of Filipino of the Ateneo de Manila University formally launches Santelmo 13: Natatanging Isyu sa Pagsasalin sa Filipino—the first issue of the journal to be published entirely in Filipino. Made possible through the generosity of the Kwan Laurel family and produced with the School of Humanities, the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices, Baybayin, and San Anselmo Publications, this special issue underscores the department’s commitment to nurturing Filipino as a language of scholarship and creativity. Edited by Associate Professor and Department Chair Edgar Calabia Samar, Santelmo 13 gathers translations of poems, short stories, plays, comics, novel excerpts, and children’s literature from Philippine and world languages, as well as essays that explore the theory and practice of translation.

The launch program opens with the national anthem and an invocation, followed by a welcome message that highlights both the department’s 50th year and the debut of this landmark issue. The event also honors two major literary initiatives: the Kara-Tula ng QC DepEd at LIRA and the Santelmo Pambansang Hamon sa Pagtula 2025, emphasizing the department’s dedication to cultivating emerging writers and expanding the landscape of Filipino poetry.

School of Humanities Dean Patricia Lambino delivers the welcome remarks, after which Editor Edgar Calabia Samar presents the vision and scope of the issue. Contributors and VIPs join the stage for the formal presentation of Santelmo 13, marking the first public unveiling of the journal’s all-Filipino edition. 

Readings from across the issue follow, beginning with the section “Ang Pagsasalin Bilang Artsibo ng Bayan” featuring Christian Benitez, Michael M. Coroza, Ariel Sotelo Tabag, Genevieve L. Asenjo, Niles Jordan Breis, Joti Tabula, and Wennielyn Fajilan. The second set of readings, from “Ang Pagsasalin Bilang Poetika at Disiplina,” showcases works presented by Hannah Lecena, Eilene Narvaez, Chuckberry Pascual, Smile Indias, and Claudette Ulit. Interspersed between these segments are the awarding ceremonies for the Santelmo and QC DepEd–LIRA poetry competitions, recognizing outstanding literary achievements and encouraging continued engagement in creative writing and translation. 

The final set of readings, from the section “Ang Pagsasalin Bilang Pandaigdigan at Proyektong Pambansa,” features MJ Rafal, Einstein Mejaro, Ma. Assunta Cuyegkeng, Renz Rosario, Cesar Aljama, Von Totanes, and Kriscell Labor, highlighting translation as both a global conversation and a nation-building endeavor.

The program concludes with closing remarks from National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, whose presence and message affirm the journal’s significance in the evolving field of Philippine letters. Guests are then welcomed to enjoy cocktails, browse books for purchase, and engage in conversations with contributors, editors, and fellow members of the literary community. 

By gathering a vibrant constellation of translators, writers, and scholars, Santelmo 13 positions itself as a milestone not only in the history of the journal but in the broader landscape of Filipino literary and translation studies. It stands as a testament to the dynamism of Filipino as a language of imagination, inquiry, and cultural connection, an offering that celebrates both the diversity of voices and the shared endeavor of bringing stories across languages, communities, and generations.