UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
From Left to Right: UC Berkeley Vice Provost for Academic Planning & Senior International Officer Dr. Lisa Alvarez-Cohen and Consul General Neil Ferrer.
The Philippine Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley represents a premier transatlantic hub for research and cultural diplomacy, formalized through a landmark grant agreement in September 2024. Championed by the congressional initiative of Senator Loren Legarda and facilitated by the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the program is hosted within the Center for Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS) and the Institute of East Asian Studies (IEAS).
Under the leadership of scholars like Prof. Lisandro Claudio, the program is uniquely positioned to bridge rigorous academic inquiry with the lived experiences of the largest Filipino diaspora in the United States. Its primary mission is to institutionalize Philippine Studies as a permanent area of focus, enhancing Filipiniana collections and developing a new generation of global experts.
Berkeley’s Philippine Studies landscape is defined by its vibrant, community-engaged scholarship and flagship academic lectures. A cornerstone of the program is the Annual Andrew Gonzalez Lecture, named after the distinguished Berkeley alumnus and former Philippine Secretary of Education, which brings eminent Filipino figures to campus to discuss the intersections of arts, letters, and history.
In 2025, the program expanded its reach with the "Narratives of Tradition and Resistance" study abroad initiative, where students traveled to the Philippines to engage directly with farming communities, Cordillera epic chanters, and Martial Law survivors. These academic efforts are further enriched by the Filipinx and Philippine Studies (FPS) Working Group, which hosts workshops on "mixedness" and diaspora identity, ensuring that the university remains a living laboratory for Filipino cultural reclamation.
Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley is the flagship institution of the UC system and is consistently ranked as the top public university in the world.
Known for its history of social activism and pioneering research, "Cal" has been a second home to generations of Filipino Ilustrados and modern scholars alike. With a sprawling campus that serves as a global epicenter for innovation, the university is home to over 45,000 students and a faculty that has earned over 100 Nobel Prizes.
Its commitment to challenging dominant Western narratives through "De/Centering" research makes it the ideal American anchor for the Philippine Studies network, fostering an enduring legacy of intellectual partnership and mutual respect.