THE PEACE CAFETERIA: BU-CSSP Department of Peace Studies Chair on Courtesy Call with the Mexican Ambassador to Manila

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

BU-CSSP Department of Peace Studies Chair on Courtesy Call with the Mexican Ambassador to Manila

Dr. Herbert Rosana (right) paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Dr. Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna, Mexican Ambassador to the Philippines, at the Ambassador's Office in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines

The Chairperson of the Department of Peace Studies, on January 13, 2009, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Dr. Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna, Ambassador of the United States of Mexico to the Philippines at his office on Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati Metro Manila, Philippines. The Chairperson came to know about the ambassador through one of his co-participant in a seminar on Peace and Conflict Research in Uppsala, Sweden who happened to be a former collegue of the ambassador in COLSAN. H.E. Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna prior to his appointment as Ambassador was founder and former president of El Colegio de San Luis (COLSAN) in San Luis Potosi (SLP). COLSAN is a state instituion in SLP. Being an academic and a scholar in the international relations field, the ambassador found interest in discussing with the chairperson matters related to peace, human rights and governance. The Ambassador's academic interest centered on State Formation Theories. Their conversation centered on topics of mutual interests between Mexico and the Philippines. Parellisms were also mentioned, especially those that pertains to Minority and indigenous peoples. Moreover the Ambassador expressed the need and interests to find ways to connect with the academe and seek opportunities by which Filipino academics could share knowledge and information with Mexican Academics. Mexico and the Philippines share not only common historical roots, but also similar experiences on state formation and state building being former colonies of Spain. Until 1815, the Philippines was administered by the Spanish Administration in New Spain (the name of Mexico during colonial times). There are many things that Filipino scholars and researchers could learn from the experience of Mexico and vice versa. For his part the Department Chairperson extended the invitation for His Excellency to visit Bicol Univesity and be a guest speaker for its grand academic conference in September this year when Bicol University will celebrate its 40th founding anniversary. The Ambassador readily expressed his desire to visit Bicol University and also to see Legazpi City, where the main campus of Bicol University is located.

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What is a Bicolano?

The Bicolano is the term use to describe the Philippine's 5th largest ethno-linguistic group. They speak a language known as Bikol, a Malayo-Polynesian language. They inhabit the Southeastern portion of Luzon spread over five civil provinces namely; Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, and Masbate. There are five chartered cities – Naga, Iriga, Legazpi, Ligao, Sorsogon City , Tabaco and Masbate City. The Southeastern Portion of Luzon is also called Bicol Region or simply Bicolandia. The Bicolanos are not so different from other ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines. What distinguishes the Bicolanos are the following: their love for spicy foods, their ardent devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia [Bicolanos are devout Roman Catholics], and their affinity with Mt. Mayon Volcano, a natural landmark. These three are iconic of the Bicolano people. Bicol, was in ancient times called Tierra de Ibalon a land of rolling hills, valleys, and coasts. The region has no pronounced division of climate. Rain is plentiful and spread over year-round. The valleys are fertile and the climate friendly, but vulnerable to typhoons and tropical storms. Bicolanos are known for their friendliness, religiosity and hard work.

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