The Ateneo de Naga University’s Literature and Language Studies (LLS) Department served as one of the strategic partners of the Bicol Association of Language and Literature Teachers (BALLT) in the Language and Literature International Conference held last 4 to 5 September 2025 at the Bagumbayan campus. As partner organizer, for three days the LLS Department engaged the faculty and students to discuss critical and creative matters on language, literature, research, education, culture, and history through paper presentations, forums, and other special activities.
Dr. Kevin Paul Dayan presented the paper, Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of First-Person Pronoun ‘I’ as a Linguistic Resource for Research Writing in the Graduate School. Dr. Jesus Cyril Conde presented the paper, The Panopticons of Big Brother in the Novel 1984 and in Philippine Television, with his students, Kisses Alexa Arañez and Iñigo Rosstrou Ruelo.
Dr. Virna Villanueva, together with her former students, Ashleen Belen, Emie Rose Pauline Bermejo, and Yjay Sadol, also presented the paper, Media and Language Influence: The Role of Speech Acts in Animal Advocacies. Likewise, Dr. Villanueva also led Althea Marie Bongulto, Antonio Obias II, and Sharmine Olalia in discussing the paper, A Call for Help: Exploring Speech Acts in Individual and Organizational Crowdfunding Campaigns for Typhoon Kristine.
The LLS faculty members also demonstrated their support as members of various working committees. Led by Dr. Jenifer Sevilla, the Department Chairperson and BALLT President, and Dr. Peñafrancia Olayon-Reyta, the Conference Convener, the department greatly contributed to the event’s success. Furthermore, the Ateneo Literature and Language League, the co-curricular student organization of LLS, under the leadership of Arianne Joleen Frondoso, greatly assisted in documenting all activities, facilitating parallel presentations, distributing food and materials, and addressing logistical needs.
The department’s strong ties with BALLT, founded by Dr. Conde in 2011, remain a strong driving force in the success of the organization’s undertakings. The LLS department, with its unwavering support for BALLT, will continuously strive to be a strong arm in pursuing the organization’s thrust of serving the language and literature teachers in the region.
