Philosophy in Mindanao is least concerned with carving out an identity. That kind of preoccupation belongs to those who feel unrecognized within the corpus of knowledge we call philosophy. The primordial concern of philosophers in Mindanao is to find solutions to real problems and advance the welfare of ordinary people. If knowledge must be borderless, why should we concern ourselves with something that is not original to our own experience? Mindanao’s philosophical roadmap is more than a desire for recognition. It is rooted instead in the lived reality of the Filipino nation.
For some people, the pursuit of knowledge is preoccupied with establishing what one might consider our own intellectual brand. In Mindanao, however, our concern is simply to do what great thinkers have always done: engage with important questions and produce meaningful results. The future of philosophy in Mindanao is bright, with young scholars like Migs Mansueto and Noel Andrada leading the way. Prof. Mansueto of MSU-IIT is an accomplished academic who has written extensively on decolonial history, while Andrada is a courageous thinker carving out his own niche in the field of social justice theory.
History and tradition give us clues and signs. Prof. Ambong Fernandez is the heir to Fr. Michael Moga, SJ, in building that sphere of influence through the writing and publication of philosophy textbooks across various fields, from Ethics to Philosophy of Religion, here in Mindanao. Fr. Moga was an American, but he devoted much of his life to serving the three Ateneo schools in Mindanao, where he founded their Philosophy departments. This is a remarkable achievement for one individual, who successfully bridged classical Western ideas with the Mindanao experience.
Without leadership, one can't achieve anything. But leadership must also reflect not just an image but a real authority as a scholar. Dr. Rogelio Bayod, a well-published and well-cited author, is that kind of leader. He is an expert on indigenous studies and ethics. Dr. Bayod’s strong leadership was clearly demonstrated in the success of the Mindanao Conference on Public Health and in all SES conferences in which he served as chair. The SES is proud to foster a new generation of philosophers whose primary mission is finding solutions to everyday problems.
Inclusion matters. Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera, a full professor at Mindanao State University (Marawi), is one of the country’s most respected women philosophers, recognized for her profound contributions to peacebuilding and peace education. A true pillar of the Social Ethics Society, she represents the face of Mindanao's unique and innovative brand of philosophizing and truth-seeking. Mindanao's philosophical roadmap is about valuing and giving opportunity to everyone, including indigenous groups and the marginalized. Professor Rivera, in fact, just like Dr. Bayod, gives them a voice.
Mindanao's philosophical trajectory fears nothing. This is exemplified by the study of radical politics pioneered by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc. Prof. Gerry Arambala, now chair at the University of San Agustin, follows that lead in Ozamiz where he taught for almost a decade. In fact, he is a protégé of Dr. Ryan Urbano and Dr. Maboloc while at USC. Prof. Arambala is a well-published scholar, having studied the thought of Amartya Sen, Thomas Pogge, and Chantal Mouffe. He continues to be a valuable anchor of philosophizing in the South, making his mark through his publications.
There are other figures as well who are doing their share and making a mark. Prof. Bryan Tumlad serves as a profound inspiration to many young students through his tenacious commitment to engaging them in philosophy. The same can be said of Dr. Arnel Morte (CMU), Prof. Rey Atacador (UM), Prof. Kaka Juaneza (USM), Prof. Oliver Perater (MSU-IIT), Dr. Robert Panaguiton (WEMSU), Jumadir Mungkon (MSU), and Karl Exala (AdDU), all of whom are doing their part in thinking things through away from the spotlight. The deep South has indeed secured its place in the future of philosophy.
Philosophy, to use the words of Fr. Daniel Pilario, must go back to the "rough grounds." This is what Mindanao researchers and scholars are doing. Thanking is no longer about idiosyncratic ideas or the battle of paradigms as to what must characterize a system of thought. Rather, it is about understanding the problems of the people, giving them a voice, and finding meaningful and sustainable solutions to the many issues and questions that ordinary citizens are faced with. This is the arduous task that we must take and carry the burden ourselves.