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.