BY ANNABELLE CHUA
HOW CAN you make the 40th anniversary of graduating from fine arts a memorable occasion? The idea came about during a batch reunion in 2023. Everyone had just emerged from the pandemic lockdown, and this reunion made one eager to reconnect and interact with each other.
The casual exchanges of ‘how are you and ‘what have you been up to’ led to a sharing of stories about life after graduating from UST. That sparked an idea. With the 40th anniversary of their graduation coming up, why not compile the stories into a book to commemorate that milestone? It’s a rather ambitious undertaking, but that’s what makes it a challenge worth accepting.
An online meeting was set up with batch mates from Section 1, involving those who are residing in different parts of the globe. The response was enthusiastic. A group headed by Daryl Descallar and Noel Garingan, with Norman Tioco, Larry Castro, Joey Ong, Liza Africa Sangalang, and Annabelle Chua, was formed. This has transformed into a labor of love, with everyone juggling their own careers to make time for the book. The initial hurdle was to reach out and collect their stories. So after months of persuasion and coaxing, after countless online meetings by the core group, after overcoming unforeseen personal matters that pushed back the proposed deadline, what began as a promising idea finally evolved into a tangible book.
The book entitled Creative Journeys chronicles the stories of the alumni of the University of Santo Tomas, College of Fine Arts and Architecture (CAFA), Major in Advertising Arts Section 1 Class of 1984. This collection showcases the diverse creative paths taken by classmates as they navigate life, with each page filled with stories and artistic creations that reveal how being an art graduate influenced their life choices, whether or not they ended up in the field of advertising or ventured into other fields and pursuits.
In their stories, you can see that the urge to create art never went away. This book features alumni from Giovanni Labao, a writer, local arts advocate who dedicated his life’s work to making his Baliuag, Bulacan community relevant and preserving its history and arts; to Debbie Ang, who turned her passion for cooking to create works of art with the dishes she made.
The book became a reality with the dedicated effort and talent of the editor and publisher Daryl Descallar, a proud Dabawenyo and a member of the Tabula Rasa Art Group Unlimited and the Dabawenyo Artists Federation, Inc.(DAFI). He is also the painter of the inaugural portrait of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which is now displayed in the Malacañang Library and Museum. Noel Garingan, the uber-talented artist and creator behind The Jaunty Octopus, is the co-editor and the artistic director. Norman Tioco, one of the few accomplished alumni who continued on in the field of design, provided the cover art. Joey Ong, who excels in the creation of exhibit pieces of mixed media visual art, for sternly refined the concept. Liza Africa Sangalang and Abbie Chua for working out the editing with Noel Garingan, meeting the submission deadlines, content finalization, and organizing and directing the book launch event together with Larry Castro.
Esteemed Filipino Contemporary visual artist and a proud Thomasian himself, Joe Datuin graced the book with his valuable foreword, which is such an honor for the participants. Joe Datuin is a Visual Olympian and Monumentalist, Grand Prize Winner at the IOC Sport and Art Contest of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Hopefully, this book will serve as a source of inspiration and as a testament that no matter where one ends up in life, the love to create art remains an integral part of one’s existence.. What initially got a bunch of students together as batch mates made them come together again as artists in their own right 40 years later. Larry Castro, whose pages show his journey through photography and art, sums it all up in the following:
Sapagkat ang talentong akala mo’y sa iyo
Ipinahiram lamang pala ito
Yan ang tutoo
Alagaan mo ito ng maigi
Para sa tamang panahon
Sa iba ay iyo’y maibahagi
Yon ang na-aayon.
This book is a special way to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our classmate Ricci Reyes, now a professional photographer based in Las Vegas, USA, said we just went through two finest moments- the first one during our graduation in 1984 and the second, our 40th anniversary celebration.
The launch for the book Creative Journeys was held on July 27, 2025, at The Catalyst Coworking at España Manila, with live streaming for our participants abroad. The distinguished guest of honor was no other than Prof. Joe Datuin. Mrs Blanca de Leon, the mother of Carolyn de Leon, whose journey is chronicled in the book, graced the event with her presence as well. She is the lovely mother hen who opened her home and took care of the batch mates during their thesis days. The presence of Ms. Lalyn Buncab, curator of the Dela Salle Museum and sister of contributor and graphic artist Dodjie Buncab, greatly contributed to the book launch’s success.
We are now in our sixties, and this project proved that we still have our creative powers and mental energy. Sir Joe Datuin is our model of an artist with unstoppable drive and motivation to keep imagining and creating. Finally, our classmate, Giovanni Labao, encapsulates it well: “This project reached its full completion, and the creative journey continues.”
The book is available for sale at P1250.00 per copy. Order the book Creative Journeys by emailing to descallarvccs@gmail.com. Shipping fee shall be added to the cost of the book.
