Around 100 faculty members and students from UP Tacloban and other state universities and colleges in Eastern Visayas attended the Japanese Studies in the Philippines Research Writing Workshop held at UP Tacloban’s AS Conference Hall on 4 December 2024. The workshop was organized by the UP Asian Center in partnership with Japan Foundation Manila and UP Tacloban College.
Workshop convenor Dr. Jocelyn O. Celero, who is also co-chair of the UP Asian Center’s Committee on Research, discussed themes and trends in Japanese studies in the Philippines. Dr. Marianne F. Ubalde of the UP Asian Center talked about her research mapping Ainu participation in museums, and UP Tacloban Economics instructor Mr. Axl Fitzgerald L. Bulawan talked about his experiences as a workshop participant and winner of the undergraduate category in the 6th Japanese Studies Research Development Competition held in March 2024.
The research writing workshop is part of a series that includes a research development competition held annually by UP Asian Center and Japan Foundation Manila to promote Japanese studies in the Philippines. UP Tacloban Dean Patricia B. Arinto, in her welcome remarks, noted that the interdisciplinary study of countries and regions is critical to understanding Philippine history as well as current sociopolitical and economic trajectories affecting the Philippines and the rest of the world.