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Silliman Journal
Vol. 53 No. 2 (2012)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal. Please don’t let the “irresolute individual” on the cover deter you from reading the variety offered by this issue. In addition to unpeace, peace is also discussed here. Our full-length papers begin with Silliman University research director Enrique Oracion’s essay on two higher education institutions— Baylor in Texas, U.S.A., and the other, Silliman in the Philippines. The paper developed during Ike’s four-month fellowship stint at Baylor University. While this article compares the two universities from a historical and academic perspective, a second article will highlight the quality of the faculty at both universities in SJ 2013. The paper is followed by Dr. Ruben Mendoza’s “Walking Humbly with the Moros towards the Kingdom: A Reflection on the Catholic Church’s Mission in Muslim Mindanao” and Dennis Solon’s “Toward a Pauline Hermeneutic of Dialogue.” Both papers tackle the matter of dialogue in Muslim Mindanao, despite the odds. Ruben says that the Catholic Church has been inadequate in responding to the Moro issue and suggests it “move out of its comfort zone.” For his part, Dennis uses Paul’s letter to the Romans, stating that “Filipino Christians can draw lessons from this letter about some significant and positive ways for dealing with peoples of other religious persuasions.” Then, Ike Oracion’s second contribution to this issue describes the service-learning involvement of undergraduate and graduate anthropology students in environmental monitoring. In particular, Ike and his students checked on the impact of a waste management center upon residents in Bayawan, a city south of Dumaguete City in the Visayas Region, Central Philippines, finding that service-learning can be a very emotional experience, yet beneficial for educational partnerships and changes in policy. The fifth article evaluates an anger management intervention program for applicability to a group of adolescents. The authors, psychotherapists Nelly Limbadan and Marge Udarbe found that emotion regulation and transformation can indeed occur in a brief period of time, with proper facilitation and supervision as well as direct counseling. The next three studies are all somehow related to marine and riverside conservation awareness, practice, and investigation. The first article describes how coastal residents in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines perceive the implementation of coastal resource management programs in the area. Next, biologist Robert Guino-o specifically studies Philippine mullets, considered economically important food fish in the Philippines. Robert’s research reports for the first time the occurrence of the longfinned mullet Osteomugil perusii and the dwarf mullet Osteomugil engeli in Philippine waters. Finally, physico-chemical and bacteriological characteristics of a river in Central Philippines is looked into by Hermilita Paculba and colleagues.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 53 No. 1 (2012)Welcome to this issue of the Silliman Journal, a familiar mix of science and the humanities. Mix? Ouch, the scientists might say. To distinguish science from the humanities is a “tired old point,” says blogger Greg Frost-Arnold (2007), continuing: Both the sciences and the humanities seek understanding; both offer explanations of various bits of the world. At a very abstract level, though, the kind of things each tries to explain is different. Obviously, for example, piano pedagogy is a very different kind of thing than pest incidence and certainly, for example, emancipation psychology is very different from E. coli. But we have all these in this issue, and more. We begin with two papers from scientists—the first on pests in vegetables, the other on peanut extract. First, the agricultural chemist Prof. Susan Calumpang and colleagues at the National Crop Protection Center in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines investigate the incidence of pests and natural enemies in rice-tagbak and vegetable cropping systems, without the use of insecticides, with the premise that indigenous cultural practices in pest management provide a valuable resource for sustainable agriculture. In the second paper, Jonathan Barcelo of Saint Louis University in Baguio, Philippines also has some good news, finding specifically that “peanut anthocyanin extract reduces cell surface hydrophobicity and inhibits the hemagglutination of E. coli in a time-dependent and dose-dependent mechanism through nonspecific interaction with the bacterial cell membrane.” Our third piece of research is by the social psychology professor Eric Manalastas who studies nationwide cigarette smoking among lesbian, gay, and bisexual Filipino youth and strongly recommends a gender x sexual orientation intersectional analysis of health risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking, after finding that young lesbian and bisexual Filipina women had higher rates of ever-trying tobacco, had higher prevalence of current smoking, and smoked more cigarette sticks per day, compared to heterosexual women. Eric also found that Filipino gay and bisexual youth had the highest cigarette smoking prevalence of all four subgroups and discusses possible implications for tobacco use intervention. This research is followed by two papers related to the academe— one on the use of e-learning tools among faculty members and the other paper on an alternative approach to teaching piano. College of Computer Studies Dean Dave Marcial finds a high level of familiarity with e-learning tools, but that integration of these into teaching is rare. College of Performing and Visual Arts Dean Sue Suarez samples eight piano students who are on probationary status and suggests that a practice before theory approach provides better learning than does the more traditional theory before practice model. Then, Filipino philosopher Jeffry Ocay “revolutionizes Freud” in analyzing Herbert Marcuse’s ideas on domination, resistance, and emancipation. Jeff argues that “Freud’s theory of instincts provided Marcuse with a model for a psychology of domination and resistance, and a model to think anew the philosophical conditions of emancipation: the agent of social transformation is the biological individual” and that Marcuse’s appropriation of Freud’s theory of instincts explained why the transition from capitalism to socialism did not happen, why, especially in the 1930s, the revolutionary class had been dissolved and became conformist, and how this conformism was even extended into the postwar era. I invite readers to consider Jeff’s arguments. Finally, historian Prof. Regan Jomao-as analyzes the Roman Catholic Church in a Philippines under Spanish rule and speaks of the “discontents” of Philippine society. Regan also cites Freud, particularly his views of religion and theories of aggression.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 52 No. 2 (2011)In this new, wonderful issue of Silliman Journal are interesting topics of research and viewpoints. First, the poems from or about old age of T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez, Wallace Stevens, and Jose Garcia Villa are discussed in Ian Rosales Casocot’s essay entitled “A Gerontologist’s Idea of the World, Time, and the Cure for the Present.” The poet Myrna Peña-Reyes (in this issue’s Notes Section) says a fitting epigraph for this article would have been the Oliver Wendell Holmes line, “Poets are never young … their delicate ear hears the far off whispers of eternity.” And this is why I say this is a wonderful issue! Next, Nursing Associate Professor Evalyn Abalos qualitatively studies the lives of male sex workers (MSWs), daring—through her respondents’ lens—to experience the realities of living dangerously and illegally. The study recommends intensive information dissemination and formulation of policies related to health practice and disease prevention as well as the creation of multidisciplinary teams to address MSW concerns. Third, Silliman University Instruction Director Pablito dela Rama investigates test construction with special focus on the rules commonly observed and violated by college teachers. Interestingly, sex of teacher and instructional workshops attended correlated significantly with rule adherence and Prof. de la Rama recommends more in-service training on test construction primarily for male teachers. Next, Abner Bucol, Esther Carumbana, and Leonardo Averia investigate vertebrates at Pagatban River, Negros Oriental, Philippines and find 82 species of birds, eight species of amphibians, fourteen species of reptiles, and nine species of mammals as well as report on the population estimates of the endangered Limestone Frog Platymantis spelaeus. The paper is then followed by three studies on another river, this time on the neighboring island of Siquijor. The vertebrate fauna are described by biology assistant professor Michael Alcala and colleagues who found forty species of birds, five species of amphibians, thirteen species of reptiles, and ten species of mammals. The same biologists studied, in particular, the Green Tree Skink Lamprolepis smaragdina philippinica (Scincidae), signaling a need to monitor the population of this arboreal skink because most of Siquijor’s forests have been converted to open agricultural lands, mainly for corn and cassava. The third study, again by Abner Bucol and Rosalina Catid, reports thirty-three species of icthyofauna (fishes) in 22 Families and four species of shrimps, nine species of crabs, and six species of mollusks. The authors also state a first record of the Spotted Barb (Puntius binotatus) of the Family Cyprinidae in the Visayas region of the country. These three studies, with funding from the Commission on Higher Education-Grants-in-Aid, are part of a larger research project; six other papers will see print in a later issue of SJ. The full-length papers are rounded off by a study of mangrove management areas elsewhere in the country, in Pangasinan, Luzon region by Professor Annie Paz-Alberto and Annie Teñoso. This research included an assessment of mangrove diversity and other biological, physical and chemical conditions of four coastal areas. A strong recommendation for cooperation, coordination, and involvement of key stakeholders was made by the authors.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 52 No. 1 (2011)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal with cover art, “Siquijor Beach in the Twilight,” by Dumaguete/Bacolodbased painter and performance artist Razceljan Salvarita. Our first article is by outstanding Filipino social psychologist and researcher Allan Bernardo of the De la Salle University Manila. In “Lost In Translation?” Allan questions the validity of foreign-made psychological tests for Filipino respondents, discusses issues of translation and equivalence, and suggests possible courses of action by the Filipino psychology community. Then, self-proclaimed poster boy for the Facebook generation Ian Rosales Casocot describes “The Literary Facebook”—“a virtual community where things happen.” Writer Ian solicited other writers’ thoughts on FB with two questions: How do you use Facebook as a writer? What do you think Facebook means for readers? The responses provide varied and interesting insights, whether or not you love social networking. Third, in writing about “The Constraints School toward Good Local Governance,” Aser Javier of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños cites Goldratt’s theory: “the constraints school is like a chain with a weak link such that in any complex system at any point in time, there is most often one aspect that limits its ability to achieve the goal.” Further, “for that system to attain a significant improvement, the constraint must be identified and the whole system must be managed with it in mind.” Aser presents three cases to show that three-level dynamics influence the shape of local institutions. The next three papers relate to important environmental issues. The first paper, entitled “Potential Impact of Climate Change on Marine Mammal Biodiversity of Southeast Asia,” is by biologists Louella Dolar and Edna Sabater. The study identifies numerous threatened species as well as numerous threats, including “high human population growth rates typical of the coastal areas in Southeast Asia, increased dependence on the ocean as a source of food as the intensifying El Niño brings drought into inland areas, and lack of regulation or enforcement of fishery and conservation laws.” The second paper, by Rodelio Subade and Evelyn Galero, observes that the socioeconomic life of a fishing community in Guimaras, Central Philippines was drastically affected by an oil spill in 2006, and suggests how both local and national government may provide assistance. Third, the case of a mangrove reserve in Siquijor Island is used to illustrate participatory conservation in the Philippines. The study was done by scientist-researchers Marla Chassels and Abner Bucol. The final full-length article by psychologists Betty McCann and Margaret Udarbe and philosopher-theologian Dennis McCann investigates religiosity among Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong, finding that, among other results, the God they know is primarily Tagapagligtas (Savior), Ilaw (Light), and Kasama (Companion). The SJ Readers Forum IV is ushered in by Editorial Board member Muriel O. Montenegro who describes the article under review— “Recovering the ‘Body Politic’: Racialized and Gendered Diaspora in Accredited Graduate Theological Education,” by SJ frequent contributor and member of our overseas editorial board, Lester Edwin Ruiz. I wish to thank Lester personally for allowing this paper to be read and critiqued prior to its publication in SJ. The paper is published elsewhere in similar form and appears here courtesy of Regnum Press. I am also extremely grateful to Karl Villarmea who is currently doing post-doctoral studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Dennis McCann (another one of our hardworking overseas editorial board members), and Mark Lewis Taylor of Princeton Theological Seminary for their critiques of Lester’s paper.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 51 No. 2 (2010)I welcome all of you to the latest issue of Silliman Journal, one that is as diverse as it could possibly get, with contributions from theology and the humanities, social and natural sciences, and literature and the arts. The cover art entitled “Egghead” is by Paul Benzi Sebastian Florendo who is currently with the Creative Design Department of Foundation University in Dumaguete City, Philippines. Aptly, our first article is entitled "Identity As Not–[Im]Possibilities of an Interreligious Dialogue from the Fringes” by one of Silliman University’s visiting researchers/lecturers Giovanni Maltese from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Gio sets his thesis on a backdrop of ideas by the philosopher Giorgio Agamben as applied to interreligious dialogue, but concludes that his “essay does not claim to have any original solutions, but wishes to be an essay in its most literal sense: an attempt to operationalize different instruments which may allow a fresh naming of the new old problems and which may help us to describe them, guessing that this might inspire us to “pagtuo, paglaom ug gugma” [faith, hope, and love]. Maltese’s paper is followed by “Dynamics of Battered Filipino Women” where psychologists Alicia Estrellado and Rose Marie Clemeña attempt a validation of an “abuse model” developed in a previous study published in the Philippine Journal of Psychology in 2009. The qualitative study of twenty women shows that the model can be useful for understanding the concerns of women survivors of abuse. Third, psychologist Emmanuel Hernani describes therapeutic adventure programming as utilized with a mixed clientele of 302 participants in Cebu City, central Philippines. The program included, among others, risks excercises with debriefing, Gestalt therapy, focused group discussion, and interviews. The full-length articles are rounded up by three studies from the natural sciences. First, Racquel Chua describes the “Antioxidant
Potential of Selected Indigenous Fruits Using In Vitro Lipid Peroxidation Assay.” Kel studied indigenous fruits grown in the Cordillera region such as ayosep, bitungol, kalamondin, marble tomato, native lacatan,
native passion fruit, pinit, rattan, tamarillo, and tumok. All the fruits exhibited greater antioxidant potential than Vitamin E with native passion fruit and rattan exhibiting the greatest antioxidant potential.
Finally, Abner Bucol and colleagues report on two researches done at the Gigantes and Sicogon Islands of Iloilo Province, central Philippines---- the first is a study on vertebrate biodiversity , the other on the areas’ forest resources. -
Silliman Journal
Vol. 51 No. 1 (2010)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal. The full-length articles in this issue are products of research on
two Philippine river systems—Bago River in Negros Occidental and Jalaur River in Iloilo. The research project was funded by a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Grant-in-Aid (GIA). Both settings included biological, hydrological, physico-chemical, and socioeconomic studies of the river systems.
The Bago River system research team was represented by Bacolod City academic institutions: La Consolacion College as the lead institution, the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R), Visayas Maritime Academy (VMA) Global College, and University of San Agustin in addition to Central Philippines Adventist College in Murcia, Negros Occidental. The Jalaur River system was studied by researchers from Iloilo institutions, namely Central Philippine University (CPU), Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF), and Saint Paul's University as well as from the province of Negros Oriental: Silliman University in Dumaguete City. The issue begins with the Bago River studies ------ first an assessment of its physico-chemical and bacteriological aspects by Joji Linaugo and colleagues, followed by an avifaunal survey by Abner Bucol and others and a discussion of its fishes and macroinvertebrates by Jessica O. Pacalioga and associates. Then, there are specific investigations of the skink Brachymeles by Ely Alcala and colleagues, Anguilliform eels by Abner A. Bucol and others, and finally, the Bago rivers terrestrial vertebrate fauna by Rogie Bacosa and associates. Carmen Menes and her colleagues then look at the socioeconomic aspects of living along Bago River. This paper is followed by a transition article that is a checklist of the introduced aquatic fauna of both the Bago and Jalaur River systems, annotated by Joji Linaugo and others. A hydrological study was done of the Jalaur River system by Nelson Golez, Ilda Borlongan, and Felizardo Lorque. Also at the Jalaur River research sites, Ely Alcala and colleagues studied the invertebrate and vertebrate biodiversity, Borlongan and others conducted a physico-chemical assessment, Imelda Olaguer and colleagues investigated seasonal changes and coliform load, and Reynaldo Dusaran and Randy Pabulayan assessed socioeconomic conditions. A look at the "Macrofloral Diversity of Balugbog-Putian Natural Park, Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines” by Ernesto Elefan and Nicolas Guanzon rounds out the full-length articles in this issue. -
Silliman Journal
Vol. 50 No. 2 (2009)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal where our cover showcases the work of local artist Hersley-Ven Casero. If you look closely, you may appreciate the intricacy and even the meaning behind such a painting, but I leave the interpretation up to you. Hersley-Ven is one of Dumaguete’s upand-coming artists and photographers, with works starting to get noticed in publications as diverse as the Los Angeles Times and the Lonely Planet Magazine. He is Instructor in the Fine Arts Program of Foundation University in Dumaguete City, but his first shows as a painter and as a photographer have been with Silliman University’s Cultural Affairs Committee. The mixed media painting “Money Rain” comes from his collection of works titled The 365 Project: Incipient Ideas. This issue then aptly begins with an article on “Procurement of Foreign-Funded Projects through Executive Agreements,” by our colleagues at the College of Law—Atty. Myrish Antonio and Atty. Ramon Ruperto who endeavor to guide us through the legal intricacies of how corruption may be prevented in the enactment of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reforms Act. The discussion is helpful especially to the lay reader who wants to understand government, policy, and transparency beyond what we read in the newspaper. This first paper is followed by two studies in the natural sciences— on waterbirds in Negros Occidental and freshwater ecosystem species in Luzon. Biologist Abner Bucol and co-researchers—Rogie Bacosa, Renee Paalan, Jojie Linaugo, and Carmen Menes—tell us about the plight of waterbirds, lamenting the fact that most previous studies have been done on forest birds. Interestingly, they have found this area to be considerably rich in waterbirds, rivaling those of other wetlands in the Philippines in terms of species diversity. Hunting, however, continues. Annie Melinda Paz and colleagues Erlene Castro, Vincent Flores, and Angelee Romero, in their study of endemic, indigenous and introduced species in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, also alert us to the negative effects of environmental degradation on freshwater ecosystems. They found that introduced species (foreign species “introduced and dispersed by direct or indirect human activity to a region or location outside the limits of its natural range”) are in great numbers—something to be concerned about because this may lead to endemic and indigenous species displacement and extinction as well as loss of biodiversity in the freshwater ecosystems. Meantime, in efforts to address the needs of mathematically under-prepared college entrants at Silliman University, mathematics professors Millard and Alice Mamhot report results of their research on “Learning Styles and Intelligences,” and find that students generally prefer sensual thinking and recommending that an “excitement factor” be included in the teaching of mathematics. Our final full-length article is based on a study by education professor Gina Fontejon-Bonior on “The State of Research and Publication” among faculty members at Silliman University. Strategies suggested for the development of an institutional-wide research and publication culture—i.e., through capacity building via mentoring, strengthening incentive systems, providing more dissemination opportunities, and identifying funding agencies—are both concrete and doable.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 50 No. 1 (2009)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal. You may have elected to pick up a copy of this issue because of the contents. More than likely, however, you were intrigued by the cover art which, I daresay, has both appeal and impact. A 2009 13 Artist awardee of the Cultural Centre of the Philippines at the University of the Philippines as a painting major. We are grateful to him for allowing us to showcase his portraits of his parents on this issue’s cover. Entitled “Equilibrium,” the paintings convey a personal message that one will find not only in this SJ’s first article, but in later sections as well. We have published qualitative research reports before, most of them relegated to the Notes section. In this issue, however, we elevate this genre by starting with a paper that highlights the identity dilemmas that researchers struggle with in the pursuit of knowledge. In “Self-Reflexivity in Ethnography: Positioning an Ambiguous Ethnic Identity,” English professor Andrea Soluta describes how, in the process of writing a dissertation in Philippine Studies, she paused countless times to examine her roots and identity. Confronted by queries from those she hoped to learn from, she finds that she learns more about herself. The paper is followed by one written by another English mentor, Warlito Caturay Jr., who documents “Students’ Motivation to Write,” in basic communication courses at Silliman University. Based on responses from both students and their teachers, Warly examines attitudes towards writing and writing classes and contextualizes these in light of teacher observations. He ultimately concludes: “Writing is cognitively challenging and may de-motivate or discourage students to learn. However, if appropriate strategies are used, students’ attitudes become favorable, making the teaching-learning of writing meaningful.” The third paper by regular SJ contributor Abner Bucol is set in Siaton, Negros Oriental province, Central Philippines, particularly in forested Mt. Haponhaponon. Abner documents almost a hundred species of birds in the area, cautioning readers, however, on the dangers of forest-clearing for agriculture purposes and calling for conservation programs. Meantime, in neighboring Bayawan City, researchers Robert Guino-o, Antonio Aguilar, and Enrique Oracion (research director of Silliman University) do collaborative work with local government officials in order to evaluate the “constructed wetland” of this coastal community, some 101 kilometers south of capital city Dumaguete. Believing that efficiency and social acceptability are twin issues of concern because of the financial investment in such a project, the authors’ recommendations revolve around the areas of wastewater treatment, bio-fertilizers, the planting of aromatic vegetation, continuing education and communication drives, and personnel training whose work has been auctioned by Sotheby’s and Christie’s, Winner Jumalon has trained at both the Philippine High School for the Arts and Similarly, researchers from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB)—professors Anna Quimbo, Linda Penalba, and Merlyne Paunlagui—explored the impact of industrialization (in the form of the establishment of industrial estates) on a local Philippine community and its surrounding areas in their paper entitled “Spill-over Effects of Rural Industrialization on Community Transformation.” Effects were mostly beneficial, but there were also negative effects particularly rapid increase in population that eventually gave way to the conversion of lands to settlement sites for housing and to commercial use to cater to the service needs of migrants as well as temporary settlers. The cyclical process has serious implications for policy making and local governance. Finally, among this issue’s full length articles is a paper that takes us beyond Philippine shores, to the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao describing “Coffee Farming Practices Introduced by Government and the Private Sectors.” UPLB professors Baconguis, Dizon and Jamias team up with Vanthieng Phommasoulin of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery and find little difference between governmentsupported coffee farming and private-led coffee farming. They strongly suggest, however, strengthening farmer power by providing government support in terms of standard setting so that private persons may compete in the global market.
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Silliman Journal
Vol. 49 No. 2 (2008)Welcome to this issue of Silliman Journal. Without conscious intention, this issue has turned out to be a collection of ideas that address unique social concerns, from biological, sociological, and psychological perspectives. This second issue of SJ 2008 begins with biologists Ma. Rio A. Naguit, Hilconida Calumpong, Janet Estacion, and Wilson Tisera collaborating in a study on “The Siphonal Mantle Morphology of Tridacna crocea.” According to the authors, Tridacna crocea is the smallest among the eight species of Family Tridacnidae and the most abundant tridacnids in reefs around the Philippine archipelago. The study identified 13 mantle patterns in the tridacnids of six reef areas: Pamilacan, Tañon Strait, Carbin, Camiguin, Southeastern Samar, and Spratlys; and analysed mantle morphs and genetic structure. A somewhat related paper is an analysis of “Marine Protected Area-Based Tourism” by Silliman research director Dr. Enrique G. Oracion. Dauin, Negros Oriental has been the location of much of Oracion’s research work while coastal resource management has been an important personal research interest. In this particular study, he highlights the role of marine protected area-based tourism—that is, recreational diving and snorkeling—as a variant of coastal ecotourism that operates in a critical equation that is both very fragile and controversial. This type of tourism, he said, is particularly vulnerable “if not regulated or tempered by the actors of the tourism system composed of brokers, locals and tourists.” Then, biology professor Brigitt Villordon’s thesis entitled “Prevalence and Risk Factors of Enterobiasis Among Pre-School Children in Selected Barangays in Dumaguete City,” brings about concern over our children’s health and well-being. As knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) scores increase, prevalence decreases, and Villordon recommends continuing health education programs. Just as important to residents’ welfare, “A Profile of Street Noise in Dumaguete City Streets” by Physics professor Dr. Hope Bandal, considered data on sound pressure level, traffic density, and construction layout such as width of the street, make and construction type of buildings, and the presence of trees and open spaces beside the streets. The results indicate that there is a high correlation and thus, a marked relationship, between sound pressure level and traffic density, and Bandal points to the worthiness of considering how noise pollution may be minimized in urban planning. In the final paper among our full-length articles, Michele Valbuena, associate professor in women’s studies, asks “Who is Happy? Who is Not Happy?” in her study of technology mediated communication among Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong. In addressing life satisfaction among overseas workers, Valbuena contributes to family and women’s issues research as well as to a greater understanding of the diaspora experience. We have an interesting mix of essays in this issue’s Notes Section, beginning with biologist Abner Bucol’s observations of folk medicine for toothache relief using toob in Siquijor Island, Philippines. This is followed by “Asian Christologies: Images and Metaphor” by theologian and women’s studies educator Lilith Usog. The section is rounded off by Prof. Betsy Joy Tan’s essay on “Teaching as Service for Knowledge Work.” Finally, this SJ includes a book review by writer-poet Bobby FloresVillasis of The Folk Healers: Sorcerers of Siquijor, Isla del Fuego, published in 2004 by Silliman professors Rolly and Evelyn Mascuñana. Isla del Fuego (Island of Fire) is the old name of Siquijor Island and the anthropologists Mascuñana tell of the island’s yearly pangalap (search for materials that are used as ingredients in concoctions for their traditional practices). Villasis’ review is both personal and informed and it is a joy to read. I would like to thank all contributors to this issue—authors, reviewers, SJ Editorial Board (including our colleagues overseas) and SJ editorial staff. Special thanks go to history and fine arts professor, Jutsze Pamate, whose artwork graces our cover. As told by another local artist Muffet Villegas, Jutsze is versatile in using different media, his latest passion being the use of ancient coffee beans to bring back the past in his captivating landscapes. Of Jutsze’s work, Villegas says: “The coffee stains become the time machine which does not only promote the ancient feeling of the theme, but it becomes the color that spells magical memories to the young and the old.” I join the rest of the Silliman community in inviting contributions to Silliman Journal, for “one’s life is a quest,” so states Jill Ker Conway, editor of a collection of autobiographies Written by Herself (1992), “…to realize one’s vision of beauty, to see more deeply into nature, to escape from Egypt into the Promised Land.”
