THE UST Miguel de Benavides Library has obtained a collection of 846 books donated by the family of the late journalist and Faculty of Philosophy and Letters alumnus Nestor Mata.
A signed copy of Mata’s memoir titled One Came Back: The Magsaysay Tragedy was among the books donated last Wednesday, June 14. Mata was known as the lone survivor of the 1957 Cebu Douglas C-47 plane crash that claimed the lives of then president Ramon Magsaysay and 24 other passengers.
A portion of the UST Library’s Humanities section will be dedicated to the Nestor Mata Reading Room. The Humanities section, located at the fifth floor, also houses the personal collection of national artist and UST alumnus Nick Joaquin.
Mata completed both his bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in foreign affairs in the University and taught in his alma mater as an associate professor.
Mata, whose journalism career spanned six decades, reported for the Philippines Herald and was a war correspondent during the Korean war. He also wrote columns for The Daily Express, Manila Standard, and Malaya until his death on April 12, 2018. He was 92.
The turnover ceremony of Mata’s book collection was attended by Mata’s sons, Jose Nestor, Raphael Michael, and Nestor Francis Jr., UST Prefect of Libraries Rev. Fr. Angel Aparicio, O.P. and Assistant Prefect of Libraries Rev. Fr. Gaspar Sigaya, O.P. F
