De Pano, Espiritu obtain MA degrees 

Congratulations to Instructor JM De Pano and Lecturer Junilo Espiritu on both getting their MA degrees! De Pano was conferred his MA in Linguistics degree, while Espiritu received his degree on Masterado ng Arte sa Malikhaing Pagsulat. 

De Pano’s thesis is titled “A Subcategorization of Bugkalot/Eģongot Verbs: Insights into Theory and Language Documentation.” In his study, which was supervised by Assoc. Prof. Maria Kristina S. Gallego, PhD, the affixation and derived meanings of 150 Bugkalot/Eģongot verbs were analyzed and then presented through subcategories. The thesis then offered reflections on the current practice of language description in the Philippines, and how documentation should also be guided by theoretical frameworks in order to contribute both to the community and to scholarship. 

Some of his recent publications include “Comparing voice-aspect in Southern Cordillera: Pangasinan, Bugkalot/Eg̓ongot, and Keley-i” in The Archive Journal, and “Towards continuous community collaboration in language documentation: Insights from Bugkalot/Eg̓ongot” co-authored with Teaching Associate Patricia Asuncion and published in the Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society. His thesis was partly funded by the UP Thesis and Dissertation Grant and was an offshoot of the extension project “Developing a Community-Led Documentation Project for Bugkalot,” and his The Archive publication was given the UP Student Publication Award. 

Espiritu’s thesis is titled “Ang Paggalugad sa Ilog Ganges ng India, Dakilang Muog ng Tsina, at iba pang Lakbay-Sanaysay” under the supervision of Prof. Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D. Nadera, Jr. Espiritu finished his MA Malikhaing Pagsulat at the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikang Pilipino at the College of Arts and Letters. Some of his published creative works include an essay in “Hayskul: Mga Sanaysay Na Hindi Pang-Formal Theme,” and “Rebyu ng Ang Kuya Kong Zombie (2020)” in “Suring Supling: Kalipunan ng mga Rebyu ng mga Aklat Pambata sa Pilipinas” published by the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino – UP Diliman.

Espiritu is currently the president of the Association of Filipino Nihongo Teachers (Afinite), which recently revived the Nihongo Quiz Bee as the 1st Philippine Nihongo Quiz Bee for Junior High Schools. Espiritu is also a regular judge at the National Festival of Talents for the Japanese language events, and currently handles beginner- to intermediate-level Nihongo classes at the University. 

Taos-pusong pagbati, JM-sensei at Jon-sensei!