UPLB Master of Science in Rural Sociology

23/08/2026

I just attended an event which unfolded in a farm tourism site where the landscape seemed to narrate a story of rurality.

Fruit trees lined the grassy, fenced expanse. Native/local food was served: steamed tilapia and pandan chicken in bilaos, kulawo on wooden trays, pancit with buko strands, longanisa tucked inside a bamboo, and honey calamansi juice. Windows were made with capiz shells, heavy wooden cabinets were on display, and coconut shells were transformed to various decors. Guests were free to pluck rambutan straight from the trees. The hosts, dressed in baro’t saya, welcomed us with smiles, taught us how to cook their specialty, and treated us like family.

The experience echoed the rurality frames of Tönnies’ gemeinschaft, Cloke’s functional and socio-cultural approaches, and Pahl’s village in the mind.

Farm tourism here was not just leisure—it was the deliberate marketing of “the rural” as a consumable experience, packaged in authenticity and nostalgia. What was once lived now becomes staged/performative.

Thus, some questions linger: if we craved this kind of rural life, why did we leave it behind—only to circle back and purchase it as an experience? Is the “rural” we consume in such spaces a lived reality, or merely an imagined idyll reconstructed for market purposes?

04/08/2026

On this day, we honor Doc Gelia Castillo — a brilliant mind and a fearless advocate for the Filipino farmer. Her work on rural sociology gave voice and dignity to those in the periphery.

We remember. We honor. We continue.

21/07/2026

Today turned out to be such a nice day.

I accompanied a friend to another office, and to my surprise, right beside the building stood several aratiles trees, their branches heavy with bright red fruits just waiting to be picked. To make the moment even sweeter, an office staff gladly volunteered to gather them for us, filling a small tub with aratiles. Thank you, Kuya Cabalse!

All these instantly transported me back to my childhood in Los Baños.

Every summer, when school was out, my Ate and I, together with other neighborhood kids (hello Cora and Roy!), would go on little fruit-hunting adventures around the community. Back then, our neighborhood was dotted with local fruit trees, free for picking: chico, star apple, and the sweetest pink guavas. But our favorite was always the aratiles. We would climb the trees with childlike confidence, laughing as we filled our little pails with the tiny red fruits. We would bring them home to share with the other playmates.

Those days were idyllic rural summers as we also biked around a neighborhood without fear that a speeding vehicle would hit us, played hide-and-seek even at night, joined prusisyons carrying candles and scattering flowers, and spent hours in the bahay kubo my father built for us. I still remember the rag carpet my mother patiently sewed from old pieces of cloth. We did not have much, but somehow it always felt like we had everything we needed.

Now that I am so much older, studied Rural Sociology and now teaching it, I find myself viewing these memories through the ideas of Ferdinand Tönnies and Paul Cloke. Tönnies' Gemeinschaft
describes communities bound by familiarity, trust, and close-knit relationships. Cloke reminds us that rurality is not simply a geographical setting but a social construction, shaped by the everyday meanings and practices of those who live there.

I realize that what made my childhood feel "rural" was never just the aratiles trees or the wide spaces. They were the setting, but not the story. The real story was the community they nurtured: neighbors who shared what they had, children who grew up together, and families whose lives naturally intertwined.

Rural sociology reminds me that geography may tell us where a rural place is. Community tells us what makes it rural.... And how I miss this.

04/07/2026

In her recent victory, Eala proudly highlighted that she is from the Philippines. Interestingly, the iconic Wimbledon tennis balls are manufactured in the Philippines. Its glue and rubber from Basilan and main production is in Bataan.

This underscores the quiet strength of rural areas, illustrating the “neglected geographies of globalization”. Rural provinces are not peripheral but embedded in global supply chains, supplying raw materials and local labor while sustaining powerful, global industries.



(Photo grabbed from broadcast)

20/06/2026

In agricultural rural areas in the Philippines, money is never just numbers on a page — it is lived experience. Farmers speak of their finances through stories of harvests, family milestones, and community celebrations.

When a farmer says “walang kita,” it doesn’t mean they lost everything; it means they probably just broke even, not reaching the profit they had hoped for. This is when stored seeds or a seed exchange become lifelines in order to recover. When they say “talo,” that’s when the loss is heavy, felt in the stomach, the soil, and the silence of the family. But when they hit a “jackpot,” you’ll see it not in words but in action: a renovated house where extended family is welcomed, a new tricycle or machinery (usually a handtractor) that is shared to others, or a feast (weddings, baptism, etc) for the neighbors to enjoy.

This financial language is deeply social. Rurality thrives on shared meanings, where financial situations are not private accounts but collective experiences. An exchange of their best seeds, a shared labor day in the fields, or a promise to repay after harvest — these are transactions, but they are also bonds. To speak of financial literacy here is to speak of sociality, of how money is inseparable from relationships and community life.

I recently heard of a project proposal to train rural folks in financial literacy. It was sincere, carefully costed, and full of good intentions. Yet I found myself reflecting: do they know the local language? Because teaching “budgeting” or “profit margins” without first understanding how farmers themselves describe gain and loss risks missing the heart of the matter.

Financial literacy in rural areas is not just about introducing new terms, but about listening to the old ones.

28/04/2026

As part of the 𝐀𝐒𝐈 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝟏𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟎 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, the Agricultural Systems Institute (ASI) invites students, faculty, researchers, and development practitioners to the 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 of the series entitled “𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗮, 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗼! 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.”

This seminar will critically examine how coffee consumption extends beyond individual preference and into broader questions of rural livelihoods, value chains, and community dynamics. It will explore how patterns of consumption influence production systems, how smallholder farmers navigate changing markets, and how coffee serves as a social connector within rural spaces.

The session will be led by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧, Associate Professor of ASI, who will bring insights from her expertise in rural sociology and development to unpack the intersections of agriculture, livelihoods, and social relations in coffee-producing communities.

🗓 Date: 𝟮𝟵 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗧𝘂𝗲)
⏰ Time: 𝟭:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 - 𝟯:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍 Venue: 𝗔𝗦𝗜 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗖𝗔𝗙𝗦, 𝗨𝗣𝗟𝗕
🔗 Registration: Scan the QR code on the poster or access the registration link (https://tinyurl.com/asi10for10ep3)

We invite you to join this engaging conversation as we rethink everyday practices and uncover their deeper implications for rural development and agricultural systems.

Coffee is more than a daily ritual; it is deeply embedded in the social, economic, and cultural fabric of rural communities. From production to consumption, coffee connects farmers, markets, and households, shaping livelihoods and social relations in complex and evolving ways.

As part of the 𝐀𝐒𝐈 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝟏𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟎 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, the Agricultural Systems Institute (ASI) invites students, faculty, researchers, and development practitioners to the 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 of the series entitled “𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗮, 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗼! 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.”

This seminar will critically examine how coffee consumption extends beyond individual preference and into broader questions of rural livelihoods, value chains, and community dynamics. It will explore how patterns of consumption influence production systems, how smallholder farmers navigate changing markets, and how coffee serves as a social connector within rural spaces.

The session will be led by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧, Associate Professor of ASI, who will bring insights from her expertise in rural sociology and development to unpack the intersections of agriculture, livelihoods, and social relations in coffee-producing communities.

🗓 Date: 𝟮𝟵 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗪𝗲𝗱)
⏰ Time: 𝟭:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 - 𝟯:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍 Venue: 𝗔𝗦𝗜 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗖𝗔𝗙𝗦, 𝗨𝗣𝗟𝗕
🔗 Registration: Scan the QR code on the poster or access the registration link (https://tinyurl.com/asi10for10ep3)

We invite you to join this engaging conversation as we rethink everyday practices and uncover their deeper implications for rural development and agricultural systems.

30/03/2026

We congratulate Asst. Prof. Raem Dominic S. Brion, faculty of the UPLB MS Rural Sociology program, for his recent appointment as the Secretary of the Philippine Association of Agriculturists, Inc. (PAA).

Asst. Prof. Brion was also elected Secretary of the Philippine Extension and Advisory Services Network, Inc. (PhilEASNet) last October 9, 2025 in the 2025 National Extension Conference in Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite.

We are truly proud of how you mainstream the field of Agricultural Extension within and beyond the university. You serve as an inspiration to your colleagues and students alike. Padayon!

(Photos from Asst. Prof. Brion's FB account)

02/03/2026

Happy birthday to the critic, conscience and cheerleader of agriculture (and rural sociology)... mam gelia! The perfect queen this women's month. We miss you dearly.

26/02/2026

I've got big news… we are expecting!

Not one. Not ten. But almost THIRTY absolutely glorious, gorgeous jade vine flowers are on the way at the UPLB ASI area!

These thirty turquoise showstoppers are preparing to steal the spotlight and make jaws drop. Stay tuned… it’s about to get spectacular.

P.S. Visit us soon and get to meet as well our great staff and know abt the Ms Rural Sociology degree that we offer (the only one in the Philippines)

(Photo from https://sl.bing.net/cPF0G7VCRtk)

30/10/2025

Please check out this study led by Dr. Rodmyr F. Datoon, one of the faculty members of the UPLB MS Rural Sociology program. Ms. Jenny Mei Peroy, currently an MS Rural Sociology student, was a researcher in this study.

Congratulations, Dr. Datoon, Ms. Peroy, and the entire team!

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: The Philippines, with over 7,641 islands, faces a critical gap in defining and addressing the unique challenges of its small islands—areas often isolated, resource-limited, and highly vulnerable to climate change.

A new study led by Datoon et al (2025) developed the first comprehensive Research and Development (R&D) agenda for small islands in the Philippines, using insights from a multi-stakeholder national forum, desk reviews, and key informant interviews.

The study proposed a definition and categorization of small islands (micro-island, small island barangay, municipality, and province) and identified pressing research gaps, particularly in water, food, health, clean energy, and sustainable community development. It emphasized building institutional research capacity, promoting water-energy-food nexus approaches, and developing circular agricultural systems tailored to small island contexts.

By uniting science, governance, and community voices, this agenda serves as a blueprint for inclusive and sustainable development, empowering local researchers, policymakers, and communities to shape resilient small-island futures.

Explore how a unified research agenda can transform the Philippines’ small islands. Full study here: https://doi.org/10.62550/BR821037025