Ph Consulate Joins the Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa shares her insights on the critical role of education, truth, and democratic values during her keynote at the 25th Anniversary of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program at the University of San Francisco (San Francisco PCG photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – On 8 November 2025,the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco attended the 25th anniversary of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program held at the McLaren Conference Center of the University of San Francisco. Hundreds of participants, including students and faculty from various academic institutions, members of the Filipino American community, and city officials, attended the event. Serving as keynote speaker, Rappler co-founder and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa shared her insights on the critical role of education, truth, and democratic values in fostering engaged and empowered communities. In her presentation titled, “Facts, Truth, and Trust”, Ms. Ressa stressed that “without facts there can be no truth; without truth there can be no trust; without these, there is no shared reality,” highlighting the essential foundation these principles provide for a functioning democracy and a resilient society.
A fireside chat, moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Filipino American activist Jose Antonio Vargas, explores the intersections of identity, storytelling, accountability, and the shared responsibility of individuals and communities in the Philippines and across the diaspora, to strengthen democratic values (San Francisco PCG photo)
During the afternoon session, a roundtable discussion with educators and community leaders highlighted the landscape of Philippine Studies programs in the U.S.. Speakers included Dr. Joseph Bernardo, adjunct professor at the Loyola Marymount University’s Asian and Asian Pacific American Studies Department; Professor Rick Bonus, Director of the Diversity Minor program of the University of Washington; Dr. Patricia Halagao, professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies and co-director of the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jason Perez, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies at California State University San Marcos; Deputy Attorney General in the Worker Rights and Fair Labor Section Jennifer Sta. Ana; and Dr. Lily Ann Villaraza-Ifurung, Chair of the Philippine Studies Department of the City College of San Francisco. The panel examined the current status of Philippine Studies in their respective universities, tracing the origins, milestones, and evolution of these programs across the country. Their discussion underscored both the achievements and ongoing challenges in advancing culturally responsive education, sustaining institutional support, and strengthening community-engaged scholarship within the field and among the students and faculty.
Dr. Lily Ann Villaraza-Ifurung (rightmost), Chair of the Philippine Studies Department of the City College of San Francisco, discusses the current program and course offerings on Philippine Studies at the City College during the roundtable discussion (San Francisco PCG photo)
The Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program, founded in 1999 by the Yuchengco family, is one of the few Philippine Studies programs in the U.S., offering courses in history, culture, language, literature, politics, and social justice, with an emphasis on the transnational Filipino experience.
The Philippine Studies programs in the U.S. have become vital platforms for advancing a deeper understanding of Philippine history, culture, and contemporary issues. They serve not only as academic spaces for scholarship and research but also as bridges that connect Filipino Americans to their heritage and strengthen the cultural ties between the Philippines and the U.S..END