UEP - AB Literature

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬!
𝐀𝐁 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 🫶🏻
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐁 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 🌻

Celebrating the success of the May 2026 AB Literature Qualifying Exam Passers! Your achievement reflects discipline, critical insight, and a deep commitment to the discipline of Literature.

Onward to greater scholarly heights.

To those who did not make it, your college journey is far from over. This result does not define your potential or your passion. Every great reader, writer, and thinker has faced setbacks—but what matters is how you continue the story.

Keep going. Padayon!

𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐧𝐚, 𝐦𝐚𝐠-𝐀𝐁 𝐋𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐚!

Incoming first year students of UEP, do you wish to deepen your understanding of society and humanity?
Or do you wish to understand stories and histories that mold humans as reflected in literary pieces?
Or maybe you're looking forward to seeing yourself as a student with acquired self-actualization?

Well then, the AB Literature Program is the program that you're looking for! It is a place where you can flourish and shine. This program assures to nurture you academically, professionally, and personally. So, what are you waiting for? Tara na!
𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦,
𝐵𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠!

The AB Literature Program extends learning beyond the four corners of the classroom by immersing students in activities that cultivate both intellect and character. Through academic exposure, cultural engagement, and literary participation, students are continuously encouraged to develop their critical thinking, creative writing, communication skills, and appreciation for diverse narratives and lived experiences.

The opportunities waiting for you in this program are not solely to enhance your academic competence, but also to nurture your empathy and social skills awareness, for the program provides a space in shaping the you to be socially aware of the world that you are a part of and instill you with the value of "pakikiisa" at "pakikialam".

The Lipunang Pampanitikan (LiponPanitik), the official society organization of the AB Literature program, proudly highlights the activities embedded in the program that continue to effectively mold students to be critical, creative, and compassionate.

𝑂𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡:
• 𝐻𝑢𝑟𝑢ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑤
• 𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑢ℎ𝑎𝑦
Both events celebrate culture, literature, and identity which helps students in strengthening their appreciation for local traditions, artistic expression, and diverse identities. One of the highlights in these events are the transcreation performances of the students which turns literary texts to artists performances.

𝐴𝑐𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒:
• 𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑇𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠
• 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
Students are given the opportunity for immersive learning in museums, cultural institutions, historical places, and other universities. Aside from that, students are also given the opportunity to experience and present their research studies in academic conferences which enhance their confidence, and scholarly and academic competence.

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
• Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop
• Panu beratan Creative Writing Workshop
• Ibabao Writer's Workshop
• Tuhà Talk: Online Lecturette Series
• Lydia Escober De la Rosa Student Research Colloquium (LEDColl)

• 𝑅𝐶𝐴𝐹 (Regional Culture and Arts Festival)
• 𝑁𝐶𝐴𝐹 (National Culture and Arts Festival)
• KWF Creative Writing Contests
Participations in literary and cultural competitions both in Regional and National-level are areas for exposure for the student to showcase their talents, skills and abilities through performances, and competitions.

• 𝐿𝑖𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑜
The Lit Folios are compilation and publication of literary outputsand creative works submitted in every semester by the students, alumni, and faculty.

• 𝐶𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑙 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒
The AB Literature Program prepares and equips students with analytical skills that contribute to their preparedness for the Civil Service Examination and future professional careers.

These activities shape the students to be researchers, scholars, critical thinkers, creative writers, storytellers, and future cultural advocates. Every achievement acquired by the students reflects the passion and dedication of the AB Literature community.

To the incoming first-year students,
the AB Literature Program welcomes you into a community where stories are analyzed, explored, and lived.

Here, you will discover that literature goes beyond words written in books and discussed in classrooms, but becomes a bridge that connects culture, identity, lived experiences, and the people around us which contributes to your understanding of humans, cultures, identities, societies/communities, and experiences.

As an AB Literature student, you will be given opportunities to participate in educational tours, academic conferences and writing workshops that will help you grow intellectually, professionally and personally.

The program will nurture you to be a student who is a confident and great communicator, reflective thinker, compassionate individual, and future advocates of culture and the arts.

POSITION PAPER OF THE FOUR PROFESSIONAL HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS ON THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

I. Introduction
This paper expresses serious concern regarding the proposed revisions to the General Education (GE) program, particularly the removal or marginalization of foundational courses such as Rizal and Philippine History, alongside the suggestion to reduce undergraduate education from four years to three.

While curricular reform is necessary in a changing educational landscape, such reforms must remain grounded in a clear understanding of the fundamental purpose of higher education. The proposals under consideration risk undermining this purpose by privileging narrow utilitarian outcomes over holistic intellectual and civic formation.
II. The Purpose of General Education
General Education is not merely a preparatory stage for professional specialization. It is the core of university formation. Its primary purpose is to cultivate informed, reflective, and responsible citizens who are capable of critical thought, ethical reasoning, and meaningful participation in society.

At the center of this formation are the humanities. The humanities provide the intellectual and moral framework that allows students to engage deeply with human experience. Through the study of history, literature, philosophy, and related disciplines, students develop the capacity to think critically, interpret complexity, and exercise sound judgment.

To diminish the role of the humanities within GE is to weaken its integrative function. Without this core, education risks becoming fragmented—reduced to the acquisition of discrete skills without a coherent sense of purpose or responsibility.
III. The Importance of Rizal and Philippine History
Courses such as The Life and Works of José Rizal and Philippine History are essential components of General Education. Their value extends far beyond content knowledge.

The teaching of Rizal, mandated under Republic Act No. 1425, is foundational to the development of national consciousness. It introduces students to enduring questions of freedom, identity, and moral responsibility. Similarly, Philippine History provides a critical framework for understanding the nation’s past and its continuing challenges.

These courses situate students within a broader historical narrative. They foster a sense of belonging, responsibility, and engagement—qualities necessary for meaningful citizenship. To remove or marginalize them is to risk producing graduates who are disconnected from their historical and cultural contexts.

Furthermore, the proposed measure may also run contrary to Republic Act No. 10908, otherwise known as the Integrated History Act of 2016, which mandates the integration of Filipino Muslim and Indigenous Peoples’ history, culture, and identity studies into the teaching of Philippine History. Over the years, Philippine historiography and education have made important strides toward recognizing the diversity, plurality, and complexity of the Filipino historical experience. These gains reflect a more inclusive understanding of nationhood—one that acknowledges voices and communities long marginalized in traditional narratives. It is therefore deeply concerning that current proposals appear to move toward the weakening of Philippine History within the curriculum, potentially undermining these hard-won advances. Rather than retreating from these developments, educational reform should strengthen and deepen the teaching of inclusive and representative histories through meaningful dialogue, careful study, and national reflection.

More importantly, these subjects remind students that they are part of a continuing national story. They deepen awareness of the sacrifices, struggles, achievements, and aspirations that shaped the Filipino nation. At a time when misinformation, historical distortion, and cultural amnesia have become increasingly widespread, the teaching of Rizal and Philippine History becomes even more indispensable. A nation that neglects its history risks weakening its collective memory and losing its sense of direction.
IV. On the Centrality of the Humanities
The humanities are not ancillary to General Education; they are its core. They cultivate habits of reflection, interpretation, and ethical reasoning that cannot be replicated by technical or purely skills-based training.

In an era marked by rapid technological change, global uncertainty, and the erosion of historical memory, the humanities play an even more critical role. They enable students to navigate complexity, assess competing claims, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

A GE program that sidelines the humanities forfeits its capacity to form individuals who are not only employable, but also thoughtful, ethical, and socially responsible.
V. On the Employment and Professional Viability of Humanities Educators
The removal or reduction of mandated courses such as Rizal and Philippine History would have serious consequences not only for students, but also for the intellectual and professional community that sustains the humanities in the country.

A drastic reduction in these courses would inevitably lead to a decline in teaching loads for historians, literature instructors, philosophers, and other humanities educators. Such a development would trigger faculty displacement, unemployment, and the gradual de-professionalisation of entire disciplines. The consequences would extend far beyond the classroom.

The weakening of the humanities would erode the country’s capacity to produce high-quality history textbooks, public scholarship, cultural criticism, archival work, museum practice, and heritage conservation—all of which are essential to national identity, democratic citizenship, and even the creative economy. A nation cannot preserve historical memory, cultivate civic consciousness, or sustain cultural institutions without investing in the very disciplines that nurture them.

Equally concerning is the proposal to convert these subjects into optional electives. Such a move would confine the study of history, Rizal, and the humanities to only a small number of students, thereby creating a vicious cycle: lower enrollment would justify fewer faculty positions, leading eventually to the marginalization or extinction of these disciplines within universities.

The state and educational institutions must therefore consider not only student employability or enrollment efficiency, but also the intellectual infrastructure necessary for sustaining civic education, cultural continuity, and national consciousness. The humanities are not disposable academic luxuries; they are foundational to the life of a nation.
VI. On the Proposal to Reduce Undergraduate Education to Three Years
The proposal to shorten undergraduate education from four years to three is based on the assumption that efficiency can substitute for depth. This assumption is fundamentally flawed.

Education is not a process that can be compressed without consequence. Intellectual and personal formation require time—for sustained engagement with ideas, for reflection, and for dialogue. A reduction in time necessarily entails a reduction in depth.

Such a move risks transforming higher education into a transactional process—focused on the rapid delivery of competencies rather than the cultivation of understanding. It undermines the transformative character of education and diminishes its long-term value.
VII. Implications of the Proposed Changes
The combined effect of diminishing the humanities and shortening the duration of undergraduate education would be profound:

• A weakening of students’ historical and cultural grounding
• A decline in critical and ethical reasoning skills
• A narrowing of educational objectives toward immediate employability
• A reduced capacity for civic engagement and national participation

These outcomes run counter to the mission of higher education institutions and to the broader goals of national development.
VIII. Conclusion and Recommendations
In light of the foregoing, this paper strongly recommends:

1. The retention and strengthening of core humanities courses, particularly Rizal and Philippine History, within the General Education curriculum.
2. The reaffirmation of the humanities as the intellectual and moral core of GE programs.
3. The rejection of proposals to reduce undergraduate education from four years to three, in recognition of the importance of time in intellectual formation.
4. A comprehensive review of GE reforms that prioritizes holistic education over narrow utilitarian objectives.

Higher education must remain committed to forming not only competent professionals, but also thoughtful citizens—individuals grounded in history, guided by ethical reflection, and prepared to engage with a complex and changing world.

The question before us is not merely how to produce graduates more quickly, but how to educate them more meaningfully.

ADHIKA ng Pilipinas, Inc.
Bagong Kasaysayan, Inc.
Philippine Historical Association
Philippine National Historical Society

Download: bit.ly/Joint2026PH .

🎨 The gallantry of the Filipino Republican forces in fighting the Americans. Illustrated by F. C. Yohn for Frederick Funston’s Memories of Two Wars (1911). Courtesy of the University of California Libraries.