11/05/2026
πππππππππ ππ ππππππππ
βπΉπππππ π©πΊπΌ ππ πΎππππ π°π π©ππππππβ β Dr. Zenaida Hamada-Pawid
The college is one with the university as it continues to celebrate the National Heritage Month with the theme Pangpanga ni Damdamot. Dr. Zenaida Hamada-Pawid, an anthropologist and a community leader, affectionately called Manang Bridget, gave a talk about culture and heritage during the flag-raising ceremony on May 11, 2026.
Dr. Hamada-Pawid started her discourse by establishing a symbiotic relationship between the university and its location. The historical narratives of Benguet State University are inseparably linked with that of the Municipality of La Trinidad, and vice versa. Hence, the two should be in each otherβs written history because one cannot be fully understood without the other.
Historically, La Trinidad has always been the administrative heart of the Cordillera, while BSU emerged as the pioneering educational institution in the Cordillera. Dr. Hamada-Pawid noted that BSUβs identity is rooted in its origins as a secondary farm school, eventually evolving into a hub for biological research and experiments, agricultural knowledge, agroforestry, and home economics. All of these are the universityβs identity and π©ππ¬ππ (heritage), making Benguet State University THE university in the Cordillera.
Dr. Hamada-Pawid emphasized that culture is not a static concept but a multi-layered identity rooted in the individual, the family, and the community. She reminded the audience that "everyone is indigenous to somewhere," suggesting that cultural heritage is a universal human experience.
She further challenged the BSU community to act as the primary custodian of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP). She asserted that the universityβs mandate should include serving as a research repository of Cordillera governance, law, and alternative systems. Also, she emphasized the need to inspire the youth to be proud of our farmers and to find dignity in being farmers themselves.
Dr. Hamada-Pawid concluded her talk by calling the university to "return" to its core purpose. While acknowledging its historical prestige, she challenged the younger generation. "Return BSU to where it belongs," she stated. "It was always there, yet it is your responsibility as the younger generation to make it more universalβand that is culture. Begin somewhere, but aim for the stars."
π·ποΈMTApnoyan
College Information Officer