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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

Writing the Local History of Santa Maria Through Local Cultural Mapping
and Community Engagement
Narlie S. Gavia
School Year 2021-2022
Sta. Maria Integrated High School
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

ABSTRACT

Municipal Historical Committee of Santa Maria Laguna as per Sangguniang

Bayan regarding Panukalang Resolusyon Bilang 037, Taong 2016 entitled:

“Resolusyon ng Pagkilala sa Opisyal na Tala ng Kasaysayan ng Bayan ng Santa

Maria, has now an eye for the local history as part of the knitted stories of our

motherland. Local History provides us a sense of place and enriches our

understanding on the place that we live in.

Teachers play an important role in this endeavor with the support of the

Sangguniang Bayan of Santa Maria Laguna. This will make them active participants

in data gathering for Tala ng Kasaysayan ng Santa Maria using oral history as an

approach in profiling our town’s pride and promoting genuine identity as a people in

the locality.

This paper will specifically focus on the Erecciones de Pueblos- studying the

formation of our town Santa Maria, Laguna. Oral historical sources gathered from

“everyday life” of the people of Santa Maria in the context of social, political, cultural

and economic aspect using the collective consciousness and eyewitness accounts

which represent the oral history as a methodology and the nature of the sources.
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

RESEARCH BACKGROUND

In search for the threads that bind on the root grass and identity of Filipino

folks in the town of not so familiar municipality of Santa Maria, a project was

launched to delve on the past and recognize the history of town’s existence from its

Ereccion del Pueblos to local history that will provide the people a sense of place

and believe that they are as important as mainstream Filipinos.

Santa Maria is a 4th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines.

According to the latest census, it has a population of 26,267 people in 4,914

households. Like any other town, Santa Maria has its own unique history and culture

that is something to be proud of. Yet, the problem lies on the nature of inadequacy in

the historical accounts and sources that will attest on the existence and history of the

said town. Writing the local history of Santa Maria as per Sangguniang Bayan

regarding Panukalang Resolusyon Bilang 037, Taong 2016 entitled: “Resolusyon ng

Pagkilala sa Opisyal na Tala ng Kasaysayan ng Bayan ng Santa Maria is the

solution, therefore, to the inadequacy of written sources, “no documents, no history

as the saying goes”.

According to Funtecha (2008) Local history is expectedly closest to the

people's heart and consciousness because it reflects their own identity, experiences

and aspirations. It is the interpretative recreation of the past of their locality,

embracing its political, social, economic, and cultural life. This includes the

development of the institutions in the geographical unit and the successes and

failures of its people. Thus, in order to understand and, consequently, appreciate

Philippine history, one should first know the history of his own locality and its
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

contributions to regional development and over-all nation-building. One may never

achieve a fuller understanding of the Filipinos and the Philippines if he failed to study

the history of his/her town, city, province or region.

This paper presents the everyday life of the people and the scraps of

evidence as historical documents that will support the need to have a written local

history of Santa Maria. As such, it is rooted in the context of social, political, cultural

and economic aspect using the collective consciousness and eyewitness accounts

which represent the oral history as a methodology and the nature of the sources.

There is however a larger story behind this paper for it commences on three-

fold objectives. First this paper attempts to establish the vignettes of teachers’

community engagement within the socio-historical context. Second, this paper also

seeks to understand the process of writing local history through the cultural thread

that best interconnects and binds them: the writing, telling, and understanding of the

past. Lastly, to support the implementation of culture-based education especially in

the contextualization of the K to 12 basic education curriculum.

LITERATURE REVIEW

An article that prompted a research on the writing of the local history was the

article written by Sadicon (2015) Mounting evidence demonstrates the benefits of

creating an educational environment that is relevant to and reflective of student

realities, background, and culture. Culture is a people’s traditions, history, values and

language that make up the culture of a group and which contribute to their identity.

Integrated with education it brings about awareness, appreciation and understanding

of one’s national patrimony which reflects, validates and promotes the values, world

views, and languages of the community’s cultures.

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

In culture-based education it is intended to honor all forms of knowledge,

ways of knowing and world views equally and supports indigenous peoples and

various ethnicities as they define who they are as individuals and community

members.

Culture-based education is NOT just about the incor- poration of culture and

heritage icons and symbols, historical events, and arts and creative traditional skills

into the curriculum. It validates and affirms cultures by making them essential tool for

knowledge formation. It instills awareness of students’ heritage, value the

accomplishments of their family, their community and their ancestors.

It builds a sense of pride and self-esteem, which is the best gift any teacher

can give to his/her students. Five elements form part of cultural education to which

everyone concerned has their shared responsibilities to do, these are: LANGUAGE:

Recognizing and using native or heritage language. FAMILY & COMMUNITY:

Actively involving family and community in the development of curricula, everyday

learning, and leadership. CONTEXT: Structuring the school and the classroom in

culturally- appropriate ways. CONTENT: Making learning meaningful and relevant

through culturally grounded content and assessment. DATA & ACCOUNTABILITY:

Gathering and maintaining data using various methods to insure student progress in

culturally responsible ways

From these; the expected outcomes involve the students, teachers, schools.

The students are expected to have a strong foundation of cultural identity,

knowledgeable about their history, traditions, values and language, being

comfortable in various cultures, continuing to grow and understand their own culture,

developing a balanced approach to life, and connecting to the world.

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

On the other hand, the teachers are to incorporate the community culture into

their teaching use local materials and local human resources, participate in the

community, outside the school, work in partnership with parents, challenge each

student to find and develop his/her individual strength and to find mechanisms to

incorporate cultures and languages throughout the school year.

Whereas the schools support K to 12 curriculum, accommodate various

learning styles through the use of various teaching styles, reflect local culture and

environment, involve elders as part of the program, comply with MTB-MLE

guidelines, and to provide professional development opportunities to orient teachers

to the community’s culture and languages.

In Culture-based education the teachers must develop appreciation and

knowledge of the unique history of their community’s peoples and cultures,

understand the current political, cultural and socioeconomic environments without

judgment, learn community protocols and customs in order to open the lines of

communication, meet the community with mutual respect and suspended judgment

to reach shared goals, be prepared to deal with issues, even those who do not fully

understood and may not agree with, know historical local heroes, participate in

community events and celebrations, be interested and visible to build trust, help

students feel good about who they are and if they are able to respect themselves it

will be easy for them to respect others.

With the application of Culture-based education this produces cultural literacy.

It is the ability to be informed by beliefs and behaviors that have been shared from

one generation to another in an oral or written form. Cultural literacy can create

knowledge and awareness that brings distinct commitment to social justice,

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

responsibility to defend human dignity, and respect for cultures and languages

associated with different nations and lifestyles.

Piecing it all together, local historians cannot avail solely the responsibility of

building bridges or establishing linkages across culture that facilitate the instruction

process. Therefore, the role of the teacher is very important since the teacher is the

backbone of educational system. Teachers’ roles can be expanded to realize a

broader vision of bringing the four corners of the classroom to the wide arena of

learning through community engagement. Thus, in this paper the teachers act as a

key player in this kind of fieldwork as a response to the growing needs of data and

accountability as mentioned by Sadicon in his article.

According to Abalos (2010) the history of a region or a province can be best

researched by the people of the locality themselves. It is a source of pride for the

local historians to have people of their own culture write about their ethnic group,

their hometown or home province. Local historians will have the authority to express

their own values and perceptions specific to his group or province.

The emergence of local history as an area of investigation is of course

significant since it may probably lead to revision of interpretations in major areas of

local history, this is a kind of methodology wherein the teacher could adopt as an

area of inquiry under the culture-based education.

The relatively sparse research on local history has left room for further

research. Santos (2012) history, specifically the writing and teaching of local history

for the K-12 program, took the center stage in the 6th Karunungan Festival

sponsored by the UNESCO National Commission. Among the papers presented was

“Local History in Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-tawi: Disparities and Priorities” by Calbi
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

Asain, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the Mindanao State University-

Sulu.

In his paper, Dr Asain strongly advocated for a national history based on a

comprehensive coverage of local history. He lamented the fact that Muslims and

even more so, lumad, were not only effectively marginalized in real life but also in the

mainstream narration of Philippine history. He pointed out that Muslims and the

lumad do not get their just share of coverage of local history, national

commemoration of major historical events, representation in national symbols,

statues and cultural-historical shrines.

As the festival highlighted, local history serves as a child’s introduction to

history. Giving meaning to things, places, and people familiar to primary-school-age

children through historical tours, visits, and exercises helps kindle in them an

appreciation for history, social solidarity, and nationalism.

According to some researches as cited by Perez et. al (2002) the expanded

interest in local history is then transformed into a wider and deeper sense,

introducing the birth of local studies. The term, local studies, “covers the local

environment in all its physical aspects, including geology, paleontology, climatology

and natural history, and in terms of all human activity within that environment, past,

present and future”

Another approach that is being considered in this paper is the oral history as

methodology used for research in history, anthropology and folklore. During the

seminar-workshop conducted by the Local Government Units as well as the invited

knowledgeable speaker from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, oral

history was brought to life to make the writing of the local history become possible.
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

Oral history refers both to a method of recording and preserving oral

testimony and to the product of that process. It begins with an audio or video

recording of a first person account made by an interviewer with an interviewee (also

referred to as narrator), both of whom have the conscious intention of creating a

permanent record to contribute to an understanding of the past. A verbal document,

the oral history, results from this process and is preserved and made available in

different forms to other users, researchers, and the public. A critical approach to the

oral testimony and interpretations are necessary in the use of oral history.

In a similar vein, Abalos (2010) mentioned that oral history is not a discipline

of history it is only a methodology of history in which first-hand historical events are

recounted by the eyewitness through the intervention of a historian. The main

technique of oral history is the interview this technique goes as far back as ancient

time including that of Homer and Herodotus who used the technique in their practice

of historical discourse. However the popular use of oral history as a methodology is

relatively new even among professional historians. Filipino historians like T.A.

Agoncillo and Isabelo de los Reyes used oral history in obtaining historical

information. Recently historical bodies have engaged in oral history the best example

was created by Dr. Marcelino Foronda of De la Salle University who organized

students to conduct interviews of important personalities starting from the 70s where

written documents are lacking oral history may be used as long as this is

corroborated by other sources.

The basic tenet of oral history approach involves the recording of an

individual’s spoken memories and intensive and extended data collection comprising
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

several interviews with key informant just like what the researcher did while writing

this paper.

Moses (2015) Ang Buhay sa Nayon/Life in the Valley, is an oral history project

consisting of twenty-three interviews with seventeen Filipino Americans from the

Shenandoah Valley. These video oral histories, including transcripts and donated

photographs, are now part of the Shenandoah Living Archive at James Madison

University. This oral history collection is also showcased in a digital exhibit:

http://sites.jmu.edu/lifeinthevalley/. The website touches on a myriad of aspects of

Filipino American life, but strives overall to put the interviewees’ experiences in

historical context and to understand how Filipinos have formed a community in rural

Virginia.

Ang Buhay sa Nayon is a unique oral history project. Most oral history

projects focus on recording the experiences of the oldest members of a community

or on learning people’s reactions to a specific shared event. Ang Buhay sa Nayon is

a snapshot of a community where people of all ages and all backgrounds live and

share life together. The collection contains the stories of those who came to the

United States between 1963 and 2010. The scope of this project is another

distinguishing aspect. Most immigrant oral history projects are set in cities, where

large concentrations of immigrants exist. Ang Buhay sa Nayon is set in a rural area

and sheds light on the rural immigrant experience. This collection is a rich resource

for anyone who seeks to learn about the FilipinoAmerican experience, the

Shenandoah Valley, and immigrant communities in the United States.

Another example is an interview with Brian McAllister Linn in A Study in

Uncertainty": An Oral History of the Philippine War. In this scrupulous oral history of
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

the Philippine-American War, historian Brian Linn offers an interpretation of the

conflict as a localized rebellion met with imperial counterinsurgency tactics.

On recent study, Buenrostro (2010) sought to find out how the city offices of

selected cities in Bulacan, Philippines should manage and preserve their postwar or

cotemporary records to the benefit of local history research. According to her, the

management of archives and records has a direct effect on the availability of these

materials for possible research. Thus also, the availability of such archival materials

has a direct effect on the development of local studies, particularly local history.

In connection with Perez (2012) Aside from local history, cultural heritage

continues to be a concern. In the Philippines, where culture changes from one island

to another and is very diverse, cultural heritage is given importance through Republic

Act 9470, National Archives of the Philippines Act of 2007, which states that: It is the

policy of the State to conserve, promote and popularize the nation‟s historical and

cultural heritage resources. The State shall pursue, conserve and promote the

Filipino cultural heritage and resources including the documentary records of Filipino

culture, history and governance (Art. I, Sec. 2). A government institution, the National

Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), (created through the passage of R.A.

7356) is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving agency for

the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.

NCCA is, thus responsible for the culture and the arts in the Philippines.

Through Executive Order No. 80, the coordination among the cultural agencies was

strengthened, which placed the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National

Historical Commission of the Philippines, the National Museum, the National Library

of the Philippines, and the National Archives of the Philippines under the NCCA
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

umbrella. Further, through R.A. 9155, administratively attached the earlier

aforementioned five cultural agencies to the NCCA, including now the Komisyon sa

Wikang Filipino (NCCA, 2012).

Through this account, it is clearly seen that culture and heritage in the

Philippines is vividly wide in range and as well given appropriate attention. These

mandates and initiatives established by the Philippine government further supports

the establishment, existence and management of local studies centers in the

Philippines.

The researcher primed with background research and above mentioned

literature regarding the oral history and cultural heritage in the Philippines. Oral

History in the Philippines and the Marcelino A. Foronda, Jr. Center for Local and Oral

History, De La Salle University presented the nine fold vision hence collecting

documents, souvenir programs, photographs, books, pamphlets, monographs, and

letters of prominent persons related to local and oral history. Setting up and

maintaining a local and oral history archives, which is the repository of cassette

tapes, video tapes, transcriptions of interviews with eminent personalities, as well as

of pictures, publications and other valuable materials related to local and oral history.

Conducting research and writing on the political, economic, social and cultural

aspects of the towns, provinces and regions. Topics may also include the People's

Power revolution of 1986, the coup d'etat of 1989, or the Japanese occupation in

towns, provinces or regions.

Anchored on these statements taken from the nine fold vision, the eagerness

and pure desire of the researcher to come up with vignettes of local history through

oral history was really set on fire.

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

DISCUSSION

For this paper, the methodology and practice of oral history and historical

research was significantly considered for carrying out this paper. The uniqueness of

oral history as an approach to support the culture-based education which reflects the

cultural literacy of the people in the community in which they belong is a remarkable

and meaningful tasks. Conducting oral history and archival collection of the town

Santa Maria; its initiative to capture, preserve and promote intangible cultural

heritage and collective memory to its users through this collection, and the planned

initiatives to further build the collection as a significant contribution to the next

generation is a meaning-making activity that will support the purpose of culture-

based education.

Oral history is distinguished from other forms of interviews by its content and

extent. Oral history interviews seek an in-depth account of personal experience and

reflections, with sufficient time allowed for the narrators to give their story the fullness

they desire. In this paper the researcher recognized the importance of oral history in

connection with culture-based education as way of knowing and essential tool for

knowledge formation.

Oral history is the systematic collection of living people's testimony about their

own experiences. Oral history is not folklore, gossip, hearsay, or rumor. Oral

historians attempt to verify their findings, analyze them, and place them in an

accurate historical context. Oral historians are also concerned with storage of their

findings for use by later scholars. In oral history projects, an interviewee recalls an

event for an interviewer who records the recollections and creates a historical record.

Oral history depends upon human memory and the spoken word. The means of
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

collection can vary from taking notes by hand to elaborate electronic aural and video

recordings.

These include the process and approach used by the researcher to

strengthen the veracity of oral history as a methodology. The researcher as well as

teachers from both elementary and secondary follows a sequence of oral history

research therefore, divided the activity into three main chunks and discuss according

to its main goal.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

As a door into the world of oral history, the researcher acknowledged that the

everyday memories of everyday people, not just the rich and famous, have historical

importance. Every people have its own stories to tell, woven stories from the inside

out. They organize their experiences and memories into stories. Oral history listens

to these stories. The sequence for oral history research requires series of meetings

and brainstorming, a project goal was determined and that is to come up with ten key

informants that will become source of desired information followed by naming the

key informant, however as the fieldwork move along the researcher met additional

interviewees as referred by the other key informant. The next steps were conducting

a preliminary research using non-oral sources and gather the needed equipment to

be use during and after the interview such as notepad, pen/pencil, camera, recorder

and batteries. Lists of questions and possible topics were also considered. Using

core questions and topics that will highlight the interest of the key informant are

aspects being considered in limiting the focus and be able to articulate a clear

description of the project.

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

Thompson (2000) has argued that the memory process depends not only on

individual comprehension but also upon an individuals’ personal interest in particular

subjects. Memory is therefore much more accurate when it matches an individual's

social interest and need. Reliability depends partly therefore on whether the question

or the subject interests the informant. The appointment and initial contact with the

interviewee was given priority ahead of time.

Table 1: List of Key Informant and Themes/Topic of Interest

Key
Last Name, First Name, Middle Name Themes/topic of interest
Informant
1 Geronimo, Aurora Real Martial Law
2 Gonzales, Leonida Real Japanese Period
3 Real, Daniel Geronimo Political Activists
4 Dimaano, Celia Real Genealogy of Real
5 Lagonoy, Maria Maligaya Politician
6 Esguerra, Roberto Photography
7 Aguja, Rara Angeles Millennial Blog
8 Catudio, Ma. Rose Real Genealogy of Real
9 Brazal, Feliza Real Priest
10 Kahulugan, Lucia Pantoja Priest
11 Aguja, Simplicia Rivera San Miguel de Cabooan
12 Zotomayor, Librada San Miguel de Cabooan
13 Caday, Bienvenido Aguja Stories from Poblacion
14 Aguja, Estela Rivera Stories from Poblacion
15 Prucia Merla Fiesta
16 Bondad, Victoria Religious Activities
17 Magpantay, Lucila Inayapan Bridge
18 Manalo, Agapito Manalo’s Store
19 De Jesus Pedro "ka idring" Political Leader
20 Cuento, Rogelio Political Clan
21 Angeles, Consorcia Hilot
22 “Ka Adang” Faith Healer
23 Lalunio, Nenita Angeles Japanese Period
24 Dela Cruz, Luis Veteran
25 Matira, Agapita Teniente Del Baryo
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

DURING THE INTERVIEW

The interview last for at least two or three sessions depending on the

information and stories brought by the key informant or interviewee. The interviewee

has a clear picture of what is the purpose of the interview and how it is intend to use

such material. The researcher come up with a sentence or two that summarizes the

project goals, so that the researcher can easily explain to the interviewees what the

research is all about and why it is important. Each recording starts with the statement

of who he/she is and his/her collections of memories as the meaty part of the

session. Oral history interviewing is grounded in memory and memory is shaped by

the present moment and individual psyche that’s why it is a must for the researcher

to respect the narrators’ equal authority in the interviews and honor their right to

respond to questions in own style and language.

The phase of the interview comprises four phases or segment namely: profile,

experiences, recollections, later years and closing. There are things to be considered

also in addressing the limitations of memory. Time is not on the side of the oral

historian for the passage of time affects the precision of memory. Flash bulb

memories are not necessarily reliable. An oral historian should be sensitive and not

pressure his/her interviewee into embellishing his/her stories. An oral historian

should try to understand the mindset of the subject. One should be aware and

considerate of the limitations of memory.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Labeling and numbering all the recordings was done immediately right after

the interview. Collection source consist of two format the print transcript and audio

cassette tape that will verify, and synthesize evidence from the past. Secondary
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

sources and a variety of primary documentary evidence, such as, logs, diaries,

official records, reports, archives, and non-textual information such as maps,

pictures, audio and visual recordings were used to verify facts. Preliminary analysis

on the interview was given attention to identify further improvements on the method

being used by the researcher.

Transcribing was the crucial part in analyzing the interview, verification of

facts was also a painstaking effort yet fulfilling. Assessment and ensuring the

accuracy of data gathered is currently underway. Libroediting.com (2012) basically,

transcription involves listening to a recording of something and typing the contents

up into a document, which is then returned to the client, giving them a written record

of what’s on the recording.

The transcript should capture the flavor of a narrator’s speech and should

convey the feeling and expression of the narrator. This will help future generation to

understand the essence of oral history interview transcripts. Researchers, students

and scholars prefer transcripts to listening to oral history interview recordings.

Therefore transcription and editing of interviews should be given priority in an oral

history project. Because oral history depends upon living people from a particular

area as sources, limits had been set; since oral history uses spoken, not written

sources, the allowable evidence expands. Part of the process in historical research

using oral history as a technique is enjoyment and part of the adventure is learning

from mistakes. Multiple voices gives a sense of catching and holding something

valuable from the receding tide of the past.

Perez, as mentioned by Summerfield (2004) Memories recalled are made

sense of and interpreted by language and concepts known to the person

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

remembering and these are influenced in turn by the wider social and cultural

environment within which an individual is situated: The challenge therefore is for the

researcher to understand the “cultural ingredients” that make up the remembered

and interpreted past. Understanding the narrative within context is an important

feature of oral history.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion the results of this paper provide fascinating insights and

wisdom. Stories captured by word of mouth have made a positive contribution to

research; this approach has become a respected and accepted technique for social

research. Probably sources of local history will be hard to come by for the

contemporary period although here, in addition to written sources, artifacts can be

used together with oral sources or sources by word of mouth.

Various areas, in this connection, can be included like religion, recreation,

education, demographic patterns, social mobility rates, family networks, old age,

women and others. Potential sources would be local newspapers, speeches of

politicians or prominent men, interviews, films, slide shows, reminiscences, etc. To

extract information and "scraps of evidences" out of the above, interviews can be

had with selected people whether elite or the ordinary. The parish records also may

yield genealogical information like birth, death, marriage, baptism, and the like, and

social mobility from one place to another, etc. The municipal records yield a mine of

information on local history or sources giving a more or less complete

characterization of the local community or town.

The literature demonstrates the local history as a repository of knowledge and

bearer of cultural identity that gives strength in creating diverse teaching methods,
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

assessment methods and content preferences that are culture-based. However, the

paper also shows that culture-based learning styles/preferences are just one among

many challenges in the classroom. Evidently based on the current method being

used, literatures and accounts that emphasize the importance and value of local

history in Santa Maria, specifically in history, culture and heritage there are a

significant number of programs, projects and services which can be identified and

put into consideration in policy making and cultural literacy of the people in Santa

Maria. The findings of this study revealed that teachers truly play an innovative,

transformative and important role in the field of history, culture and heritage in the

locality. Similar study was conducted by Perez et. al (2012) recommends that

teachers must learn culture-based teaching strategies. This can be done by

earmarking and allocating resources to train faculty leaders on the culture-based

program. Those trained become repositories of knowledge for the institution through

the conduct of educational seminars and workshops for other faculty members and

the community.

This paper further recommends that institutions that desire to enact culture-

based education need to make full commitment to the effort. It must not only be a

seasonal effort, but a long-term commitment. They must put it in effect in both the

curricular and co-curricular programs. The inclusion of culture, in all its depths and

definitions, must emanate throughout the curriculum design process. This is

necessary to meet national and global challenges in culture rich educational

environments. Higher education institutions must draw on their strong research

capabilities to undertake cultural studies with the aim to produce learning modules

that can be integrated in the curriculum. A cultural studies center must be

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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

established in higher education institutions that will serve as repository for culturally

relevant materials.

Culture-based education in higher education requires high-level commitment

among advocates and champions at different levels. A core group of policymakers,

advocates, and champions with the support of governments needs to assist each

other in planning for the implementation of culture-based education. School

administrators that desire to enact culture-based education must have a vision and a

strategy, and the strategy must include leadership, funding resources, and a

willingness to pay the cost. Also an oral history project can bring these benefits:

Trained interviewer participants will gain new skills in documentary field work.

Participants will have opportunities to listen and share stories with each other, further

deepening relationship. People whose stories might otherwise not have a platform

will be able to share their experience and perspective for the historical-cultural

record. The researcher actually applies this methodology in teaching the current

major subject in Humanities and Social Sciences Track for Grade 12; Community

Engagement Solidarity and Citizenship. Students were given a chance to immerse

themselves in the community.

An intergenerational approach can serve to increase relationships and

understanding between younger and older people. At times, the oral history interview

provides the participant with a kind of cathartic healing process that has

repercussions in other areas of their life. The project could provide opportunities for

participants to engage in scholarship and present at conferences such as the

Malikhaing Guro annual meeting, which is a forum for academics, professionals, and

laypeople. Proposed steps in archiving must be put into consideration.

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Secure an archival area that can serve as the archive of the interviews to

make them accessible by scholars, teachers, students, and the public. Release

forms for interviewers and interviewees are necessary. Host oral history training

workshop/s trained oral historians can provide a workshop, or it can be done by a

local entity experienced in oral history. In respect to the nine fold vision of Marcelino

A. Foronda Jr. Advising M.A. and A.B. thesis writers on studies of the above-

mentioned areas is encouraged. Publication of bibliographies and occasional papers

on the areas mentioned above is also stimulated, as well as the publication of the

newsletter to inform readers about the activities of the academe and of the activities

of scholars, students and others along the lines of local and oral history.

Most importantly, the researcher believe that by means of this simple act of

helping the community in bridging the gap of local history, the next generation will be

able to realize the importance of sense of one’s place. A place that will possibly

become a medium for culture-based education, an approach to strengthen students’

awareness in local history of their own place. Finding the threads woven intrinsically

to the deepest part of every people’s soul in the community is worth searching for.

References

Abalos, Lance Gerard G. LPT, Teacher at Department of Education – Philippines

Published on Dec 11, 2010 Local History Research

Buenrostro, I.S. (2010). Preserving the postwar archives heritage and collective
memory of Bulacan: Local government records and practices. Journal of Philippine
Librarianship, 30, 1, 56-74. http://www.westpointcoh.org/interviews/a-study-in-
uncertainty-an-oral-history-of-the-philippine-war

Funtecha, Henry F. (2008). Bridging the Gap The importance of local history in
Philippine history http://www.thenewstoday.info/2008/08/01/

Kana’iaupuni, Shawn (2007) A Brief Overview of Culture Based Education and

Annotated Bibliography
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Writing the local history of Santa Maria: Finding the threads that bind

http://www.ksbe.edu/_assets/spi/pdfs/reports/cbe/A_Brief_Overview_of_Culture-
Based_Education_v3.pdf

LibroEditing proofreading, editing, transcription, localisation

PROOFREADING, EDITING, WRITING, TRANSCRIPTION AND LOCALISATION
https://libroediting.com/2011/06/22/transcription/

Martin, Jessie Grace S. (2012). Culture-Based Education In State Universities in the

Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines Language of dissertation: English
http://www.isa-sociology.org/en/junior-sociologists/dissertation-abstracts/list-of-
abstracts/402

Moses, Hannah (2015). Ang Buhay sa Nayon - Life in the Valley: An Oral History
Project with the Shenandoah Living Archive. James Madison University
http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=master201019

Perez, Martin Julius V. et.,al (2012) Local studies centers: transforming history,
culture and heritage in the Philippines. IFLA LIS Student Paper Award 2012
https://www.ifla.org/past-wlic/2012/180-perez-en.pdf

Principles and Best Practices Principles for Oral History and Best Practices for Oral
History Adopted October, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from
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Sadicon, Vincent Roy R. (2015). Teaching culture– based education Mainstreaming

Essential Cultural Knowledge under the K to 12 Curriculum. Sun.Star Cagayan de
Oro
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Santos, Rico (2012). Local history of Mindanao: A cultural thread that binds
http://essc.org.ph/content/view/748/153/ October 2, 2012
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N arlie S. Gavia is a NCCA-PCEP scholar of the Graduate Diploma in Cultural Education at

the Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba (2014). She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Social
Science Degree at Laguna State Polytechnic University, Laguna (2011). Last September 2015, he co-
authored the paper titled “Tracer Study of the Graduate Diploma in Cultural Education Graduates of
Colegio De San Juan De Letran Calamba” which was presented during the 2nd International
Conference on Cultural Education. At present, she is a Master Teacher II at Sta. Maria Integrated
High School, Schools Division of Laguna.
.