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. Prof. Mansueto presented a paper in Marburg, Germany based on that book and in the SEP-PUP event in Tokyo. Another 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 read a paper at the SES Conference in Davao and in the 2nd Philosophical Society of Bukidnon Conference at the Central Mindanao University.
Fr. Dexter Veloso, the President of the SES (third term), has made possible the international engagements of the SES. For this year, this includes the Asian Bioethics Conference in Bangkok and the Waseda Conference. The SES-PUP event at Waseda University 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, the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Saint Louis University, University of Santo Tomas, University of San Carlos, UP Los Banos, Ateneo de Davao University, MSU Main, MSU-IIT, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Waseda University, and Keio University.
The Tokyo conference was organized by Dr. Juichiro Tanabe of Waseda University. Ms. Agnes Sunga of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was co-organizer. Dr. Maji Rhee, Dr. Nap Mabaquiao, Dr. Ian Clark Parcon, Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, and Dr. Tanabe delivered keynote addresses. Meanwhile, Fr. Dexter presented a paper at the 23rd Asian Bioethics Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, together with Dr. Roger Bayod and Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc. In addition, 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 successfully 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 University, MSU GenSan, Central Mindanao University, Bohol Island State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas, Holy Cross of Davao College, Ateneo de Davao University, and the University of Mindanao. 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 Philippine South 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. In the same forum, Dr. Maboloc, SES BOD chair, expressed his gratitude to all the members of Mindanao's pioneering professional organization of philosophy scholars and researchers.