Social Ethics Society

1. Erwin Richmond Bautista (University of Santo Tomas) - When Political Equality Breaks: Democratic Legitimacy Under Extreme Economic Inequality 2. Klein Fernandez, PhD (University of the Philippines Los Baños / UP Manila) - Exploring the Feasibility of Multispecies Justice as Alternative Ethical Framework to Strengthen Environmental Laws in the Philippines 3. Yrein Canzon (Waseda University) - Who Deserves to Belong? A Foucauldian Critique of Recognition, Citizenship, and Relational Precarity among Japanese-Filipino Children 4. Roland Theuas DS. Pada, Ph. D. (University of Santo Tomas) - From My Problem to Everyone Else’s Problem: A Prolegomena to Socialised Violence 5. Kenneth Centeno, CM (Adamson University) - Listening to the Voices from the Peripheries in the Digital Age: Exploring Anadialectics as an Ethical Framework 6. Lorenzo Bandillon, Jr. & Gian Carlo Villaluz (Divine Word Mission Seminary / University of Santo Tomas) - Sapagkat ang Pilosopiya ay Ginagawa: A Struggle for...

  Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc,  author of The Harshest Things You'll Ever Learn about Love, is a prominent and widely cited contemporary Filipino philosopher. Recognized as the top-ranked researcher for philosophy in the Philippines by the Alper-Doger (AD) Scientific Index, he is an Associate Professor at the Ateneo de Davao University and a former fellow of the ASAP Yale Global Justice Program.   ​Maboloc’s philosophical work is uniquely anchored in the geopolitical and cultural realities of the southern Philippines, specifically Mindanao. Rather than simply echoing Western thought, his philosophy seeks to deconstruct elite politics, address deep structural poverty, and elevate the voices of the marginalized. In the frame above, Maboloc is pictured with his former student, Ms. Christine Joyce Gallinero, who is a philanthropist and model. Maboloc’s Key Philosophical Contributions  1. Radical Democracy and Anti-Elitism ​Maboloc is a leading figure in what is oft...

The Davao School of Radical Democracy: Southern Voices Reimagining Philippine Politics, a volume edited by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc and Dr. Mansoor Limba, has been released. The book is published by ElziStyle Publishing. About the Book “The Davao School of Radical Democracy is a compelling and provocative academic volume that examines the contested terrain of democracy, power, and political identity from the perspective of the Global South. This book challenges dominant liberal and Western-centric narratives of democracy by foregrounding conflict, affect, and historical marginalization as constitutive elements of political life.” ––Rakhmat Hidayat, PhD, Professor of Sociology, State University of Jakarta “This volume is an excellent introduction to contemporary Filipino political and philosophical mind. It examines liberal versus radical democratic theory through the prism of Philippine political experience, especially the challenges of the rise of Rodrigo Duterte and the re-emerge...

  A workshop on Building Institutional Well Being through Core Values and Critical Thinking was successfully held at Benguet State University - Bokod Campus. Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc delivered a talk on the Philosophy of Education, Critical Thinking, and Institutional Core Values to the faculty.  Dr. Maboloc also discussed the issues pertaining to the proposed reframing of the General Education Curriculum, establishing a research culture, publishing and writing in Scopus-indexed journals, Philippine politics and its implications to education, sustainability and human wellbeing. The participants engaged the speaker on the above topics. Dr. Maboloc also shared his experience on the value of collaborating with other academics and researchers, both local and international. Dr. Gleemoore Makie, school administrator, delivered the opening remarks while Dr. Shakira Herman introduced the speaker

RATIONALE            The 2nd SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan is a joint undertaking between the Social Ethics Society (SES) and the Center for Philosophy and the Humanities of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Center for International Education at Waseda University. The event will be held on September 9-11, 2026 at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. The theme for this year’s conference is “A New World Order: Peace, Democracy, Global Security, and a Sustainable Future.” This gathering expects to bring together scholars and researchers from the Philippines and Japan to discuss and engage on ethical questions and socio-political issues of global relevance,           After the success of the pioneering event that was held last year, the organizers deemed it important that a follow-up should be held to continue the important dialogue between researchers and s...

  - Dr. Jeremiah Joven Joaquin is a Full Professor at De La Salle University in Manila. He served as President of the Philosophical Association of the Philippines.  He is the most published scholar and most cited researcher in Scopus-indexed journals among current Filipino philosophers. He is one of the leading figures in analytic philosophy in the Philippines.  - Dr. Ian Clark Parcon is an Associate Professor at Ateneo de Davao University. He is the Chief Editor of the SES Journal of Applied Philosophy. He finished his doctorate in Philosophy at Ateneo de Manila University. He is an Erasmus Mundus scholar in Applied Ethics at Linköping University. His expertise is Jurgen Habermas and deliberative democracy. - Dr. Hammim B. Casan is the Assistant Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of Mindanao State University in Marawi. He is an Associate Professor of English in the same University. He holds a Doctor of Arts in Literature and Communication. His research...

The Social Ethics Society, in cooperation with the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Philosophy Department of Mindanao State University - Main, and North Valley College, invite you to a public forum, Context and Culture: Situating Mindanao's Position in the General Education Curriculum, this coming May 20, 2026, (Wednesday) from 1PM to 6PM via ZOOM.  This activity intends to gather the voices and ideas from Mindanao and others - the Jesuit and Catholic identity of education, the perspectives of Muslim Filipinos, Lumads, professors and young teachers, including those teaching basic education and the vantage points of college students. Dr. Jeremiah Joven Joaquin of DLSU will provide the history and context of the General Education Curriculum in the Philippines. As we try to navigate the contentious discourse on the reframed GE curriculum, this discussion hopes to provide Mindanao an open and democratic platform towards inclusivity and social justice. The output of th...

    Dr. Jeremiah Joven Joaquin of De La Salle University will headline the public forum organized by the Social Ethics Society in cooperation with the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Philosophy Department of Mindanao State University in Marawi, and North Valley College this coming May 20, 2026 via Zoom. The line up of speakers in Context and Culture: Situating Mindanao's Position in the General Education Curriculum include Dr. Ian Clark Parcon (Ateneo de Davao University), Dr. Randy Tudy (University of Southeastern Philippines), Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc (Ateneo de Davao University), Dr. Hammim B. Casan (MSU Marawi). Other speakers include Mr. Khalid Rinamuntao (MSU Marawi), Fr. Urbano Pardillo Jr (XACOSE), Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera (MSU-Marawi), Ms. Maria Myrna Imperial-Gelvosa (High School Department, Ateneo de Davao University), and Ms. Christine Joyce Gallinero (graduating Mass Communication student, Ateneo de Davao University). The distinguished speake...

Christopher Ryan Maboloc, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ateneo de Davao University. He was mentored by Thomas Pogge during his ASAP Yale Global Justice Fellowship. Mansoor Limba, PhD, SCL, is an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Ateneo de Davao University. He is a recipient of the 13th International Farabi Award (2022) on Humanities and Islamic Studies. Layne Hartsell, PhD, is a Research Professor at the Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Society, Department of Philosophy, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok. Ian Clark Parcon, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ateneo de Davao University and the Chief Editor of the Social Ethics Society Journal of Applied Philosophy. Benjiemen Labastin, MA, is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at La Salle University – Ozamiz. Asuna Yoshizawa, PhD, is a Research Fellow at Kyoto University. Her research interests include Muslim-Christian relationships a...

This volume is an excellent introduction to contemporary Filipino political and philosophical mind. It examines liberal versus radical democratic theory through the prism of Philippine political experience, especially the challenges of the rise of Rodrigo Duterte and the re-emergence of the Mindanao agenda. It is political philosophy at its best, de-abstracted by local conditions. Abstract political and liberal concepts receive concrete characterizations and articulations by the various authors.  Drawing on Chantal Mouffe’s critique of harmonious liberal consensus based on rational deliberation, Prof. Maboloc argues for “radical” agonistic democracy, where antagonisms and conflicts are inherent to politics and "adversaries" (rather than "enemies") are contesting for opposing interests and conflicting visions of the future and the good life. It is a better understanding of politics in the context of nation-building and rectifying social injustices in the face of post...

The Davao School of Radical Democracy  Edited by Christopher Ryan Maboloc and Mansoor Limba  Preorder Discounted Price P750 (Regular P950): Click link:  https://forms.gle/kC6LUAFH2iT4Saya7 CONTENTS Foreword by Layne Hartsell  Introduction by Mansoor Limba I. Theoretical Underpinnings and Historical Background 1. Situating the Mindanao Agenda in the Radical Politics of President Rodrigo Duterte  Christopher Ryan Maboloc 2. Corrective Agonism, Philippine Democracy, and Civil Society Ian Clark Parcon 3. Two Faces of Dutertismo, Two Faces of Democracy in the Philippines  Benjiemen Labastin 4..A Macho Populist Comes Again: Sen. Robin Padilla and Radical Politics in the Philippines  Asuna Yoshizawa II..Dimensions of Radical Democracy in the Philippines 5. President Rodrigo Duterte and Biopolitics in the Philippines  Christopher Ryan Maboloc 6. The Future of the Environment and the Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte...

  The Humanitarian Observatory for Policy and Education in Southeast Asia (HOPESEA), an organization based in Chiang Mai University, has awarded completion certificates to 11 international researchers who finished the program in the Global Summer School on Climate Change and Human Mobility held at the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathum Thani, Thailand.  Dr. Thida Chaiyapa, head of HOPESEA and the chief organizer of the event. expressed her elation and showed appreciation for the efforts of the participants and climate change experts who delivered lectures and helped direct the field work in Thailand's Ayutthaya Province. The researchers conducted interviews and also visited cultural heritage sites. Dr. Paula Banerjee, the director of the AIT Center on Gender and Forced Migration, gave an inspirational message during the week-long event. Dr. Bhichit Rattakul, the former governor of Bangkok, also delivered a talk. Below is the list of researchers who completed the Global Su...

"The Davao School of Radical Democracy: Southern Voices Reimagining Philippine Politics" challenges the dominant, Manila-centric liberal narratives that have long treated the regions as footnotes to history. By employing “Southern theory,” the authors decentralize political philosophy, grounding it in local histories, indigenous wisdom, and the visceral struggles of the marginalized. It is a “clarifying storm,” unsettling the status quo and inviting readers to confront uncomfortable questions about violence, memory, and the limits of Western-style liberal norms. The book’s central thesis rejects the myth of “perfect consensus,” which often masks the interests of the powerful. Drawing from Chantal Mouffe’s concept of “agonism,” the contributors argue that democracy is a permanent struggle where conflict is not a flaw, but a productive force. The volume provides a scathing critique of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, framing it as a “failed project” of the elite that restored an oliga...

  The Humanitarian Observatory for Policy and Education in Southeast Asia (HOPESEA), an organization based in Chiang Mai University, has awarded completion certificates to 11 international researchers who finished the program in the Global Summer School on Climate Change and Human Mobility held at the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathum Thani, Thailand.  Dr. Thida Chaiyapa, head of HOPESEA and the chief organizer of the event. expressed her elation and showed appreciation for the efforts of the participants and climate change experts who delivered lectures and helped direct the field work in Thailand's Ayutthaya Province. The researchers conducted interviews and also visited cultural heritage sites. Dr. Paula Banerjee, the director of the AIT Center on Gender and Forced Migration, gave an inspirational message during the week-long event. Dr. Bhichit Rattakul, the former governor of Bangkok, also delivered a talk. Below is the list of researchers who completed the Global Su...

  Top officials of the Social Ethics Society (SES), including Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera of MSU Marawi and Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc of Ateneo de Davao University, have expressed that none of the courses offered under the present GE Curriculum should be removed. Both do not agree that that CHED's move will improve Philippine education. Dr. Rivera, a trailblazer in peace education. mentioned the importance of context in the teaching of ethics. "It should be enhanced by including local issues on peace, not removed," she said. Meanwhile, Dr. Maboloc questioned the scholarly credentials of Edcom and TPGE officials, saying that they have not published articles in high caliber journals. The proposal of CHED will displace thousands of college teachers once implemented. The SES has held consultations with its members on the issue. Many believe that the proposal is elitist, undemocratic, and baseless. For Maboloc, the reframed curriculum reduces Filipinos into labores as it only ...

The Global Summer School on Climate Change and Human Mobility hosted by HOPESEA or the Humanitarian Observatory for Policy and Education in Southeast Asia has been concluded. The event, held from May 4-8, 2026 at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, was organized by Chiang Mai University, Thammasat University, and AIT. Dr. Thida Chaiyapa, the director of HOPESEA and the event's head organizer, expressed her gratitude to stakeholders for the successful conduct of the summer school which was attended by 11 researchers and scholars chosen from a field of 800 applicants worldwide. The week-long program, which included lectures ftom top scholars, is funded by the Canadian Government. The gathering included research presentations on a host of topics related to climate change, including resilience and sustainability, gender based mobility issues, displacement of refugees and migrants, climate modeling  and disaster response and preparedness, indigenous wisdom and sustainable pra...

  1. Ian Clark Parcon, PhD (Ateneo de Davao University) -  The Democratic Dilemma: Conflict and Consensus in a Shifting Global Order 2.  Bernardo Caslib Jr, PhD (UP Manila) -  Prompting Virtues: Generative AI and the Pursuit of Character Formation 3. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, PhD   (Ateneo de Davao University)  -  History and Indigeneity: A Preliminary Inquiry into Mindanao Philosophy 4. Godiva Eviota Rivera, PhD (MSU Marawi) -  Constructing Peace: The Power of Metaphorical Thinking 5. Fr. Urbano Pardillo Jr (XACOSE) - The  Tranquility of Order: Deconstructing Peace in the Catholic Tradition 6. Menelito Mansueto, MA (MSU-IIT) -  Archipelagic Decentralization and Political Dynasties: Inspirations and Challenges, Political Irony in the Philippines 7. Fr. Dexter Veloso, PhD (Holy Cross of Davao College) -  Christian and Confucian Humanism: A Sensible Ethics for a Peaceful Future 8. LJ Zaphan Lamboloto, PhD (Silliman University) - ...

  Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, an Associate Professor at Ateneo de Davao University and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Social Ethics Society, attended the Global Summer School on Climate Change and Human Mobility at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand, May 4-8, 2026. He is one of the 13 who were chosen out of the more than 800 applicants. The event gathered scholars and activists from the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, to discuss climate change resilience and sustainability, migration and displacement, data driven policy analysis, indigenous peoples and urbanization in relation to the existential threat from changing climate landscapes and patterns across the globe.  The gathering included lectures, workshops, and inputs from experts. The group also did some investigative fieldwork in Ayutthaya as well as a cultural immersion in Thailand's northern region. The event is jointly hosted by Thammasa...

  The Social Ethics Society opposes the proposal to remove Ethics from the college curriculum. Such move is a regressive step that undermines the integral function of higher education and ignores the profound role of ethical discourse in shaping a democratic society. Ethics is not a subject that can be simplified and relegated to secondary education without losing its essence. Senior High School students are generally not yet predisposed to the rigorous demands of ethical theories and their complex applications. ​In college, Ethics serves as a professional course that teaches students moral reasoning. It bridges the gap between academic theory and civic engagement, providing students with the critical thinking skills and abilities necessary for responsible citizenship. ​We challenge the direction of the Commission on Higher Education and EdCom 2 which appears to prioritize economic utility over human dignity. Any proposal to remove Ethics threatens to reduce the education system to...

  Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, an associate professor at Ateneo de Davao University, has been selected by the Humanitarian Observatory for Policy and Education in Southeast Asia (HOPESEA), School of Public Policy at Chiang Mai University (CMU), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Thammasat University (JCTU) to attend the Global Summer School on Climate Change and Human Mobility at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 4-8, 2026.  Dr. Maboloc is one of the 25 who were chosen for the final screening (panel interview) out of the 800 applicants worldwide. Dr. Maboloc’s research proposal for this undertaking is the study of sustainable practices of indigenous communities. The summer school includes lectures, engagements with international researchers and scholars, and other climate change policy making activities. The participation of the chair of the Social Ethics Society is fully funded by the organizer...

Social Ethics Society Polytechnic University of the Philippines 2nd SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University Venue: Center for International Education, Waseda University  September 9-11, 2026, Tokyo, Japan Theme:“A New World Order: Peace, Democracy, Global Security, and a Sustainable Future” RATIONALE            The 2nd SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan is a joint undertaking between the Social Ethics Society (SES) and the Center for Philosophy and the Humanities of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Center for International Education at Waseda University. The event will be held on September 9-11, 2026 at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. The theme for this year’s conference is “A New World Order: Peace, Democracy, Global Security, and a Sustainable Future.” This gathering expects to bring together scholars and researchers from the Philippines and Japan to...

Social Ethics Society Polytechnic University of the Philippines 2nd SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University Venue: Center for International Education, Waseda University  September 9-11, 2026, Tokyo, Japan Theme:“A New World Order: Peace, Democracy, Global Security, and a Sustainable Future” RATIONALE            The 2nd SES-PUP International Ethics Conference at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan is a joint undertaking between the Social Ethics Society (SES) and the Center for Philosophy and the Humanities of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Center for International Education at Waseda University. The event will be held on September 9-11, 2026 at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. The theme for this year’s conference is “A New World Order: Peace, Democracy, Global Security, and a Sustainable Future.” This gathering expects to bring together scholars and researchers from the Philippines and Japan to...