PH gov’t grant supports Philippine Studies at UC Berkeley

The grant agreement was signed by Consul General Neil Ferrer (left) and UC Berkeley Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Senior International Officer Lisa Alvarez-Cohen. Photo from San Francisco PCG

BERKELEY, Calif. – The University of California, Berkeley, will promote Philippine Studies as part of a grant to help spark interest among university students to learn about the Philippines.

In a historic first, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in San Francisco and the Regents of UC Berkeley – the leading public university in the United States – have signed an agreement to advance Philippine Studies as part of a P1 million grant from the Philippine government. This grant was made possible through the congressional initiative of Sen. Loren Legarda.

UC Berkeley’s Philippine Studies Program “will enable the conduct of academic exchanges, and will serve as a forum for Philippine-related research on relevant topics and as a venue for appropriate cultural activities,” according to the agreement.

The purpose of the grant was to help “spark interest for learning about the Philippines among US-born Filipino Americans and Americans in general.”

“Specifically, this grant aims to support the University in promoting Philippine Studies by enhancing its Filipiniana materials, conducting research and publications about the Philippines, institutionalizing Philippine Studies as an area of study in the University, developing experts in Philippine Studies, among other programs, projects, and activities,” the agreement stated.

The university “will have full academic, strategic, and operational control over decisions related to the grant,” according to the agreement signed earlier this month by Consul General Neil Ferrer and UC Berkeley Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Senior International Officer Lisa Alvarez-Cohen.

In a historic first, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and the Regents of UC Berkeley have signed an agreement to advance Philippine Studies as part of a P1 million grant from the Philippine government. Photo from San Francisco PCG

During the signing ceremony, Ferrer said he looks forward to the partnership with UC Berkeley and the university’s Center for Southeast Asia Studies “in strengthening the people-to-people ties between the Philippines and the United States, through the development of a Philippine Studies Program in one of the world’s best universities.”

UC Berkeley’s Center for Southeast Asia Studies is chaired by Filipino scholar and historian Lisandro Claudio.

Ferrer also thanked Sen. Legarda for “championing the promotion of Philippine culture abroad” through the establishment of Philippine Studies programs in some of the world’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning.

Witnessing the grant agreement signing were Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Lok Siu, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance Kairi Williams and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil.