PH-Malaysia forum calls for sustainability solutions through cross-border collaboration rooted in local perspectives

The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS), in collaboration with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies (RLIGAS) convened the Philippines-Malaysia Forum on the theme “Meeting the Challenges of Ecological and Societal Sustainability: Participation of Business, Government, Civil Society and Local Communities” at the Leong Hall Auditorium of the Ateneo de Manila University's Loyola Campus last 14th of November 2024.

The event successfully brought together a distinguished group of thought leaders and experts from various sectors to engage in meaningful discussions on the critical issues of ecological and societal sustainability in Southeast Asia. Speaking at the forum were H. E. Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to the Republic of the Philippines; Mr. Eric Yam, Founder, Vice President, and Chair of Trade Affairs at the Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Philippines Inc. (MCCI); Dr. Jerome Montemayor, Executive Director of the Foundation for Philippine Environment (FPE); and Dr. Trixie Marjorie Tangit, Senior Lecturer of Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

From Left to Right: Dr. Jerome Montemayor, FPE; Mr. Eric Yam, MCCI; Dr. Trixie Tangit, UMS; HE Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines; Dr. Czarina "Bopeep" A. Saloma-Akpedonu, Dean of SOSS; Dr. Jennifer Oreta, RLIGAS; Mr. Jeric Rionloc, European Studies Program; and, Dr. Diana J. Mendoza, AISEAS.

Discussions focused on topics ranging from climate change mitigation and environmental protection to social justice and the role of technology in sustainable development. The forum also highlighted the shared responsibility of all sectors and community actors to act as stewards of the environment and ensure a more sustainable and equitable future for the people of Southeast Asia, from here and beyond.

The forum was capped off with the opening of the multimedia exhibit “Nama Saya, Sabah” by the Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS) 101 Class of 2024 at the Leong Hall Foyer. Inspired by their embodied experience of Sabah’s cultural landscape, the exhibit showcased the island’s "textures and tones of life" as captured by the nine student fellows who participated in the six-unit Intersession course “SEAS 101: Southeast Asia In-country Field Study” in Sabah, Malaysia. The field school was made possible by the joint collaboration of AISEAS and RLIGAS of the Ateneo School of Social Sciences, and in partnership with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sabah.

Both the forum and the exhibit were highlight events of the two-day 12th ACAS International Conference on Asian Studies (ACAS ICAS 12), organized by the Ateneo Center for Asian Studies (ACAS) held on 14 to 15 November 2024.