PAG-TAHI: CASS Exhibit Weaves Research Narratives Among Disciplines

by Ma. Brejette Jan Cometa

In line with the opening of Research Week 2025, the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) launched its exhibit titled “Pag-Tahi”—a curated space that champions the collective research identity of the college. More than just a showcase of scholarly output, the exhibit weaves together a narrative of collaboration, identity, and collective scholarship.

The title PAG-TAHI—literally, “to stitch”—emerged from a simple yet profound question posed by the exhibit's organizing team: “Unsaon nato pag-tahi sa lain-lain nga panukiduki?” (How do we stitch together these different research outputs?). From this question arose not only the name, but the guiding theme of the exhibit itself.

Representing varied fields of History, Political Science, Philosophy, Filipino, Sociology, Psychology, Language Studies, Literary and Cultural Studies, and Panitikan, each strand of research becomes a thread—interdisciplinary and interconnected, not existing in isolation but in dialogue with one another. “In CASS, we don’t do research in silos,” Assistant Professor John Leandro Reyes, the exhibit’s focal person shared. “We do it together, for the people, with the people, and by the community.”

This ethos is rooted in the college’s mantra: “Kakambal ng husay at talino ang puso at konsensya.” The exhibit reflects that guiding principle, not just in its academic rigor, but in its deep humanity.

One of the most symbolic parts of the exhibit is the inclusion of a Meranaw Baur, a traditional chest that in Maranao culture serves as a vessel for storing family treasures. “If there's one highlight of the exhibit, it's this,” the focal person shared. “In CASS, our treasures are our research outputs, our narratives, and our works.” Just as the Baur protects what is most valued, the exhibit highlights how research in the humanities and social sciences safeguards culture, meaning, and social truth.

The process of mounting PAG-TAHI was not without its challenges. Among the most difficult was the task of ensuring that the exhibit was truly representative of the college as a whole—a feat achieved through a unifying theme and the collaborative efforts of the people behind it. “Turning a concept into a tangible space is never easy,” they shared, “but through shared vision and dedication, we were able to put up an exhibit that captures what CASS stands for.”

More than anything, the team hopes that audiences will leave the space with one key insight: that research is never a solitary pursuit. “We don’t exist in one bubble,” Reyes noted. “We can take inspiration from other fields. We don’t just do research to advance knowledge—we do it to humanize, to ground it, to ensure that advancement is for the people.”

Through PAG-TAHI, CASS presents an exhibit that speaks to the value of interdisciplinary work within the humanities and social sciences. Rather than standing apart from innovation, these fields are deeply embedded in it through offering perspectives that help ground research in the lived realities of communities. By encouraging reflection on what it means to conduct research with heart and conscience, the exhibit highlights how progress becomes more meaningful when it remains centered on people.

As the CASS exhibit, “Pag-Tahi,” continues to welcome visitors throughout Research Week, the college invites everyone to engage not just with the displays, but with the ideas and values they represent. To help improve future initiatives and gather insights, guests are encouraged to share their thoughts by answering the public perception form linked below for CASS Booth No. E13.