Stories and Essence: Histo Dept runs Webinar for History Month, Hands over Effort in Championing Narratives

by John Vincent Balustre


Swinging major initiatives in motion for National History Month, The Department of History, together with the Historical Society and Center for Advanced Education and Lifelong Learning of Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), held the “Salaysay ng Bayan, Saysay ng Bansa” webinar, on August 20, Tuesday.


Setting the tone of the program, Department of History Chairperson Dr. Jamelyn B. Palattao, in her opening address, urged the audience to reflect on the varying degrees of importance people's stories hold in history.


“By keeping and passing down these stories, we are able to protect our legacy,” she said.


Similarly, National Historical Commission of the Philippines Commissioner Prof. Cecilia B. Tingian challenged scholars, in her inspirational message, to “interpret narratives” beyond the superficial value of dates and names.


The discussion was then led by the program’s distinguished guest speaker, Dr. Vicente C. Villan, a 2023 recipient of Kaisa Ini sa Sining, Lunsay nga Artistang Pilipino( KSSLAP) for cultural research and Former President of Asosasyon ng mga Dalubhasa, May-Hilig at Interes sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas (ADHIKA).


Dr. Villan explored the concept of ‘Pusakang Bayan’ or ‘Pamana’ as a crucial part of our society, empowering our national identity. Through this lens, he heavily emphasized an organic, inclusive, and culture-based historicization.


Doing away from the conventional method of studying history, the discussion highlighted the importance of contingency and human agency in propelling history as an instrument of change rather than merely a chronicle of factuality and structured evidence— underscoring the essence of historical narratives by going after its significance and subsequently of historical justice.


Drawing the program to a close, the open forum segment opened up doors to a wealth of discussions on historical knowledge anchored on Dr. Villan’s framework of ‘Pamana’ that put a premium on meta-narrative such as its relevance in the advent of technology, implications of nonobservance, and challenges in pushing forward historical justice.