UPLB Department of Social Sciences

20/10/2026

LOOK || Japanese Studies Lecture Forum and Information Session at UPLB

The UPLB Department of Social Sciences, in partnership with the UP Asian Center, shares this invitation to the Japanese Studies in the Philippines: Lecture Forum and Information Session, organized by the UP Asian Center and Japan Foundation Manila.

Join the session on 26 October 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, at the CAS Annex 1 Auditorium, UP Los Baños, to learn more about Japan’s history, society, culture, politics, and international relations, as well as graduate study opportunities at the UP Asian Center.

Interested participants may register through the link in the comments section or by scanning the QR code in the original announcement.

On to the next destination! The UP Asian Center and Japan Foundation Manila bring Japanese Studies to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)! Join us for another 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀: 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 to explore the country’s history, society, culture, politics, and international relations.

📅 26 October 2026 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 CAS Annex 1 Auditorium, UP Los Baños
🔗 Link in the comments section or scan the QR code!

Learn how graduate studies at the UP Asian Center can deepen your understanding of Asia and broaden your research horizons.

20/10/2026

LOOK || Curious about how sociologists turn research questions into meaningful studies? Join us in 𝙐𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙤𝙨𝙮𝙤: 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙮 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨, which showcases the current research engagements of UPLB Sociology faculty members and offers a glimpse into the questions, ideas, and processes that shape sociological research.

🗓️ 𝟮𝟲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆)
🕰️ 𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗽𝗺
📍𝗖𝗔𝗦 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘅 𝟭 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝟯𝟬𝟯

Access the registration form here:
https://forms.gle/ciCJpTznpgK3fys48
https://forms.gle/ciCJpTznpgK3fys48
https://forms.gle/ciCJpTznpgK3fys48

Note: The Registration Form is open until 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝟭𝟭:𝟱𝟵 𝗣𝗠) only. Moreover, 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 will receive a freebie from the organizers of the event.

See you there!



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Follow the UPLB Department of Social Sciences page or visit our official website (https://dss.cas.uplb.edu.ph) for more updates.

13/10/2026

𝙇𝙊𝙊𝙆 || The UPLB Department of Social Sciences proudly congratulates Rachel S. Aquino-Elogada, alumna of BA Sociology (1989), on being named a 2026 CAS Distinguished Alumni Awardee for the Social Sciences by the UP Alumni Association.
This recognition honors her achievements and contributions to the social sciences. The Department joins the UPLB community in celebrating this well-deserved recognition.
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Follow the UPLB Department of Social Sciences page or visit our official website (https://dss.cas.uplb.edu.ph) for more updates.

12/10/2026

𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗡𝗔𝗡 || Ipinapaabot ng Kagawaran ng Agham Panlipunan ang taos-pusong pagbati sa on-site delegation ng 𝙎𝙤𝙨𝙮𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙝𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙖𝙩 𝙐𝙋𝙇𝘽 sa kanilang pakikilahok sa Philippine Sociological Society International Conference 2026, na ginanap sa Mindanao State University–General Santos noong Oktubre 1–3, 2026.

Naging pagkakataon ang kumperensiya upang makapagbahagi ng mga pananaliksik at malikhaing ambag, mapalawak ang mga talakayang akademiko, at mapagtibay ang ugnayan ng mga bumubuo sa pamayanang sosyolohikal sa Pilipinas. Higit sa pagpapalitan ng kaalaman at pananaw, nagsisilbi rin itong mahalagang espasyo para sa sama-samang pagninilay sa papel ng sosyolohiya sa pag-unawa sa mga karanasan, ugnayan, at pagbabagong panlipunan.
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08/10/2026

LOOK || New Faculty Publications

The UPLB Department of Social Sciences recognizes the recent publications of Asst. Prof. Prince Kennex R. Aldama and Asst. Prof. April Hope T. Castro.

Asst. Prof. Aldama’s article, “Between Belief and Belonging: Filipino Atheists’ Lived Experiences of Cultural Negotiation,” was published in the UP Los Baños Journal, Vol. 23 (2025). Asst. Prof. Castro’s article, “Women and State Control in the Province of Laguna in the 19th Century,” was published in Historical Bulletin, Vol. LIX (2025).

We recognize their continued contributions to research in the social sciences.

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01/10/2026

LOOK || New Faculty Publication

The UPLB Department of Social Sciences congratulates Asst. Prof. Teofilo C. Viray on the publication of his article, “Reconfiguring the Outcomes of Simbahayan: The Case Study of Basic Ecclesial Communities in the Diocese of Imus,” in Scientia, Vol. 15, No. 2 (2026).

The study examines the organizational dynamics of Basic Ecclesial Communities (Simbahayan) in the Diocese of Imus, exploring the factors that shape their social, material, and spiritual outcomes. The abstract can be read below.

Abstract
This article examines Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), or Simbahayan, of the Catholic Church as a social organization. The term Simbahayan comes from two joined Tagalog words: simbahan (church) and pamayanan (community). Rooted in these two social institutions, the Simbahayan represents a convergence of ecclesial and communal life, linking the Church with other social units. This study explores how the Simbahayan organize to achieve outcomes within gated communities and how organizational contexts shape these outcomes. This qualitative case study, conducted in the Diocese of Imus, used key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and a review of parish documents to examine the organizational context. All data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2024) and triangulated (Denzin, 2009). Data collection was conducted with the parish priest's approval and informed consent from all participants. This study highlighted a geographical form of Simbahayan within gated communities, where the heterogeneity of lay leaders and members significantly contributes to fulfilling both the material and spiritual outcomes of the organization. The enabling organizational contexts identified in this study are strong interorganizational relationships, members’ support system, and mutual resource dependence. The constraining organizational contexts identified are the absence of formalized BEC guidelines, challenges in ecclesial interministerial coordination, fragmentation, low participation, and structural problems within the Simbahayan. The study recommends ways forward to achieve recognized Simbahayan outcomes, including leadership succession planning, organizational effectiveness, and establishing a parish discernment team to support the continuity and re-engineering of the Simbahayan structure.

Read the full article here:
https://scientia-sanbeda.org/index.php/scientia/article/view/222/233
https://scientia-sanbeda.org/index.php/scientia/article/view/222/233
https://scientia-sanbeda.org/index.php/scientia/article/view/222/233
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28/09/2026

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 ||On 25 September 2026, the Sociology Cluster of the Department of Social Sciences served as panelists during the Fire Officer Advance Course (FOAC) Research Title Defense of the National Fire Training Institute (NFTI) at Camp General Vicente Lim, Barangay Mayapa, Calamba City, Laguna.

The activity highlights the continuing partnership and academic engagement between DSS and NFTI, providing FOAC student officers with an opportunity to present and develop their proposed research studies with the guidance of faculty members from the Department. The research component of the FOAC is facilitated by Asst. Prof. Kim Riener Casiño, who serves as the research instructor of the student officers.
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Follow the UPLB Department of Social Sciences page or visit our official website (https://dss.cas.uplb.edu.ph) for more updates.

22/09/2026

TIGNAN || Bagong Publikasyon

Binabati natin sina Kat. Prop. Reidan M. Pawilen & Kat. Prop. Ryan Alvin M. Pawilen sa bagong publikasyon "An Exploration of the Dynamics of “Protestantization” to Methodism of Indigenous Peoples in Upland Ilocos Sur, 1901-1953" sa Rooting Indigeneity in the Philippines: Contexts and Complexities (2026).

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22/09/2026

21/09/2026

We remember the victims. We reject historical distortion. We continue the fight.

As an institution of higher learning, UPLB stands firm in its commitment to truth, historical accuracy, and the protection of human rights and democratic freedoms. We honor the memory of the martyrs and heroes who resisted tyranny, and we recommit ourselves to vigilance against any repetition of this history.