16TH SOCIAL ETHICS SOCIETY CONFERENCE [CALL FOR ABSTRACTS] RATIONALE Is moral education failing in the Philippines? In 1970, Robert Youngblood said that the Philippines is characterized by 'strong demands' and 'weak institutions'. Recent events suggest that more than 50 years thereafter, the country has failed to improve the lives of Filipinos, especially those in the margins of society. Power has remained in the hands of the ruling class and the economic elite. Despite two peaceful People Power revolutions, the state of Philippine society is far from being just and equal. Where have we failed? One might look into what Clarita Carlos calls democratic deficits - the lack of transparency, poor policy, and the absence of public accountability. Freedom House also notes that the Philippines has a weak political culture. Civil society plays a critical role in promoting democratic values. But while the Church and the Academe, or what John Rawls calls 'background cultur...
Envisioned to be the bastion of moral integrity both in the academe and the global community, the Social Ethics Society is the first professional organization of Philosophy teachers, researchers, and graduate students based in the Southern Region of the Philippines. Deeply rooted in the passion for truth and social action, the SES seeks to develop the scholarly output of its members and advance useful knowledge for the betterment of Philippine society and beyond.