31st Conference on National and Local History in GenSan
December 13, 2010
The Philippine National Historical Society, the oldest voluntary professional organization on the study and research in Philippine history, held its 31st National Conference on Local and National History, from October 21 to 23 at the Family Country Hotel, General Santos City.
This year’s theme, “Towards a National History: Mindanao and Sulu Local History in the context of National History,” sought to look at the researches and writings about Mindanao, Sulu and other regions; situate these studies in the context of national history; identify gaps that can be addressed by future or further researches; and encourage systematic studies on local and national history.
The participants consisted of elementary and secondary teachers/administrators, college professors, history major students and even high school students.
Papers in the three-day conference included the following:
Conference sessions began with Dr. Calbi Asain of Mindanao State University-Sulu with his paper, The Historiography of Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi: At the Crossroads. His paper emphasized on the need to update our national history to acknowledge the part of Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in our historical chronicles. On the archaeological side, Greg Hontiveros of the Butuan City Historical and Cultural Foundation presented Balangay: Re-launching an Ancient Discovery. His paper dealt with recent developments in the ongoing study on the Balangay.
The second session focused on migration. Rudy Rodil of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology delivered his paper, Agricultural Colonies sa Pikit-Pagalungan. He traced one of the roots of migration among the peoples from Luzon and Visayas to Mindanao, particularly in the outskirts of General Santos City. Dr. Domingo Non of Mindanao State University-General Santos City, on the other hand, discussed the migration of Sangil from Indonesia to Mindanao, with his paper, The Sangil Odyssey in Southern Philippines.
For the third session, two faculty members of Mindanao State University-General Santos City gave more personality to the face of Mindanao. Marilyn Duran gave faces to a number of Filipinos from Luzon and Visayas, who were exiled in Mindanao during the Spanish Occupation, with his paper, Ang Deportado ng Mindanaw sa Panahon ng Rebolusyon 1896. Dr. Andrea Campado shared how General Santos City grew from its simple beginnings to what it is today, with her paper, General Santos City of Southern Mindanao: From a Frontier Settlement to a Booming City in the South, 1939-2000.
