Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

25 Mar 2026

Philippine island communities face unique healthcare challenges shaped by geographical isolation and disparities in technological access and literacy

In regions separated by water and challenging terrain, the healthcare journey involves not only crossing physical distances but also navigating...

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24 Mar 2026

The Spanish and Tausug versions of the landmark Sulu–Spanish Treaty of 1836 reflect different intentions

In the second half of the 1830s, several indigenous overlords in the Sulu–Mindanao–Borneo region began signing treaties, marking a new...

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20 Mar 2026

Scientists create the first draft genome of the endangered Visayan spotted deer, a species found only in the Philippines

The genus Rusa, native to South and Southeast Asia, lives in diverse habitats ranging from dense forests to grasslands. Among its...

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19 Mar 2026

A comprehensive study on the health and nutrition of older Filipino adults highlights the need for tailored interventions

Several local studies have been conducted among community-dwelling older Filipinos; however, data gaps in nutrition research exist. In particular, there...

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18 Mar 2026

Libraries not only promote discourse but are also subjects of discourse themselves

In the past, libraries primarily served as channels for disseminating discourse through books, magazines, newspapers, and other important documents. Today,...

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17 Mar 2026

A two-stage symptom detection model was developed to more accurately identify depression signs in social media posts

Depression is a health condition characterized by changes in mood, cognition, and behavior. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),...

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16 Mar 2026

E-cigarettes may have less impact on the development of tooth decay and periodontal disease than traditional cigarettes

Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for numerous health problems, including respiratory infections and cancers. It is also associated...

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13 Mar 2026

“Halata” can now be used to refer to gay men who act straight, showing how the definition of kabaklaan in the Philippines is ever-changing

In the Philippines, representation of gays has long been dichotomous. There is the bakla, depicted as flamboyant, effeminate and low...

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10 Mar 2026

Study develops a baseline econometric model to estimate potential hydrogen demand in Tarlac and explore hydrogen as an alternative energy source

This study aims to establish a baseline econometric model to inform the possible development of green hydrogen production in Tarlac....

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09 Mar 2026

There is significant spatial clustering of traffic accident locations in Quezon City

The surge in urban vehicular traffic volume over the past decade has resulted in a rise in the occurrence of...

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06 Mar 2026

Taken together, the oral narratives of families left behind by Duterte’s drug war reveal a shared understanding of political struggle and resistance

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is infamous for his war on drugs campaign, commonly known as Oplan Tokhang, which killed...

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05 Mar 2026

Motherwork includes often difficult conversations as mothers try to regulate their adolescents’ social media use

This study rests on the premise that motherhood is composed of unaccounted invisible work. Moreover, motherhood is not a natural...

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Research

Street protests led by Igorot left-wing activists feature sharp rhythms of gangsa (flat gongs), political speeches over loudspeakers, and chants that go back and forth with the crowd, mixed with traditional celebratory dances. For many, these protests express important Igorot values such as collectivism, sovereignty, and territorial defense—continuing a long history of resisting corporate intrusion since the 1970s. However, not all Igorots agree with this approach. In 2017, some performances by leftist Igorots sparked debates within the community concerning linking Igorot identity with political activism. This was especially difficult for one elder who had, since his youth, seen Igorots defend their ancestral lands from corporate intrusion using traditional practices. Struggling with this tension, he chose to step away from the “noise” of protests, staging a solo act that reaffirmed his identity as an Igorot activist, but also sought acceptance from the wider Igorot community.

Using perspectives from sound studies, affect theory, and Indigenous studies, this paper examines how indigenous traditional practices develop through tensions and disagreements over representation and creative innovation among members of indigenous communities, drawing on the history and practices of left-wing activism in the Cordillera Region of the northern Philippines. In particular, it examines how an elderly member of an indigenous Igorot community, who is also an activist and a member of a political organization, responded to members of his community who criticized his use of traditional practices, costuming, music, and dance in street protests. His response, which involves a solo performance that symbolically reaffirms his political convictions, demonstrates how indigenous practice can evolve through an individual’s agency.

My research seeks to intervene in static and essentialist representations of Indigenous people and to complicate the ideologies and practices of political movements, while showing the strong ties between Indigenous knowledge and the struggle for land. In addition, it offers music as evidence for how Indigenous persons express their complex and evolving identities, thereby attesting to the importance of attending to musical expression and what it says about the dynamism of indigeneity.

Author: Lisa Decenteceo (Department of Musicology, College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/MJM/issue/view/587