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The 2025 SES year-end Report

 

The Social Ethics Society continued to reach new heights in 2025, which is marked by the rise of dynamic Mindanao and Bohol based scholars. Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera leads the pack. She was elected as secretary of the SES in February this year. She was a speaker in the philosophy for women at an event hosted by the Philosophical Association of the Philippines. In September, she presented a paper in the SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University in Tokyo. Dr. Rivera truly brings women power into the SES. 

The two other up and coming scholars are Menelito Mansueto of MSU-IIT, who released his book on decoloniality early this year. In fact, Prof. Mansueto was able to present a paper in Marburg, Germany and likewise in the SEP-PUP event in Tokyo. An emerging researcher, who also hails from Bohol like Mansueto, is Assistant Prof. Francis Jeus Ibanez of the Bohol Island State University, who published his first paper on Paul Ricoeur. Together with Fr. Banny Pardillo, he also presented a paper at the SES Conference in Davao and in the 2nd Philosophical Society of Bukidnon Conference.

The SES wants to give credit to Fr. Dexter Veloso, the President of the SES (third term), who has truly made possible both the local and international engagements of the SES. For this year, this includes the ABC in Bangkok and the Waseda Conference. The SES-PUP conference was the first ever international conference organized by the SES. A total of 36 papers were delivered by participants from Toyo University, the University of Ankara, UP, DLSU, Ateneo de Manila, UST, University of San Carlos, UPLB, PUP, Waseda, and Keio University, among others. 

The Tokyo conference was made possible by Dr. Juichiro Tanabe, with great support from Ms. Agnes Sunga of PUP, who provided a big part of the funding. Dr. Maji Rhee, Dr. Nap Mabaquiao, Dr. Ian Clark Parcon, and Dr. Tanabe delivered keynote addresses. Meanwhile, Fr. Dexter likewise presented a paper at the 23rd Asian Bioethics Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, together with Dr. Roger Bayod and Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc. One of the year's big news was Dr. Randy Tudy being selected as one of the ASAP-Yale Global Justice Program fellows for 2025.

The 15th SES Conference in February this year was vsuccessfully held. It was chaired by Dr. Roger Bayod. The keynote speakers were Dr. Daniel Mishori, Dr. Mansoor Limba, and Bro. Noelvic Deloria. It was attended by various schools, including the Eastern Visayas State University, Bukidnon State, Central Mindanao University, BISU, the University of Mindanao, among others. During the conference, the second volume of the Ethics in Contemporary Philippine Society edited by Dr. Maboloc and Prof. Mansueto's Decolonial Turn in the Philippines were launched.

In July this year, Fr. John Guo hosted the Ethics Forum organized by Dr. Maboloc. It tackled the removal of Ethics in the GE Curriculum. Important insights and meaningful exchanges characterized the dialogue that transpired. It offered possibilities and ways of moving forward as a result of the pronouncements of EdCom 2. Dr. Maboloc's The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem was also launched during the momentuous occasion held at the Social Hall of St. Michael's Chapel in Eden. Toril.

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