Anthropology Commons^™

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Sari-Sari Stores As Community Pharmacies? A Qualitative Exploration Of Sari-Sari Stores Selling Medicines In The Philippines, Melissa Louise M. Prieto, Gamaliel P. Galigao, Ana Rica S. Navarra-Cruz, Louise Gabriel R. Jimenez, Gideon Lasco

Medical Anthropology

Background and Objective. Despite laws prohibiting the sale of pharmaceuticals outside licensed pharmacies, sari-sari stores continue to informally sell medicines, bridging access challenges especially in remote areas. The study explores the roles and perceptions of sari-sari stores as informal medicine providers. Methods. The study draws on ethnographic insights from key informant interviews with fourteen (14) sari-sari store owners or tinderas, probing into medicines sold in sari-sari stores and their perceived effectiveness. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results. Sari-sari stores serve as informal yet critical points of access to common medicines for everyday illnesses, especially in remote areas where …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

The Lithic Assemblage From The 700,000-Year-Old Butchery Site Of Kalinga (Luzon Island, Philippines): New Insights Into Technological Variability In The Early Paleolithic In Island Southeast Asia, Justin Guibert, Jean-Baptiste Lambard, Gerald John Palaya, Jackie Despriée, Alfred Pawlik, Xavier Gallet, John De Vos, Andrea Dominique Cosalan, Paul C.H. Albers, M. Gema Chacón, Thomas Ingicco, Marian C. Reyes

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

Abstract

Despite a long history of archaeological and paleoanthropological research, our understanding of the Early Paleolithic in Island Southeast Asia remains limited as only a few sites with clear stratigraphic contexts—Mata Menge (Flores Island), Ngebung 2 (Java Island), Calio and Talepu (Sulawesi Island)—have been documented. This scarcity of well-stratified assemblages has led to a poor characterization of technological variability and cultural sequences, which mainly rely on surface collections and early typological classifications/facies (e.g., Pacitanian, Cabengian, Cabalwanian, Liwanian, Arubian, etc.). These classifications, mostly based on a handful of cobble artifacts, have long obscured the technological diversity of early hominin settlements in …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

The Lithic Assemblage From The 700,000 Year-Old Butchery Site Of Kalinga (Luzon Island, Philippines): New Insights Into Technological Variability In The Early Palaeolithic In Island Southeast Asia, Alfred F. Pawlik, Justin Guilbert, Jean-Baptiste Lambard, Gerald Palaya, Jackie Despriee, Xavier Gallet, John De Vos, Andrea Dominique Cosalan, Maria G. Chacon

Archaeology

Despite a long history of archaeological and paleoanthropological research, our understanding of the Early Palaeolithic in Island Southeast Asia remains limited, as only a few sites with clear stratigraphic contexts - Mata Menge (Flores Island), Ngebung 2 (Java Island), Calio and Talepu (Sulawesi Island) - have been documented. This scarcity of well-stratified assemblages has led to a poor characterisation of technological variability and cultural sequences, which mainly rely on surface collections and early typological classifications/facies (e.g., Pacitanian, Cabengian, Cabalwanian, Liwanian, Arubian, etc). These classifications mostly based on a handful of cobble artefacts, have long obscured the technological diversity of early …

Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

Embodied Overcrowding And Sensory Tensions: A Carceral Autoethnography Of Philippine Jails, Dwayne Antojado

Ateneo School of Government Publications

In this paper, I undertake a sensorially oriented autoethnography of two Philippine jails, illuminating the visceral textures of carceral life that conventional sociological or criminological discourses often overlook. Drawing inspiration from Jewkes and Young's (2021) examination of Kyoto Prison, I foreground the overlapping realms of sight, sound, smell, and touch, arguing that incarceration is inherently a profoundly embodied phenomenon. By weaving personal reflections, field observations, and broader scholarly insights, I reveal how overcrowded dormitories, suffocating heat, and lingering bodily odours converge to redefine detainees' spatial, temporal, and psychosocial realities in ways rarely captured by quantitative metrics. While mindful of Nelken's …

The Reciprocity Of Misfortune: The Little Tradition Of Disasters In The Philippines, Greg Bankoff, Bianca Angelien Aban Claveria, David Lozada Iii, Camille L. Silva

History Department Faculty Publications

Just as there is a great and little tradition in religion and civilization, there is a great and little tradition in disaster. This article explores the origins of community resilience in rural areas of the Philippines based on local reciprocity and cooperation and how ­ these customary practices form the basis of national disaster risk-­reduction policies. The endless strug­gle to feed and shelter a family and contend with repeated hazards, whether natu­ral or human-­induced, promotes collective action. There is a need to cooperate with neighbors, a web of dyadic and community relationships born out of necessity that constitutes a “reciprocity …

Woman, Motherhood, And Home: Grappling With Gendered Dwelling, Pamela Joy M. Capistrano

Philosophy Department Faculty Publications

Though ostensibly gender neutral, the word “home” carries with it the baggage of gender, particularly womanhood and motherhood. In English, for instance, “homemaking” is synonymous with “housewifery;” in Filipino, the mother is described as ilaw ng tahanan (“light of the home”). Housing, as well, has a similar neutral connotation; yet, when we consider the impact of urban housing crises, women are disproportionately affected. In this paper, I want to grapple with the broader implications of the gendered baggage of the idea of “home,” its impact on individuals, on how we conceive of houses, homes, and dwellings, and ultimately its impact …

Editor's Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Care As The Primary Motivation In Home Birthing Among Mothers In Panukulan, Quezon, Leslie A. Lopez, Marie Angelie Molina

Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC)

This qualitative study examines how women in Panukulan, Quezon, a GIDA municipality, make decisions regarding childbirth in light of national and municipal policies that promote institutional delivery and discourage home births. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as an analytical framework, the study analyzes maternal intrapartum health-seeking behavior (HSB) through the following components: a) sociocultural and institutional context, b) intention formation based on attitudes toward facility and home birthing, perceptions of subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and c) actual behavior. Findings reveal that while facility births are widely recognized for their clinical safety, women’s preferences for specific behaviors are …

Combining Life Grid With Biographical Narrative Approach In Reconstructing Living Situation Of Metro Manila’S Street Dwellers, Melissa Q. Navarra, Irene Reyno, Wander Van Der Vaat

Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC)

Engaging homeless populations in biographical research is often hindered by the deep-seated distrust and trauma that characterize their lived experiences. This study introduces a methodological approach that transforms this hurdle, turning the research interview into an empowering and collaborative encounter. Using a combination of the Life History Calendar (LHC) and biographical narratives, we explored the complex life transitions of 15 individuals living on the streets and in a cemetery of Metro Manila, Philippines. The LHC served as a co-constructed visual scaffold, enabling participants with low educational attainment and histories of trauma to recall and structure their life stories with remarkable …

Hunter-Gatherer Subsistence Strategies In Changing Environments In Prehistoric Mindoro, Philippines, Alfred Ferdinand F. Pawlik

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

As an archipelago straddling two distinct biogeographic zones, Sunda and Wallacea, the Philippines have acted as a conduit for the movements of people, material culture and ideas across Southeast Asia throughout prehistory. The Mindoro Archaeology Project investigates several caves and rockshelters from the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, located in Sta. Teresa and Ilin Island in Occidental Mindoro on the southern end of Mindoro and explores the deep history of the first anatomically modern humans in the Philippines, the timeline of their arrival and dispersal, and their adaptation to coastal and island environments. By at least 40,000 years ago, anatomically …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Role Of Classroom Openness In Digital Literacy And Online Civic Engagement Among Filipino High School Students, Ma. Glenda Wui, Jessica Sandra R. Claudio, Jie Zhang, Carl Russel R. Reyes, Rosselle Trishia Reyes, Enrique Niño P. Leviste

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

The recent prominence of social media use necessitates new approaches in forming citizenship practices among the youth, the primary users of these platforms. While schools play a critical role in instilling civic values, dispositions, and skills among young people, it is equally important to examine the role digital literacy plays in facilitating civic engagement. Digital literacy pertains to technical skills in using social media, obtaining knowledge and information on social media, and communicating or expressing opinions on social media. The current study examined the relationship of classroom openness to online civic engagement with digital literacy as a mediating variable. The …

Editor's Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Reframing Disaster Justice: Conceptual Provocations, Practical Insights, And Research Directions, Redento B.; Recio, Kaira Zoe; Alburo-Cañete, Pamela Gloria; Cajilig

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

As we articulated in the introduction to the first installment of this two-part special issue, our aim is to offer a space that provokes a reflection and articulation of disaster justice praxis to generate conceptual, empirical, and practical insights across various Philippine contexts. In this second installment, we present several thematic threads emerging from the three researcharticles and the reflective conversations with disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) practitioners. These themes include (1) enriching disaster justice praxis and tackling issues around “justice gaps”; (2) interrogating initiatives to “shift the power” and localize DRRM interventions; and (3) revisiting the role of …

Feminization Of Responsibility In Community Recovery: Rethinking Disaster Justice Through The Lens Of Care, Kaira Zoe; Alburo-Cañete

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

In the Philippines women are increasingly recognized for their crucial roles in disaster recovery. While not against participation per se, thisarticle troubles assumptions tied to women’s participation, which are based on constructions of women’s altruism and care responsibilities. Drawing from a qualitative case study in post-Yolanda Tacloban, it contends that instrumentalizing women’s care-based practices in disasters may inadvertently worsen gender inequalities. To achieve gender justice in recovery, thearticle advocates addressing the confinement of care to women and emphasizes integrating an ethics of care into disaster justice frameworks to combat pervasive injustices that contribute to gendered vulnerabilities during disasters.KEYWORDS: DISASTER JUSTICE …

Pharmaceutical Messianism And The Politics Of Covid-19 In The United States, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu, Nishtha Bharti

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public officials in the United States–from the President to governors, mayors, lawmakers, and even school district commissioners–touted unproven treatments for COVID-19 alongside, and sometimes as opposed to, mask and vaccine mandates. Utilising the framework of ‘pharmaceutical messianism’, our article focuses on three such cures–hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, and monoclonal antibodies–to explore how pharmaceuticals were mobilised within politicised pandemic discourses. Using the states of Utah, Texas, and Florida as illustrative examples, we make the case for paying attention to pharmaceutical messianism at the subnational and local levels, which can very well determine pandemic responses and outcomes in contexts such …

Deciphering A Non-Meal: Pantawid-Gutom And The Everyday Negotiation Of Hunger In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Jhaki Mendoza

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Pantawid-gutom literally means “to bridge hunger” and refers to a range of food and non-food products and practices in the Philippines that allow people to survive in between “serious meals.” What does its existence as a liminal category between food/non-food or serious/non-serious meal signify, particularly for millions of Filipino families who regularly experience hunger? Drawing on fieldwork in low-income urban communities on Luzon Island, and from a review of the scholarly and popular literature, we use local conceptions of pantawid-gutom—hitherto overlooked in the scholarship—as a starting point for exploring the lived reality of food insecurity in the country. The efficacy …

“Muchakang Pangkalawakan”: Queering Engagements With Bakla Of The Philippine Tropics, Artemio P. Millo

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

The performance of participants in the Miss Gay Muchakang Pangkalawan [Miss Ugly Gay Universe] in Quiapo, Manila, reflects characteristics of the flamboyant and effeminate bakla. However, these stereotypical depictions may not always be consistent with how participants view themselves. This study argues that an introspective understanding of how participants make sense of their identity work engendered by ever-turning tropes reveals slippages that can liberate them from existing oppressive stereotypes. By utilizing personal narrative and ethnographic reflexivity, this study deconstructs the participants’ performances, revealing identity-making that may reinforce or resist dominant discourses on the bakla under which these narratives are …

Sensing, Knowing, And Making Water Quality Along Marikina River In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Anita Hardon

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Water quality is a major concern around the world, but assessments of quality often privilege producers, regulators and experts over consumers. With water supplies and sources constantly in flux, how do ordinary people experience and “sense” quality? How do they define “good” or “good enough” water, and what practices do they engage in to “make” good water? In this article, we attend to these questions by presenting findings from an open-ended qualitative study carried out along the Marikina River, Manila, the Philippines – a waterway that courses from rural and mountainous villages to highly urbanized communities. First, we describe the …

‘Saving The Youth’: Children And Young People As Moral Subjects In The Philippines’ Punitive Drug Regime, Gideon Lasco, Luis Emmanuel A. Abesamis

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Background

The Philippines has one of the must punitive drug regimes in the world, as evidenced not just by Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war but previous anti-drug campaigns. This article examines the place of ‘the youth’ in the longstanding moral panic around drugs and drug policy in the Philippines.

Methods

This article uses critical discourse analysis to analyze figurations of young people across three distinct periods in the Philippines’ contemporary history: Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s early dictatorship (1972–1975), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s presidency (2001–2010), and Rodrigo Duterte’s administration (2016–2022).

Results

In all three periods, young people were simultaneously invoked as a group that needs …

Global Health Interventions: The Military, The Magic Bullet, The Deterministic Model-And Intervention Otherwise, Emily Yates-Doerr, Lauren Carruth, Gideon Lasco, Rosario García-Meza

Development Studies Faculty Publications

"Intervention" is central to global health, but the significance and effects of how intervention is practiced are often taken for granted. This review takes interventions into health and medicine as subjects for ethnographic inquiry. We highlight three lines of anthropological contributions: studies of global health interventions that serve imperial and military objectives, studies of "magic bullet" interventions arising from laboratory science, and studies of interventions based on deterministic modeling techniques. We then outline examples of "intervention otherwise," in which people build relations of solidarity and care through global health programming, design interventions to be interactive and adaptable, and use data …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D.; Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D.; Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

The Invisible Plant Technology Of Prehistoric Southeast Asia: Indirect Evidence For Basket And Rope Making At Tabon Cave, Philippines, 39-33,000 Years Ago., Hermine Xhauflaira, Sheldon Jago-On, Timothy James Vitales, Dante Manipon, Noel Amano, John Rey Callado, Danilo Tandang, Celine Kerfant, Omar Choa, Alfred Pawlik

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

A large part of our material culture is made of organic materials, and this was likely the case also during prehistory. Amongst this prehistoric organic material culture are textiles and cordages, taking advantage of the flexibility and resistance of plant fibres. While in very exceptional cases and under very favourable circumstances, fragments of baskets and cords have survived and were discovered in late Pleistocene and Holocene archaeological sites, these objects are generally not preserved, especially in tropical regions. We report here indirect evidence of basket/tying material making found on stone tools dating to 39–33,000 BP from Tabon Cave, Palawan Philippines. …