Prof. John Ray A. Hontanar from the Division of Humanities is the newly appointed faculty-in-charge of the UPV Language Program as of August 1, 2022.
Hontanar is a literary critic, scholar, visual artist, feminist, and LGBTQIA+ advocate. He holds a Master’s Degree in Comparative Literature and specializes in babaylanic studies, gay poetry, and women’s writing. He is currently teaching art and literature courses as an Assistant Professor.
He looks forward to continuing the initiatives of the office now that he is on board. “I wish to uphold the Language Program’s vision-mission to serve as a vital influence in language teaching, extension, and research in the region by strengthening links with private and public institutions through workshops, trainings, and community outreach programs. As an academic with a background in literary studies, one of my plans is to create avenues for literary scholarship, research, conferences, and publication. I wish to maximize the office’s potential to promote Western Visayan language, literature, and culture in the age of social media,” he shared.
Hontanar also recognizes the crucial role of the Language Program office in introducing programs that will enhance the communication skills of University employees, saying, “As a training ground that imparts expertise on language usage, I want the office to play a vital role in honing the communication skills of the University’s staff members through workshops, training courses, and specialized programs.”
Additionally, he hopes to impact the English proficiency of students before they leave UPV. “The need to test and develop the students’ English proficiency is also an important matter that the office will address. We will coordinate with academic units to institutionalize language examinations to assess the students’ communication skills upon entering, and before leaving the university. In an era where reading becomes a challenging task to the younger generation, we will create educational projects that will bridge the academe and the virtual space.”
Hontanar is replacing Prof. Jessie L. Labiste Jr. from the Division of Professional Education, who ended his term last July 31, 2022. (UPV-IPO)
