International Exchange: Sharing Mindanao and Sulu Stories at UiTM, Malaysia
Guided by a shared commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices and preserving cultural knowledge, Assoc. Prof. Sajed S. Ingilan, Chief Editor of SPJRD and the Head of the AB English Language Program, along with SPJRD Managing Editor Francis N. Reginio, a Social Science faculty member of the same program, and Mr. Sebastian Rhode C. Maghinay, an AB English Language student, participated in a collaborative teaching session titled “Indigenous People of Mindanao — Philosophy, Culture, and Literature” at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Perdana Campus, Malaysia, on December 15, 2025.
Assoc. Prof. Sajed S. Ingilan delivered a lecture titled “Suwara Sin Bangsa: Championing the Language and Culture of Sulu and Mindanao through the Southeastern Philippines Journal of Research and Development.” The lecture foregrounded selected journal articles that document and honor the languages and cultural practices of Indigenous and Bangsamoro communities in Sulu and Mindanao, including the Tausug, Sama-Bajau, Kagan, Blaan, Tboli, Sama, Bagobo-Tagabawa, Obo Manobo, and Kinamiging Manobo. Through these works, he emphasized how the Southeastern Philippines Journal of Research and Development (SPJRD) functions as a cultural archive, preserving and amplifying the knowledge, traditions, and lived experiences of Indigenous communities that are often overlooked in mainstream scholarship. He further discussed the strategies and initiatives that allow these narratives to reach broader audiences, fostering cultural pride, intercultural understanding, and sustained efforts to protect the linguistic and cultural heritage of Sulu and Mindanao.
Mr. Francis N. Reginio presented “Panumtuman: Anthology of 21st Century Bangsamoro Literature,” a publication produced under a CHED-funded research initiative that aims to develop supplemental references integrating Bangsamoro history and culture. Panumtuman brings together contemporary literary works that articulate Bangsamoro identity, memory, resistance, and cultural continuity, serving both as an academic resource and a repository of living narratives. He also discussed the research publication “Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management among Selected IP Groups in the Davao Region,” which documents how Indigenous communities read environmental signs, prepare for natural hazards, and respond to disasters through knowledge passed down across generations. This work underscored the relevance of Indigenous ecological wisdom in shaping sustainable and culturally responsive disaster management frameworks, demonstrating how community-based knowledge can meaningfully inform policy, education, and community-based resilience efforts.
Moreover, Mr. Sebastian Rhode C. Maghinay presented the documentary “Ummah,” produced by their class for the course EGE 313: Philippine Indigenous Communities. The documentary explores the dreams, aspirations, and everyday experiences of children in a Tausug community in Tacub, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. It presents the current situation of the masjid (mosque) as a central space of worship and community life, alongside the madrasah as a place of Islamic learning. The documentary reveals how faith, education, and cultural identity are deeply intertwined in the children’s daily lives, highlighting Islamic education as a vital foundation for the formation of values and the continuity of Tausug cultural and religious traditions.
The collaborative teaching session at UiTM, Puncak Perdana Campus, demonstrated how scholarship rooted in culture, community, and lived experience can transcend national borders. Beyond strengthening academic ties, this engagement reaffirmed the importance of honoring Indigenous and Bangsamoro voices, preserving cultural memory, and advancing more inclusive, culturally grounded, and decolonized forms of knowledge production.
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Article by: Ashlee Jane S. Inso
