SPECIAL ISSUE VOLUME  1 | ISSUE 12 | November to December 2026

Nations were once painted in Red and Yellow.

Two loud hues battling in one wall.

Both sides pledged brightness, progress, and new tales.

But the paint kept on peeling, and the cracks became common.

After came Green and Pink.

New shades, bold promises, new songs in rallies.

People thought these would be the colors that would dry into something real.

Something that wouldn't fade after the election.

Time went on and the elections passed.

The faces changed.

The colors changed.

But the families did not.

In one town, the Mayor, the Vice Mayor, and the Congressman

all had the same surname.

Even the school gym had their family photo.

The barangay hall felt like their family living room.

The colors changed, yes.

But the power stayed in the same hands.

The people waited in long lines.

For healthcare.

For scholarships.

For food packs.

For their signatures on blank documents.

“Pasensya na po.”

“Wala pong budget.”

“Babalikan na lang po kayo.”

They were told.

Yet, in the season of campaigns, there was never a lack of posters, systems that broadcasted sounds, or free shirts.

The colors were bright.

The public service was not.

People slowly began to ask:

Are we being served?

Or, simply, seen?

Some people smiled as they shook hands.

Some shed tears while walking through the hospital halls.

Some applauded during the demonstrations.

Some spent years hoping for an opening in a class.

Should this be the image we have earned?

Political parties appeared with emblems and campaign songs,

yet many came with no aim.

No order.

No change.

In the Philippines, political parties change their names,

but not their principles.

Candidates jump from Red to Yellow.

Then to Green.

Then to Pink.

But too often, the political soul stays the same:

win, then serve.

Or serve never.

Politics became a family affair.

A legacy to brand.

A job for a warm-up for the sons.

A gift for retirement for the wives.

Public office became private property.

But beyond the banners, the stages,

ordinary people were painting differently:

small acts of honesty,

service without the camera,

leadership without the surname.

Hope bore no color.

It bore effort.

So what is the next step?

We do not wait for the ideal leader.

We build demanding citizens.

We do not teach the children to memorize names.

We teach them to question the record.

We do not vote by color.

We vote by character.

We do not applaud speeches.

We check the programs.

We not only work for the people.

We not only talk to the people from the stage.

We strengthen dynasty laws.

But more importantly, we strengthen our refusal to worship family names.

We understand that a ballot is not a favor.

It is power.

And power is to be used, not to be cheered at.

Philippine politics will not be saved by a color.

It will be saved by the future.

It's not yelling out words that takes courage. It's having the courage to make the right choice. It's not having courage to change clothes. It's having the courage to say that it's enough.

When the people will not be stupid any longer the colors will lose their trickery. What will be left is more than an illusion: A country that is gaining knowledge that true leadership is not something just passed down, it's not something that is simply in art, it's not to be given.

It is proven.

Computer language can be constructed around binary code a set of zeroes and ones but can be used well beyond the closed logic and ventured out into the wide realm of human thought. Computer science is no longer just an art of sterilized data processing or mathematical computation, but has become a playground where an entire new art of creativity can be done leading to absolutely new forms of storytelling as well as invention. It gives individuals the freedom to create abstract concepts into interactive reality whilst balancing technique accuracy with emotion and art. The science which was once viewed as being a fully analytical discipline has become an essential collaborator in the creative process, determining the way man dreams, designs, and is able to experience the world.

The entertainment industry especially in video games is one of the most glimpse regions that the computer science interacts with human fantasy. Modern games are not just time killers but instead represent a combination of digital visual art, multi-faceted storylines and responsive controls. The games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or The Last of Us Part II are applauded not only by their gameplay, their cinematic storylines, photorealistic visual design, and relatability. What lies behind them are complex game engines, physics simulation and artificial intelligence which makes the environments responsive and believable. Computational algorithms empower game developers to generate dynamic weather conditions, realistic actions of characters, massive open worlds that can be explored by the player to his/her disposal. The vision in these digital environments is characterized by human imagination and human imagination is implemented through a computer science.

Computational advances have also converted other fields such as film and animation. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) and motion capture are film techniques that enable filmmakers to produce visually stunning worlds and lifelike characters that would never be possible to make using conventional techniques. Films such as Avatar and Avengers Endgame are heavily dependent on computing power to generate photorealistic environments and blend them with the real world action shots to the point where they are indistinguishable. The software such as Blender and Unreal Engine have become available to even independent creators, democratising the usage of professional-grade capabilities to render visual effects and animations under home studios.

Computer science has also brought newer creative opportunities to the field of music including the use of digital audio workstations (DAWs), synthesizers, and AI-based composition tools. Now musicians are able to test out sounds any of which can be devoid of a physical equivalent, and include tracks in large numbers with partial precision, and create in real-time with all the artists on the planet. Computers can be trained utilizing huge music databases, then produce new music in the fashion of a given genre or artist and supply musicians with new ideas or even a full-blown composition to be polished. Instead of eliminating human creativity, the tools enlarge it and allow musicians to travel into sonic realms previously inaccessible.

Generative AI would be one of the most revolutionary junctions of computation and creativity. Software such as DALL·E, Midjourney and ChatGPT indicate how simple text messages may be turned into detailed pictures, descriptive stories, or abstract design (Eloundou et al., 2023). One could explain about a fantastic city that floats up in the clouds and in a matter of a few seconds, a visual imagery has manifested itself that reflects the outpouring of a vision. Architects will find they can quickly create a prototype design of a building, graphic designers will be able to create an endless number of variations on a theme and writers will be able to play around with different plotlines and styles of dialogue with the help of AI. This collaboration between the mind and the machine enhances the speed of creativity and within a short time, one is able to come up with an idea that has been improved with time.

The impact of computer science on imagination really goes deep into scientific and schools sectors. Advanced computation enabled by virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies enables scientists to study data in immersive manners. A biologist will be able to virtually enter into a cell and investigate the details of its structure as an astronomer can walk into some simulated galaxies to learn about cosmic structures. Students may be able to enter a classroom and discuss with 3D historical reconstructions or take part in a simulated experiment that would be otherwise too costly and risky. These experiences make abstract learning concepts practical and interactive learning experiences, making them curious and prioritizing them to learn more.

Integration is one of the key concepts of this new wave of creativity. Artists, engineers, scientists and programmers are increasingly collaborating and fine tuning together to solve problems and make experiences together that neither group could accomplish on their own. Computational design In architecture the use of computation allows structures based on nature such as biomimetic buildings that react to their environments. In the field of fashion, algorithmic modeling can enable a designer to create clothes in more complex patterns and shapes which cannot be hand-drafted. These initiatives are the examples of how technical skills and creative imagination may be combined in order to create something useful and magnificent.

Computer science with the human imagination collision is not a smooth sailing encounter. AI generates controversy surrounding ownership and authenticity in works deprived or supported by AI. Assume that an AI algorithm creates a painting using thousands of other pictures created by other artists, to whom does the painting belong? There is also concern asking whether there would be a loss of human skill due to high automation of creative process. Others fear that such dependence on computational devices might create art that is homogenized, meaning that its outputs can be predicted and bear no imperfections that make human creations the wonderful creations that they are. The moral principles and the realization that technology is a tool and not a substitute to human creativity have to be put to these concerns.

The future is wide open between computation and imagination. It is possible that in the future we will be able to have completely immersive holographic storytelling systems where we can walk through systems, as characters and can have real time control over the plot. Improved brain-computer interfaces may someday enable artists to visualize their images or hear their songs directly through the computer and use no other medium. Present-day world-building engines may allow the creation of a whole universe based on AI and prompted by the interest or mood of the viewer. Such advances may re-invent not only art and entertainment, but also communication, education even therapy.

The strength that lies in this kind of fusion is the ability of the precision of the algorithm to expand the limitlessness of the human creativity. As the printing press enabled writers to have a wider audience or the camera allowed those in the visual arts to see possibilities where none existed, computer science offers those who code a toolbox with the power to bring to life what was previously only a nightmare. These projects illustrate how the blending of technical expertise and artistic vision can produce outcomes that are both functional and beautiful.

What makes this fusion so powerful is that it allows the precision of algorithms to amplify the boundlessness of human creativity. Just as the printing press expanded the reach of writers or the camera opened new horizons for visual storytelling, computer science gives creators a set of tools capable of manifesting visions that were once confined to dreams. It bridges the gap between what can be imagined and what can be experienced, making the impossible possible. In this sense, computer science is not just a silent architect of tomorrow’s infrastructure—it is also a co-author of tomorrow’s culture, helping humanity to envision and shape futures that are as diverse and inventive as the minds that imagine them. 

It connects the divide between the imaginary and experienceable and thus makes the impossible a possibility. Computer science in this sense, is not only a silent architect of tomorrow infrastructures, it has also become a co writer of tomorrow cultures assisting the humanity to imagine and create futures as varied and innovative as the minds that use computer science to look ahead.

Reference:

Eloundou, T., Manning, S., Mishkin, P., & Rock, D. (2023). GPTs are GPTs: An early look at the labor market impact of large language models. arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.1175. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.1175

The security is like locks on our house and protecting forces in our cities as in the world where practically every action creates a digital trace, these systems are needed now as much as ever. Information technology does not just create the infrastructure on which communication, commerce, and governance are run, but it is the protector of the infrastructure. Cyber-attacks would overwhelm the convenience, efficiency, and innovation of the connected world, unless the high-levels of digital defenses (Singer & Friedman, 2014). In that regard, IT professionals can be called the protectors of the digital galaxy as they are on the forefronts of an invisible war that runs in networks, devices, and data centers 24/7.

The threats that they are exposed to are abundant and dangerous as well. Ransomware becomes the tool used by cybercriminals that encrypt data and request the payment in hospitals, cities and businesses (Moschovitis, 2021). Hacker attacks facilitated by states are directed at hacking power systems and interrupting supply chains or stealing secrets about military operations, and the boundaries between spying and war are leaving, (Clarke & Knake, 2019). Deepfake technology is dangerous because it can create fake videos and sound recordings so realistic that it can jeopardize reputation, affect the outcome of elections, and cause disinformation of an unprecedented level (Shrobe et al., 2018). Cyberattacks being AI-based and enabling them to analyze and exploit vulnerabilities in a much faster pace than human attackers, it would place the defenders under pressure to use AI-based security systems at their part as well.

Not all these threats are imaginary, they are a portion of our reality. It has happened to hospitals in several nations, where ransomware attacks disabled patient care systems, leaving physicians to use paper instead of having rapid clinical treatment (Moschovitis, 2021). Millions of customer personal and financial data of the financial institutions have been compromised. In 2020, one of the U.S. water treatment facilities was attacked by a cyberattack that tried to manipulate the level of chemicals in the water supply, showing how the IT weaknesses can potentially pose a threat to the safety of the population (Singer & Friedman, 2014). Even such democratic procedures are under siege; the election systems were the object of misinformation campaigns, and hacks aimed at destroying confidence in results (Clarke & Knake, 2019).

In order to safeguard the future, the model used to be reactive, where breaches are repaired after they occur and shift towards predictive and proactive IT security (Shrobe et al., 2018). High-profile threat detection systems have begun processing billions of data points in real time and detecting anomalies that may point to an attack. The learning algorithms of machines get acquainted with each attempted breach, therefore, improving their abilities to detect threats before they strike. What used to be the dominant means of digital defense, firewalls and antivirus software, are now components of an expansively broader ecosystem, featuring such elements as intrusion detection, endpoint protection, network segmentation, and cloud-hosted security services (Moschovitis, 2021).

The emergence of quantum computing offers great improvements, in terms of processing power, but it also poses a serious security challenge. It might be possible in the future to crack most of the encryption being currently employed to secure sensitive data via quantum computers. To mitigate this adversary, IT professionals are coming up with quantum-resistant encryption, so in a quantum world, the data will be safe (Shrobe et al., 2018). Such innovations will play a significant role in protecting national security, domestic financial operations, and personal rights of privacy during the next couple of decades.

Cyber defense is not only technical but also in the human domain. One of the most widespread yet effective techniques utilized by the attackers is social engineering, which is tricking people to disclose sensitive information (Moschovitis, 2021). Even the most technical safeguards can be overridden by phishing message, phony sites, and rogue phone calls in the event that people do not get the training needed to identify them. That is why IT guardians pay a lot of attention to cybersecurity education and make every effort to make employees, citizens, and students comprehend how they should protect themselves on the Internet (Singer & Friedman, 2014).

Securing the digital galaxy would be to secure key infrastructure. All interconnected IT systems control the power plants, transportation systems, water supply, and telecommunications lines (Clarke & Knake, 2019). Any failure in one of these sectors may lead to massive hindrance, economic damage, and even death. In order to reduce these risks, the governments and the Company managers are working together by creating cybersecurity standards, routinely checking vulnerability factors, and by means of simulation attacks to test the preparedness. The level of international cooperation matters as well because cyber threats do not very often observe national boundaries. Individual countries working together, can facilitate intelligence sharing, coordination of action, and the development of cyberspace norms of behavior (Shrobe et al., 2018).

Automation and artificial intelligence will be key to the future of digital protection. Self-sufficient security will have the capability to react to threats with little delay, terminating infected parts of a network before the infection can recur (Shrobe et al., 2018). Blockchain technology can be employed to produce tamper resistant records of transactions and communications resulting in tamper resistance and increased transparency. Diplomacy through negotiation and international agreements that prescribe how to deter hostile cyber actions will increasingly be a subject of international relations in a formalized form as nuclear treaties have been in the second half of the 20th century (Clarke & Knake, 2019).

However, despite the increasing sophistication of the tools, the process of human judgment will now be in the middle. AI is capable of detecting trends and proposing options of course of actions but it is humans who have to make a choice between security and privacy, freedom and openness (Singer & Friedman, 2014). The excessive security restrictions may kill innovation and trust, whereas weak security may expose individuals and societies to some form of harm. Finding the right balance is going to need IT guardians to become stewards of the digital future not just in a technical sense but also as ethical custodians.

Another issue is the increasing difficulty of protecting against the insider threats- parties belonging to an organization who maliciously or unknowingly undermine security (Moschovitis, 2021). Depending on the reason (malice, money, or carelessness), insiders do not need the traditional defenses since they already know the systems and have privileged access to data. It is technically difficult to avoid this risk since technical solutions, including the monitoring of access and anomaly detection, must be combined with cultural safety measures, including a sense of responsibility and trust in organizations (Singer & Friedman, 2014).

With the growing reliance of humanity on digital systems to provide all its needs, such as communication and food production it is inevitable that the need to safeguard the IT will only increase. The physical and digital worlds will be even closer to each other in forthcoming decades as smart cities, autonomous cars, and even connected medical devices will become more commonplace (Clarke & Knake, 2019). Every new innovation will introduce some weak points to the benefits, so cybersecurity is no longer an IT problem but the primary sheet underlying the contemporary civilization.

The custodians of the digital universe work in an environment that most individuals pay little attention to but their activities reach into every nook and cranny of the everyday world. They make sure that lights remain lit, planes remain aloft, hospitals can cure people and personal communications can be preserved. They also protect not only data and gadgets but also trust as the unseen binding element of a connected society (Singer & Friedman, 2014). Without them, the huge digital galaxy that the mankind has created would be a free zone to the anarchy. And through them, it may become a place of hope, unity and development so that it can be guarded by those who will come to live in it.

References:

Clarke, R., & Knake, R. K. (2019). The fifth domain: Defending our country, our companies, and ourselves in the age of cyber threats. Penguin Press.

Moschovitis, C. J. P. (2021). Cybersecurity program development for business: The essential planning guide. Wiley.

Shrobe, H., Shrier, D., & Pentland, A. (2018). New solutions for cybersecurity. MIT Press.

Singer, P. W., & Friedman, A. (2014). Cybersecurity and cyberwar: What everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press.

In the Philippines and across the globe, the voices of Indigenous Peoples carry the weight of centuries—embodying knowledge, culture, and identity. Yet, for today’s youth, these voices are fragile, teetering on the brink of silence. Languages that once resounded in rituals, songs, and daily life are fading, and cultural practices that shaped entire communities are increasingly abandoned. This raises a pressing question: is this loss the result of discrimination, neglect, or a combination of both?

Language is far more than a tool for communication—it is a vessel of identity, memory, and belonging. When Indigenous youth are unable to speak their ancestral tongue, they risk severing the vital link to their heritage, losing access to ancestral wisdom, and weakening the social fabric that binds their communities. Compounding this challenge, education systems and social structures often privilege dominant languages, marginalize Indigenous histories, and unintentionally discourage cultural practices. While these pressures affect all youth, girls and young women face heightened barriers, as cultural norms and gendered expectations frequently limit their opportunities to engage in leadership, participate in rituals, or transmit language to the next generation.

Institutional neglect deepens the problem. Government programs and educational policies frequently fail to provide adequate resources for the preservation of languages or cultural continuity. The responsibility falls disproportionately on communities already grappling with economic and social challenges, leaving Indigenous youth to shoulder the burden of protecting their heritage alone. Yet, amid these obstacles, Indigenous youth demonstrate remarkable resilience. Across the Philippines, they lead grassroots initiatives to document endangered languages, revive fading traditions, and leverage digital technologies to teach and preserve culture—ensuring that ancestral knowledge survives and thrives.

The precipitous decline of Indigenous languages and cultural practices is a stark reflection of structural discrimination and systemic neglect. Supporting Indigenous youth demands immediate and deliberate action: recognizing and validating their identities, embedding Indigenous knowledge in formal education, and providing resources to enable intergenerational transmission of culture. Gender-sensitive approaches must be integral, ensuring that all youth, regardless of gender, can fully participate in the stewardship of their heritage.

Preserving Indigenous languages and culture is not merely a matter of nostalgia—it is a moral imperative. It is a declaration that humanity values diversity, honors dignity, and safeguards the collective wisdom that sustains our past, informs our present, and shapes our future. The time to act is now.

References

Bonifacio, R. M., Zaman, D. J. M. R., Prantilla‑Arambala, M. D., & Zarate, M. S. (2021). Effects of indigenous language conversation skills enhancement program among Bukidnon and Talaandig youths in the Philippines. Ampersand, 8, 100076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2021.100076 ScienceDirect

Benguet State University, Philippines; Pelila, J. R. (2025). Choosing English as a Dominant Language Among Indigenous Youth: Cultural Boon or Identity Bane? Lingua Cultura, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v19i1.13771 Journal Binus

Robiego, J. A., Onyot, D. G., Panchito, F., Pelenio, R. J., Puerto, I., & Bonifacio, R. (2022). Language Maintenance: Transcendence And Preservation Practices Of Manobo Indigenous Cultural Community In Mindanao, Philippines. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 11(1). IJSTR

Villaluz, G. D., Tagalog, R. M. P., & Saway Bai, A. L. (2023). Engaging Indigenous Community Towards a Talaandig Language Learning and Cultural Sustainability. Asian Journal of Community Engagement, 7(2), (article on language learning & sustainability among Talaandig). Scholar Hub

UNESCO. (2019). Indigenous languages: Knowledge and hope. UNESCO Courier. https://unesco.org/en/articles/indigenous-languages-knowledge-and-hope UNESCO+1

Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF). (2025, September 1). 39 indigenous languages in PH at risk of extinction — KWF. (as reported by 5Network). News 5 | Always On+1

Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD). (2022). DOST-funded Mangyan language App to preserve a dying language. Official News Release. 

Abstract

Cybersecurity protocols often exist in a state of tension with user convenience, a conflict most visible in the widespread adoption of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). While MFA effectively mitigates credential theft, the additional steps required during login have given rise to "MFA Fatigue"—a phenomenon characterized by user frustration, desensitization, and avoidance. This research investigates the extent to which this friction influences the general public’s decision to adopt, maintain, or abandon digital services.

Utilizing a quantitative survey of 350 active internet users, this study measures the correlation between perceived authentication complexity and user retention rates. The data reveals a distinct hierarchy of tolerance: while respondents overwhelmingly accept high-friction authentication for financial services, 62% admitted to disabling optional security features on social media and e-commerce platforms solely to avoid the inconvenience of "context switching" (e.g., retrieving a code from a secondary device). More critically, nearly one-third of participants reported abandoning a new account registration entirely when faced with mandatory, complex verification steps at the onset. These findings suggest that when security barriers exceed the perceived value of a service, users do not become more secure; they simply leave. The study concludes that service providers must prioritize "adaptive" or "risk-based" authentication models that reduce frequency and intrusion, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach that drives users away.

Keywords: MFA Fatigue, User Experience (UX), Usability, Security Compliance, Service Abandonment, Digital Friction.

Sa kasalukuyang panahon na mabilis ang digitalisasyon, ang Artificial Intelligence (AI) ay unti-unting nagiging mahalagang bahagi ng iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan, kabilang ang edukasyon. Ginagamit ang AI sa anyo ng intelligent tutoring systems, automated assessment tools, learning analytics, at mga chatbot na sumusuporta sa akademikong gawain ng mga mag-aaral at dahil dito, lumalalim ang diskurso hinggil sa papel ng AI sa proseso ng pagkatuto kung ito ba ay nagsisilbing makabuluhang katuwang o isang potensyal na banta sa intelektuwal na pag-unlad ng mga mag-aaral. 

Layunin ng artikulong ito na magsagawa ng kritikal na pagsusuri sa mga benepisyo at banta ng AI sa edukasyon, partikular sa konteksto ng pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral.

Isa sa pangunahing benepisyo ng AI sa edukasyon ay ang kakayahan nitong magbigay ng personalized learning. Sa tulong ng data analytics, natutukoy ng AI ang lakas at kahinaan ng isang mag-aaral, kaya’t naiaangkop ang mga aralin at gawain batay sa indibidwal na pangangailangan. Nagiging mas episyente ang pagkatuto dahil hindi na limitado sa iisang bilis o istilo ng pagtuturo ang mga mag-aaral.

Bukod dito, nakatutulong ang AI sa pagpapagaan ng mga gawain ng mga guro. Ang automated grading systems at learning management platforms ay nagbibigay-daan upang mas mapagtuunan ng pansin ng mga guro ang mas mataas na antas ng pagtuturo, tulad ng mentoring, paglinang ng kritikal na pag-iisip, at paghubog ng pagpapahalaga. Sa ganitong paraan, nagiging katuwang ang AI sa pagpapabuti ng kalidad ng edukasyon.

Mahalaga rin ang ambag ng AI sa inclusive education. Para sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan, ang mga AI-powered tools gaya ng text-to-speech at adaptive interfaces ay nagbubukas ng mas maraming oportunidad sa pagkatuto. Sa mga bansang tulad ng Pilipinas na humaharap sa kakulangan sa guro at pasilidad, may potensiyal ang AI na magsilbing karagdagang suporta sa mga mag-aaral sa liblib na lugar.

Sa kabila ng mga benepisyo nito, hindi maikakaila ang mga banta ng AI sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral. Isa sa pinakamatinding isyu ay ang overdependence sa teknolohiya. Kapag ginamit ang AI bilang kapalit ng sariling pagsisikap lalo na sa paggawa ng akademikong awtput nanganganib na humina ang kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral sa kritikal na pag-iisip, pagsusuri, at pagkamalikhain.

May kaugnayan din dito ang usapin ng academic integrity. Ang paggamit ng AI sa pagsulat ng sanaysay, pagsagot ng pagsusulit, at iba pang akademikong gawain ay nagdudulot ng hamon sa pagpapanatili ng katapatan at orihinalidad sa akademya. Kung walang malinaw na patakaran at etikal na gabay, maaaring masanay ang mga mag-aaral sa shortcut learning sa halip na makabuluhang pagkatuto.

Dagdag pa rito ang isyu ng digital divide. Hindi lahat ng mag-aaral ay may pantay na access sa AI technologies. Ang ganitong hindi pagkakapantay-pantay ay maaaring magpalala sa umiiral na agwat sa kalidad ng edukasyon sa pagitan ng may kakayahan at kapos sa yaman, lalo na sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

Mula sa pagsusuri, malinaw na ang AI ay hindi likas na mabuti o masama. Ang epekto nito sa edukasyon ay nakasalalay sa paraan ng paggamit, regulasyon, at integrasyon nito sa kurikulum. Kung gagamitin ang AI bilang pantulong na kasangkapan hindi bilang kapalit ng guro at aktibong pagkatuto maaari itong magpalakas sa kalidad ng edukasyon. Subalit kung pahihintulutan ang walang kontrol na paggamit nito, maaaring mapahina ang pundasyon ng makabuluhang pagkatuto.

Sa kabuuan, ang Artificial Intelligence sa edukasyon ay may kakayahang maging parehong tulong at banta sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral. Nag-aalok ito ng mga oportunidad para sa mas inklusibo, episyente, at makabagong edukasyon, ngunit kaakibat nito ang mga hamon sa etika, akademikong integridad, at pantay na akses. Samakatuwid, kinakailangan ang balanseng pananaw, malinaw na patakaran, at responsableng paggamit ng AI upang matiyak na ito ay magsisilbing kaagapay hindi hadlang sa tunay na layunin ng edukasyon at ito ang paglinang ng kritikal, malikhain, at may kamalayang mamamayan.

Abstrak:

Layunin ng sanaysay na ito ang talakayin ang konsepto ng serepungan o 

mga naghuhugpungang mga pananaliksik at pag-aaral na may kinalaman sa kapilipinuhan. Maiging sinusuri dito ang mga produksiyon ng kaalaman o mga akdang naiambag mula sa iba’t ibang panahon para sa ikalalalim at ikalalawak ng pag-aaral ng ating pagka Pilipino. Masusing tinatalakay din dito kung paano nagsimula at nagkaroon ng tinatawag na Araling Pilipino o Pilipinolohiya at inklusyon ng mga katutubong kaalaman bilang mahalagang bahagi ng pambansang kamalayan, kalinangan, at kabihasnan. 

Mga susing salita: Pilipinolohiya, sérépungan, kabihasnan, katutubo, pamayanan

Panimula

Ang pag-aaral ng Araling Pilipino ay parang mga sanga-sangang mga batis na ang daloy ng tubig ay nagmumula sa iba’t-ibang pook at patuloy na umaagos hanggang sa umabot sa sérépungan kung saan nagsasanib ang mga daloy ng tubig patungo sa ilog. 

Ang sérépungan ay salitang nagmula sa “salitang ugat na rapung ng wikang Èrumanen nè Menuvù vansan’ Kirinteken, na ang ibig sabihin ay “pagsamahin,” o “pag-isahin” o “pagbuklurin” (Rodriguez 2021). Ayon naman kay Roldan” Datu Brunz” Babelon (2015), “ang pagtatagpo ng magkakaiba, ‘yan ang sérépungan sa amin.” Tumutukoy din sa “tagpuan o pagtatagpu-tagpo (convergence) ng magkakaiba ang kahulugan ng “sérépungan” (Rodriguez 2021; Babelon 2019). Sa mga Tagalog, “salapungan” o hugpungan ang katumbas ng sérépungan na ang ibig sabihin sa wikang Ingles ay “convergence, confluence, o riverine nexus.”

Ang katutubong dalumat ng sérépungan ay gagamitin sa sanaysay na ito upang talakayin ang mga hugpungan at pagkakaugnay ng mga kaalaman at karunungan na may kinalaman sa kapilipinuhan. Bagaman, madaming mga pagsasaliksik at mga pag-aaral patungkol sa ating kapilipinuhan ang mga na naiakda mula sa iba’t - ibang panahon ng ating kasaysayan; mula sa iba’t-ibang pangkat etniko ng ating kapuluan; at mula sa mga iba’t-ibang mga manunulat – mapa katutubo o banyaga man. Ang lahat ng ito ay pawang nagkalakip-lakip, nagkapisan-pisan, at nagkaugnay-ugnay para sa isang tunguhin, ang mag ambag ng produksiyon ng kaalaman para sa ating pambansang kamalayan, kalinangan, at kabihasnan. Wika nga ni Propesor Prospero Covar (1991), 

“Ang ating karanasan ay pagbubuo ng Pilipinong kultura buhat sa iba’t ibang daloy at batis na mayroong katangiang kaayusan.”

Rizal: Ang Pilipinolohista

Ang ating pambansang bayani ang siyang kinikilalang nagpasimula ng kamalayang Pilipinista at sya rin ang “maituturing na tagapagtatag ng disiplinang Pilipinolohiya sa bansa” (Salazar 1998). Ayon naman kay Propesor Rodriguez-Tatel (2015), “Taong 1887 pa lamang ay naipahayag na ni Rizal kung ano ang dapat na maging tunguhin ng mga pag-aaral tungkol sa Pilipinas: pag-aaral nating mga Pilipino tungkol sa atin at para sa atin.” 

Base sa ipinadalang sulat ni Rizal kay Ferdinand Blumentritt masidhi ang kanyang hangarin na makatulong sa pagpapalawig ng mga kaalaman ukol sa anumang may kinalaman patungkol sa ating bayan. 

Kung magiging propesor lamang ako sa aking bayan, pag-iibayuhin ko ang mga pag-aaral tungkol sa Pilipinas na maihahalintulad sa nosce te ipsum (kilalanin ang sarili) na nagbibigay ng totoong konsepto ng sarili at nag- uudyok sa lahat ng bayan na gumawa ng kadakilaan.]

–Rizal kay Blumentritt, 1887

(sipi kay Jose 53; Sinambit ni Rodriguez 111)

Iminungkahi din ni Rizal sa kanyang mga kapwa propagandista na tayo mismong mga Pilipino ang dapat magkaroon ng inisyatiba na magsaliksik ukol sa mga paksang may kaugnayan sa ating bayan. Kung baga sa sinabi ni Socrates, “kilalanin ang sarili” (know thyself). Gayundin, bilang mga mamamayang Pilipino, ay ating alamin ang bayan natin.  

Kailangang pag-aralan ang mga katanungang may kinalaman sa inyong bayan. Ang kaalaman ay kapangyarihan. Tayo lamang ang tangingmakagagagap ng kaalaman ukol sa ating bayan, sapagkat nauunawaan natin kapwa ang mga wika, maging ang mga lihim ng taumbayang kasa-kasama natin sa paglaki….

                  –Rizal sa mga kapwa Propagandista, 1889  

        (sipi kay Jose 53; Sinambit ni Rodriguez 111)

Ang adhikain ni Rizal na itaguyod ang pag-aaral patungkol sa ating bayan ay isinagawa nya sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga dalubhasang Philippinistes sa Europa at kanyang sinubukang iorganisa ang "Association des Philippinistes” noong 1889 sa Paris. Datapuwa’t, hindi ito naisakatuparan ang pagkakatatag nito sa kadahilanang hindi nagkatugma ang mga petsa ng pagdating ng mga kaibigan nyang gaya nina Dr. A.B. Meyer at Dr. R. Rost sa Europa (Salazar, 1998).

Dahil dito, minabuti na lamang niyang ipagpatuloy ang kanyang pagsasaliksik patungkol sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pagpunta niya sa British Museum/ British Library para basahin at magsulat ng anotasyon patungkol sa mga isinulat ni Antonio de Morga sa kanyang Sucesos dela Islas Filipinas noong 1609. Ito ang nagsisilbing dokumento at nagbibigay konteksto ukol sa mga sinaunang pamayanan at kabihasnan sa ating bayan. Ginawa ito ni Rizal upang pabulaanan at iwasto ang mga negatibong pananaw ng mga mananakop na Kastila patungkol sa kasaysayan ng ating bayan. 

Maliban sa Sucesos dela Islas Filipinas, ang Las Indolencia de los Filipinos na nailathala sa La Solidaridad noong 1890 ay isa din sa mga akda ni Rizal upang ipagtanggol niya ang mga Indio o Malay na binansagang mga indolente o tamad ayun sa pagtingin ng mga Kastila. Ipinaliwanag ni Rizal bago pa man dumating ang mga Kastila kilalang masisispag ang mga Indio o Malay at masisiglang nakikipagpalitan ng kalakalan sa mga karatig bansa. Nagbigay ng mga kadahilanan si Rizal kung bakit pinagkakamalang indolente ang mga Pilipino (mga tinatawag na Indio noong panahon ng mga Kastila). Halimbawa nito ay ang mainit na klima sa ating bansa. Maagang nagtatrabaho sa bukid ang mga magsasaka. Siyempre sino ba namang hindi sisilong at magpapahinga kapag napakataas na ng araw? Isa pang dahilan nito ay ang kawalan ng hustisya na nararanasan ng mga Pilipino sa ilalim ng pamahalaang kolonyal. Saganang akin lang: Sino naman ang gaganahang magsikap sa pagtatrabaho kung ang bunga naman ng kanyang pagpapagal ay napupunta lamang sa mga kababayang elitista at mananakop na mga dayuhan? Sino kaya ang mas indolente, ang mga magsasakang nagtatanim ng palay at gulay o yung mga prayleng inihahainan ng pagkain sa la mesa na habang kumakain ay pinapaypayan pa ng kanilang muchacha?

Mapapansin din natin ang pagiging Pilipinolohista ni Rizal sa kanyang pagsanib sa La Solidaridad upang malaya siyang makipagtalastasan sa ibang pang mga Ilustrado o propagandista para sa ikasusulong ng pambansang kamalayan. Gayundin, sa kanyang pagsulat ng Noli Me Tangere at El Filibusterismo, mababanaag sa mga nobelang ito ang lalim at lawak ng kanyang kamulatan at kaalaman ukol sa mga nangyayari sa ating bayan. Dahil sa kanyang mga sinulat na mga sanaysay, nobela, komentaryo, at anotasyon. Tayo ay namulat sa ating kapilipinuhan at pambansang kamalayan.

Ang Disiplinang Pilipinolohiya

Ang bawat bansa ay karaniwang may sariling pag-aaral patungkol sa kanilang pambansang kultura, wika, kasaysayan, panitikan, pilosopiya, at kabihasnan tulad halimbawa ng mga bansang banyaga gaya ng Ehipto may Egyptology, India may Indology, at Tsina may Sinology. Tayo din naman sa Pilipinas ay mayroon tayong tinatawag na Pilipinolohiya. 

Ayon kay Propesor Covar (1991), “Ang Pilipinolohiya ay isang sistematikong (1) pag-aaral ng Pilipinong kaisipan (psyche), (2) Pilipinong kultura, at (3) Pilipinong lipunan.” Ipinaliwanag niya na ang “pagka F/Pilipino ay bunga F/Pilipinong karanasan. Ito ay nangangahulugan na ang ating kaisipan, kultura, at lipunan ay binubuo natin ng mga sangkap katutubo sa atin bilang F/Pilipino.” Binigyang diin din niya na dapat lumitaw sa “Pilipinong pag-aaral ang “F/Pilipinong pag-iisip at karanasan na may katangiang kaayusan.” Ipinabatid din niya na layunin ng Pilipinolohiya ang makabuo ng pambansang Pilipinong kultura, sibilisasyon o kabihasnan na magmumula sa “iba’t ibang daloy at batis mula sa iba’t ibang pamayanan.”  

Idinagdag naman ni Propesor Zeus Salazar (1998) ang Pantayong Pananaw na siyang pangunahing ambag niya sa disiplinang Pilipinolohiya. Ipinaliwanag niya na “Pantayo ang batayang pananaw ng Pilipinolohiya” bilang “panloob o mula sa loob na pag-aaral ng kasaysayan, kabihasnan at kakanyahang pambansa ng Kapilipinuhan.” (Salazar, “Paunang Salita” 7; Covar, “Pilipinolohiya” 44; Sinambit ni Rodriguez 2015).

“Pilipinolohiya studies Pilipinas as Filipino collective national Self…It is concerned only and primarily with Pilipinas…and it aims at understanding Filipinas from within.” (Salazar 1998)

Ang pinaka buod ng Pantayong Pananaw ni Propesor Salazar ay ito: “Ang sibilisasyon Pilipino ay bunga ng karanasang Pilipino - damdamin, pag-iisip, kilos at gawa – na walang pakialam sa kung ano ang sasabihin ng dayuhan at bayaga; hindi self-conscious dahil matibay ang posisiyon at paninindigan.” Binigyan diin niya na ang pambansang wika ang siyang sentro sa pagbuo ng pantayong pananaw – isang wika na mauunawaan ng bawat isa (Salazar 1998; Covar 2006).

Sa panulat ni Propesor Rodriguez-Tatel (2015) na pinamagatang Philippine Studies/Araling Pilipino/ Pilipinolohiya sa Wikang Filipino: Pagpopook at Pagdadalumat sa Loob ng Kapantasang Pilipino, maliban kina Covar at Salazar nagbalik-tanaw din siya sa mga mahahalagang ambag nina Enriquez, Almario, at Lumbrera bilang mga nasyonalistang iskolar na naglagak ng pundasyon ng Pilipinisasyon o Pilipinolohiya sa ating bansa. 

Mula sa UP Departamento ng Sikolohiya si Propesor Virgilio G. Enriquez ang siyang “nanguna sa paggamit ng sariling wika bilang midyum ng pagtuturo sa pamantasan noong 1965.” Sa kaniyang pananaw ang Sikolohiyang Pilipino ay “sikolohiyang bunga ng karanasan, kaisipan at oryentasyong Pilipino” (Rodriguez-Tatel 2015).

Sina Virgilio Almario at Bienvenido Lumbrera na pawang mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining mula sa Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas ay nag ambag din sila ng kanilang mga pananaw para sa ikalalawig ng disiplinang Pilipinolohiya.

Ipinakilala at nilinang ni Almario ang “Bagong Pormalismong Filipino” bilang isang “malikhain at makabansang paraan ng   pag-aaral sa panitikan.” Maibubuod sa tatlo ang mga isinusulong nito: (1) Una, “umugat at magbigay-daan sa mga partikular na problema sa panitikang pambansa”; (2) Ikalawa, “magkaroon ng matalas na pag- unawa sa kasaysayan ng panitikan at lipunang Pilipino”; at 3) Ikatlo, “lumihis sa mga lumang bitag at kanal ng pag- iisip na dulot ng banyagang edukasyon at metodolohiya” (Rodriguez-Tatel 2015).

isinulong naman ni Lumbera ang “pagsusulat sa wikang Filipino sa Philippine Studies Journal. Tinindigan niya ang kahalagahan ng wika at panitikan sa paghulagpos sa Amerikanisadong edukasyon, gayundin ang napakalaking ambag ng mga kilusang panlipunan (“masa”) … Ibinangon niya ang dangal ng tradisyon ng bayan: ang katutubong panitikan/panitikang bernakular/lokal/rehiyonal bilang panulukang bato sa pagbuo ng panitikang pambansa” (Rodriguez-Tatel 2015).

Sérépungan ng mga Kaisipan at Pagkilos ng mga Pilipinolohistang Iskolar 

Base sa aking pagbabasa at pagmumuni-muni (pamalandong)ukol sa mga sinulat at akda ng mga Pilipinolohista mula kay Rizal hanggang kay Lumbrera, pumukaw ng pansin sa akin ang mga sumusunod na kaisipan at pagkilos na nagsasalupungan at nagkaka ugnay-ugnay para sa layunin, adhikain, at tunguhin ng disiplinang Pilipinohiya / Araling Pilipino.

1) Pambansang Produksiyon ng Kaalaman

Si Rizal ang unang nagpamalas ng inisyatibo na pagibayuhin ang pag aaral tungkol sa Pilipinas. Hinimok niya ang mga kapwa illustrado na kilalanin ang ating bayan. Sapagkat tayo lang maaring makaunawa sa mga wastong konteksto ng mga kaganapan at karanasan na may kaugnayan sa ating bayan. Kaya naman nagtangka siyang bumuo ng "Association des Philippinistes” noong 1889 sa Paris. Nang ito ay di naisakatuparan, tumungo siya sa British Museum / Libray at gumugol siya ng sapat na panahon para kopyahin sa pamamagitan ng sulat-kamay ang mga salaysay ni Antonio de Morga sa kanyang Sucesos dela Islas Filipinas noong 1609. Marubdob niya itong inaral at nilagyan ng anotasyon. 

Isang daang taon ang lumipas, mula 1889 na kung kailan tangkain ni Rizal na mag oorganisa ng "Association des Philippinistes,” Isinilang naman ang Pilipinolohiyang itinatag sa UP Dalubhasaan ng Agham Panlipunan at Pilosopiya (DAPP). Bagaman may umiiral na noon ng Philippine Studies sa bansa, sa ilalim ng College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas na pinangangasiwaan ng Asian Center program, naitatag pa din ang programang Pilipinolohiya (Sobritchea 2002). Ito ang paliwanag ni Prospero Covar (1991): 

Ang dating Philippine Studies ay walang pantayong pananaw. Ito'y nakatuon sa pananaw ng mga banyaga o sa pananaw ng mga nataguriang Pilipinong mananaliksik ayon din sa pananaw ng mga banyaga, upang sila'y may mapag-usapan at pagkaabalahan. Ito ay punto-de-bista ng Philippine Studies Association -- isang asosasyon ng mga so-called Philippine specialists mula sa Estados Unidos, Japan, Australia at iba pang bansa, gayundin sa Pilipinas.

    Sa pag-aaral sa dating Philippine Studies, ang mga Pilipino ay pawang mga obheto lamang sa mga pananaliksik ng mga banyagang iskolar. Hindi kagaya ng Pilipinolohiya, ito ay naka angkla sa Pantayong Pananaw, at ang mga punto-de-bista ay nagmumula mismo sa mga Pilipinong mananaliksik o iskolar na nag aambag ng produkto ng kaalaman ukol sa paksang may kinalaman sa ating bayan.

2) Pambansang Wika ng Sambayanan

Mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng iisang wika na naiintidihan ng bawat mamamayan. Sinambit ni Rizal sa kanyang sulat sa mga kapwa propagandista noong 1889 na “Ang kaalaman ay kapangyarihan. Tayo lamang ang tangingmakagagagap ng kaalaman ukol sa ating bayan, sapagkat nauunawaan natin kapwa ang mga wika, maging ang mga lihim ng taumbayang kasa-kasama natin sa paglaki…” 

Madaming wika ang ginagamit sa ating kapuluan, datapuwa’t hindi natin maitatanggi na ang mga ito ay maraming pagkakahalintulad pagdating sa tunog at kahulugan, sapagkat ayon sa mga dalubhasa ng mga wika ang mga sari’t saring mga wika sa ating bansa ay nabibilang sa pamilya ng Austronesian Languages. Maliban dito, napabilis ang ating pakikipagtalastasan at pagkakaunawaan sa bawat at ito ay dahil na rin sa pagkakaroon natin ng pambansang wika – ang Filipino. Kung napapansin natin, may mga ekspresyon tayo na tayo-tayo lang ang nakakabatid at mayroon din tayong mga piling salita na walang eksaktong kahulugan o katumbas sa wikang banyaga. Ayon kay Rizal, tayo mismo ang maaring makaunawa ng mga kaalaman at maging mga lihim ng ating mga kababayan sapagkat dito mismo tayo lumaki at nakipagsalamuha sa kanila.

Isa sa mga adhikain ng mga Pillipinolohista ang bumuo ng mga diskurso o makalikha ng mga akda na gamit ang ating wikang pambansa. Kagaya na lamang ang ehemplong ipinamalas sa atin ni Bienvenido Lumbrera - isinulong niya ang pagsusulat sa wikang Filipino sa Philippine Studies Journal. Gayun din si Virgilio Almario na sumulat ng mga tula, kuwento, at diksiyonaryo (UP Diksyunaryong Filipino) sa wikang Filipino. 

Ayon kay Zeus Salazar (1998) ang pambansang wika ang siyang sentro sa pagbuo ng pagbuo ng pantayong pananaw – “isang wika na mauunawaan ng bawat isa.” Ipinaliwanag niya na kapag pambansang wika ang gamit natin, 

Nagkakaintindihan ang lahat nang hindi na dapat tukuyin ang iba pang bagay na nasa labas. Samakatuwid, ang isang lipunan-at-kultura ay may "pantayong pananaw" lamang kung ang lahat ay gumagamit ng mga konsepto at ugali na alam ng lahat ang kahulugan, pati ang relasyon ng mga kahulugan sa isa't isa. Ito ay nangyayari lamang kung iisa ang code o "pinagtutumbasan ng mga kahulugan," ibig sabihin, isang pangkabuuang pag-uugnay at pagkakaugnay ng mga kahulugan, kaisipan at ugali. Mahalaga (at pundamental pa nga) rito ang pagkakaroon ng iisang wika bilang batayan at daluyan ng pang-unawa at komunikasyon. Zeus Salazar (1998)

3) Pambansang Sibilisasyon / Kabihasnan

Bago pa man dumating sa ating bayan ang mga dayuhang Kastila, mayroon ng mga naninirahang mga pangkat etniko at mga katutubong pamayanan sa mga isla ng   Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao. Base sa mga unang salaysay ng mga tagapagtala ng kasaysayan (chroniclers / historians) mababakas na natin ang mga elemento at palatandaan na mayroon ng umiiral na sibilisasyon o kabihasnan sa mga pamayanan sa buong kapuluan. Kagaya na lamang sa mga salaysay ni Antonio de Morga sa kanyang Sucesos dela Islas Filipinas na unang nailathala sa Mexico noong 1609. Base sa mga isinulat ni Morga napatunayan ni Rizal na noon pa man, ang ating mga ninuno ay mayroon ng uri ng pamahalaan, sistema ng pagsusulat, pananamit, tradisyon, kultura, relihiyon, sining, panitikan, agham, at   masiglang pakikipag kalakalan sa ating mga karatig bansa sa Timog Silangang Asya. Samakatuwid, malinaw na mayroon na tayong sibilisasyon na maituturing bago pa man dumating ang dayuhang Kastila sa ating kapuluan. 

Tulad ni Rizal, ang nagkakaisang layunin at adhikain ng mga Pilipinolohista ay ang nagbibigkis upang ipagpatuloy na linangin, palawigin, at palaganapin ang ating pambansang kultura, tradisyon, at sibilisasyon. Narito ang mga pahayag ni Propesor Covar (1991) patungkol sa ating pambansang kultura at kabihasnan:

Ang Pilipinolohiya na may katutubong kamulatan at kamalayan ay naka ugat sa pananaw ng mga Pilipino upang makabuo ng pambansang kabihasnan at hindi lamang upang pag-aralan ang mga nangyayari sa Pilipino at sa bansa.

... Ang pambansang kultura ay binubuo, sa kasalukuyan, ng iba't ibang daloy at batis mula sa iba't ibang pamayanan, kasama na rin dito ang mga elementong kultural na buhat sa banyagang pamayanan.

... ang pagbubuo ng kulturang Pilipino buhat sa iba't ibang daloy at batis na mayroong katangiang kaayusan. Ang kabuuan nito ay tatawagin nating "pambansang kultura ng Pilipino

 … hindi suma o total ng daloy o batis, kundi yaong bagong himig at anyo ng pinagyamang pambansang kaisipan, kultura at lipunan - samakatuwid, sibilisasyon o kabihasnan.

Ang Daloy ng Kasaysayan ng Kapilipinuhan

Mga Teorya ng Pandaruyuhan

Ang pinagmulan ng lahing Pilipino ang isa sa mga tampok sa pag-aaral ng displinang Pilipinolohiya o Araling Pilipino. Noong 1916, pinasikat ni Henry Otley Beyer, isang antropologong Amerikano, ang tinatawag na wave migration theory. Naniniwala si Beyer na ang mga Negrito, Indones, at Malay ang mga unang mga grupo na dumating at nagpasimula ng lahing Pilipino. Subalit napawalang saysay ang teoryang ito nang matagpuan ng mga pangkat ng arkeologo sa pangunguna ni Robert B. Fox ang isang bungo at isang buto ng panga sa yungib ng Tabon sa Palawan noong 1962. Ito ang tinatawag na Taong Tabon (Tabon Man) na tinatayang nanirahan sa yungib ng may mahigit na 50,000 taon na ang nakakaraan. Mula sa mga nakalap na mga impormasyon, na unang nagkaroon ng tao sa Pilipinas kaysa Malaysia at Indonesia. Ayon naman kay Landa Jocano ang, Taong Tabon ay kabilang sa Homo Sapiens o Modern Man na kumakatawan sa unang lahi ng Pilipino sa Pilipinas.  Datapuwa’t makalipas ang ilang taon natagpuan naman ni Armand Mijares sa Kuweba ng Callao, Cagayan ang isang buto ng paa na mas sinasabing mas matanda pa sa Taong Tabon. Ito ang tinatawag na Taong Callao na tinatayang nabuhay nang mahigit na 67, 000 taon na ang nakakalipas. (Dayag and Del Rosario 2016).

Sa kasalukuyan ang Teorya ng Pandaruyuhan mula rehiyong Austronesyano ang siyang pinakabagong teorya ukol sa pinagmulan ng lahing Pilipino. Pinapaliwang ng teoryang ito na ang mga Pilipino ay nagmula sa lahing Austranesisan.  

May dalawang naglalabang teorya kung saan nagmula ang mga Austronesian:  

1. Ayon kay Wilheim Solheim II (1984), ang mga Austronesian ay nagmula sa mga isla ng Sulu at Celebes na tinatawag na Nusantao.  Nangyari ito dahil sa kalakalan, migrasyon, at pag-aasawa ng mga Austronesian sa iba’t- ibang panig ng kapuluan.        

2. Base naman sa pag-aaral ni Peter Belwood (1984) ng Australia National University, ang Austronesian ay nagmula sa Timog Tsina at Taiwan na nagtuno sa Pilipinas noong 5,000 B.C.

Ayon sa dalawang teorya, ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga pinakaunang Austronesian. Bilang mga Austronesian, ang mga Pilipino ang mga naka imbento ng bangkang may katig. Ang mga Austronesian din ang nagpaunlad ng pagtatanim ng palay at ng rice terracing tulad ng sa Hagdang-hagdang Palayan sa Banaue, Ifugao. Naniniwala ang lahing Austronesian sa paglalakbay ng mga anito sa kabilang buhay, gayun din ang paglilibing sa mga labi ng namatay sa banga. Isang halimbawa nito ay ang natagpuang Manunggul Jar sa isang yungib sa Palawan. 

Mahalagang talakayin ang iba’t ibang teorya ng pandaruyuhan upang ating mapag-aralan ang pinagmulan ng lahing Pilipino. Ayon sa Teorya ng Pandaruyuhan mula rehiyong Austronesyano, ang mga Pilipino nagmula sa lahing Austronesian, kaya naman maoobserbahan natin na marami tayong mga salita na hawig sa mga wika ng mga tao sa ating mga karatig bansa. Napatunayan ko ito noong kumuha ako ng kursong Bahasa Indonesia, napagtanto ko na madami sa kanilang bokabolaryo ang magkakapareho ng tunog at kahulugan kung ihahambing sa ating mga wika sa Pilipinas gaya ng Tagalog, Ilocano, Cebuano, Capampangan, at mga iba pa.  

Ilan lamang sa mga halimbawa ay ang mga sumusunod:

Wikang Filipino Bahasa Indonesia

Ako Aku

Kami Kami

Lima Lima

Mata Mata

Utak Otak

Bangon Bangun

(Hinango sa SEASIA ni Hananto, 2023)

Maliban sa Bahasa Indonesia, mayroon ding pagkakahawig ang ating mga salita sa mga taga Malaysia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Brunei, at mga iba pang mga bansang nagmula sa mga Austronesian. Bukod sa wika, itinuro sa atin ng mga ninuno nating mga Austronesian ang teknolohiya ng pagtatanim ng palay, kaya naman lahat tayo kumakain ng kanin sa pang araw-araw, maging panininwala sa mga espiritu o anito ng ating mga ninununo. Gayundin sa ating nakagisnang tradisyon, halimbawa na lang nito ay ang sama-samang paggawa at pagtulong sa kapwa na tinatawag na bayanihan sa atin. Akala ko noon tayo lang ang may bayanihan, ngunit napag alaman ko na mayroon ding Gotong Royong (katumbas ng ating bayanihan) ang mga taga Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, at Indonsesia. Ang mga ebidensyang ito ay nagpapatunay lamang na tayong mga Pilipino ay nagmula sa lahing Autronesian. 

Mga Sinaunang Pamayanan

Malinaw na nakasaad sa mga sinaunang mga akda gaya ng Boxer Codex (1590), Chirino, Pedro (1604), Antonio de Morga (1609), at Francisco Combes, (1667) na mayroon ng mga paniniwala, tradisyon, uri ng pamamahal, kultura, teknolohiya, at pakikipagkalakalan ang mga iba’t ibang pangkat etnikong mga pamayanan sa ating kapuluan bago pa man dumating sa ating lugar ang mga mananakop na Kastila. 

Nais kong ituon ang talakayan sa isinulat ng Heswitang si Padre Francisco Combes (1667). Siya ay kapanipaniwalang tagapagsalaysay patungkol sa kanyang mga obserbasyon partikular sa mga bahagi ng kapuluan sa Mindanao. Siya ay ipinadala ng Jesuit Religious Order para sa misyon na ipalaganap ang Catolicismo sa Mindanao. Nanirahan sya doon ng halo labing dalawang taon kung kaya’t natuto na sya ng mga wika ng mga katutubo doon. Madalas nagsisilbi pa siyang taga salin o tagapag interpret ng mga katutubong wika sa wikang Espanyol. 

Ilan sa mga pamayanan na nasambit ni Padre Combes sa kaniyang mga isinulat ay ang mga Joloans, Basilans, Dapitans, Caragas, Mindanaos, Lutaos, at mga Subanos. Ayon sa kanyang mga obserbasyon, nandoon na ang relihiyong Islam, bagaman madami pa din sa mga katutubo doon ang namumuhay bilang mga pagano o kaya naman mga nainiwala sa mga anito. Napagtanto ko din na ang mga pamayanan sa Mindanao ay mayroon na silang taglay na teknolohiya kagaya ng paghahabi ng kanilang sariling mga kasuotan, pagpapanday ng mga armas halimbawa nito ay ang paggawa ng kris at sibat, pagbuo ng malalaking karakoa na iginagaod ng mga 80 hanggang 100 katao (rowers). 

Mayroon din silang mga sinusunod na kaugalian sa pag-aasawa at paglilibing ng patay. Nabangit din ni Padre Combes na mayroon silang sistema sa pamamahala at sinusunod na batas sa kanilang kani-kaniyang mga pamayanan. Samakatwid, taliwas ang pananaw ng ibang mga dayuhang Kastila na ang mga Pilipino noon ay mga “barbaro” o uncivilized people ngunit sa katotohanan mababanaag na din natin na noon pa man - base sa mga isinulat ng mga dayuhang mananalaysay - ang mga elemento ng kabihasnan o sibilisasyon sa ating kapuluan– kagaya na lamang ng teknolohiya, sistema ng pamahalaan, panitikan (mito at alamat), sistema ng pagsulat, relihiyon, at pakikipagkalakalan ng ating mga ninuno sa ating mga karatig bayan. 

Sérépungan ng mga Katutubong Pamayanan

Ang Pilipinas ay isang kapuluan na binubuo ng mahigit na pitung libong mga pulo na kung saan matatagpuan ang iba’t ibang mga pangkat etniko na may kani-kaniyang mga wika, kultura, tradisyon, at paniniwala. Datapuwa’t sa kabila ng mga pagkakaiba ng mga mamayang Pilipino, lubos ding kapansin-pansin ang pagkakaroon ng pagkakahalintulad ng mga nakagisnang tradisyon at kultura. Bagama’t magkakaiba pero magkakapantay-pantay pa din ang paningin at pagturing sa isa’t isa different but equal wika nga. Sa katunayan nga nito wala sa ating mga kababayan ang itinuturing na ikalawang uri ng mamamayan o second class citizens mula man sila sa Kristiyano, Moro, at Lumad o mga katutubong pamayanan. Kaya naman labis nating ipinagbubunyi at ipinagdidiwang ang ating pagkakaiba-iba ngunit nagkakaisa bilang mga mamamayan ng sambayanang Pilipino sa buong kapuluan.  

Isang mahalagang konsepto ang aking natutunan ngayon sa kasalukuyang kong kursong pinag aaralan na may titulong Philippines Studies 301: Philippine Perspectives sa ilalim ng pagtuturo ni Propesor Rodriguez-Tatel. Ito ang dalumat ng sérépungan na salitang nagmula sa “salitang ugat na rapung ng wikang Èrumanen nè Menuvù vansan’ Kirinteken, na ang ibig sabihin ay “pagsamahin,” o “pag-isahin” o “pagbuklurin” (Rodriguez 2021). Ayon naman kay Roldan Babelon (2015), “ang pagtatagpo ng magkakaiba” ay nangagahulugan ding sérépungan.  Tumutukoy din sa “tagpuan o pagtatagpu-tagpo (convergence) ng magkakaiba ang kahulugan ng “sérépungan” (Rodriguez 2021; Babelon 2019). 

Ang katutubong kaisipan ng sérépungan ay isang kagamit gamit na konsepto sa pag-aaral at pananliksik ukol sa iba’t ibang mga pangkat etniko sa buong kapuluan at gayundin sa ating mga kababayang katutubo o mga tinaguriang Indigenous People (IPs) sa ating bansa. Ayon kay Propesor Rodriguez (2021):

May dalawang mahalagang bisa ang dalumat ng serepungan… Unang bisa: ang pananaw na kumikilala, gumagalang at nagbubunyi sa pagkakaiba-iba…Pangalawang bisa: ang pagpapahalaga sa kapangyarihan ng salita at usapan, pakikipag usap at pakikipagkuwetuhan bilang angkop na kaparaanan ng produksyon at pagbabahagi ng kaalaman sa katutubong komunidad.

Binibigyang diin dito ni Propesor Rodriguez na ukol sa pag-aaral o pananliksik sa mga katutubong Pilipino ay ang ituring silang kasama (partners) sa paglikha o produksyon ng kaalaman imbes na obheto lamang ang tingin ng mga mananaliksik sa kanila. Kinakailangang ipakita at ipadama natin ang respeto o paggalang natin sa kanila bilang mga kapwa mamamayang Pilipino na may likas na kaalaman na maiaambag sa paglilinang at pagpapalalim sa ating pagka Pilipino.      

Noong Ika-dalawang araw ng Pebrero taong 2024, sa unang pagkakataon naranasan kong makapanood at makapakinig ng isang palatuntunan na kinatatampukan ng ating mga kababayang T’boli na pinamagatang, “Slingon ne Adal”. Ang programang ito ay pinangunahan ng Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura (KAL), UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, UP Asian Center, at ng UP Asian Insitute of Tourism. Itinanghal dito si Gng. Rosie Godwino Sula o lalong kilala sa pangalang “Boi Lemingon.” Siya ay isa sa mga tumanggap ng Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan noong taong 2023 dahil sa kanyang napakahusay sa pagbigkas ng kinagisnang epiko ng ating mga kababayang T’boli sa pamamagitan ng chants. Maitututing siyang isang tunay na “culture bearer” sapagkat napanatili nya ang tradisyonal na sayaw, awit, at pagsasalaysay ng epikong T’boli sa pamamagitan ng chants. Lubos akong namangha sa nasaksihan kong mayamang kultura at tradisyon ng ating mga katutubong Pilipino. 

Dahil sa aking napanood na pagtatanghal, nadagdagan ang aking kaalaman patungkol sa ating mga kababayang T’boli. Ang mga T’boli ay ang mga tinaguriang dream weavers dahil sa kanilang malayang imahinasyon, inspirasyon, at panaginip habang sila ay humahabi ng mga hibla ng T’nalak. Kung kaya’t mapapansin natin na wala silang sinusunod na “self-invented patterns” sa kanilang mga disenyo, bagkus bunga ang mga ito ng kanilang mga panaginip na hatid sa kanila ng espiritu ng abaca.  

Bukod sa paghabi ng T’nalak, ang mga T’boli ay may mayamang tradisyon at kultura na ating mababanaag sa kanilang pagsasalaysay ng kanilang kinagisnang epiko sa pamamagitan ng chants. Ayon kay Gng. Boi Lemingon, na bumigkas ng napakatining na chants. “Ang pagsasalaysay ng epiko sa pamamagitan ng chants ay hindi dapat binabasa, bagkus, kusa itong naibubulalas ng bibig ayon sa gabay at inspirasyon ng espiritu” (paraphrased base sa aking napakinggan kay Gng Lemingon).  Napag Isipan ko tuloy na gaya ng kanilang paghabi ng T’nalak na nakadepende sa kanilang emosyon, imahinasyon, at panaginip, masasabi natin na anumang ginagawa ng mga T’boli – maghabi man o bumigkas man ng chants - ginagawa nila itong may inspirasyon na nagmumula sa kaibuturan ng kanilang puso at damdamin. Ang personal kong obserbasyon na ito ay may kaugnayan din sa ibinahaging mensahe ni Propesor Felipe M. de Leon jr., na (dating chairman ng national Commission for Culture and the Arts o NCAA) sa palatuntunang “Slingon ne Adal.” Ayon sa kanya, ang mga T’boli ay mga taong likas na mga malikhain, ito ay sa kadahilanang:

 Una, ay ang kanilang pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan; ikalawa ay ang kanilang angking husay ay nagmumula sa itaas; ikatlo, ay mayroon silang strong sense of community; at ikaapat, ay ang kanilang galing o creativity ay galing sa kaibuturan. (Buod ng mensahe ni Felipe M. de Leon jr.)

Noong ika-anim ng Mayo taong 2024, nakadalo din ako sa Adang o Lunsad-Programa para sa Suwala Sёkёlungon: Tinig at Talinghaga ng mga Dunong Tёduray at Lambangian. Ito ay isang handog ng UP College of Arts and Letters para sa Programang Pagpapapamana ng Dunong Katutubo mula sa mga Tagapa-ingat ng Kaalamang Bayan (UP Diliman Culture Bearers in Residence Program). Nag umpisa ang palatuntunan sa pamamagitan ng kanduli o ritwal ng pagbabasbas sa pangunguna ni Kёmamal Kёadatan San Alao. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon nasaksihan ko kung paano isinasagawa ang kanduli at napakinggan ko din ang paggamit ng kulintang ni Propesor Reginaldo Cruz sa kanyang pagtugtog ng “Binalig- Sinulog a minuna- Sinulog a bagu.”  Akin ding mariing pinakinggan ang mga mensahe mula sa ating mga culture bearers na sina Timuay Alim Bandara, Fintailan Concha, at Kёmamal Kёadatan San Alao. Sila ang ating mga kababayang Tёduray na nanggaling pa sa Maguindanao Del Sur at Maguindanao del Norte na dumako sa University of the Philippines, Diliman. Naparito sila hindi upang dumalo ng seminar o makinig ng lektura sa ating mga batiking propesor sa unibersidad, bagkus sila ang magbabahagi ng kaalamang katutubo (indigenous knowledge and practices) sa mga mag aaral at kaguruhan sa Unibersidad. Ang kanilang mga naiaambag na mga katutubong kaalaman ay nagsisilbing mga buhay na pamana (living heritage), at buhay na kayamanan (living treasures) para sa ikalalawig ng lokal na kaalaman dito sa ating bansa. 

Ayon kay Gng. Fintailan Concha, isang lider ng Fintalian Women’s Organization ng mga Tёduray:

Maraming salamat sa pagkakataon na ibinigay ninyo sa amin upang ibahagi o maipakita man lang ang aming kaalaman na mula pa sa aming mga ninuno. Ang pamanang kaalaman na ito ay patungkol sa paghahabi. Nais naming manatili ito sapagkat ito na lamang ang bukod tanging pamamaraan na minana pa namin sa aming mga ninuno na pwede naming ipagmalaki. Sana ay manatili itong paghahabi hanggang sa mga susunod na mga henerasyon. Amin ding pinoprotektahan ang kagubatan o kalikasan, sapagkat dito nagmumula ang mga material na ginagamit sa aming paghahabi.  Sa pamamagitan ng aming pagbabahagi sana lalo ninyo pa kaming maunawaan. 

Base sa mga sinabi ni Gng. Fintailan Concha, malaki ang ginagampanang papel ng ating mga kababayang katutubo sa pag-aalaga at pag protekta sa ating mga kagubatan at kalikasan sa kabuuan. Ang kanilang buhay at kabuhayan ay naka ugnay sa kanilang kapaligiran. Kung lilisanin ng ating mga kababayang IP’s ang mga kabundukan, kagubatan at kapatatgan tuluyan ng masisira at maglalaho ang magagandang dulot ng ating kalikasan. Sapagkat sila ang tunay na nangangalaga, nagbabantay, at nagmamalasakit sa ating mayamang kalikasan. 

Ang ating Pambansang Alagad ng Sining na si UP Propesor Emeritus Ramon Santos ang siyang naghatid ng susing pananalita sa palatuntunang Suwala Sёkёlungon at ito ang laman ng kanyang mensahe:

Mahaba pang panahon ang ating dapat gugugulin upang ma isadiwa ang mga katutubong kaalaman na ito… Ang ating unang pagtatagpo ay upang makilala natin ang gawaing ito at upang mabuksan ang ating mga kaisipan at kaalaman sa mga anyo ng kanilang mga buhay at gawain. Kung kaya’t dapat sundan ang unang pagtatagpong ito ng higit na malawak na programa, tulad ng ating mga kurso sa pang araw-araw na ginagawa at isinasabuhay. Ganito din dapat ang ating haharapin sa mga susunod na panahon kung tunay ang ating hangaring isabuhay ang mga bagong kaalaman na galing sa ating mga katutubong Tёduray. Kung kaya’t binabati ko ang Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura (KAL) sa kanilang paglahok ukol sa panimula ng programng UP Diliman Culture Bearers in Residence. Kung saan makikilala natin ang ating paglandas tungo sa bagong kaalaman na may kaugnayan sa ating tunay na katutubo at mamamayan ng ating Inang Bansa. Sana ay magbunga ang mga unang hakbang na ito ng pagka mausisa sa ating lahat tungo sa pag-aaral at pagsasadiwa ng kaalaman at karunungang na hindi natin matatagpuan sa ibang dako kung hindi sa sariling lupain at kapaligiran. Sa ating mga kapatid na panauhin (mga Tёduray, maligayang pagdating sa aming mga bulwagan. …Sana ay magbunga ito ng pagkakaisa sa ating mga layunin at pahigtingin ang ating Kapatiran at pakikipag ugnay sa isa’t isa tungo sa pagbabahagi ng inyong kaalaman at karunungan sa mga uhaw naming kaisipan at kamalayan. Salamat at magandang umaga sa ating lahat. (UP Propesor Emeritus Ramon Santos).

Sa pagbabahagi ng susing pananalita ni Propesor Ramon Santos. Nagagalak siya sa pagsisimula ng programang UP Diliman Culture Bearers in Residence. Ninanais nyang lumawak pa lalo ang ganitong programa sa mga susunod pang mga pagtatagpo sa hinaharap. Isa sa mga nasambit na suhestiyon ng propesor na sana ay magpatuloy ang programang ganito na “tulad ng ating mga kurso sa pang araw-araw na ginagawa at isinasabuhay.” Ayon sa kanya, ang kaalaman at karunungan na matutunan natin sa ating mga kababayang katutubo ay hindi natin maaaring matutunan o matatagpuan saan mang dako “kung hindi sa ating sariling lupain at kapaligiran” lamang. Nang marinig ko ito, biglang sumagi sa aking isipan ang mga salitang binitiwan ng ating bayaning si Jose Rizal,

 Kailangang pag-aralan ang mga katanungang may kinalaman sa inyong bayan. Ang kaalaman ay kapangyarihan. Tayo lamang ang tangingmakagagagap ng kaalaman ukol sa ating bayan, sapagkat nauunawaan natin kapwa ang mga wika, maging ang mga lihim ng taumbayang kasa-kasama natin sa paglaki.  (Rizal sa mga kapwa Propagandista, 1889)

Tayong mga mamamayang Pilipino ang nararapat na magkaroon ng pag-aaral at pananaliksik na may kaugnayan sa ating bayan. Sapagkat tayo ang mas nakakaunawa ng mga wika at mga kaugalian ng ating mga kababayan. Ang mga kaalaman na ating matutunan sa ating mga kababayang Tёduray ay hindi natin matatagpuan sa ibang bayan bagkus sa atin mismong bayan. Kung kaya’t ating isulong at paglinangin ang lokal o katutubong kaalaman.

Nais ko ding sambitin ang pagbabahagi ng project leader at punong abala ng programang Suwala Sёkёlungon na si Propesor Mary Jane Rodriguez-Tatel mula sa Departamento ng UP College of Arts and Letters (CAL). Siya ang pangunahing propesor na nagbigay ng sapat panahon at nakisalamuha sa mga kababayan nating mga Tёduray habang kasalukuyan niyang isinusulat ang kanyang disertasyon patungkol sa mga kababayan nating mga partikular na indigenous people sa Mindanao. Kaya naman masasabi nating siya ay may awtoridad na talakayin ang mga mahahalagang usapin o suliraning na kasalukuyang kinakaharap ng ating mga kababayang Tёduray.

“Hindi po kami Teruray at hindi po kami terorista.” Ito ang pabirong sinabi ng mga kababayan nating Tёduray habang sila ay nakikipanayam kay Propesor Mary Jane.  Ngunit sa likod ng mga pagbibirong iyon tila may malalim silang pinaghuhugutan. Ayon sa propesor, hindi nga naman sila terorista sapagkat “kung tutuusin sila ang mga biktima ng karahasan at patuloy na pangdarahas.” Sa kanyang pagpapatuloy, nasambit din nila, “Hindi po kami Moro. Paano po iyan, pork eaters po kami. Hindi na po kami makakakain niyan ng (karneng) baboy.”

Ang ating mga kababayang Tёduray ay isa lamang sa mga katutubong pamayanan na kabilang sa mga Non-Moro Indigenous People sa Mindanao. Maliban sa mga Tёduray, nandiyan din ang mga Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo, Higa-onon, Erumanen ne Menuvu, at B'laan. Ayon kay Propesor Mary Jane, sila ang mga tuwirang na apektuhan sa masalimuot na usapin ng ancestral domain na nakapaloob sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), bagamat hindi sila kabilang sa mga National Moro Indigenous People na bahagi ng isinasagawang “Bansa Moro Expansion,” ang mga non-Islamized indigenous communities na ito ay pawang mga nakapaloob sa BARMM. Mayaman ang kultura ng mga katutubong pamayanan sa Mindanao kung kaya’t masasabi natin na ang ating bayan ay multi-ethnic at multi-cultural nation-state. Hindi ito simpleng usapin lamang ng Muslim o Kristiyanong mga grupo ng mga pamayanan sa bansa. Bagkus usapin ito ng mga Muslim at Non- Moro Indigenous People o mga Lumad sa Mindanao. Kung hindi natin kikilalanin ang mga ancestral domains na nararapat sa kanila at hahayaang mapabilang sila sa “Bansa Moro Expansion,” manganganib ang kanilang mga kinagisnang kultura, tradisyon at pagkakilanlan (communal identities). 

Ayon kay Propesor Rodriguez (2020), Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) ang bagong katawagan sa mga non-Islamized IPs gaya ng mga Erumanen, Teduray at Lambangian. 

Sila ang mga tinaguriang tanod ng lupa, tanod ng katarungan para sa makatarungang kapayapaan. Samu’t sari man ang kanilang mga organisasyon at paraan ng pag oorganisa, nasa “adjacent territory” man sila o “core,” “nagseserepungan” ang kanilang mga punyagi na nagrururok sa pagtatayo ng “Santuwaryo ng Kapayapaan (Rodriguez 2020).

Napagtatanto ko na napakadami ko pang dapat matutunan patungkol sa mga katutubong pamayanang Pilipino. Nagpapasalamat ako sa pagkakaroon ng Culture Bearers-in-Residence Program sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.   Nasaksihan ko sa programang ito ang katuparan, paglalapat, at bisa ng sérépungan - ang “pagtatagpo ng magkakaiba.” Sa loob ng mga araw na pananatili sa UP-Campus ng ating mga kababayang mga T’boli at Tёduray, sila ang ating mga culture bearers na nagsilbing mga tagapagturo upang kanilang ibahagi sa mga mag-aaral at akademyang komunidad ang yaman ng kanilang kultura at tradisyon. 

Namalas ko din ang husay nina Boi Lemingon, Timuay Alim Bandara, Fintailan Concha, at Kёmamal Kёadatan San Alao sa kanilang pagsasalita ng ating wikang Filipino. Napakagandang pagmasdan at pakinggan ang paggamit ng Wikang Filipino sa mga talakayan sa bawat programa.  Napagnilay-nilayan ko din na ang wikang Filipino ay nagsisislbi ding sérépungan o hugpungan o “convergence” upang tayo ay magkatagpo tagpo, magka pisan-pisan, magkakaintindihan, at magkakaugnayan para sa isang layunin – ang lalo pa nating linangin at pagyamanin ang pambansang kabihasnan. Ayon kay Ricardo Nolasco (2015):

Mas realistiko ang ideya ng pambansang lingua franca para tumukoy sa wikang pambansa ng Pilipinas. Ito ay uri ng Tagalog na natural na lumitaw sa kamaynilaan at iba pang erya ng bansa kung saan nagtatagpo at nagsasalubungan ang mga wika ng iba’t ibang mamamayan. Buhat sa pagiging wika ng Katagalugan ay lumaganap ito sa buong kapuluan sa tulong ng masmidya.

Ang Culture Bearers-in-Residence Program ay isang pagpapatunay ng “pagtatagpo ng magkakaiba” na sa kalagitnaan ng ating malaking pagtitipon mayroon tayong pambansang wika, kamalayan, at kabihasnan na nagsisilbi nating bigkis at sérépungan. 

Konklusyon

Ang dalumat ng sérépungan ay mabisang katutubong konsepto upang ating mapag ugnay-ugnay ang mga layunin, mithiin at adhikain ng ating mga Pilipinolohistang iskolar mula kay Rizal hanggang kay Salazar. Ang mga kaisipan ng mga Pilipinolohistang iskolar at gayundin ang mga naisulat ng mga dayuhang manunulat - mula kay Chirino, De Morga, Combes hanggang kay Beyer, Fox, Solheim at Bellwood - ay pawang mga nagsasalupungan at nagkaka ugnay-ugnay para sa tuloy-tuloy na daloy ng kasaysayan ng kapilipinuhan at disiplina ng Araling Pilipino.

Mailalapat din natin ang konsepto ng sérépungan upang mapalalim at mapalawak ang ating katutubong pag-aaral (Indigenous Studies). Ang Culture Bearers-in-Residence Program sa UP ay nagsilbing sérépungan o tagpuan ng ating mga kababayang katutubo, mag-aaral at kaguruhan sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Isa itong mahalagang hakbang upang magtamo tayo ng mga katutubong kaalaman na hatid sa atin ng ating mga tagapagturo mula sa mga katutubong pamayanan gaya ng mga kababayan nating T’Boli at Teduray. Ayon kay Propesor Rodriguez, huwag natin silang ituring na obheto ng pag-aaral bagkus ituring natin silang mga katuwang o kasama sa paglikha ng produksiyon ng kaalaman. Ang mga katutubong kaalaman na ating matututunan, maisusulat, at mai-aakda ay magsisilbing mahalagang ambag natin sa produksiyon ng kaalaman para sa kabihasnag Pilipino at sa “unibersal na agham o siyentipikong tradisyon ng sandaigdigan” (Rodriguez 2015). 

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A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. It is a time-honored form of cooperative which is based on the “principle of equality, public ownership, and voluntariness” (Cheng 2015). Kibbutz provides its members with employment, housing, mutual assistance, total health insurance, and communal household services such as cooking, dining, laundry, childcare, education, culture, and other activities (Achouch 2022).

Agricultural Production

At the early stage of the kibbutzim development, around 1910 – 1920s, kibbutz communities only engaged in agricultural production. Each family had a plot of land to farm where they planted a few species of crops such as wheat, barley, and corn. Later on, they also learned how to develop other industries including dairy cow raising, fruit growing, vegetable planting, and poultry farming. In the late 1930s, some kibbutzim began to develop handicraft industry, agricultural machinery and military products. At the beginning of the 1950s, other kibbutz communities established modernized enterprises engaging in processing of agricultural products such as alfalfa dehydration factory, cotton ginning factory, chicken slaughtering house, and feed factory (Cheng 2015).

Industrial Enterprises

Most kibbutz factories were established in the 1970s and 1980s (Magen 2021). There were about 300 kibbutz industrial projects by 1977. At the time, industrial structure of kibbutzim was generally supported by agriculture and industry. In the 1980s, kibbutzim began to cut traditional agricultural businesses and engaged in other industries, and the number of industrial enterprises operated by kibbutzim increased to more than 400(Cheng 2015). By 1985, industrial enterprises accounted for 42.2% of the total output and 62.6% of export value in the plastic and rubber industry, 14.7% of the total output and 30.9% of export value in the wooden ware industry, 10.4% of the total output and 9.5% of export value in the metal and machinery industry, and 5.1% of the total output and 22.4% of export value in the food industry. Generally speaking, industry, agriculture, tourism, and other industries accounted for 70%, 20%, 5%, and 5% of economic structure of kibbutzim, respectively (Zhang 2000).

Currently, aside from agriculture and industry, tourism is developing rapidly and gradually becoming the focus of economic development for kibbutzim. Now, visiting kibbutzim is an important part of travel itinerary for foreign tourists. Like for instance, the fish feast provided by the kibbutz has become a well-known tourist brand, which brought in a large amount of income (Xie 2013).

A Period of Transformation

It is worth mentioning that due to the economic decline, huge debt, and hyperinflation in the 1980s, the Kibbutz communities experienced a massive crisis, forcing the communities to introduce organizational changes that affected their lifestyles and economic enterprises.  (Moskovich 2020). The Kibbutzim went

through a series of reforms and entered into a period of transformation in an effort to adapt to the changes in the world around it, by adopting various degrees of privatization and by finding new answers to issues arising within the institution itself (Halamish 2010; Cheng 2015).

Below are some of the major reforms that have been adopted by many kibbutzim in their efforts to restructure the organization of production (Lichtenstein, 1996).

1. Kibbutzim decided to separate economic enterprises from the communities; each industry is now handled by its management, without requiring the entire community’s involvement.

2. Managers enjoy independence and need only report revenue to the community once a year.

3. The community still maintains nominal ownership of the industry, but the plant is run by professionals.

4. The kibbutz industries may hire non-members who are more qualified and better trained professional employees

5. Wages also became differential throughout the kibbutz community. (Moskovich 2020).

6. Shares in kibbutz factories have been sold to the general public on the Tel Aviv stock exchange (Lichtenstein, 1996).

7. Efforts are being made to develop strategic partnerships, preferably with private firms located in foreign countries. These firms are able to offer access to markets, technological know-how, and sources of capital (Lichtenstein, 1996).

As the kibbutzim apply the above-mentioned reforms, it has been observed also that many of the kibbutzniks may now work outside their kibbutzim "who are becoming more individualistic and liberal, live a more capitalistic lifestyle and maintain personal assets” (Moskovich 2020). Another observation is that some properties originally owned by kibbutzim have been gradually owned by members, including houses and some stocks of kibbutzim (Cheng 2015).

International Investments

Today, we may be wondering how kibbutzim survive or keep up with economic pressures that bring about by globalization and market competition. In the past two decades, kibbutz communities were able to reinvent their industries by adopting some features of “soft capitalism” and applying some economic reforms so as to continually exist as one of backbones of Israel. Some of their industrial enterprises went public at Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and NASDAQ on Wall Street while other kibbutzim began to make investment abroad. Here are some of the examples:

1. In 2004, a kibbutz in northern Israel exported military equipment worth USD 14 million to Zimbabwe in Africa (Cheng 2015).

2. In 2005, kibbutzim invested USD 20 million in Europe and the US and built 10 new factories jointly or independently (Cheng 2015).

3. In 2005, SHAMIR, an enterprise owned by kibbutz, went public at NASDAQ on Wall Street in the US and raised USD 5.5 million (Cheng 2015).

4. Kibbutz Sdot Yam’s Caesarstone. In recent years, it has become successful in the US luxury residential market, making Sdot Yam one of the richest kibbutzim in Israel (Frankel 2016). 

5. Kibbutz Shamir’s Shamir Optical. It manufactures lenses for eyeglasses. It’s now one of the world’s only manufacturers of multifocal lenses, a multi-billion-dollar industry (Frankel 2016).

6. Kibbutz Hazerim’s Netafim. The drip irrigation technique was developed back in the 60s by Israeli engineer and inventor Simcha Blass, along with Kibbutz Hazerim, which later started manufacturing the original drip irrigation systems on site (Frankel 2016).

7. Givat Oz’s Aromor. It was founded in 1982 and is based in the small kibbutz Givat Oz, in Northern Israel. This advanced chemical plant manufactures chemicals for the food, cosmetics and perfume industries (Frankel 2016).

8. Kibbutz Yizre’el’s Maytronics. Back in the 70s, Yizre’el’s Maytronics started manufacturing these automated pool cleaners, which can be seen in thousands of swimming pools around the world (Frankel 2016).

Despite the fact that kibbutzim went through considerable changes in many aspects, the principle of equality, public ownership, voluntariness, and democracy was not changed. The empirical data (Leviatan 2013) showed that…

1. The better people complied with the principle of equality the more people were satisfied with kibbutzim.

2. Kibbutzim still keep some traditions including free medical services and education, collective relief and public culture, etc.

3. Persons in charge and administrators in a kibbutz should still be elected through voting by all its members every 4 years.

Significant Contributions

What are the significant contributions of the Kibbutz communities to the Israeli history of national economy?

Throughout the history of economic development of Israel, Kibbutzim have been playing an important role especially in terms of the country’s agricultural economy. It is a common knowledge that half of Israel’s land is desert and it is not ideal for agricultural production. However, in 1953, members of kibbutzim began to construct a water diversion project which resulted in 5.7 hectares of oasis in the desert. Another remarkable thing was when water in the swamp area was drained - which eventually transformed into a vast area of fertile farmland. In 2010, the value of agriculture production of kibbutzim reached over USD 1.7 billion, accounting for 40% of the total value of Israel. The use of the latest scientific technology is one the reasons for kibbutzim making this agricultural advancement. Kibbutz made use of modern biotechnology and invented the most advanced drip irrigation and spray irrigation technology that resulted in the modernized agriculture of Israel (Cheng 2015).

Aside from the significant contributions of kibbutzim in terms agricultural aspects, they also made great contributions through its various industrial enterprises. Kibbutzim have been developing industry since the 1960s, and the number of industrial projects owned by kibbutzim reached 388 in 1996. Kibbutzim have been known for producing plastic, machinery, food, and clothes as well as some sophisticated products such as computer and communication equipment. The value of exported industrial products produced by kibbutzim in the year accounted for 8.2% of the total value of exported products of Israel (Yu 2006).

Whereas, in 2010, the value of industrial output of kibbutzim was USD 800 million, accounting for 9% of the total value of industrial output of Israel (Cheng 2015).

Today, the country’s 270 kibbutzim account for some 40 percent of Israel’s agricultural sector and 9% of its traditional industry. Based on the data provided by the Kibbutz Industry Association, it showed that the sales of “kibbutz enterprises reached an all-time high of NIS 44.5 billion ($12.8 billion). In 2017, and there was a 46% increase in kibbutz investments in startup ventures, totaling some NIS 76 million, compared with NIS 52 million in 2016.” (Solomon 20017). These records indicate that kibbutzim are alive and well for they continuously fuel the national economy.

Owing to the significant contributions to the national economic development of Israel, kibbutzim serve as the Cornerstone for National Rejuvenation, which is listed as one of the three backbones of Israel, the other two backbones are trade union and national defense force (Cheng 2015).

Conclusion

Kibbutz communities have been in existence for more than 100 years now since the first kibbutz was established in 1909. The world has borne witness to their resiliency and adaptability to any changing conditions or environments. They have gradually transformed from being agriculture-based cooperatives to high technology-based industries.

Today, there are around 270 Kibbutz communities all over the country with around 120,000 Kibbutz members, comprising less than 2% of Israel's population. The agricultural production of kibbutzim accounts for more than 40% of the total production of the country. Whereas, the value of industrial output of kibbutzim

accounts for 9% of the total value of industrial output of Israel. The data indicates that the kibbutz communities still make great contributions to Israel’s economy which are “disproportionately large when compared with the kibbutzim’s relatively small share of the country’s population” (Britannica). It is indeed that their significant contributions to the national economy of Israel are beyond question. No wonder why kibbutzim serve as one of the backbones of Israel.

References:

Achouch, Yuval (2022). The destiny of kibbutz industry in Israel: From family businesses to cash mergers. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2022.100179

Abraham Danielle et al (2019). Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. How Israel became a world leader in agriculture and water. https://institute.global/sites/default/files/2019- 09/Israel%20World%20Leader%20Agriculture%20Water.pdf

Britannica (2023).  Kibbutz Israeli Commune

https://www.britannica.com/topic/kibbutz

Cheng E. Sun Y. (2015). Israeli Kibbutz: A Successful Example of Collective Economy World Review of Political Economy, Vol. 6 Pluto Journals Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.13169/worlrevipoliecon.6.2.0160

Frankel, Einat-Paz (2016). From Agriculture to Hi-Tech: Meet Five Kibbutzim that Became Global Powerhouses. https://nocamels.com/2016/03/successful-israeli- kibbutzim-industry-technology/

Halamish, Aviva (2010). The Kibbutz at One Hundred Department of History The Open University of Israel

Leviatan, U. 2013. “Values and Organizational Commitment.” International

Critical Thought

Lichtenstein A. (1995). Organizing locally, competing globally: the kibbutz factory as home and work. Environmental Planning A volume 29.

Magen, Hadas (2021). Kibbutzim successfully embrace the capitalist spirit. Globeshttps://en.globes.co.il/en/article-kibbutzim-embrace-the-capitalist-spirit- to-profitable-effect-1001388444

Moskovich, Yaffa (2020). Family Home Business in Kibbutz Industry Sustainability. doi:10.3390/su12135388.

Solomon, Shoshanna (2017). Claiming to be Israel’s first startup ventures, kibbutzim jump on tech bandwagon The Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/claiming-to-be-israels-first-startup-ventures- kibbutzim-jump-on-tech-bandwagon/

Xie, X. (2013). “Impression on People’s Communes of Israel.” [In Chinese.]

Consulting Manuscripts, no. 3: 1–17.

Yu, W. (2006). Society and Culture of Contemporary Israel. [In Chinese.] Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press

Zhang, Q. (2000). A Brief Review of the Route of Israel’s Economic Development.

[In Chinese.] Kaifeng: Henan University Press.

Throughout the period of attending seminar on Southeast Asia which is a certain course being offered at the Asian Center, UP Diliman, I have been exposed to various readings and acquainted with Southeast Asian scholars.  During class discussions, I have had the opportunity to validate my comprehension through listening to some lectures and participating in the question-and-answer sessions.

Here are my reasons why I chose the subtopics below. 

1. To identify the significance of agriculture to the early peoples in the Southeast Asian region.

2. To differentiate between indigenous SEA statecraft and Indian or Chinese statecraft.

3. To compare and contrast between early Southeast Asian states and modern states. 

4. To discuss the pre-colonial linkages of the early states in the Southeast Asia. 

Early Agriculture in Southeast Asia

The first settlers in Southeast Asia were the Austronesian migrants who originally came from Yunnan in the southern part of mainland China and later on moved “overland into the subtropical and tropical regions of MSEA and by sea routes into ISEA via Taiwan” (Barton 2015; Bellwood 1995). Peter Bellwood claimed that the Austronesian-speaking people with an agricultural lifestyle - who brought with them their skills in cultivation of rice, root crops, and tree crops – had occupied suitable agricultural environments in the Southeast Asian region (Bellwood 1985).

Gleaning also from other scholarly sources, Charles Fisher, Robbins Burling (1965) and Ben Wallace (1971) “saw rice cultivation, tropical climate, and abundant water as central to Southeast Asia’s personality” (as cited by Henley 2020). It has also been confirmed by recent research in historical linguistics that various cultural and linguistic similarities among island Southeast Asian peoples are not coincidental, but rather reflect their common origins, the Austronesians (Henley 2020).

According to Huw Barton (2015), the early settlers in the region applied two different forms of plant cultivation, the first one is based on the growth of annuals like cereal farming which involves clearance of vegetation to create spaces to grow cereal crops like rice and millet. The second one is based on the cultivation of perennials or sedentary farming which refers to growing root crops and tree crops.

Peter Boomgaard, in his book, Southeast Asia: An Environmental History, Nature and Human Societies, (2007) raises the question of why and how the shift from “dry” to “wet” rice farming occurred in relation to Southeast Asian agriculture? It should be noted that dry rice farming requires a low labor demand as compared to wet rice farming which involves a much higher degree of labor intensity. 

The author gave some reasonable answers and here are as follows:

1. Hydraulic/Despotic State hypothesis which forced its population to lay out wet-rice fields and irrigation works.

2. Population growth was the driving force behind technological innovation in general and     intensification in agriculture in particular.

3. The role of religious establishments (temples, stupas, monasteries, and water temples connected to holy waters.

4. The presence of bonded labor and the large numbers of water buffalos.

5. The expansion of irrigated wet-rice cultivation which was stimulated by skilled irrigation experts like the Burmans, Tais, and Vietnamese who migrated from upland valleys where they could harness fast-flowing perennial streams to wet-rice cultivation.

In my view, the early settlers in the SEA region opted to shift from “dry” to “wet” rice farming was due to the availability and abundance of water supply in the lowland plains. Wet rice farming usually prospers in the well-irrigated rice paddies where small farmers can plant and harvest rice 2 to 3 times a year. Unlike rice farming in the uplands where water supply is usually scarce. Let us say for instance, the farmers in Banaue, who are more often than not have once-a-year rice planting season for they only depend on the pattern of rainfall. 

Southeast Asian Statecraft

Most of the historical sources from the early period (i.e., - 2nd to 9th centuries) in Southeast Asia had been based on the European writings which mostly attributed the Southeast Asian statecraft to the Indian and Chinese empires, since most of the sources were written in the Indian Sanskrit or in Chinese. Due to this notion, early scholarship inferred that there was a link between state formation processes in Southeast Asia and the two Asian empires of India and China (Boomgaard 2007). 

However, Harry J. Brendan (1962) in his essay, criticized this method of historical interpretation, in his essay, The Structure of Southeast Asian History: Some Preliminary Observations, criticized “earlier scholarship as being externally oriented and suggested that future research should take a generic or internal approach to regional history” (Hall 1976). 

Brendan suggested that that the first task of the epigraphers and historians was to decipher and interpret, epigraphical materials or inscriptions in stone or metal so as to sort out “what is Indic or Sinic and what is Southeast Asian” (Hall 1976). He believed that “the most important issues to be researched in the 1960’s involved further analysis of statecraft itself, in particular the relationship of ruler and ruled.” In his research, he examined the two classical states: the coastal state (Srivijaya), and the lowland wet rice state of the mainland (Khmer).  

As a result of this internal approach to regional history based on epigraphical documents, the Southeast Asian scholars found out that there existed early Southeast Asian statecrafts. As Peter Boomgaard (2007) puts it:

Funan, in the area of present-day Cambodia and southern Vietnam, is usually regarded as the first early state, to be found in the sources from the third century CE and past its peak in the sixth century. After approximately the year 600, the big names are Angkor, also in Cambodia; Champa, in what is now southern Vietnam; Srivijaya in southeastern Sumatra; and Mataram in central Java. After around 1000, Angkor and Champa remained important, being joined by Dai Viet (northern Vietnam), Pagan (Burma), and various eastern Javanese states, with Singha sari as the most important. Finally, after ca. 1300, in addition to the surviving states of Champa and Dai Viet, we encounter Ayutthaya (Thailand) and Majapahit (Java).

How did the early states in Southeast Asia adopt the Hindu belief? According to Jayshree Sengupta (2017).  Indian brahmans and Buddhist monks came to the Southeast Asian region to propagate the message of Indian thought and culture. “Since they had no political ambitions and were living in hermitages and ashrams, the local people welcomed them.” The Indians spread their beliefs in the region peacefully, there were no records in history of forced conversion, violence, colonization, and subjugation for they “did not go there to rule nor had any interest in controlling from afar.”

Kenneth Hall (1976) noted that indigenous states adopted Indian culture and integrated it with indigenous beliefs. For example, “traditional symbols of divinity and power, such as the linga and the mountain, merged local ancestor cults and the cosmological symbolism of Indian religious theory to form an ideological basis for Khmer kingship… external deities such as Siva, Vishnu, and the Buddha were merged with indigenous devaraja deities.”

Kenneth Hall (1976) in his explanation of the Vietnamese statecraft he cited the essay of Keith Taylor, The Rise of Dai Viet and the Establishment of Thang-long, and John Whitmore’s The Vietnamese Confucian Scholar’s View of His Country’s Early History.  

Keith Taylor narrated in his essay, The Rise of Dai Viet and the Establishment of Thang-long, the ancient political traditions of the independent Vietnamese monarchy – the Ly dynasty. According to him, “in the first half of the eleventh century, Ly Dynasty institutionalized the power of the court and gave Vietnamese civilization a form which endured for four centuries.” Kenneth Hall (1976) noted that “contrary to the Chinese system of statecraft was the character of the Ly state.”

John Whitmore’s essay, The Vietnamese Confucian Scholar’s View of His Country’s Early History, argued that “Vietnam was not a thoroughly Confucian state throughout its history for there are no known Confucian works for the period of the Confucian Court cult in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.” During the early period of Vietnamese statecraft – Vietnam was not yet a Confucian state then. It was only later on that the Confucian cult blended into the Vietnamese system of statecraft. Whitmore did not deny the existence of Chinese influence in Vietnam; however, he claimed that history does not hide the non-Confucian reality of earlier period of Vietnamese statecraft (Hall 1976).

Early States in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian polities have been connected since the precolonial period. Many historical evidences have shown that “forms of regional linkages had already existed” prior to the coming of the European colonizers (Steinberg 1971). A map of Asia which was produced by Sebastian Munster in 1598 unveiled the “absence of territorial boundaries across the entire Southeast Asian region and its inhabitants perceived it as a shared common space” (Lee 2018). Owing to the permeable interactions of the peoples in the forms of “maritime trade, migration, and intermarriages,” pre-colonial Southeast Asia had forged cultural linkages (Chaudhuri 1990). This explains why there are many shared cultures or commonalities in terms of “customs, traditions, values, beliefs, language, clothing, music, and food.” among the peoples in the region (Adducul 2020). 

The early states in Southeast Asia developed over time from patriarchal household to centralized states such as Angkor (12th century), Srivijaya (13th century), Dai Viet (13th century), Majapahit (14th century), and Ayutthaya (15th century). These centralized states were mainly divided into two categories, the inland and coastal states. Boomgaard (2007), did not consider these early states as empires, for him the term “empire” may refer only to Chinese, Indian, and Roman empires.

The inland states were mostly found in mainland Southeast Asia. They are also known as monumental states due to their sacred cities where you can find religious institutions such as temples, stupas, and monasteries. Here are the examples of sacred cities and structures which have become famous tourist attractions in the region a) The magnificent Borobudur temple, the world’s biggest Buddhist monument; b) Prambanan, Indonesia's largest Hindu site; c) Angkor Wat, an enormous Buddhist temple complex; d) Angkor Thom Temple, the capital city of the Khmer empire; e) Bagan, capital city of Pagan; f) Ayutthaya, the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. (Boomgaard 2007).

On the other hand, here are the so-called coastal states. a) Srivijaya, an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra which influenced much of the Malay Archipelago. b) Samudra-Pasai kingdom which became the first Islamic kingdom in Sumatra, c) Malacca (Malay Peninsula), founded on the Malay peninsula in the present-day Indonesia, and d) Champa which once dominated the southern part of Vietnam. (Boomgaard 2007).

In many ways, the early states in Southeast Asia were different from the Westphalian state system. According to Thongchai Winichakul (1996), pre-modern Southeast Asian states did not have the same kind of boundaries as what the modern do have at present. Anthony Giddens (1985), also noted that traditional states lacked the following elements that can be observed on modern states such as a) the administrative or military capacity to govern, b) systematic taxation, c) concepts of nationality, d) monopolistic authority, and e) constitutionality.  

Southeast Asia as a Region

Southeast Asia is a politically and socially constructed region. It is one of the regions of the vast continent of Asia, other regions are South Asia, West Asia, East Asia, North Asia, and Central Asia. It is currently made up of eleven countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, and Timor Leste. Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) serves as the main intergovernmental organization of the region.

Willem van Schendel (2002) in his critical reflection on Southeast Asia as a region, he proposed that “We need to rethink space. But who are “we”? In response to this question, David Henley (2020) showed empirical data that showed 82 % of the 4,600 undergraduate students (at 22 universities across all 10 ASEAN states) agreed that they identify themselves as ASEAN citizens. He claimed that “Southeast Asia today can and does define itself, and that if academics want to understand the region's identity, they should listen in the first place to the voices of its inhabitants, a great many of whom currently see Southeast Asia as a cultural as well as a political reality.”

Southeast Asia is one of the most diverse regions in the world, however the ASEAN nation-states are known for having “shared value of pluralism or tolerance of diversity in which diversity itself is portrayed as the basis for cultural unity, both within and between the ASEAN nations” (Henley 2020). This reflects the ASEAN motto, “Unity in Diversity” which was adopted from the Indonesian concept “Bhinika Tunggal Ika” (unity in diversity). It is also worth noting that even the Indonesian traditional practices like ‘musyawarah’ (consultation) and ‘mufakat’ (consensus) also complement the ASEAN’s consultation / consensus-based decision-making process.

It can be surmised that ASEAN collective identity can be based on the shared history, culture, and values of the Southeast Asian people. 

Shared History

According to Taufik (2017), “ASEAN’s collective identity is not impossible since it has been historically formed for a long time.” If we go back to the history of Southeast Asia, as early as 7th century C.E. there were already interactions with each other among kingdoms and chiefdoms in the region. Steinberg (1971) noted that “Historical works have shown that forms of regional linkages had already existed prior to the advent of colonialism.” 

Shared Culture

Southeast Asians share many things in common in terms of cultural icons, artefacts, cuisines (laksa and bak kut the), textile art (batik), traditional musical instruments (gamelan and angklung) (Chong 2012), traditional games (sepak takraw, sipa, and chinlone) traditional dance (singkil), communal traditions (gotong royong and bayanihan). These only serve as evidences that Southeast Asians had already pre-colonial affinities and linkages as far back as pre-colonial era.  We could have avoided “cultural wars” among us in the past if we only knew how to celebrate our common heritage.

Shared Values

The Narrative of ASEAN Identity affirms that ASEAN identity is composed of “Constructed Values” as well as “Inherited Values” that will strengthen the ASEAN Community (ASEAN 2020). 

1) Constructed values are defined as values that a group of people or nations who associate themselves with, as a product of active and deliberate intentions in order to develop an allegiance with certain mindsets to achieve a specific objective of a community. These are the time-honored organizational principles of the ASEAN such as security, non-interference, consultation/dialogue, unity in diversity, inclusivity, ASEAN Centrality. 

2) Inherited Values are defined as values that the people of Southeast Asian region ascribe to, which have been passed on for generations, through the natural process of human interaction that develops into various type of communities with much similarities. Like for examples: communitarian/communalism, collectivism, tolerance, humility, social harmony, solidarity, humanity, among others.

Southeast Asia can be set apart as a distinct region through the constructed and inherited values that it upholds. According to Karl W. Deutsch, “the building of a community occurs only when a group of people develop common values to the point whereby a sense of ‘we feeling’ and solidarity is shared among its members” (Deutsch et al, 1957). 

References

Adducul, Lloyd Alexander M. Connecting Culture Collective Identities: Whither, ASEAN Community? Foreign Service Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/13637.

Acharya, Amitav (2017). “The Evolution and Limitations of ASEAN Identity.” In ASEAN @ 50 Volume 4, Building ASEAN Community: Political-Security and Socio-cultural Reflections, edited by Aileen Baviera and Larry Maramis, 25-38. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

Boomgaard, Peter (2007). Southeast Asia: An Environmental History. Nature and Human Societies Series. Santa Barbara, CA [etc.]: ABC Clio, 2007, chapter 3.

Barton, Huw (2015). "Early Agriculture in Southeast Asia and the Pacific." In The Cambridge World History, Vol II: A World with Agriculture, 12,000 BCE - 500 CE, edited by Graeme Barker and Candice Goucher, 411-44. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bellwood, P. (1985). A Hypothesis for Austronesian Origins. Asian Perspectives Vol. 26, No. 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42928109

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