UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy

14/07/2026

[ Reposted from UP Diliman Department of Sociology ]

INVITATION TO A PUBLIC LECTURE
Only one week to go before the public lecture, “Understanding Support for Tokhang among the Poor in Manila,” to be held on Friday, July 17, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Pilar Herrera Lecture Hall (inside Palma Hall), University of the Philippines Diliman.

Lecture abstract:

Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs (Tokhang, colloquially) targeted urban poor communities and yet most people in these communities supported it. Indeed, the data show that support for Duterte among lower class groups actually increased with Tokhang. How do we explain support for Tokhang in the communities most affected by it? I will argue that solving this puzzle requires understanding the communities in question. It is not enough simply to posit general logics of support, e.g., that the urban poor responded to Duterte’s penal populism or moral politics. We need to reconstruct the social worlds the poor inhabit and in which their support for Tokhang makes sense and feels urgent. Drawing upon fieldwork in Tondo, Manila, I will describe the complex nature of support for Tokhang and seek to explain it in terms of a) the social structure of the community, b) the mandate of the barangay, c) the imperative of social control, and d) local understandings of justice. Tokhang tends to be portrayed as having been orchestrated from above, and while it certainly was, my findings suggest that it was also a bottom-up affair enabled by the support and participation of local actors. Finally, I will consider the implications of this analysis for human-rights evaluations of the drug war.

The lecture will feature Dr. Marco Garrido as the main speaker, with Dr. Danilo Reyes, Dr. Sol Dorotea Iglesias, and Dr. Filomin Gutierrez serving as discussants.

The event is free and open to the public. As seats are limited, interested participants are encouraged to pre-register at https://forms.gle/5LPyZQ4WeNN8Jirb8 or by scanning the QR code on the event poster.

See you there!

13/07/2026

Ngayong araw nagtapos ang huling bahagi ng oryentasyon para sa mga bagong mag-aaral kasama naman ang mga magiging bahagi ng mga programang Heograpiya, Pilosopiya, at Sikolohiya.

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Maligayang pagdating, mga bagong Iskolar ng Bayan!

07/07/2026

Isinagawa ngayong umaga sa Bulwagang Palma ang paunang oryentasyon para sa bagong mag-aaral ng mga programa ng Antropolohiya, Kasaysayan, Linggwistiks, Agham Pampulitika, at Sosyolohiya.

Maligayang pagdating sa bago ninyong tahanan, mga Iskolar ng Bayan!

04/07/2026

The Public Forum on the selection of the next CSSP Ethics Review Board (CSSP-ERB) Chairperson was held on July 3, 2026, as part of the search process organized by the Search Committee. The CSSP-ERB Chair serves as the executive officer of the Board, overseeing its mandate and operations, including the ethical review and monitoring of research involving human participants.

The forum was attended by CSSP Dean Ruth R. Lusterio-Rico, Ph.D., members of the CSSP-ERB panels, faculty, and staff.

During the forum, the sole nominee, Dr. Rhodalyn C. Wani-Obias, presented her accomplishments, shared her plans and priorities for the CSSP-ERB, and engaged with members of the CSSP community.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this important step of the search process.

02/07/2026

Pagbati at Padayon!

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗥. 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘀
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Colene Anne has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and service through the organization UP Kabataang Pilosopo Tasyo, serving as public relations secretary in 2021 and externals head in 2023. She also distinguished herself in the Emmanuel Q. Fernando Philosophy Undergraduate Conference, earning awards such as best presenter in Applied Ethics, champion in the Ethics Bowl Team Competition, second place in the Quiz Bee Team Competition, and third place in the Applied Ethics Best Paper Competition.

Behind these achievements is a story of perseverance. Colene experienced a difficult childhood that forced her to pause her formal education for several years. She then enrolled in the Department of Education program dedicated for out-of-school youth, completing the Alternative Learning System during her elementary years and later passing the Philippine Educational Placement Test in place of the traditional junior high school curriculum. She initially failed the examination equivalent to Grade 8, but she persevered, retook the exam, and continued pursuing her dream of returning to the formal school system. Through determination, resilience, the unwavering support of the people who believed in her, and God's guidance, she was able to realize that dream.

Inspired by her own educational journey, Colene advocates for the youth’s right to education and gender equality. Through her work with child-centered organizations, she promotes philosophizing and critical thinking in early childhood education, using philosophy to empower young minds and drive meaningful social change.

She aspires to pursue law school as this continues her lifelong commitment to learning, public service, and advocating for children’s rights.

02/07/2026

Pagbati at Padayon!

𝗭𝘆𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗙. 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗼
Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The salt-laden breeze of the small, coastal city of Navotas drapes over Zyrus’ Sablay—its hallowed threads stand as witness not only to academic excellence but also to weathering life's fiercest tempests.

The son of a taxi driver and a cashier, Zyrus grew up believing that while dreaming is free, turning those dreams into reality is neither without cost nor handed over on a silver platter.

This was proven true when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during his freshman year at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, derailing his education by forcing him to take a three-semester-long leave of absence (LOA) and forgoing his scholarship from the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute.

“My family advised against my working, as it may exacerbate my still-recovering mental health state. In lieu of pursuing side hustles, I concentrated my efforts in doing well in my studies, gaining further skills through internships, and catching up on the dropped units incurred during my LOA by taking midyear classes,” Zyrus said.

His internship at UP Diliman PsycServ opened his eyes to the on-the-ground realities of mental health in the community, cementing his conviction that mental health cannot simply be divorced from structural and systemic inequalities.

He credits the support and efforts of his mother and breadwinner older sister—herself a UP graduate—as well as a scholarship from non-profit organization Project Inclusion Network for getting him through this difficult time.

The family’s efforts paid off as he finished his degree. His journey continues as he aims for financial independence by working, while working to become a medical doctor.

02/07/2026

Pagbati at Padayon!

𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗚. 𝗢𝗰𝗼
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

Gabrielle has a keen interest in the social determinants of health, having focused her undergraduate research on healthcare and its delivery. She also pursues socio-civic work and volunteering engagements, seeking to address healthcare delivery gaps on the ground—advocating for equitable, quality healthcare and the protection of healthcare workers while supporting a holistic, humanistic view of the medical system.

Gabrielle hopes to champion health equity and deliver compassionate, context-aware care across diverse populations.

Gabrielle’s understanding of the world is deeply influenced by cultural relativism—viewing cultures through the lens of their own unique logic and context.

This analytical lens deeply influenced her perspective on the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao. Rather than viewing it as a purely natural disaster, she recognized how structural violence shaped the experience across communities. She observed how Mindanao’s position as a socio-political and geographic periphery stifled mainstream media coverage and delayed the delivery of critical assistance, noting the reliance on boats to transport relief goods due to a severe lack of access roads in some areas. Similarly, the crisis underscored the necessity of delivering culturally-sensitive assistance that honors the diverse practices of Mindanao’s tri-people population (Muslims, Christians, and Lumads). These on-the-ground experiences solidified her belief in the need for an anthropological perspective in addressing structural inequities.

In her downtime, Gabrielle enjoys cruising on her longboard and visiting cafes and community spaces around Teacher’s Village. She keeps a dedicated personal collection of tree and foliage photography in a phone gallery along with with snapshots of her beloved family dogs. She also enjoys taking long walks, aiming to hit 10,000 steps a day while listening to playlists that she curates.

05/06/2026

We’re Hiring!
Open Position: PROJECT STAFF

Education Experience
Completion of 2 years of studies in college
with knowledge in MS Office -- Word, Excel and Power point

Training No training required

Eligibility Career Service (Sub-Professional)/First Level Eligibility

Additional Details Competency:
Core (Basic) Exemplifying Integrity and Professionalism; Delivering
Service Excellence; Demonstrating Personal Effectiveness; Teamwork and Collaboration

Duties and Responsibilities
Conduct archival work by examining all records in the storage area
Scan all existing records in paper form into digital format
Create a database containing all the information in the scanned documents
Ensure that the existing records will be categorized properly after the digitization of records
Perform other tasks assigned by the College Secretary

Send your PDS , Certificate of Eligibility and TOR to: [email protected]

Deadline of Submission: June 15, 2026, Monday

04/06/2026

02/06/2026

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Prof. Zosimo E. Lee, PhD of the Department of Philosophy. He was 73 years old.

He was the Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy from 2004 to 2010, serving two (2) consecutive terms. A champion of interdisciplinary research and a proponent of John Rawl’s justice as fairness, he was a steadfast supporter of student-led movements and activities.

His towering physique hides a kind and gentle voice that speaks of the value of balance, reason, and introspection. He strolled through the corridors of Palma Hall with an almost solemn pensiveness that earned him the nickname, “Walking Dean”. He will be dearly missed.

His wake will be held at Room 308, St. Peter Chapels, Quezon Avenue from June 6-8, 2026.

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Photo by Mr. Eddie Concepcion