Cebuano Studies Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary with National Gathering of Local Studies Centers
The Cebuano Studies Center (CSC) of the University of San Carlos will mark its 50th anniversary with a major national roundtable bringing together local studies centers (LSCs) from across the Philippines. The event, titled “Revisiting Local Studies: A Roundtable on History, Networks, and Futures,” will be held on November 26–27, 2025, at the USC Talamban Campus. The gathering aims to foster dialogue, collaboration, and reflection among institutions committed to regional cultural and historical work.
Established in 1975, the CSC is the first and one of the most influential local studies centers in the country. Over the past five decades, it has become a critical repository of Cebuano literature, documents, and cultural materials, supporting scholars, educators, and cultural workers in strengthening regional knowledge production. Its anniversary celebration seeks both to honor this legacy and to address contemporary challenges faced by local studies centers amid technological change, shifting institutional priorities, and growing interest in regional histories.
The program will open with welcome remarks from USC President Fr. Francisco Antonio Estepa, followed by a Guest of Honor Address from National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chair Dr. Regalado Trota José Jr. A keynote address will be delivered by National Artist for Literature Dr. Resil Mojares, founding director of the CSC, whose work has shaped the national conversation on local and regional scholarship. On the second day, Dr. Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa will offer broader regional insights into the role of local studies in understanding Philippine society and cultural memory.
The gathering will include presentations from participating scholars and representatives of the country’s active local studies centers. Confirmed participants include: Dr. Jan Philip Mallari (Cavite Studies Center), Dr. Renato Maligaya (Center for Batangas Studies), Dr. Perla Legaspi (Center for Pangasinan Studies), Prof. Frances Anthea Redison (Center for West Visayan Studies), Prof. Liana Melissa de la Rosa (Center for Samar Studies), Mr. Antonino Salvador de Veyra (Leyte Samar Heritage Center), Prof. Michael Angelo Doblado (Palawan Studies Center), Dr. Randy Nobleza (Marinduque Studies Center), Ms. Floraime Pantaleta (Ateneo Zamboanga–Mindanao Institute), Mr. Edgardo Mar Castro (Coordinated Investigation of Sulu Culture), Dr. Felice Noelle Rodriguez (El Kaban de Zamboanga), Mr. Joshibiah Gaa de Juan (Bohol Studies Center), and Dr. Hope Sabanpan-Yu (Cebuano Studies Center). Collectively, these centers represent diverse regions and practices, all dedicated to the preservation, study, and promotion of local and regional culture across the archipelago.
Throughout the two days, the roundtable will examine how local studies centers have evolved over the past five decades and how they continue to navigate issues such as resource limitations, digitization, community outreach, and the need for sustained institutional support. The discussions are expected to highlight shared opportunities for collaboration as well as emerging strategies for ensuring that local histories remain accessible and relevant to future generations.
The event also aims to generate concrete outputs, including the development of a national directory of local studies centers, a proceedings publication summarizing key insights from the roundtable, and a network proposal to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation. These initiatives are envisioned to serve as long-term tools for supporting regional cultural research and enhancing the visibility of local studies nationwide.
As the Cebuano Studies Center celebrates its 50th year, this national gathering affirms its leadership in regional scholarship and underscores its ongoing commitment to building a more interconnected, resilient, and collaborative landscape for local studies across the Philippines. The celebration marks both a culmination of the Center’s past achievements and the beginning of its next fifty years of service to cultural memory and knowledge production.
Category: Events