NOTABLE historians from all over the country gather today, Oct. 26, at the Teatro Ilocandia to speak before some 200 participants in the 26th National Conference on Local and National History with the theme, “Focus on Northern Luzon: Local History in the Context of National History.” No less than Ilocos Norte Governor Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will keynote the three-day conference.

Hosted by the Mariano Marcos State University, the activity is attended by history specialists and enthusiasts from the education department and from higher education institutions in the Philippines.

Twenty papers have been set to be delivered by prominent historians from the University of the Philippines System, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Philippine National Historical Institute, Ateneo de Manila University, St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary-Quezon City, Mindanao State University, Siliman University, Department of Foreign Affairs, and St. John Fisher College-USA. MMSU’s very own, Dr. Marylou F. Aurelio and Diocese of Laoag’s Rev. Fr. Ramon Danilo R. Laeda will, likewise, present their respective papers.

The following is the complete list of conference topics and their respective authors/presenters: Revaluating the Orthodox ‘National History,’ Re-invigorate the Country’s Regional Histories – Arnold M. Azurin, Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP Diliman); “Juan Luna: The Dark Side of Genius” – Ambeth R. Ocampo, National Historical Institute (National Commission for Culture and the Arts); “History as Fiction, Fiction as History: Isabelo de los Reyes and the Historical Novel” – Delfin L. Tolentino Jr., UP Baguio; “The Methodology of Research in Local/Provincial History: Local History in the Context of National History” – Digna B. Apilado, UP Diliman; “The Methodology of Oral History” – Dr. Eden M. Gripaldo, UP Diliman; “Parish Archives: Setting Straight in Writing History” – Rev.Fr. Ramon Danilo R. Laeda, Diocese of Laoag; “Traditional Chants in the Life Cycle of the Ilocanos” – Dr. Mary Lou F. Aurelio, MMSU; “Space and Ethnicity: Ilocos-Cordillera Relations in History” – Dr. Maria Nela B. Florendo, UP Baguio; “The ‘Panday’ in Philippine Living Tradition” – Dr. Honey Libertine Achanzar-Labor, UP Manila; “Religion, Science, and Bayan in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente” – Dr. Francis A. Gealogo, Ateneo De Manila University; “Representation sa Katawan at Katauhan ng Tinguian sa Potograpia at Litograpiya noong Dantaon-19” – Dr. Raymundo D. Rovillos, UP Baguio; “Return to the Forest; The Theme of Land and Location in the Literature of the Dulangan Manobo (Balik Lasang, Balik Gubat: Lupain at Lokasyon sa Panitikan ng mga Dulangan Manobo)” – Dr. Rosario Cruz Lucero, UP Diliman; “The Iglesia Filipina Independiente Archives, A Virtually Unknown ‘Treasure’: The Mosher Library of St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary” – Rev. Fr. Apolonio M. Ranche, St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary, Quezon City;

“From Mission to Mainstream: Franciscan Missionary Efforts in Nueva Caceres, Kabikolan, 1578-1768” – Dr. Stephen Henry S. Totanes, Ateneo De Manila University; “The Biliran Religious Revolt (1765-1774)” – Dr. Rolando O. Borrinaga, School of Health Sciences, Palo, Leyte, UP Manila; “The Cattle Caravans of Ancient Cabaloan (Interior Plains of Pangasinan): Connecting History, Culture and Commerce by Cartwheel” – Dr. Maria Crisanta Nelmida-Flores, UP Diliman; “The Tansug Parang Sabil Kissa as Literary, Cultural, and Historical Materials” – Dr. Calbi A. Asain, Mindanao State University Sulu-Jolo, Sulu Province; “The American Colonization in Negros as Revealed in The Silliman Truth” – Dr. Earl Jude Paul L. Cleope, Siliman University-Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; “From Out of Nowhere: American Submarines and the Allied Campaign in the Philippines during World War II” – Winston Dean Almeda, Department of Foreign Affairs; “’Projecting America’: The Office of War Information Guidelines for the Pacific Theater” – Dr. Sharon Delmendo, St. John Fisher College-New York, USA.
Conference opening at 9 a.m. will be highlighted by the keynote address of Ilocos Norte Governor Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. who will be introduced by MMSU President Miriam E. Pascua. MMSU’ s vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Nancy G. Balantac, and National Historical Institute’s chairman, Ambeth R. Ocampo, will formally welcome participants to the affair.

At 8 this evening, the Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel and Casino will host a conference dinner where Secretary Ace Durano of the Department of Tourism will address the participants. They will also be treated to a cultural show by MMSU’s Nasudi Cultural Troupe and Northwestern University’s Saguday Cultural Troupe.

Another conference dinner at 8 will be hosted by Governor and Mrs. Marcos at the Gameng Museum in Laoag City, Oct. 27. Two books will also be launched during the evening:“Journal of History Towards a National History of the Philippines: Local History in the Context of National History” – edited by Gil G. Gotiangco Jr II of UP Diliman; and Manila – Selected papers of the Annual Conferences of the manila Studies Association (1992-200) – edited by Dr. Violeta S. Ignacio of UP Pampanga. The Ilocos Norte National High School Cultural Troupe will perform later in the evening.
Participants will be toured to major historical sites in the province on day three of the conference.

This national event is sponsored by the Philippine National Historical Society, Inc., MMSU, National Commission for Culture and the Arts-Committee on Historical Research, and Ilocos Norte’s Gameng Foundation, Inc.