North Valley College (NVC), in collaboration with the Social Ethics Society (SES), will host the 7th Politics and Culture Conference on November 26-27, 2026, via ZOOM, bringing together Filipino and international scholars to examine the philosophical, cultural, and political dimensions of Mindanao’s diverse communities and intellectual traditions. The online conference will provide a platform for critical dialogue on democracy, Indigenous knowledge, decoloniality, and social justice. Fr. Dexter Veloso, president of the SES, will give the Opening Message.
This year’s conference carries the theme, “Mindanao Philosophy: Indigeneity, Decoloniality, and the Paradox of Democracy.” It seeks to explore how the historical experiences, cultural traditions, and political struggles of Mindanao can contribute to contemporary philosophical debates. The conference also invites reflection on how Indigenous and local knowledge systems challenge dominant intellectual frameworks and how democratic institutions can respond to questions of identity, recognition, justice, and self-determination.
The conference will feature eight distinguished speakers: Ms. Aanchal Seth of Panjab University, India; Dr. Layne Hartsell of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; Atty. Jamil Matalam of the University of Southeastern Philippines College of Law; Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc of Ateneo de Davao University; Dr. Bernard Caslib Jr. of the University of the Philippines Manila; Dr. Rogelio Bayod of North Valley College; Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera of Mindanao State University–Marawi; and Dr. Juichiro Tanabe of Waseda University, Japan. Dr. Bayod will serve as conference chair.
The gathering will feature scholarly presentations addressing pressing questions in philosophy, politics, culture, and society. Its interdisciplinary approach is expected to encourage conversations among academics, researchers, educators, and students from different institutions and intellectual traditions. So far, more than 30 papers have been approved for presentation. The participants come from various schools and universities, including the University of San Carlos, Ateneo de Davao University, MSU-IIT, and DLSU College of Saint Benilde.
Through this collaboration, North Valley College and the Social Ethics Society reaffirm their commitment to advancing philosophical research and strengthening academic partnerships in Mindanao and beyond. The conference also highlights the importance of developing philosophical perspectives grounded in local experiences while engaging with global debates on democracy, cultural plurality, Artificial Intelligence, and human flourishing. Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera will give the synthesis for the two-day event while Fr. Urbano Pardillo Jr. will give the closing remarks.
North Valley College has been at the forefront of bringing international scholars closer to Mindanao. It has also hosted important events that have helped in developing the culture of research in the region. By placing Mindanao at the center of philosophical inquiry, the 7th Politics and Culture Conference aims to deepen understanding of the region’s intellectual contributions and promote more inclusive conversations about the future of democratic societies, the SES released in a statement.
