VOLUME 1
ISSUE NUMBER 1
November 2021
From the Editor
Nativity in the Time of Covid-19 Pandemic
Melanie P. Tolentino
Editor-in-Chief
The Department of Social Sciences under the new College of Arts and Social Sciences in Central Luzon State University has a story to share – the birth of the Journal of Asian Societies. Religion, humor, apology, population ageing, and environmental stewardship are the themes tackled in this maiden issue.
Research Article
Animismong Pilipino: Revisiting the Ancient Philippine Animistic Religion
Palmo R. Iya
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
priya@dlsud.edu.ph
Abstract:
Animism, the belief that everything in nature has a soul or spirit of its own, is the primordial religion of the people in the Southeast Asian region prior to the coming of the dominant world religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Southeast Asian societies have a popular conception of cosmology which divided the world into three regions: an sky-world, an earth-world, and an under-world; all were inhabited by large numbers of ancestral and natural spirits. This paper discusses the ancient Philippine animistic religion and examines why such a system of beliefs survived despite the tremendous campaign of the Spanish colonizers to eradicate its influence among the Filipino natives. In examining this ancient religion, the study utilizes select primary sources written by the Spanish chroniclers themselves. Finally, this paper aims to offer an alternative interpretation of the Philippine animistic religion – not as a pagan religion or simply animism but as a “cosmic religion” to describe the basic stance the early people in the Philippines during the pre-Hispanic era had adopted toward the mysteries of life.
Keywords: animism, anito, Bathala, baylan, cosmic religion
Research Article
Sociolinguistic Inquiry on the Humor Production of Tagalog Tertiary Students
Joel M. Torres
Department of Secondary Education
College of Education, Central Luzon State University
joel_torres@clsu.edu.ph
Jose Cristina M. Pariña
Department of English and Applied Linguistics
Bro. Andrew Gonzalez College of Education, De La Salle University
Abstract:
The present quantitative-qualitative study utilized the dynamic sociological approach to analyze and describe how humor is gendered among 240 (equal distribution of male, female, gay and lesbian) middle-class Tagalog university students, ages 18 to 25. The 240 participants answered the Humor Production Sheet. Thirty-two participants (equal gender distribution), from the original 240 participants, also worked on a 21-day humor journal. The participants’ humor scripts were described, compared, and contrasted among genders to illustrate how humor as a discourse mode enables individuals to celebrate their values, perspectives and multi-faceted experiences inclusive of their societal, cultural, and personal roles. The researchers also developed a framework for analyzing humor types. Results show that, of the 449 humor scripts produced, positive humor was the most prevalent. Aggressive, self-defeating, sexual and sexist humor followed. Participants did not produce ethnic or national humor type. Implications to gender and development as well as curriculum development were raised.
Keywords: culture, language, gender, humor production
Research Article
The Gendered Apology in the Letters of Sophomores
Emily T. Astrero
Central Luzon State University
astrero_emily@clsu.edu.ph
Eden R. Flores
De La Salle University-Manila
Abstract:
This paper examined the structures of apology employed in the apology letters written by sophomore pre-service teachers specializing in English in a state-university in Central Luzon. Guided by the five apology strategies proposed by Olshtain and Cohen (1983) such as direct apology (using illocutionary force indicating devices or IFIDs), providing an explanation, acknowledgement of responsibility, offer of repair, and promise of forbearance, 88 letters of apologies were analyzed quantitatively. Findings reveal that apology letters employed the five-step apology strategies in the following order: direct apology (IFIDs) being the most preferred strategy followed by providing an explanation, acknowledgement of responsibility, and offering of repair. The promise of forbearance was the least preferred strategy, with apologies described as Direct apologies. Female participants were more apologetic to parents, males to their friends, gays to past relationships, and bisexuals to their boyfriends.
Keywords: gender, apology, illocutionary force indicating device, apology strategies
Research Brief
The Challenges of Population Ageing in the Philippines and Brazil
Melanie P. Tolentino
Central Luzon State University
meltolentino@clsu.edu.ph
Marcelo Savassi Kakihara
Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability
Kyoto University
Abstract:
Ageing is an inevitable phenomenon in human lives that emerge from the accumulation of a variety of molecular and cellular damage over time. Ageing may lead to a gradual decrease in physical and mental capacity, as well as a growing risk of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer (WHO, 2021c). However, these changes are neither linear nor uniform among different individuals (WHO, 2021c). The ageing process may be experienced in different ways because it is not only a biological but also a social phenomenon. That is, physical and social characteristics have a significant influence on people’s health from childhood to the late stages of life. A few examples of overlapping social factors that may impact health are poor health care policies and barriers to its implementation, poor knowledge about ageing and the consequent negative stereotypes, migration and disruption of filial piety, and financial constraints derived from mandatory retirement. The promotion of healthy ageing is necessary and it requires a holistic framework of actions involving the government and civil society. If this goal is achieved, older adults can stay healthy and strong, live independently, and contribute to society.
In this paper, we identify important challenges to promote the population’s healthy ageing in the Philippines and Brazil. We briefly review the related studies and compare the most relevant challenges in both countries.
Research Brief
Thinking Differently: Letting things be Towards Caring for the Fourfold and Shepherd of Being
Resty Ruel V. Borjal
Department of Social Sciences,
College of Arts and Social Sciences, Central Luzon State University
restyvborjal@clsu.edu.ph
Abstract:
One of the central themes in the writings of Martin Heidegger is his investigation of the problem brought about by technological thinking (calculative thinking); this leads to a tragedy when it becomes the only form of thinking. He asserts that the modern age is the age of modern technology (the atomic age). However, underneath this technological advancement, there conceals a certain kind of danger—more than mere dangerous as Heidegger himself says, it is “danger as such.” He viewed the essence of technology as enframing (Gestell), this implies that everything in nature is treated as 'standing reserve (Bestand). First, I demonstrate Heidegger as an environmental thinker by investigating his views on technology by going through his key concepts of Gestell and Gelassenheit (meditative thinking, letting things be) towards a new kind of environmental concern amid technological culture. Second, I demonstrate that tragedy arises because enframing as the dominant mode of revealing grants representational calculative thinking. This kind of thinking as the only truth results in one-dimensional rationality that displaces all other modes of revealing, thus, to think differently is necessary. Finally, I affirm the necessity of holding a steadfast relationship between the ‘fourfold’ and the significance of retrieving our role as ‘shepherds of Being’ to restrain humanity’s relentless drive for objectification and manipulation.
Keywords: Martin Heidegger, Gestell, Gelassenheit, letting things be, fourfold, shepherd of Being