The first International Conference on Philippine Studies (ICOPHIL) was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, in 1980. The second (1981) and the fifth (1996) were held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, in 1981. The fourth (1992) was held in Canberra, Australia. The seventh (2004) was held in Leiden, the Netherlands. The third (1989), sixth (2000), and eighth (2008) were held right here at home in Metro Manila.
The ninth ICOPHIL is being held Oct. 28 to 30 in East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
As in all the earlier ICOPHILs, there is an embarrassment of riches, with numerous scholars delivering cutting-edge papers. A large number of papers will be read by experts from countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The speakers and paper-readers coming from the Philippines include Cecilia Fe Sta. Maria-Abalos (UPLB), Corazon L. Abansi (UPB), Avegale Acosta, Maria Eliza Hidalgo Agabin (Ilocos Sur Heritage Office), Filomeno Aguilar Jr. (ADMU), Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu (ADMU), Arsenio Alianan (ADMU), Analyn Salvador-Amores (UPB), Agustin Arcenas (UPD), Genevieve L. Asenjo (DLSU), Jose Duke S. Baggulaya (UPD), Robert A. Balarbar (National Museum), Prisciliano A. Bauzon (USM), Maricor Baytion (ADMU Press) Karina Africa Bolasco (Anvil Publishing), Mary Jane Louise A. Bolunia (National Museum), Zachele Marie M. Briones (ADMU), Ernesto A. Buenaventura Jr. (USM), Jose S. Buenconsejo (UPD),
Emma Ruth T. Calde (Benguet SU), Moreal Nagarit Camba (UAP), Patrick Campos (UPD), Clement Camposano (UAP), Anne Lan K. Candelaria (ADMU), John Lee Candelaria (UPLB), Marylyn R. Canta (UPD), Alejandro Cienca Jr. (UPB), Lisandro E. Claudio (ADMU), Tina S. Clemente (UPD), Nerlyne C. Concepcion (UPD), Mary Grace R. Conception (UPD), Kristian Sendon Cordero (ADNU), Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia, Santos Jose O. Dacanay III (UPB), Patricia Irene Dacudao (ADMU), Winifredo B. Dagli (UPD), Jose B. Dalisay Jr. (UPD), Soledad Natalia M. Dalisay (UPD), Arvin C. Diesmos (National Museum), Paul A. Dumol (UAP), Anne Christine A. Ensomo (ADMU), Atilano G. Fajardo (Adamson), Karina Garilao (Fundacion Santiago), Fe Gladys Golo (UAP),
Olivia Anne M. Habana (ADMU), Maria Regina M. Hechanova (ADMU), Evita L. Jimenez (UPD), Danilo S. Josue (MSU), Peter Kutschera (Philippine Amerasian Research Center), Ana Maria Theresa P. Labrador (National Museum), Leodivico C. Lacsamana (UAP), Ma. Elissa Jayme-Lao (ADMU), Rodel Lasco (UPLB), Emmanuel M. Luna (UPD), Pablo R. Manalastas (ADMU), Norihiro Matsushima (Lyceum), Alvin G. Mejorada, Oh Mihyun (UPD), Clarissa Mijares (ADMU), Jimmuel C. Naval (UPD), Raul C. Navarro (UPD), Karryl Mae C. Ngina (Benguet SU),
Vanessa Fixmer Oraiz (UPLB), Nenette D. Padilla (LCC Bacolod), Philip Paje (UAP), Ricamela Saturay Palis (Letran Calamba), Marylendra (Neth) Penetrante (Divine Word College), Emma Porio (ADMU), Maria Eileen L. Ramirez (UPD), Emil G. Respeto (NICA), Raymundo D. Rovillos (UPB), Aristeo C. Salapa (USPD), Remedios Sapasalan (DLSU-D), Elmer V. Sayre (WAND), Teresita Ang See (Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran), Maria Cristina T. Subido (UPPDR), Melinda Tan (Philippine Children’s Medical Center), Pearl E. Tan (UPD), Romulo M. Tuazon (UPD), Faina C. Abaya-Ulindang (MSU), Renalyn J. Valdez (Lyceum), Marianito M. Vito Jr. (LCC Bacolod), David Barua Yap II (ADMU), Hope Sabanpan-Yu (USC), and Bryan Ziadie (ADMU).
The organizing committee at Michigan State University is composed of Evangelyn Alocilja, Rick Bernsten, Roger Bresnahan, Sheila Royo, Terese Guinsatao, Sobha Ramanand, and Geri Alumit. The ICOPHIL liaison committee of the Philippine Studies Group of the Association for Asian Studies is composed of Mike Cullinane (Wisconsin), Barbara S. Gaerlan (UCLA), Paul Rodell (Georgia), and Cherubim A. Quizon (Seton Hall).
Since I was with the Philippine Studies Association (PSA), I know how complex, time-consuming, and nerve-wracking the task of putting together such an international meeting is. My heart goes out to Belinda A. Aquino and Bernardita Reyes Churchill, the two superpersons of Philippine Studies today, as well as to superhost Roger Bresnahan.
Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo (UPD), Soledad Reyes (ADMU), and I were invited to join Butch Dalisay’s panel on life writing (popularly known as biography), but we had to beg off because of pressing commitments here at home, leaving him alone (as he wrote in his STAR column last Monday) to provoke academic scholars to move out of their comfort zones. I wish I could be there with my colleagues in Philippine studies, but this column is the only contribution I can make to this year’s ICOPHIL.
The PSA, which selects the Philippine participants, has come a long way. Formally formed in 1984 with Ofelia R. Angangco (UPD) as president and registered with the SEC in 1985, the PSA aims “to promote multidisciplinary methods of study, criticism, and research in Philippine languages, literature, culture, and society; to further the common interests of scholars and teachers in their respective fields of Philippine Studies; and to promote Philippine Studies as an academic area of study.”
After Milagros C. Guerrero (UPD) was elected president in 1987, the PSA sponsored the 1989 ICOPHIL. After I was elected president in 1994, the PSA sponsored the 2000 ICOPHIL. After Churchill was elected president in 2003, the PSA sponsored the 2008 ICOPHIL.
I am impressed by the number and the quality of our scholars accepted as paper-readers in this year’s ICOPHIL. I am particularly happy that world-class research is now being done by several institutions and organizations in the country.