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Over the course of six short years, Avenida has amassed an eclectic roster of titles across almost every genre. There are the crime thrillers of Ronaldo Vivo Jr., like Ang Bangin Sa Ilalim Ng Ating Mga Paa. There are genre-blending works of fiction, like Macky Cruz’s Hoy, Pong! (with illustrations by Rombutan) and Chuckberry J. Pascual’s Daddy. And there are the komiks of Manix Abrera, such as his KIKOMACHINE KOMIX series. From comedies to dramas to thrillers, Avenida has left no stone unturned when discovering what Filipino authors and komiks artists are capable of.

Creative writing professor Chuckberry Pascual’s “Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan” tells the story of queer relationship between Gabriel and Alejandro, while interpolating horror elements, such as a serial killer and uncanny figures, that blur the line between the real and the supernatural. An English translation of Pascual’s work by Ralph Semino Galán, assistant director of CCWLS, is also part of the collection.

Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan and The Gathering Bees are re-releases of fictionist and Creative Writing Prof. Chuckberry Pascual’s early short story collection Kumpisal: Mga Kuwento, published in 2015. The reprint also features stories from his previous work Hindi Ito Romansa, another collection of short stories.

The Gathering Bees is the English language translation of Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan, and was translated by CCWLS fellow Assoc. Prof. Ralph Semino Galan. The Filipino and English language releases were simultaneously published by the UST Publishing House in 2025, a rare feat because translated versions of books are usually printed after the original version’s release.

Creative Writing professor Chuckberry Pascual’s one-act play, titled “Alejandro,” returned to the stage on Jan. 8 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

It was mounted by Sikayag Productions, a group of performing arts students from PUP,  as part of their final requirement for the courses directing, dramaturgy, and stage management.

Alejandro was part of their series, “Alon: Mga Likhang Umaagos”, a collection of theatre productions adapting plays from renowned Filipino playwrights.

Creative writing professor Chuckberry Pascual’s “Ang Nawawalang Barangay” was among the finalists for Best Novel in Filipino.

The story centers on Detective Bree’s investigation into disappearances in Malabon. It is a continuation of his acclaimed mystery novel, “Ang Nawawala,” which bagged the 2018 Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino by the National Book Awards.

Creative writing professor Chuckberry Pascual was also among the authors present at the grand book launch, where he marked the 10th anniversary of his book “Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan.”

Pascual said “Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan” is a revised edition of “Kumpisal,” which was first published in 2015.

“This time, naka-concentrate na lang siya sa isang story cycle. So, binubuo siya ng nine stories, six stories from the original book (Kumpisal) and then three stories from a different collection pero mas buo na ngayon ang cycle,” he said.

Pascual said the reprint of the book signalled USTPH’s support for Filipino writing and queer literature.

There is something monstrous about Remedios Varo’s “The Lovers,” the painting that inspired Mga Bubuyog na Nagkumpulan, a cycle of short stories by Chuckberry J. Pascual: a pair of lovers, with hand mirrors for faces, stare at each other at an oblique angle, as they sit on a park bench, while floodwaters rise under the pouring rain. In a sense, literature and its translation can be seen as incarnations of these lovers, the way they refract, rather than reflect, each other, due to the unique slant of any translation in relation to the original text. This has something to do with the fact that no two languages have a one-to-one correspondence in terms of vocabulary lists and their concomitant denotative and connotative meanings. As a literary translator, one therefore has to pursue each sentence or line, not necessarily word for word, but idiom for idiom, to come up with a competent, if not excellent, translation.

His books, including Ang Nawawala, Ang Nawawalang Barangay, and Mars, May Zombie!, showcase his knack for dark comedy and speculative twists on Filipino life. In Ang Nawawala, a queer detective named Bree investigates a series of things that disappear in the district that lead to deeper mysteries. Ang Nawawalang Barangay continues Bree’s adventures through missing persons, meddling officials, and social media-fueled fanaticism. Meanwhile, Mars, May Zombie! reimagines the zombie apocalypse in Metro Manila—complete with a sassy best friend, a feisty grandmother, and survival schemes gone hilariously wrong.

Read his books if you enjoy stories that are wickedly funny, unapologetically Filipino, and steeped in both the grotesque and the everyday magic of life in the archipelago.

As part of our 45th Anniversary, we’d like to share with you these “Laking Adarna” stories. These are messages from friends of the company, beloved customers, and partners, whose lives have been impacted by our service as much as our House has grown from their support. This letter is from Chuckberry Pascual, one of Adarna House’s beloved book creators.

Dear Adarna House, 

Lumaki ako sa isang bahay na walang babasahing pambata. Pero mahilig akong magbasa, kaya ang napapagdiskitahan ko noon ay mga tabloid, komiks, at pocketbooks na binibili ng matatanda sa bahay namin. Wala rin akong matandaang babasahing pambata na binasa noong nag-aaral ako. Nasa kolehiyo na ako noong maging malay sa panitikang pambata. May isang klase kami tungkol dito, at nakapagbasa ako ng mga akda nina Rene Villanueva, Augie Rivera, at Carla Pacis. 

A total of three AB faculty members were recipients of the Hall of Fame Award, a recognition given to those who received more than three awards in Dangal ng UST throughout the years… Creative writing professor Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual was also conferred the award for obtaining the Gawad San Alberto Magno for the year 2017 and 2021, and the Gawad Santo Tomas in 2021. Pascual received his fourth Gawad San Alberto Magno for Outstanding Artist, Best Creative Work and Best Published Research in the academic year 2022 to 2023.

THE UNIVERSITY is set to formally elevate 49 faculty members to full professor in a conferment ceremony on July 9 at the Dr. Robert C. Sy Grand Ballroom of the Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.

The honorees come from 13 academic units and have “distinguished themselves in scholarship, training and service,” according to UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P.

The new professors from the Faculty of Arts and Letters are Prof. Evalyn Abiog, Prof. Joselito delos Reyes, Prof. Rodrigo Litao, Prof. Carlos Manapat, Prof. Jeremaiah Opiniano, Prof. Chuckberry Pascual, Prof. Raniel Reyes, and Prof. Alain Santos.

Mars, May Zombie and its sequel, Mars, Maraming Zombie, form a rare and original duology set in a dystopian Philippines. Written with distinctly Filipino wit through its bakla humor and pop culture references, the books pull readers in through a casual, conversational tone. It presents an alternate reality—one where the almost three-year lockdown persisted. And also, may zombies! The familiarity of the references makes the story both relatable to Filipinos and entertaining.

Written at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the first book sought to explore how the pandemic divided the population.

The sequel shows how political conflicts can also divide society.

“Ito ang sinubukan kong ilarawan sa parehong libro: ang realisasyon kung gaano tayo kahati, kahiwa-hiwalay, kung ano ang ilan sa mga dahilan nito at kung gaano kahalaga na magkaisa at magkaunawaan ang mga tao kung talagang gusto nating magkaroon ng pagbabago,” he said.

A CREATIVE WRITING professor is set to explore more politically pronounced themes in his sequel to his award-winning young adult novel Mars, May Zombie! to amplify class division in a post-pandemic society.

Picking up a year after Mars and his group arrive in the blue zone and illustrating how their invasion of the area fails, Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual’s Mars, Maraming Zombie! tackles a revolution and divisive politics in a setting that he said mirrors present-day Philippines.  

“Ang Nawawalang Barangay” (2024) serves as the continuation of Pascual’s “Ang Nawawala” (2017). The book was originally meant to be the final short story in “Ang Nawawala,” yet Pascual decided to release the sequel as a separate book. 

Pascual reminisced on his writing during “Mars, May Zombie,” recalling how writing longer novels challenged him. Being used to writing short stories, he eased himself into it by writing a novella, such as “Ang Nawawala.” 

TWENTY-EIGHT PROFESSORS of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters have received recognition for their research productivity in their respective fields from 2022 to 2024 in the latest Gold and Silver Awards.

These honors are determined by the qualifier’s research publications, with UST listed as the address in his or her byline, ongoing research participation and tenure at the University.

The Gold awardees were RCCAH Director and Philosophy instructor Anton Heinrich Rennesland, former History department chair Assoc. Prof. Augusto De Viana, Creative Writing Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual, Philosophy Prof. Marella Ada Bolanos, Assoc. Prof. Roland Theuas delos Santos Pada and Assoc. Prof. Raniel Reyes.

Published by Avenida Books, “Ang Nawawalang Barangay,” is the continuation of his mystery novel, “Ang Nawawala,” which bagged the Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino award at the National Book Awards in 2018, and the San Alberto Magno Best Book at the Dangal ng UST Awards in 2019.

Similar to the first book, this sequel follows the adventures of the main character, detective Bree, as she investigates unexpected disappearances in Malabon.

“Ang Nawawalang Barangay” focuses on a “much more important item” and solving the case of a missing person, compared with the first book that centered on Bree’s search for small, missing items.

Pascual, associate professor at the UST Creative Writing department, won the Kids’ Choice Awards for his young adult book, “Mars, May Zombie!”

Both “Bee Responsible” and  “Mars, May Zombie!” were part of the top 20 favorite picture book and chapter book titles voted by a panel of child judges.

“Masaya ako dahil mga bata ang pumili. Sila kasi ang intended audience ng libro. Pero syempre, masaya rin ako sa reception ng ibang age groups,” Pascual told the Varsitarian.

Pascual’s book, which was published in 2022 by Adarna House, is about a queer teenager named Mars, who navigates a post-zombie apocalypse in the Philippines.

SEVERAL UST professors and alumni emerged as finalists at the 42nd National Book Awards, an annual event that recognizes outstanding book titles in the country.

Department of Creative Writing Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual’s translation of Tales for a Rainy Night by Prof. Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo was nominated for best translated book in Filipino, while Asst. Prof. Benedict Parfan’s translation of Ang Nawawala by Pascual earned a spot for best translated book in English.

A UST Creative Writing professor has bagged a prize for his book about a zombie apocalypse at the 8th National Children’s Book Awards (NCBA). Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual was among the 20 recipients of the Kid’s Choice Award for his novel titled Mars, May Zombie! which follows Mars, a survivor of a zombie apocalypse, as he tries to navigate his way through life in a state of decay. The winning works for the category were selected by a panel of child judges.

Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual of the literature department was conferred the Gawad Santo Tomas for Most Outstanding Associate Professor and the Gawad San Alberto Magno for Outstanding Artist for A.Y. 2020 to 2021.

Gawad Santo Tomas is given to notable educators who contributed to improving their fields of expertise, while Gawad San Alberto Magno is for professors who stood out in their fields of research and creative works.

Pascual also received the Gawad San Lorenzo Ruiz award for his short fiction, Ang Nawawala, also recognized as the best book in Filipino by the National Book Development Board and the Manila Critics Circle. The award is given to professors who received local and international recognition.

Seven titles from Ateneo de Manila University Press also won the recent 41st National Book Awards last Dec. 9, which include “Yñiga” by Glenn Diaz as best novel in English, “Song of the Mango and Other New Myths” by Vida Cruz-Borja that won the National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista prize for best book of short fiction in English, “Kalandrakas Part 1, 1890-1945: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990 and Kalandrakas Part 2, 1946-1990: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990” edited by Ricardo M. De Ungria as best anthology in English, and “Plus/+ at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities” edited by Ronaldo B. Tolentino and Chuckberry J. Pascual won best anthology in Filipino.

The Colegio de San Juan de Letran extends its heartfelt congratulations to the exceptional students of the Institute of Communication for their remarkable achievements at the Student Quill Awards 2023! Their outstanding talents and unwavering dedication have truly shone through, propelling them to secure an impressive total of 15 awards across various divisions and categories. Notably, they stood out amidst a pit of more than 800 entries, marking the highest submission for the Student Quill Awards this year.

Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual, Prof. Maria Alexandra Chua, and advertising arts alumnus Josel Nicolas were among the winners announced by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) on Dec. 9.

Pascual of the Faculty of Arts and Letters’ literature department won in two categories, namely Best Translated Book in Filipino for his translation of Miguel Syjuco’s 2008 novel, “Ilustrado,” and Best Anthology in Filipino for “Plus/+, at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities,” which he co-edited with Rolando Tolentino.

A UST literature professor bagged two prizes in the 41st National Book Awards, an annual event recognizing the most outstanding books in the Philippines.

Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual won the best-translated book and best anthology awards in the Filipino category for his translation of Miguel Syjuco’s Ilustrado and his editing of Plus/+ at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities, respectively.

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) are proud to announce the winners of the 41st National Book Awards, an annual prize that honors the most outstanding book titles written, designed, and published in the Philippines, the National Book Awards celebrates the enterprising creative labor involved in book publishing. A total of 35 titles emerged as winners out of 235 nominations across 34 categories consisting of seven languages: Filipino, English, Bikol, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray.

Among those present to sign copies of their books at their publishers’ booths were Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr., Ambeth Ocampo, Roland Tolentino, Chuckberry Pascual, John Jack Wigley, Gabriela ‘Yeye’ Baron, and my daughter Alex Alcasid (who signed copies of her novel Dream of Dragons at the Central Books booth).

Roland and Chuck also facilitated an interesting gender sensitivity and inclusivity learning discussion for their two-book anthology Plus/+, at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities at the Booktopia nook of the event.

In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, the author of Kumpisal: mga kuwento (UST) and Ang Nawawala (Visprint), which won the National Book Award for Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino, shared that his grandmother served as the inspiration behind his latest YA novel.

Inspired by the happenings of the pandemic, Chuckberry Pascual is back with a new YA novel titled ‘Mars May Zombie!’ brought by Adarna House.

In Chuckberry J Pascual’s young adult novel Mars, May Zombie, readers will enter a post-zombie apocalyptic world where they’ll meet some of its survivors—a gay teen named Marcelo “Mars” Manapat, his grandmother, Vicky, and his sassy best friend, Billie.

Pascual, long a fan of Hidalgo’s works, said he chose to translate her books and make them accessible to to a wider Filipino audience because he believes they are a significant reminder of the importance of memory and narrative in literature toward the shaping of a nationalistic and feminist social identity.

This virtual tête-à-tête entitled “The Other World: The Challenges and Anxieties of Translation”, held on November 17, 2021 via livestream, was a part of UST Publishing House’s “UST Author Lecture Series” in the Manila International Book Fair 2021 (MIBF 2021), where Thomasian authors shared their knowledge on literature and on developing one’s craft.

Another collection of stories on our list is “Ang Nawawala”, which is comprised of seven different stories talking about small-town crimes. The stories are told through the point of view of Bree, the barangay receptionist.

Creative writing Program Coordinator Chuckberry Pascual was awarded the Gawad Alberto Magno for his research titled “Ang Tagalabas ng Panitikan” and book “Ang Nawawala.” The Gawad San Alberto Magno award is given to Thomasian professors who excel in the field of research and innovation.

In Pascual’s Ang Tagalabas sa Panitikan, he discusses gender issues and struggles. The book is told from the point of view of “outsiders.” For Pascual, the “outsiders” are the people who work hard to make their identities known to society despite being devoid of wealth. The book aims to persuade the “outsiders,” whose voices are not heard that much, to take action despite their different status in life.