Davao City - The Social Ethics Society (SES) would like to present the outstanding local scholars, researchers, and academics, or the philosophers from the South. This list and the others that will follow are not meant to be exhaustive. The SES simply wishes to introduce several people who are teaching or have taught philosophy in schools here in Mindanao.
1. Dr. Raymond Pavo, dean and professor at UP Mindanao, is a young scholar who has devoted his time understanding the implications of modernity and urbanization in the idea of democratic space. Dr. Pavo has studied philosophy at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and development theory at the University of Philippines in Los Banos. He graduated magna cum laude at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City.
2. Prof. Ambong Fernandez, who taught at the University of Philippines in Mindanao before he transferred to Ateneo de Davao, is a prolific textbook writer who, unbeknownst to many, is one of the most radical philosopher of religion in the South. Silent water runs deep, such is the apt description of the person that he chooses himself to be, a quiet observer. He has published books in General Ethics, the Philosophy of Religion, and Understanding the Self. He did his MA at Ateneo de Davao University under the tutulege of Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ.
3. Fr. Michael Moga is perhaps the greatest thinker that the Philippine South has seen. He is an American Jesuit who set up all the Philosophy Departments of the three Ateneo schools in the island of Mindanao. Using the phenomenological method, Fr. Mike has reflected on such concepts as time, history, and religious space. He has trained many academics in Mindanao through his weekly seminars and inspired countless students through his books.
4. Dr. Reynante Pilapil, the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Ateneo de Davao University, is an expert on Axel Honneth who has done post-graduate work under the philosopher. He has published a book and several papers on the Politics of Recognition and presently, is the Editor of Tambara, the humanities journal of Ateneo de Davao University. He finished his doctorate at the Catholic University of Louvain.
5. Dr. Ian Clark Parcon, an associate professor at Ateneo de Davao University, is an expert on deliberative democracy. His most recent work is about finding a realistic compromise between radical politics and deliberative democracy, as found in the works of Chantal Mouffe and Jurgen Habermas, respectively. He also worked on environmental ethics during the early part of his career. Dr. Parcon is the Editor of the SES Journal of Applied Philosophy.
6. Dr. Rogelio Bayod single handedly brought international scholars to Cor Jesu College and helped improve the scholarly output of his students through the conferences organized by Dr. Darryl Macer. Dr. Bayod has collaborated with big names such as John Weckert, Wataru Kusaka, and Daniel Mishori. It can be said that he has achieved far beyond what a graduate student in philosophy is supposed to accomplish. Dr. Bayod has degrees in psychology and development management.
7. Dr. Romulo Bautista was an influential figure who taught Marxism in Ateneo de Davao. He believes that philosophy should go beyond the classroom. He advocated a type of thinking that was radical. He brought glory to Mindanao's philosophical scene through his passion and critical analysis of society, which also caused him trouble with some authorities in the realm of education. Nevertheless, his legacy is intact and his position among giants of thought in the country is secure.
Dr. Bautista studied philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas and the University of Madrid in Spain. He taught previously at San Beda University. The book The Future in the Writings of a Moral Philosopher, an anthology of his works, was recently released. Dr. Bautista worked closely with Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc in mapping the direction of Philosophy in Mindanao, which gained traction with the establishment of the SES in 2010.
The philosophers from the South are the men and women from Mindanao, who have done their part in challenging conventions and even adapting to the global direction of theory and practice in ethics and philosophy. The list is not meant to compare or even make people compete against each other but to draw oneself into the rich tradition and committed efforts of scholars, researchers and philosophy teachers to elevate the state of higher order thinking in the country’s southern region. The list will be published in parts.