UNITED KINGDOM
UNITED KINGDOM
From Left to Right: Senator Loren Legarda, Philippine Ambassador to London Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, and Director of the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) Baroness Valerie Amos.
Established in October 2017, Philippine Studies at SOAS (PSS) is the longest-running overseas program of its kind. Created via a donation agreement between the Philippine Embassy in London and SOAS University of London, the initiative was made possible through the efforts of Senator Loren Legarda.
The program serves as a central hub for academic research, language classes, and cultural events. It coordinates public lectures, film screenings, and international conferences to promote Filipino heritage in the UK and Europe.
Additionally, PSS manages a networking database for "Filipinistas" and provides resources for grants and scholarships.
The Philippine Studies at SOAS (PSS) recently hosted a community screening of the documentary film Gónô Tmutul: Building a House of Stories. The film documents a powerful repatriation journey rooted in "collective kindness" and cultural preservation.
The story follows Billie Riley, an Englishwoman who lived among the Tboli people in the 1970s. Guided by a curator, a scholar, and a schoolteacher, Riley returned to Lake Sebu, Philippines, to reconnect with the community that once welcomed her.
The documentary captures her emotional return to the Tboli ancestral home to repatriate her personal collection of sacred and beautiful objects. This project highlights the importance of returning cultural heritage to its rightful origin and the enduring bonds of friendship.
Founded in 1916, SOAS University of London is a premier global institution specializing in the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. While originally established to train British administrators in regional languages and cultures, it has evolved into a leading center for research and teaching across the humanities, social sciences, and law.
Today, SOAS is renowned for its critical inquiry into non-Western regions. Moving beyond its colonial origins, the university now serves as a diverse hub for global studies, focusing on the complex political, social, and economic issues defining its regions of expertise.