University of the Philippines

Diliman Campus
Tri-College
(College of Social Science and Philosophy, College of Arts and Letters, Asian
Center)
Doctor of Philippine Studies Program

The Filipinos and the Philippine Studies in the Academe… Is there an internal hegemony?
An Answer and a Query to Legasto’s Philippine Studies: Have We Gone Beyond St. Louis?

Jay Neil G. Verano (2016-90535) October 6, 2016

Prof. Maria Theresa T. Payongayong, Ph D

The St. Louis World’s Fair or officially called as the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition
elevated the United States of America as an imperial power of the West. The Philippines, after
being “sold” to US for 20 million dollars in the Treaty of Paris by its previous Spanish colonizers,
participated in the fair. The Philippine contingent dominated by members of various Filipino
indigenous groups, portrayed a “primitive, savage, and exotic” Filipino race in need of the
Western’s “civilizing”, benevolent, and progress-oriented touch of colonialism – the Philippines
viewed in an orientalist/colonialist paradigm.

For more than a decade (after the world fair in Louisiana), with the country’s rich history
filled with struggles and labors for independence and the creation of a distinct nationalistic
Filipino identity, Legasto compiled 35 essays on Philippine history, culture, nation, nationalism,
and identity… and queried – have we gone beyond St. Louis? Undoubtedly, from the time of
Rizal to Salazar, Covar, and Enriquez up to the efforts exerted by our present day scholars, the
interdisciplinary field of Philippine Studies (PS) aimed and tried to

liberate ourselves (the Philippines and the Filipinos) from the legacies of
Spanish and American colonist discourses and the continuing power of
Western hegemony, that have metamorphosed into discourses of
globalization. (according to Legasto)

Books, journals and other forms of publications, conferences, and various imperative efforts

mainly from the academe (led by UP and ADMU) viewed the Philippines and the Filipinos from

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the lens of a critical postcolonial perspective amidst the influence of the Westernized

educational system, pop culture, and globalization as modern forms of Occident supremacy.

Central to these advancements and changes is the question… where … (and) … what … is the

Philippines now? ... (more than) a decade after St. Louis?

Many would agree that the birth of the new millennium impregnated a new breed of

Filipinos, and for many, they call this great portion of the populace as millennials. Here are

some thoughts about Filipino millennials according to experts:

Possessing the numerical superiority, millennials are likely to impose

their will in their own novel ways. They would not march on streets,
brandish placards and streamers, shout slogans, and cause horrendous
traffic jams; they would likely use another avenue, which is social
media. Armed with personal computers, laptops, and other gadgets like
tablets, iPads, and smart phones, they are likely to express their will
using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and
several others. (Philip M. Lustre Jr.)

To simply pigeonhole the definition of a “millennial” as an individual

“aged 18 to 34 in 2015” or someone “born after 1980” does not cut it.
Neither does it do justice to attribute certain traits or characteristics to
an entire generation (also known as Generation Y) – like having the
audacity to answer phone calls during interviews, being narcissistic
(selfie, anyone?) or totally self-centered (me, me, me!). (Far Eastern
University Policy Center)

The emergence of this new generation of young Filipinos (who, I think, are very
different from those who were part of the centerpiece of St. Louis Exposition) poses these
questions… is the critical postcolonial perspective of PS still relevant to the majority of this
group who consider “Marcos as the greatest president?” Is the government through its
educational system (as a whole) responsive to the call of molding the new generation to be
critical and nationalistic? Is the concept of PS known to every Filipino? Is PS ,as a discipline of
study, accessible to all Filipinos? Is PS integrated in the different forms of mass media?

As a millennial, my answers to the queries will be limited to my experiences as a student

who received basic education from public schools (where erroneous textbooks are made

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available to both the teachers and the learners) and finished my degrees (baccalaureate and
master’s) from a provincial state university (experiencing from annual budget cuts) and as a
literature teacher who is a product of Western fictitious masterpieces.

Philippine history classes are usually taught in Filipino in the elementary and secondary
levels while it is in English in a college history class wherein the Zaides are worshipped as great
Filipino historians. Unfortunately, history books contain information overload primarily based
on the historical undertakings of foreign (mostly Western) scholars and researchers during the
American regime and the cold war. The topics are not carefully selected as to their relevance to
the formation of Filipino nationalism and the present socio-political milieu; instead, they are
condensed as to describe the pre-colonial times, Spanish colonization, American regime,
Japanese occupation, and the EDSA Revolution (which is plainly described as an anti-Marcos
demonstration which led to the realization of Philippine “democracy.”) Unfortunately, these
history classes nurtured the Orientalist perspective by emphasizing that Christianity (brought
and imposed by the Spaniards) is the redeeming factor of early Filipinos from their uncivilized,
savage and demonic past, that the educational system of the US saved as from the bondage of
illiteracy and primitivism, and the dictatorship of Marcos was the golden age for the Philippines
because of various infrastructure projects. Furthermore, Philippine literature classes are
focused on the formation and application of human values with less emphasis on nationalism
and Filipino identity. It is as if the sole function of literature is to act as a springboard in
teaching values education. Regional literature promotes regionalism instead of harnessing a
compendium of national literature treasures. And to worsen the scenario is the presence of the
varied forms of mass media promoting pop culture (which is mainly Westernized) and changing
the concept of active, effective, personal, and intimate method of communication.

I believe that my case, shaped by the present public educational system, represents the
majority of the millennials. Honestly, I feel that I am a bit lucky that my entry to UP allowed me
to see Philippine history and literature in a different and more effective lens. I am even luckier
that I decided to enroll in the Philippine Studies program which changed my perception about
my country, my role as a Filipino, and my Filipino identity. Sad to say, not everyone is lucky to
be given the opportunity that I have today. I do appreciate efforts in “Filipinizing” the Filipinos

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especially the younger ones. I also acknowledge the significant role of PS as a discipline for
Filipinos. However, I will not deny the fact that presently PS lives in the academe and is alive
among the people in the academe. Operationally, the word “academe” refers to prestigious
universities with access to and sufficient funding for researches along this field and with strong
local and foreign linkages like UP and ADMU. Undeniably, the Filipino masses receive basic and
higher education molded in the colonialist perspective overpowering the efforts and aims of PS
enthusiasts.

Personally, I can see the dominance of the people in the “academe” over the “others”
(those who are not in the circle, thus, do not have the awareness about and the opportunities
for PS) – the superiority of the language in the academe and the language of the masses. As a
PS neophyte, I will not dare (and I think that I do not have the right  ) to answer Legasto’s
inquiry. Instead, I’ll just forward a thought which I have rooted from my personal experiences
and observations…

The Filipinos and the Philippine Studies in the academe… Is there an

internal hegemony?

References

Lustre, Phillip Jr. M. 2016. The March of Millennials. Rappler News Website: Posted on March
16. http://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/103730-millennials-2016-presidential-
elections (retrieved on September 30, 2016).

Mangaoang, Áine. 2014. Performing the Postcolonial: Philippine Prison Spectacles after Web
2.01. Postcolonial Text, Volume 9, Number 4 Online Journal.
Postcolonial.org/index.php/pct/article/viewFile/1803/1758 (retrieved on September 30,
2016).

Patajo-Legasto, Priscelina. (ed.). 2008. Philippine Studies: Have We Gone Beyond St. Louis?.
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

_____________________. 2015. Understanding Filipino Millennials: FEU spearheads

Pioneering Survey to Understand Aspirations and Life Goals of Gen Y-ers. The Standard
Lifestyle Website: Posted on August 21.
http://www.thestandard.com.ph/lifestyle/185182/understandingfilipinomillennials.htm
l (retrieved on September 30, 2016).