Political Science Commons^™

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.

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

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.

Design And Testing Of A Vr Escape Room Game For Philippine Martial Law History, Eric Cesar Vidal, Jr., Jesus Alvaro Pato, Johanna Marion R. Torres, Kenneth King L. Ko

Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC)

This paper presents a Virtual Reality Educational Escape Room game where players learn about the highly divisive Martial Law period in Philippine history. We describe the game’s general design and the results of a user test to evaluate the game in terms of VR presence, immersion, and overall usability.

Design And Testing Of A Vr Escape Room Game For Philippine Martial Law History, Eric Cesar Vidal, Jr., Johanna Marion R. Torres, Jesus Alvaro Pato, Kenneth King L. Ko

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

This paper presents a Virtual Reality Educational Escape Room game where players learn about the highly divisive Martial Law period in Philippine history. We describe the game’s general design and the results of a user test to evaluate the game in terms of VR presence, immersion, and overall usability.

Editor's Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Endorsing And Revising Peace Accords: The Outlet For Ontological Tensions In Peace Endorsement, Ian Niccolo V. Tobia

European Studies Department Faculty Publications

This essay elucidates peace accord revisions as a theorized mechanism for reducing ontological tensions in the peace endorsement phase. It begins by addressing a critical gap in peace scholarship: the ontological underpinnings of "peace endorsement," or the moment when a peace accord is subjected to democratic validation. While liberal peacebuilding approaches typically design democracy into a vehicle for minimizing conflict and securing popular consensus, these often diminish legitimate opposition to peace accords as "spoiling". Drawing on Mouffe's theory of agonistic pluralism, the discussion shines a light on the tension between liberal peacebuilding's emphasis on consensus-building and alternative democratic political ontologies …

Proletarianized Professionals: The Teachers' Movement And Martial Law, Michael D. Pante

History Department Faculty Publications

Ferdinand E. Marcos's Martial Law regime tried to present itself as heralding the advancement of the country's education system. To bolster this claim, it decreed the professionalization of the teaching vocation, among other ostensibly progressive education policies. However, teaching lost its prestige as an occupation during Marcos's term. Why did this counterintuitive development happen? How did teachers respond to this situation? Anchored on historical analysis of primary documentary sources and framed by the concept of proletarianization, this article answers these questions and argues that Marcos's policies, which led to inadequate salaries and poor working conditions in the education sector, thwarted …

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.

José Rizal, Nationhood, And The Anticolonial Imagination, Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr

History Department Faculty Publications

Did the Philippines exist since time immemorial? The positive response to this question of official and popular nationalisms is indicative of problematic assumptions that undergird Philippine nationalism. Contrary to primordialism, this book revisits the historical construction of Filipino nationhood in the late nineteenth century. The book focuses on four key issues in ideating the nation—territory, people, history, and emotions. It probes the question of how and why José Rizal and his fellow ilustrados conceptualized a nation with an unfamiliar yet delineated territory, identified an imagined emotional community, pinpointed a category of inhabitants of these islands as their ancestors with a …

The 1812 Cádiz Constitution: Liberalism And The Colonial Regime In The Spanish Philippines, Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr

History Department Faculty Publications

This paper reviews recent historiography examining the impact of the 1812 Cádiz Constitution on the Spanish Philippines. Promulgated as a landmark of liberal democracy, the Cádiz Constitution fundamentally reconfigured overseas colonial territories as integral Spanish provinces with rights to parliamentary representation. However, its application in the Philippines revealed profound contradictions. The paper analyzes scholarly works across four main themes: parliamentary representation and colonial power, public dissemination and local reception, racial equality disputes among the native population, and popular resistance such as the 1815–1816 Sarrat Uprising. The analysis demonstrates that rather than resolving colonial hierarchy, the introduction of liberal concepts like …

"Eu Got That Rizz": Discursive Contestation In Comments About The European Commission's Use Of Memes For Government Communication, Manuel R. Enverga Iii

European Studies Department Faculty Publications

This commentary article explores audience responses to the European Commission's use of memetic content on its Instagram page. Using inductive thematic analysis, this study explained how discursive contestation was manifested in commenters' opposing views about the institution's use of memes. The discourse historical approach elucidated how comments drew upon contextual factors, such as: (1) the humorous and juvenile nature of memes; (2) current events and Europe's role in them; and (3) erroneous understandings about the EU's structure and capabilities. In terms of its contribution to the academic literature, this commentary article's focus on memes as a form of government communication …

Philippines, Maria Sabrina Erica M. Carlos, Leslie V. Advincula-Lopez

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Philippine civil-military relations (CMR) have long tipped towards the military despite established constitutional and legislative frameworks ensuring civilian supremacy. The Philippines’ COVID-19 pandemic response, characterized by war metaphors, strong police and military presence, and the appointment of retired military generals in key posts, highlighted the need to revisit the country’s unique CMR dynamics. This chapter explores the military’s expanded role in the COVID19 pandemic response and its implications for an already tenuous Philippine CMR. The military’s expanded role put it in a prominent position to further redefine and recalibrate its position with broader civil society. It breached the traditional institutional …

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.

Political Constructions Of People Who Use Drugs In The Philippines: A Qualitative Content Analysis, Gideon Lasco

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Background

This paper examines the political constructions of people who use drugs in the Philippines throughout the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte (2016–2022), during which the government engaged in a ‘war on drugs’ and promoted a punitive drug regime.

Methods

Building on and drawing inspiration from the global drug policy scholarship that has looked at the ways in which drugs are framed and problematised in various domains, this study used qualitative content analysis to review 96 documents from national government agencies - including strategic action plans, directives, memorandums, guidelines, annual reports, and legislative measures.

Results

Foremost, the study finds that various …

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 …

Coattailing For Regime Continuity?: Unraveling Duterte's Legacy In Marcos Jr.'S 2022 Electoral Victory, Gabrielle Ann S. Mendoza, Imelda B. Deinla, Cristine Lian C. Domingo, Jurel K. Yap

Ateneo School of Government Publications

The electoral victory of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been attributed to a range of factors such as misinformation, patronage, and populism. We argue that Marcos’ electoral victory should not be treated as an isolated instantaneous event, but rather a result of a shift in the country's political narrative due to the legacy of his predecessor. The shift to illiberal populism is tied to the public's continued support for Duterte's flagship policies as well as in the proliferation of populist rhetoric on social media. Using a non-probability survey of 1500 Filipinos, we find that support for President Duterte and his …

Authoritarian Fantasies And Democratic Aspirations: The Philippines After Duterte, Athena Charanne R. Presto, Nicole Curato

Political Science Department Faculty Publications

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defied established political norms in the Philippines. Beyond his inflammatory rhetoric and authoritarian posturing, Duterte actively undermined institutions of liberal democracy including due process, gender rights, and freedom of the press. These developments may give observers the impression that democratic political norms in the Philippines have made a turn for the worse. After all, President Duterte, as his presidential term came to an end, continued to enjoy an excellent public satisfaction rating. We seek to challenge these impressions in this chapter. We argue that the President's popularity must not be conflated with public support for …

Peacebuilding In Mindanao: Japan's Role In A Complex Conflict, Maria Thaemar C. Tana

Japanese Studies Program Faculty Publications

Japan’s peacebuilding engagement in Mindanao has steadily evolved in the past years due to changes in Japan’s foreign and security policies, strengthening its strategic relationship with the Philippines, and domestic dynamics within both the Philippines and Japan. This chapter analyzes this evolution using James Mahoney and Kathleen Thelen’s framework of gradual institutional change, which explains how institutions undergo small, slow, and incremental changes through a “layering” process involving adding new policies on top of existing ones or subtly altering the interpretation of established rules. This chapter examines Japan’s peacebuilding efforts in Mindanao, focusing on key developments and factors that contributed …

Title: Strategic Alignment And Autonomy: Philippine-Japan Defense Collaboration In An Evolving Indo-Pacific Security Landscape, Maria Thaemar C. Tana

Japanese Studies Program Faculty Publications

The security environment in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more complex due to intensifying great power competition as well as emerging and persistent non-traditional threats. The Philippines, in response, is recalibrating its defense posture by strengthening its network of bilateral and multilateral alliances. This paper examines the evolving defense partnership between the Philippines and Japan against the backdrop of Manila’s other strategic partnerships (i.e., with the US, Australia, and ASEAN) and asks this specific question: What are the risks and opportunities that the defense partnership with Japan poses for the Philippines’ national security?

Japan has consistently been a crucial strategic partner …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D.; Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

From Vertical To Horizontal Empowerment Of Women (In) Peace And Security: Toward A Feminist Perspective Of Human Security, Ma. Lourdes Veneracion-Rallonza

Political Science Department Faculty Publications

Human security, a people-centered approach to security, typically seeks to examine vulnerabilities and identify ways of protecting people from threats. However, people are not perennial victims—they also have agency and are capable of acting on their own. This study looks at how the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda has created both the discursive and actual spaces for women's agency, particularly in the case of women's civil society organizations (CSOs), as illustrated by their work on the ground. This chapter investigates how the Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZOPI), Sulong Peace, and Women Engaged in Action on United Nations Security …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D.; Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Party-Movement Interactions In A Contested Democracy: The Philippine Experience, Arjan P. Aguirre

Political Science Department Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Institutionalising The Rights To Inclusive Education At Ateneo De Manila University, Diana J. Mendoza, Clarissa Cecilia M. Ramos

Political Science Department Faculty Publications

This chapter examines the institutional efforts of Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) to uphold and operationalize the rights to inclusive education for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and students with disabilities (SWDs). Grounded in empirical data collected through student surveys, focus group discussions, interviews with faculty and university administrators, and a comprehensive campus access audit, the study evaluates AdMU's physical infrastructure, academic policies, and student support services. It outlines how university units coordinate to provide reasonable accommodations—spanning classroom adjustments, assistive technologies, health and guidance services, and admissions modifications—guided by national legislation like the Philippine Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA 7277) …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D.; Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.