Manila, Philippines — The De La Salle University convened islands and archipelagic researchers from 16 countries and 53 universities recently at a hybrid conference with the theme, “The Political Lives of Islands” on October 3 and 4. Marinduque State University was represented by Dr. Randy T. Nobleza.

Galing Pook Foundation held a panel discussion with the Galing Pook awardee from the province of Negros Occidental.

The Critical Island Studies conference also spotlighted local knowledge production with De La Salle University Publishing House, Ateneo De Manila University Press, Balangay Productions and Grana books. Likewise, the said confab also featured DLSU Chorale, De La Salle Innersoul with a film screening of Cinemalaya and 2024 Nominee at Berlinale International Film Festival, “Huling Palabas” by Ryan Machado.

The first keynote address was delivered in-person by Dr. Dinah Roma from DLSU Manila, “Island as Autotheory.” Then the second keynote was given by Dr. Melani Budianta from Universitas Indonesia and Indonesian Academy of Sciences also during the first day. Moreover, the first parallel session had a panel about “Words, Things, Worlds” with Vincent Christopher Santiago (linguistics), Arturo Tablan III (archeology), Mark Laurence Garcia (archeology) and Emmanuel Jayson Bolata (history). EJ Bolata presented a paper “Nang Mamuling ang Di-tagapulo” about his observation about the 2022 Ugat (Anthropological Association of the Philippines), recent social post on “beautiful disaster” and the poetry chapbook by May Morales-Dolis’ “Ayon kay Kid Talaba.”

There was also panel 7 about “Networks, Reconstructions and Reimagination” for the most part, plus an online presentation by Rex Sandro Nepomuceno on “Transmidyal na Katubigan, isang retorikal at performatibong kartograpiya.”

The last presentation took a closer look at several media forms like poetry such as Joseph Saguid’s Kantilaho, film like Joseph Israel Laban’s Baconaua and underwater museum. On the second day, several Critical Island Studies Consortium Parallel Sessions ensued. Panel 1 was moderated by Dr. Maria Luisa Torres Reyes, Panel 2 was moderated by Dr. Jazmin Llana, in addition Dr. Ma. Socorro Perez moderated Panel 3 and Dr. Shirley Lua moderated Panel 4. Then the third Keynote was addressed by Dr. Alex Taek-Gwang Lee about “An Island as ‘Lituraterre.”

Then among the last set of panel was about “Island Vernacular” composed of presenters from Universitas Sanata Dharma, Universitas Kristen Indonesia and Marinduque State University. Dr. Randy Nobleza from MarSU presented a part of Political History of Marinduque about “Mogpog Town as Home to the Original Moryons as dynamics of Island town and province.”

There was a social function for the local and international participants after the end of parallel session 23 to 27. Then, closing remarks was provided by the DLSU Department of Literature chair Dr. Carlos Piocos.

This year’s Critical Island Studies Conference was hosted by the DLSU Department of Literature, with partners Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center, DLSU Southeast Asia Research Center and Hub (SEARCH), DLSU Jessie Robredo Institute of Governance and the Critical Island Studies Consortium.

(R T Nobleza | Photos: Vijae Alquisola)