28/09/2026
Congratulations to Dr. Gladiolus M. Gatdula and Dr. Royce A. Salva on this significant publication on indigenous perspectives on disability among the Alangan-Mangyan. Their work highlights the importance of understanding disability through cultural, spiritual, and indigenous perspectives.
A meaningful contribution to research that gives greater attention to voices and experiences often overlooked.
Dr. Gatdula is a faculty member of the Religious Education Department. Dr. Salva is also from the College of Education.
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Abstract: This research looked into indigenous perspectives on disability among the Alangan-Mangyan from the northeastern part of Mindoro Island, the Philippines. The primary participants included nine indigenous learners with visual impairments, specific health conditions and difficulties in certain developmental domains, with additional insights gathered from their key informants. Following a phenomenological approach, the participantsโ indigenous perspectives were examined through Clark Moustakasโs modified van Kaam method, while Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarkeโs thematic analysis was applied to the key informantsโ insights. The findings reveal that the intersectionality of the participantsโ identities transpires when they view their conditions from the vantage point of their spiritual worldviews, cultural beliefs and values, indigenous healing knowledge and even evolving experiences. The key informantsโ insights support these findings, claiming that disability should be viewed not solely as a medical condition but, likewise, as a cultural and spiritual phenomenon. Through an intersectional lens, this research emphasises the indigenous dimensions of disability, which dominant models often overlook.
Recommended Citation: Salva, R. A., Bustos, M. T. A. P., Patriarca, M. C. V., Magtoto, F. O. M., Bawagan, A. B., Gatdula, G. M., Vidal, L.-S. A., & Cabutihan, M. T. (2026). When indigeneity and disability meet: Perspectives and insights on the intersecting identities of indigenous learners with disabilities in the Philippines. New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, 28(1), 111โ134.
