Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Agrarian Issues in the Philippines: Professor Ed Tadem Takes Part in ARENA Congress in Penang

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Category: News @ UP Asian Center

Dr. Eduardo C. Tadem, Professor at the Asian Center, took part in the Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA) Congress from 25 to 26 October 2014 at the Stella Maris Retreat Centre, Penang, Malaysia. Dr. Tadem is Co-Chair of ARENA Executive Committee.

ARENA is “a regional network of concerned Asian scholars – academics, intellectuals, activists, researchers, writers, and artists – which aims to contribute to a process of awakening towards meaningful and people-oriented social change.” ARENA draws its members from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong (SAR), China, Australia and the United States of America. 

Photo: Dr. Eduardo Tadem during the ARENA Congress.

In a public forum on 25 October organized by ARENA and attended by Malaysian academics and civil society practitioners, Professor Tadem delivered a presentation on the status of agrarian developments in the Philippines, focusing on the role of special economic zones and land reform.  He cited recent efforts of activists and discussed the challenges faced by the proponents of a more progressive land reform. Dr. Tadem also chaired a strategic planning session on the second day of the Congress.

Dr. Tadem joined several other ARENA members, who all gave updates on recent events in their respective countries. Among the speakers were Lau Kin Chi (Lingnan University, Hong Kong), gave an overview of the Occupy Central movement; Surichai Wun’Gaeo, professor emeritus from Chulalongkorn University, spoke about contemporary Thai politics; Francis Loh Kok Wah (Universiti Sains Malaysia) shared results of his ongoing research on Burma's ethnic communities; Chantana Banpasirichote (Chulalongkorn University) spoke on Thailand's difficult political transitions; Bonojit Hussein, an independent researcher from India, discussed the rise of Narendra Modi, the newly elected Prime Minister of India; and Soon Cheah Yuan (University of Sains Malaysia) presented an overview of Malaysian civil society organizations. Jean Pan (University of Hongkong) discussed food cooperatives in Japan and Teresa Encarnacion Tadem (UP Political Science) gave a bird’s eye view of the Mindanao peace process in the Philippines. Mr. Janus Isaac Nolasco, University Researcher at the Asian Center and a new ARENA Fellow, also attended the Congress.

Professor Tadem teaches graduate courses on Southeast Asia and Theories and Perspectives in Asian Studies. The Asian Center offers M.A. programs in Asian Studies focusing on any of four fields of specialization: Southeast Asian Studies, South Asian Studies, Northeast Asian Studies, and West Asian Studies. The Center also offers other graduate degrees such as an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Philippine Studies. Like the Asian Center on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @upasiancenter.