College of Arts and Letters

The College of Arts and Letters is tasked to provide liberal education by way of training its clientele to think critically and constructively; to make students grow in self-mastery and personal depth; to develop deeper and wider appreciations; to acquire an enthusiasm or hard work to delight in the adventures of intellectual curiosity; to be fair and openminded and generous in all their responses; to be self-reliant and responsible members of the community in which they live. In short, the aim of the College of Arts and Letters is to provide the students with a broad background in the humanities, philosophy, and languages necessary to excel in all areas of human endeavor.

CAL: VISION, MISSION, GOALS

VISION

The College of Arts and Letters shall be the lead college in providing students with Liberal Arts education essential to a broader understanding and appreciation of life and to the total development of the individual.

MISSION

The College of Arts and Letters commits itself to provide all opportunities that will help the students develop a high level of competence in the following areas: Languages, Linguistics, Instructional Arts, Humanities, Philosophy, Literature and Theater Arts.

GOALS

To prepare students for the global demand of the changing time, the College of Arts and Letters strives to achieve the following goals and objectives:

Proficiency in language learning and teaching
Competence in Linguistics
Development of Critical, and Dynamic thinking
Development of Craftsmanship and Competences in acting
Excellence in research
Responsiveness to extension services
Commitment to community service
Production of quality instructional materials
Establishment of local and international linkages
Empowerment of stakeholders

Message from the Dean

The year 2020 has provided a new and unique challenge to the academic community of the College of Arts and Letters. Confronted with the threat of a dangerous virus and the economic and psychological injuries caused by the lockdowns, families of our students, academic staff, and faculty have tried to the best of their abilities and resources to cope and adjust with what many would call the new normal.

Knowing that this new normal has altered the way by which many of us have gone about with our work in the past, new software literacy and IT-related skills were simultaneously acquired by faculty and staff while under the obligation to follow the health protocols of strict lockdowns. It should also be noted that despite these changes and challenges, the College of Arts and Letters in general, and the Department of Humanities and Philosophy in particular, have continued to carry out its mandate to provide quality education, produce, disseminate and publish researches, explore and form national and international linkages, and render community extension services to its partner communities. Having a robust faculty roster and a vibrant academic community, the Department of Humanities and Philosophy, with its AB Philosophy Program, have produced stellar accomplishments during this time of the new normal, notable of which are the on-line paper presentations and webinars which they organized from the period of April to October 2020 and the publication in ISI/Scopus/ Web of Science journals of researches of faculty. It is also important that I mention their invaluable effort in assisting their partner Barangay with food, health, and sanitation provisions during the period of strict quarantine, and assisting students and faculty who were stranded and in dire need of food and monetary assistance, among others.

With these accomplishments, I am firmly confident that the Department of Humanities and Philosophy, and its AB Philosophy program, will continue to honor its mission of helping in the holistic formation of the students, a studentry that is not only work-ready for the demands of globalized labor landscape but also persons equipped with moral ideals, considerable discernment, critical reason and ideas to help shape in building our nation and the challenges that go along with it.

Message from the Chairperson

To our beloved University Officials headed by our dear President Dr. Manuel M. Muhi, to our diligent and caring Dean Dr. Evangelina S. Seril, to the Faculty members of the Department, to the officers and members of the Societas Philosophiae, and to you our students, good afternoon.

We are treading new waters.

Many of us find ourselves unprepared and uneasy entering this new unknown that we call Pandemic.

Nevertheless, I ask all of you to be more patient, more tolerant, more considerate, more compassionate, and more forgiving to yourselves, to your loved ones, to your classmates, to your teachers and neighbors.

We are, after all, human beings first, with our specific uniqueness and peculiarities and who find ourselves most often in unfavorable conditions, before we are something else. Let us learn from each other and from the experience that we will have as we go along this uncharted path.

In these difficult and trying times, it is imperative that all of us be ever more diligent, to be ever more vigilant and to be ever more forward-looking in our academic pursuits while keeping in mind our safety and our health. I know that we, through the Almighty’s guidance and protection, will be able to overcome this challenge.

Lastly, a word of caution: As we set sail through this virtual expanse of the academic realm, try your best to protect one another’s personal information from being taken by scrupulous individuals, try as hard as you can to promote each other’s data privacy, guard yourselves against maleficent and nefarious individuals who may want to use your information to harm you, your classmates, your teachers, your school, your family and loved ones.

Good luck and enjoy this journey.

Thank you very much and let us embrace this very challenging new academic year with hope and perseverance.

CAL: ITS PAST AND CONTINUING LEGACY

The passage of Republic Act No. 6089 in 1968 gave birth to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), which was empowered to offer baccalaureate courses in Political Science, Psychology and the Humanities.
The leadership of the newly-born FAS was entrusted to Dr. Brigido D. Sadsad, who was the head of the Department of General Studies as early as October 1966. In August 1972, Dr. Sadsad applied for retirement, and Prof. Gloria Talastas was then designated as Chairperson.
In 1973 the FAS was integrated once again with the Department of General Studies and Business Teacher Education, with Prof. Maria D. Bueno as Head. After the reopening of the Philippine College of Commerce (PCC), which was closed after the declaration of martial law, the integrated Faculty offered only one curriculum: Bachelor in Psychology.
Dr. Narciso Albarracin, then Undersecretary of the Department of Education and Culture (DEC), was designated in concurrent capacity as Officer-in-Charge of the PCC with Dr. Pablo T. Mateo, Jr., Assistant Director of the Bureau of Private Schools, as Performance Officer. Prof. Bueno continued to head the Department of General Studies until June 15, 1974.
In June 17, 1974, Dr. Pedro Gagelonia was designated by PCC President Isabelo T. Crisostomo as Head of the Department. He tendered his resignation in November 1974.
Dr. Gagelonia was succeeded by Prof. Dorotheo Dumlao who served as Chairman until November of 1975. Prof. Jose Manalo took over and served as the Head of the Department until May 15, 1977.
In May of 1977, upon Prof. Isabelo T. Crisostomo’s administrative suspension by the court, Dr. Pablo T. Mateo, Jr., then Director of DECS Region IV, was designated Officer-in-Charge of the PCC. Shortly, he was appointed President of the College.
In June 1977, the Faculty of Arts was re-established and renamed Faculty of Arts and Sciences. It offered a degree program in Development Communication.
In 1978, the FAS offered traditional programs: namely, Industrial Psychology, Print Technology, and Library Arts. This time Dr. Fe M. Duque was designated Head of the FAS.
Convinced that the PCC was ready to become a university, President Mateo worked for the institution’s conversion into one. His staff drafted the blueprint for the conversion and submitted the same to Malacañan.
In April 1, 1978, during the commencement ceremonies at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1341, the historic document granting university status to the PCC, which was renamed the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), inciting cheers of thousands of graduating students, faculty members, employees, and guests from different schools, colleges and universities in Metropolitan Manila.
In 1979, the FAS expanded; organized under it were the Institute of Arts and the Institute of Sciences. Dr. Fe M. Duque was designated the first Dean of the FAS, with Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan as Associate Dean.
After another university-wide reorganization initiated by Dr. Mateo, the FAS further expanded; under it emanated the Department of Languages (formerly Communication Arts Area), the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Humanities; and the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (formerly Mathematics and Natural Sciences Areas). These departments were headed by Professors Virginia Ranin, Albino Amoguis, and Aurora C. Venegas, respectively. These departments were tasked to conduct research studies for improving curricular programs, course contents, and instructional materials.
Dr. Duque continued to head the FAS until May 1984 when she was reverted to full-time teaching. (She would later be designated as Deputy Executive Director of the PUP Institute of Non-Traditional Studies).
In June 1, 1984, Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan took over the deanship of the FAS, and, in concurrent capacity, as Head of the Department of Broadcast and Business Communication, and the Department of Psychology.
During Dr. Olonan’s terms as FAS Dean, another program, Bachelor in Tourism, was introduced; it was headed by Dr. Zenaida Cruz.
During the school year 1985-1986, another university-wide reorganization took place. It aimed at making academic departments of the University more autonomous in terms of planning, directing and controlling their operations, and in administering their programs. Under the new set-up, faculty members taught and worked together in the college/institute where they had preponderance of teaching loads; all of them were under the supervision of one head: the Dean of the College or the Director of the Institute.
In April 1986, Dr. Nemesio E. Prudente was appointed PUP President by President Corazon C. Aquino. He replaced Dr. Pablo T. Mateo Jr., whose term expired.
Dr. Prudente initiated another university-wide reorganization. The FAS was renamed College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). With the appointment of Dr. Olonan to the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Paz F. Abad was designated CAS Dean in July 1, 1987.
The CAS consisted of six departments: (1) Psychology, (2) Mathematics and Statistics, (3) Sociology and Anthropology, (4) History and Rizal, (5) Natural Sciences, and (6) Philosophy, Humanities and Literature. These departments were headed by the following, respectively: Dr. Custodiosa A. Sanchez, Prof. Leodegario S. Bautista, Prof. Milagros A. Perez, Prof. Samuel Fernandez, Dr. Paz Abad, and Dr. Teodosio Lansang.
In 1989, the Department of Sociology/Anthropology and History and Rizal were merged. Prof. Milagros Perez was chosen as its Chairperson.
Prof. Bautista was succeeded by Prof. Normita A. Gorospe; Dr. Sanchez, by Dr. Juan C. Birion, and Dr. Lansang by Prof. Amable Tuibeo.
In 1990, the Department of History and Rizal was again separated from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Prof. Perez continued to chair the latter department, while Prof. Apolinar B. Parale was designated Chairman of the former.
In June 1991, the PUP administration implemented another change, viz., the merging of the Department of History and Rizal with the Department of Philosophy and the Humanities. Prof. Tuibeo , thus, saw his department expanded.
Upon Dr. Prudente’s retirement in January 31, 1992, Dr. Olonan was appointed Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of the University. In late March, however, then Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports, Dr. Isidro Carino, recommended the appointment of Dr. Jaime M. Gellor as Acting President of the PUP. Dr. Gellor took over the administration of the University amidst protests.
Two weeks later, Prof. Isabelo T. Crisostomo, former PCC President who was suspended by the court in 1977, come back to the University with an order form the Regional Trial Court of the City of Manila reinstating him as President of the University.
Afterwards, a restraining order was released by the Court of Appeals retaining Dr. Gellor as University President. New designations were made by Dr. Birion. Among those designees was Dr. Juan C. Birion as Dean of the CAS. However, decided not to assume the position out of respect for Dr. Abad. Prof. Pacelli S. Eugenio was also designated Chairman of the Department of Philosophy, Humanities and Literature.
The succeeding four months became a tumultuous period. University properties were destroyed; for two weeks, classes were suspended.
The chaotic situation was put to an end when the newly elected President of the Philippines, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan as the President of the University on July 24, 1992. Upon her assumption to the PUP presidency, Dr. Olonan issued a memorandum revoking all designations, academic and administrative.
The CAS re-functionalized with a new set of academic officials namely: Dr. Juan C. Birion, Dean; Prof. Amalia C. Rosales, Chairperson, History and Rizal; Prof. Pacelli S. Eugenio, Chairperson, Humanities; Prof. Dolores A. Mateo, Chairperson, Natural Sciences; Prof. Milagros A. Perez, Chairperson, Sociology and Anthropology; Prof. Zenaida C. Santos, Chairperson, Psychology; and Prof. Arturo Calizon, Jr. Mathematics and Statistics. In October 1992, Prof. Calizon resigned as Mathematics and Statistics Head; Prof. Victoria C. Naval was designated instead.
Twenty-five years later, the CAS has steadily expanded not only in terms of faculty but also of curricular programs, number of enrollees, and academic departments.
In 1993, the CAS offered seven degree programs: Bachelor in Applied Statistics (BAS): Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (BSM with major options in College Teaching and Computer Programming); Bachelor in Industrial Psychology (BIP); Bachelor in Library Science (now Bachelor in Library and Information Science or BLIS): Bachelor of Science in Sociology (BSS); and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (BS Chem).
Eventually, the Mathematics and Natural Science Departments were separated to form two new colleges: the College of Science and the College of Arts (CA). The CA has the following degree programs: (1) Bachelor of Arts in History, (2) Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (3) Bachelor in Library and Information Science (4) Associate in Clinical Psychology, (5) Bachelor in Industrial Psychology, (6) Bachelor in Clinical Psychology, and (7) Bachelor of Science in Sociology. This structure continued for almost a decade under the leadership of President Dante G. Guevarra.
In 2012, under the leadership of PUP President Emanuel C. De Guzman, a new organizational structure was approved. The College of Arts merged with the College of Languages and Linguistics. Hence, the College of Arts and Letters was born. Dr. Josefina U. Parentela, the Chair of the Department of the Humanities, was appointed as its Dean. Today, under the structure of CAL are the following programs: Department of English and Foreign Languages, Kagawaran ng Filipinolohiya, Department of Theater Arts and Department of Philosophy and the Humanities.
The fusion notwithstanding, the College of Arts and Letters continues to carry out its mission of producing professionals with a pro-people, scientific, and nationalist orientation.

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