SSC News and Events: SSC hosts 20th Annual Manila Studies Conference

SSC hosts 20th Annual Manila Studies Conference
By: Prof. Mary Joy Rosales-Orante, College Faculty
Posted: Friday, August 12, 2011

SSC hosted the 20th Annual Manila Studies Conference last July 28 and 29, 2011 at St. Cecilia’s Hall and Kuniberta Hall, respectively. The heavy downpour caused by Tyhoon Juaning postponed the event last July 27. However, the organizers decided to push through the conference the next day. Thirty-nine (39) participants from twenty-two (22) different schools and institutions attended the seven (7) sessions and listened to sixteen (16) distinguished speakers.

July 28 (Day 1)

The first day was highlighted by the opening ceremonies, the impressive and entertaining cultural program of the SSC School of Music and the three (3) sessions of paper presentations.

SSC President Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, welcomed all the speakers, participants and other guests of the Conference. Prof. Felipe De Leon Jr, Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, delivered the welcoming remarks.

Dr. Bernardita Churchill, Manila Studies Association (MSA) President and Conference Convener, expressed her gratitude to SSC for providing the venue for the event and her gladness to be in the institution for the very first time. She reiterated that there is a need to “bring back what Manila was by studying history and culture.”

The audience was filled with awe and excitement when the very first music school in the Philippines, SSC School of Music, showcased its talents in singing (soprano), and playing instruments (piano, violin). “Sa Kabukiran” was sang by Myramae Meneses, a student soprano. Eight (8) different violin variations of the song “Bahay Kubo” was exhibited by Jimmy Tagala. Prof. Mia Lina Bolanos, faculty of the Voice Department and a member of Tanghalang Pilipino, CCP, impressed everyone with her own rendition of the song “Araw-araw sa Maynila.” “At Last” was beautifully sang by Kristine Marie Balingcos, another student soprano, accompanied by Rafael Del Rosario, a music student and piano performer in various music genre. The student performers were Sr. Baptista Battig Scholars and winners in the 2010 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA). Prof. Josue Greg Zuniega, the well-known concert pianist of the Philippines, provided accompaniment for the songs “Sa Kabukiran” and “Araw-araw sa Maynila.”

The speakers were given an allotted time to speak and each session was followed by an open forum at the end.

The speakers of the 1st session were as follows: 1. Sr. Angelica Leviste, OSB, former President of SSC-Manila (Paper: “St. Scholastica’s College at the Turn of the Century”); 2. Teresita Ang See, from Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, a co-author with Dr. Richard Chu, of University of Massachusetts, USA (Paper: “An Overview of Binondo’s History”); 3. Prof. Jose Alain Austria from DLSU-CSB (Paper: "Hijos de Enero Nueve: Quiapo’s Black Nazarene Procession as a Masculine Initiation Rite"). Prof. Lorelei D.C. de Viana from FEU and MSA Co-President, chaired and moderated the 1st session.

The speakers of the 2nd session were as follows: 1. Dr. Eden Gripaldo from UP Diliman and the MSA Board Treasurer (Paper: "The American Health Service vis-à-vis Plague Incidence in the Philippines"); 2. Prof. Gil G. Gotiangco Jr from UP-Diliman and the MSA Board Member (Paper: "Divisoria: Ang Pagsimula at Pagsulong ng Makasaysayang Pamilihang Bayan"); 3. Prof. Marco Stefan Lagman from UP-Diliman and the MSA Board member co-author with Prof. Angelito Nunag from UP-Pampanga (Paper: "The Vitas Tenement Housing Project from the Diosdado Macapagal Administration to the Present: A Study on the Urban Poor’s Protracted Struggle for Decent Housing in the City of Manila"). Prof. Maria Eloisa de Castro from the University of Santo Tomas and the MSA Board Member, chaired and moderated the 2nd session.

The speakers of the 3rd session were as follows: 1. Dr. Marya Svetlana Camacho from the University of Asia and the Pacific and the MSA Board Member (Paper: "Reforming Women's Education in the Mid-19th Century Manila"); 2. Dr. Jose Buenconsejo from UP Diliman (Paper: "Incorporating the Western Ideology of Music Composition in the Last Half of the 19th Century Manila"). Prof. Digna Apilado of UP Diliman and the MSA Board Member, chaired and moderated the 3rd session.

July 29 (Day 2)

The second day was allotted for the last four (4) sessions.

The speakers of the 4th session were as follows: 1. Dr. Eusebio Dizon of the National Museum of the Philippines (Paper: "Maritime Images and the Austronesian Afterlife"); 2. Mr. Regalado Trota Jose, an archivist from UST (Paper: "The University of Santo Tomas Printing Press in the 19th Century: The Collection of the UST Archives and the Rare Book Section of the Central Library"). Dr. Violeta Ignacio of UP Pampanga and the MSA Board Secretary, chaired and moderated the 4th session.

The speakers of the 5th session were as follows: 1. Ms. Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, an independent scholar and writer (Paper: "Table Wars; Home Economics Becomes an Accidental Advocate for Philippine Culture Amidst an Americanization Campaign in Public Schools, 1904-1922"); 2. Prof. Tessa Maria Guazon from UP-Diliman (Paper: "Nostalgia and the Globalist Impulse: Constructing City and History Through Public Arts Projects"). Dr. Jose Victor Torres of DLSU-Taft chaired and moderated the 5th session.

The speakers of the 6th session were as follows: 1. Prof. Noel Chistian Moratilla of SSC (Paper: "The Teachers' Movement of Manila (1946-2006): History, Challenges, Prospects"); 2. Prof. Marcelino Macapinlac Jr., SSC IRAD Director and Conference Co-Convener (Paper: "The Golden Age of Philippine Theater: An Unintended Consequence of the Japanese Occupation of Manila"). Prof. Manuel Zamora Jr. chaired and moderated the 6th session.

The speakers of the 7th session were as follows: 1. Prof. Jose Victor Jimenez from DLSU-Taft (Paper: "Martyrdom at De La Salle College during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines"); 2. Dr. Jose Victor Torres from DLSU-Taft (Paper: "A Wartime Legacy: UST and Its Continuing Mission of Education during World War II, 1941-1945"). Prof. Christian Paul Ramos from PUP and the MSA Board member chaired and moderated the last session.

In the two (2) decades of conducting the conference, it was only the second time that MSA allowed students to attend the conference. The first time was last year at Letran Manila.

The members of the audience in the two(2)-day conference were treated to a holistic review of history, culture, customs and traditions, food, archival research, archeology, women’s education, music, teachers’ movement, health, housing, public arts, and legacies of war. The audience was impressed with the in-depth researches and visuals such as pictures and videos that elaborated the paper.

The last part of the second day of the conference gave way to the launching of Manila: Selected Papers from the 19th Annual Manila Conference (2011) facilitated by Prof. De Viana as editor and Dr. Bernardita Churchill as Executive Editor. Dr. Churchill called selected authors of the previous conference and gave them copies of the book. She likewise donated some books to the SSC Library. She requested Dean Ma. Asuncion Azcuna, SSC Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, to receive the books. Dean Azcuna expressed gratitude to MSA.

In both days, the participants received books during the raffle at the end of the program. Books were donated by the Manila Studies Association, Inc., the Philippine National Historical Society, Inc., the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and St. Scholastica’s College-Manila.

Dr. Churchill and Prof. Macapinlac expressed their gratitude to the countless people who were instrumental in making the conference successful.

The conference was participated by representatives from the following schools and organizations: St. Scholastica’s College-Manila, University of Asia and the Pacific, University of Santo Tomas, St. Paul University, Assumption College, Letran College-Manila, Letran College-Calamba, UP Diliman, De La Salle University-Taft, DLSU-College of St. Benilde, Miriam College, Lourdes School-Mandaluyong, UE-Caloocan, Harris Memorial College, Chiang Kai Shek College, San Beda College-Alabang, University of California-USA, Intramuros Administration, St. Vincent Seminary-QC, the Museum Volunteers of the Philippines, the City of Manila and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Prof. Mary Joy Rosales-Orante from SSC Social Sciences Department hosted the two (2)-day conference.