Vol. 52 No. 1 (2011): Silliman Journal

					View Vol. 52 No. 1 (2011): Silliman Journal

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.

Published: 2022-10-03

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