Jeniel P. Dasig, News, Research Institute for Human and Social Development
SDG 4 SDG 16
In observance of National Peace Consciousness Month 2026, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) revisits Bisig, Vol. 6 (2024), Special Issue on Justice and Lasting Peace (Natatanging Isyu sa Pangmatagalang Kapayapaang Nakabatay sa Katarungan), which brings together scholarly perspectives on justice, peacebuilding, and the social and political conditions shaping the pursuit of lasting peace in the Philippines.
Produced through the collaboration of the Research and Publication Office (RPO), Center for Peace, Social Justice, and Human Rights Studies (CPSJHRS), and Center for Labor and Industrial Relations Studies (CLIRS), in partnership with Scholars for Peace, the special issue features research articles, commentary, a book review, and an interview examining the challenges and possibilities of achieving just and lasting peace.
Among the featured contributions is Angelo Vince S. Marfil’s “Praxis ng Rebeldeng Pamamahala ng Kilusang Pambanda-Demokratiko at Posibilidad ng Muling Pagbubukas ng Usapang Pangkapayapaan,” which examines the limited scholarship on revolutionary governance in the Philippines and explores the possibility of reopening peace negotiations toward the resolution of armed conflict.
Meanwhile, Gary F. Musa and Ana Dominique G. Santos analyze the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States in their article, “EDCA as the Geopolitics of Imperialist Crises and Its Threat to Peace in the Philippines.” Drawing on the theories of capitalist crisis and imperialism, the authors examine the agreement’s geopolitical implications, including its relationship to Philippine national autonomy and the pursuit of just and lasting peace.
The special issue also features Dr. Sol Iglesias’s commentary, “A Just and Sustainable Peace in the Philippines,” which identifies key requirements for a just and sustainable peace process, including a ceasefire, respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), protection of negotiators, confidence-building measures, disarmament and demobilization, and addressing spoilers to the peace process.
In her book review, “The Singing Detainee and the Librarian with One Book: Essays on Exile (2023) by Michael Beltran,” Dr. Mary Grace Concepcion examines how Beltran’s first-person narrative portrays the experiences of revolutionaries Jose Maria Sison and Julieta de Lima in exile, while highlighting the complex dimensions of revolutionary struggle.
The publication concludes with an interview with Rey Claro Casambre conducted by Scholars for Peace. The interview presents Casambre’s perspectives as a peace consultant involved in peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), as well as his views on the role of education in advancing just and lasting peace.
The issue also includes a preface by Dr. Michael D. Pante and a message from Chief Rimando E. Felicia of CLIRS, who served as Guest Editor and Editor-in-Chief, respectively, of the Bisig Journal. Their contributions emphasize the view that the foundation of peace rests not only on justice but also on the elimination of oppression and exploitation.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, the special issue underscores the importance of justice, inclusive dialogue, and critical scholarship in advancing peaceful and equitable societies. It also contributes to broader discussions on SDG 4 (Quality Education) through its emphasis on education and research as instruments for social transformation
Through the publication, PUP emphasizes the role of research and scholarly discourse in critically examining Philippine society and contributing to discussions on just and lasting peace. The special issue reflects the University's commitment to freedom of expression, critical inquiry, and social responsibility, in keeping with its guiding principle, Mula sa Iyo, Para sa Bayan.
Article edited by: Brent Soriano, Communication Management Office
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