Cebuano Studies Center

30/12/2025

A Conversation Across Borders: USC Cebuano Studies Center Opens 2026 Vicente Sotto Lecture Series with Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard

Stories travel. They cross languages, cultures, and continents, and this January, the USC Cebuano Studies Center invites the public to be part of that journey as it opens the 2026 Vicente Sotto Lecture Series with a special conversation featuring award-winning author and editor Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard.

The opening lecture, “One-on-one with Author Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard about the Frankfurt and Porto Alegre Book Fairs,” offers an intimate look into Brainard’s experiences at two major international book fairs and what they reveal about storytelling, cultural exchange, and the place of Philippine literature in the wider world. More than a report, the session promises personal insights -- how it feels to represent Filipino voices abroad, the conversations that happen behind the scenes, and why these global spaces matter for writers from Cebu and beyond.

The lecture will be held online on January 9, 2026 (Friday), from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM (UTC+08:00) via Zoom, making it accessible to participants wherever they are.

Held monthly, the Vicente Sotto Lecture Series is the Center’s way of opening doors, bringing scholars, writers, cultural workers, students, and the wider public together to talk about Cebuano culture, literature, and history in ways that are thoughtful, relevant, and alive. Each lecture is a reminder that Cebu’s stories continue to grow through dialogue and shared reflection.

The lecture is free and open to everyone. Interested participants may register through the provided link or by scanning the QR code. Zoom details will be sent via email upon registration.

The USC Cebuano Studies Center warmly invites you to join this meaningful conversation and begin 2026 by listening to stories that connect Cebu to the world.

Register here: https://forms.gle/YedhnYCddpJrfDUo9

29/12/2025

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series will return next year with a lecture from Ms. Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard. Her talk, entitled “One-on-one with Author Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard about the Frankfurt and Porto Alegre Book Fairs,” will take place on January 9, 2026, from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM (UTC+08:00) online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/YedhnYCddpJrfDUo9
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ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:

In this talk, internationally-acclaimed writer Cecilia Manguerra Brainard shares her first-hand observations from her participation in two major international literary events: the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany (2024 and 2025) and the Porto Alegre Book Fair in Brazil, where she was invited as a speaker. Drawing from these experiences, she reflects on how Filipino publishers and authors are perceived in global spaces, the opportunities and challenges that arise when representing Philippine literature abroad, and ultimately, whether involvement in such international book fairs is worthwhile.
Brainard’s perspective is shaped not only by her professional engagement in these events but also by her ongoing creative work, which involves writing stories rooted in the history, memory, and culture of Cebu. By bringing Cebuano narratives to wider international audiences, she aims to affirm their place in global literary conversations. Her talk raises timely questions about visibility, cultural presence, and the value of advocating for Philippine, and specifically Cebuano, stories on the world stage.

23/12/2025

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series returns with a lecture from Mr. Maurice Jitty Villaester. His talk, entitled “Navigating Stigma and Solidarity: How Alter Accounts on X Reshape Social Dynamics for MSM Living with HIV,” will take place on December 29, 2025, from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/YYtPpiYTHzYQsxgj8
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ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:
In an era where digital identity increasingly parallels physical reality, the phenomenon of alter culture—the use of alternative, often anonymous social media accounts—has emerged as a critical subculture within the Men who have S*x with Men (MSM) community. This lecture examines the intersection of this digital phenomenon and the lived experiences of MSM Living with HIV (MSMLHIVs) from Cebu, Philippines, a group situated at the convergence of multiple and compounding forms of social stigma.
While alter spaces are often publicly associated with sexual expression, this research argues that they serve more complex and socially significant functions for Cebu-based MSMLHIVs. Drawing from a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study explores how anonymity and pseudonymity enable participants to navigate the “double stigma” associated with HIV status and sexual orientation within a predominantly conservative sociocultural context.
Based on in-depth interviews with MSMLHIVs in Cebu and sustained observation of their interactions within alter communities, the lecture highlights how these digital spaces function as critical sites of emotional support, peer solidarity, health information exchange, and the formation of romantic and intimate connections—resources that are often constrained or inaccessible in offline settings due to fear of disclosure and discrimination.
At the same time, the lecture interrogates the paradoxes of the alter ecosystem. While fostering belonging and resilience, these spaces may also reinforce forms of social isolation, precarious intimacy, or exposure to risk behaviors facilitated by anonymity and limited accountability. Ultimately, this lecture positions Alter accounts on X not as fringe practices but as a significant social determinant of health and well-being for MSMLHIVs in Cebu, reshaping how they negotiate disclosure, intimacy, care, and survival in contemporary digital society.

29/11/2025

29/10/2025

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series returns with a lecture from Dr. Hope Sabanpan-Yu. Her talk, entitled “Biopolitics of Devotion: Ritual, Power, and Reform in Sulpicio Osorio’s Destroyed Fish Corrals,” will take place on October 31, 2025, from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/EZwqQY8hwCjaBgYU7
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ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:
This lecture examines Sulpicio Osorio’s 1928–1929 Cebuano novel Mga Bungsod nga Gipangguba (Destroyed Fish Corrals) as a critique of clerical power and colonial social structures in early 20th-century Philippines. Set in a provincial town dominated by a corrupt parish priest, the novel exposes how religious authority operates through ritual, confession, and cultural tradition to produce what Michel Foucault describes as “docile bodies” and compliant subjects. The annual fiesta and the sacramental economy function as biopolitical mechanisms that regulate communal life, extract labor and resources, and naturalize poverty as devotion. Judith Butler’s theory of subjection further illuminates how characters become shaped by the very power that dominates them, while also revealing possibilities of resistance. Through the reformist youth led by Federico, whose education and critical consciousness emerge from the same structures he seeks to dismantle, the novel articulates a generational challenge to entrenched clerical authority. Female characters such as Doray and Salud, though constrained by gendered expectations, embody subtle forms of moral insight and quiet refusal, complicating assumptions of passive piety. Ultimately, Osorio’s text serves as both satire and social intervention, calling for the dismantling of exploitative traditions, symbolized by the “destroyed fish corrals,” and proposing a reimagined ethical community founded on awareness, critical reflection, and collective agency

25/09/2025

❗ POSTPONED: Vicente Sotto Lecture Series 2025 No. 9

Due to inclement weather conditions, the Vicente Sotto Lecture Series, “Why is the Bayot Funny? Historicizing a Philippine Comic Tradition” by Mr. Francis Luis Torres has been rescheduled to September 27, 2025 (Saturday), from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM via Zoom.

We appreciate your understanding and continued support for this important scholarly event.

Keep safe and we look forward to welcoming you on the new schedule.

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series returns with a lecture from Mr. Francis Luis Torres. His talk, entitled “Why is the Bayot Funny? Historicizing a Philippine Comic Tradition,” will take place on September 26, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/aDiYfoxvCLFgYE8T6
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ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:
This paper examines the comic Filipino bayot figure, arguing that its contemporary perception of humor is rooted in historical influences rather than merely a product of modern media. It asserts that the bayot has inherited the role of the humorous critic from earlier performative traditions. By analyzing the Cebuano linambay, Alimpatar, and pre-war literary texts via a literary-historical lens, this study first establishes the gracioso, a clown-trickster character, as the bayot’s precursor. The gracioso’s role as a figure who used transgressive humor and deception results in subtly critiquing social norms and colonial hegemony within the sanctioned space of the komedya. The paper then identifies a critical historical shift. The decline of the komedya form in the early 20th century led to the disappearance of the gracioso, creating a cultural void. This research demonstrates how this vacuum was filled by the bayot, who assumed the trickster's function. This transference is evidenced in American colonial literature where bayot characters are portrayed not merely as effeminate men but as literal deceivers, engaging in various acts and conversations that mirror local humor and jousting, like the gracioso. Consequently, the study concludes that the bayot’s humor is a complex legacy. As a result, the bayot’s comic trait reframes it as the inheritance of a sanctioned performative role for social commentary. This history illuminates the deep roots of modern Filipino LGBTQ+ representation, shaping both its potential for subversive voice and its constraints within a pervasive comic standard.

23/09/2025

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series returns with a lecture from Mr. Francis Luis Torres. His talk, entitled “Why is the Bayot Funny? Historicizing a Philippine Comic Tradition,” will take place on September 26, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/aDiYfoxvCLFgYE8T6
———
ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:
This paper examines the comic Filipino bayot figure, arguing that its contemporary perception of humor is rooted in historical influences rather than merely a product of modern media. It asserts that the bayot has inherited the role of the humorous critic from earlier performative traditions. By analyzing the Cebuano linambay, Alimpatar, and pre-war literary texts via a literary-historical lens, this study first establishes the gracioso, a clown-trickster character, as the bayot’s precursor. The gracioso’s role as a figure who used transgressive humor and deception results in subtly critiquing social norms and colonial hegemony within the sanctioned space of the komedya. The paper then identifies a critical historical shift. The decline of the komedya form in the early 20th century led to the disappearance of the gracioso, creating a cultural void. This research demonstrates how this vacuum was filled by the bayot, who assumed the trickster's function. This transference is evidenced in American colonial literature where bayot characters are portrayed not merely as effeminate men but as literal deceivers, engaging in various acts and conversations that mirror local humor and jousting, like the gracioso. Consequently, the study concludes that the bayot’s humor is a complex legacy. As a result, the bayot’s comic trait reframes it as the inheritance of a sanctioned performative role for social commentary. This history illuminates the deep roots of modern Filipino LGBTQ+ representation, shaping both its potential for subversive voice and its constraints within a pervasive comic standard.

22/08/2025

The Vicente Sotto Lecture Series returns with a lecture from Dr. Rhodora M. Bucoy. Her talk, entitled “Grassroots Feminism: Historical and Contemporary Assessment,” will take place on August 27, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM online via Zoom.

To participate in the lecture, please fill out the registration form found in the link below. Alternatively, you may scan the provided QR code. The Zoom meeting details will be sent to your email. Registration is free and open to the public.

Register here: https://forms.gle/hK75YW4MASyFKfARA
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ABSTRACT OF THE LECTURE:
This paper revisits the lecturer’s doctoral research in light of renewed conversations with Cebu’s urban poor, whose demands for secure housing and livelihoods echo the same struggles she first documented in 2002. Drawing on women’s life stories as the basis of analysis, she will trace how their everyday experiences reveal the shaping of feminist consciousness and collective resistances. At the heart of these narratives are grassroots women—organizers, leaders, and everyday actors—whose agency and organizing challenge the intersecting oppressions of patriarchy, poverty, and neoliberal development. Grounded in feminist qualitative research and informed by postcolonial and decolonial perspectives, this work affirms a reflexive, co-constructed approach to knowledge production. It highlights how women’s strategies and stories are not merely survival mechanisms but active contributions to history and visions of just futures.

06/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JcKYnvSrX/

OPISYAL NA PAHAYAG NG PSLLF ORGANIZATION HINGGIL SA PAGTATALAGA NG BAGONG TAGAPANGULO NG KWF (KOMISYON SA WIKANG FILIPINO)

Kami sa PSLLF, isa sa pinakamalawak na samahang pangwika at nagtataguyod sa patuloy na pagpapaunlad ng wika, panitikan at edukasyon sa bansa ay nababahala sa pagkakahirang sa bagong Tagapangulo at full-time komisyoner na kumakatawan sa wikang Tagalog sa Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino nang walang malawak na kaalaman, matibay na iskolarsyip at mga kongkretong mapanghahawakang ambag sa larangan at wikang kakatawanin nito.

Malinaw na labag ang pagtatalagang ito na hindi isinaalang-alang ang itinatadhana ng Batas Republika 7104 na naglilinaw sa mga batayang pagpili ng komisyoner na “kilalang may kadalubhasaan sa linggwistika, kultura at wika ng rehiyong etnolinggwistiko at disiplinang kanyang kinakatawan.”

Kung gayon, may mabigat na implikasyon ang ganitong pagtatalaga para buong husay na maitaguyod ang mandato ng komisyon sa pagsasagawa, pag-uugnay at pagtataguyod ng mga pananaliksik para sa pagpapaunlad at preserbasyon ng Filipino at iba pang wika sa Pilipinas, na nangangailangan ng sapat na kontribusyon sa larangan at humihingi ng seryosong gampanin.

Hindi ito ang unang beses na kung sino-sino lang ang itinalaga ng Palasyo sa isang napakahalagang ahensya. Naniniwala ang samahan na mainam kung magiging konsultatibo ang pagtatalaga ng mga komisyoner: magsagawa ng proseso ng nominasyon mula sa mga unibersidad at samahang pangwika sa halip na basta na lamang magbababa ng pangalan ang Palasyo. May panahon pa para baguhin na ang nakasanayang bara-barang pagtatalaga ng mga komisyoner sa KWF at iba pang ahensyang pangkultura at pangkalinangan.

Sinasalamin ng ganitong walang pagsusuring pagtatalaga sa mga kinatawan ng mga ahensyang pangkultura gaya ng KWF, ang estado ng wikang Filipino at kultura sa bansa na patuloy na minamaliit, sinasalaula at nagagamit para sa mga pampolitikang interes.

Sa konteksto ng kabi-kabilang atake sa wika sa sistemang pang-edukasyon at kritikal na papel nito sa mga pambansang patakaran, higit na kailangan ng sa Wikang Filipino ng mga lider pangwika na may danas, kongkretong ambag sa larangan at may subok na paninindigan para sa wika at kultura ng bayan. Tila repleksyon ang pagtatalagang ito ng patuloy na kawalang interes at malasakit ng mga naghaharing-uri sa wika, kultura at sektor ng edukasyon.

Nanawagan kami sa Malakanyang na igalang ang itinatadhana ng batas, itaguyod ang kagalingan ng mga sektor na nagtataguyod sa wika at kulturang Filipino, at tumindig sa integridad ng serbisyo publiko.

03/08/2025

Pistang Salin: Mas Masaya ang Sebwano
Ikalawang araw ng kumperensya na itinataguyod ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

31/07/2025

The University of San Carlos Cebuano Studies Center, under the sponsorship of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and in cooperation with...