UBC Philippine Studies Series

Introducing the Mahal (2) Art Exhibit

In his essay Ang Pag-Ibig, Filipino revolutionary, Emilio Jacinto, writes that love is the promise of liberation and joy for a people in suffering.

The Tagalog word ‘mahal’ translates into ‘love.’ It refers to that which is dear, but also means expensive. Perhaps Jacinto’s promise of fulfillment is also a costly one.

Photography by Edsel Yu Chua and Deyan Denchev

Photos from the Mahal (2) Art Exhibit and 2012 Professionals Conference

Photos from Usapan 2: Monitoring Canadian Mining in the Philippines through Social Media

A video of the presentation is soon to follow.

Video from Mobit at the Third People’s Mining Conference

You can follow Mobit Mindanao on:
Facebook: Mobit Mindanao
Twitter: mobit_cc
Youtube: MobitTV
Blog: Mobit Mindanao

Mobit Mindanao is looking for volunteers who can translate their blog posts from Bisaya to English. Please send an email to mobitmobit@gmail.com for details.

The UBC Philippine Studies Series
and the Liu Institute for Global Issues
present the fieldwork report

“Monitoring Canadian Mining in the Philippines through Social Media”

with Honey Mae Caffin, co-founder of the Mobit Project, and member of Canada-Philippine Solidarity for Human Rights

March 19, 2012, 11:00-12:30

Room 121, UBC Liu Institute for Global Issues

with an introduction on Canadian resource extraction and debates on the monitoring of Canadian mining operations by Dr. Philippe Le Billon, UBC Department of Geography

About the presentation: Foreign-controlled mining operations are aggressively claiming land in the Philippines, including ancestral indigenous territories in Southern Mindanao. This results in “bakwit”, or displacement, contributing to the loss of livelihood and cultural heritage, and the spread of poverty. There is also conflict developing between small-scale local miners and foreign-owned operations. In one area, a Philippine mining company has been acquired (80% ownership) by a Canadian mining corporation. The endeavour of the local people to organize a resistance movement has had little progress in the two years since the murder of one of the main organizers, which remains unresolved until today. This operation is controversial also due to the supposed mining ban (with 1,600 applications awaiting approval from the government).

Honey Mae Caffin will talk about her research visit to Mindanao, Philippines, in February 2012, to conduct a series of workshops on the potential of social media and mobile technologies in the monitoring of Canadian mining operations in the Southern Philippines. The goal of the first phase of the project is to inform the communities affected by mining operations of the potential of mobile technologies for reaching out to the public with their stories, and for monitoring the effects of mining in the region. This project is done in cooperation with the Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao, an alliance of organizations and individuals with a commitment to defend the region against environmental destruction caused by the government-sanctioned corporate exploitation of natural (mineral) resources.

About the Speaker: Honey Mae Caffin is co-founder of Mobit, a community-based mobile monitoring project designed to provide social media literacy and infrastructure to rural communities via mobile devices and internet connectivity. She is the founder of Design School for Girls, and also the principal consultant at Intertextual Design Communications. Her research and creative products are inspired by topics such as the feminized migration of labour, decolonizing methodology, aboriginal rights redress, object-oriented ecology, networked-learning, FLOSS/DIY culture, and social media strategies for cross-cultural communication, among others. She also works as the in-house graphic designer of UBC Press.

To RSVP or for more information, please email ubc.pss@gmail.com or visit the UBC PSS Facebook page. This presentation will be followed by a Reading Session.

UPDATE: See this post for photos and video from the event.

Update: See photos from the event.

Website and for more info:

http://counterspin2.tumblr.com/

The UBC Philippine Studies Series in collaboration with the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians presents “Counterspin: Taking Root and Building a Home”  on JUN 18 (Sat, 9-5pm) and JUN 19 (Sun 9-1pm) a two day academic conference about settlement and migration sponsored by the Liu Institute for Global Issues.

As a continuation of the first Counterspin titled “Towards a just and genuine settlement and integration: Link arms and unite for freedom,” held in the City of Montreal on April 30^th until May 1^st of 2010, women, workers, and youth, from the Filipino Canadian community, will once again gather to deepen and strengthen their resolve to realize their community’s entitlements of fully participating in the broader Canadian society as makers of history and as a people for social transformation.

Organized by the nationally formed organizations housed under the Kalayaan (Freedom) Centre in Vancouver, The Magkaisa (Unity) Centre in Toronto, and the Kapit Bisig (Link Arms) Centre in Montreal, the two-day conference will usher in a new phase in the rich history of educating, mobilizing, and organizing work in the Filipino Canadian community.

Featured Speakers are:

Ninotchka Rosca: feminist, novelist, recipient of the American Book Award (1993)

Dr. Geraldine Pratt: Professor of Geography, Associate Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, UBC

Arlene Oropel: Board Member of SIKLAB (Filipino Migrant Workers Organization)

Cecilia Diocson: Executive Director of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada

Neil Castro: Chairperson of the National Alliance of Filipino Youth in Canada

A Solidarity Night with dinner and cultural performances will be held on Saturday (Jun 18) 7pm @ Simply Delicious Galleria and Sushi Lounge (4316 Main Street, Vancouver)

RSVP @ Counterspin Conference: Taking Root and Building a Home

The Philippine Studies Series organizers would like to thank all the attendees of the 1st Meet and Greet last March 4! We will be sending the minutes of the meeting soon.

Following the concerns raised during the meeting about the absence of a Philippine Studies course/programme at UBC, we would like to invite you and your friends to attend the International Curriculum Consultation organized by the UBC International Students Association happening tomorrow, March 7, from 5-7pm. This is a great opportunity to express our concerns to the UBC international community, senate and faculty. We hope to see you there!

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