By Carla Adeline E. Via
In honor of his academic contributions in Silliman University (SU), the SU Anthropology and Sociology department held a lecture series named after Dr. Timoteo S. Oracion last March 21 at the SU Anthropology Museum.
The event was co-hosted by the Junior Anthropologists and Sociologists of Silliman, in celebration of the College of Arts and Sciences Week.
Dr. Enrique Oracion, director of SU Research and Development Center, gave a talk about the academic life and works of Dr. Timoteo S. Oracion.
He stated, “Dr. Timoteo Sibala Oracion left a legacy to keep the SU anthropology program, including sociology, to continue nurturing students or scholars who are sensitive to social and cultural complexities in a fast-changing world,” he stated.
Dr. Timoteo was one of the foundations of SU’s anthropology program that offers baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
According to him, there is “a need to further promote socio-anthropology given the corporate mindset and threat of low enrollment due to its ‘perceived irrelevance’ as a degree program.”
Oracion enumerated the published works of Dr. Timoteo such as the progression of his studies of Negritos and his research on the Magahat in Bukidnon.
In his lecture, Oracion also credited Dr. F. Landa Jocano and Dr. Rowe V. Cadeliña, the figures in the academe to whom his interest in anthropology and sociology came from.
Moreover, the speaker urged attending senior high students to “seriously consider pursuing anthropology and sociology.”
The event coincided with the 75th anniversary of the university’s anthropology undergraduate program which was pioneered in 1950.
Themed “Decoding the Human Experience,” senior socio-anthro students Zir Tir Thang, Nazreen May Nicolas, Fiona Christina Quilab, and Amapola Solidarios also presented their respective dissertation papers.
Former faculty members Rolando V. Mascuñana and Cornelia P. Cadeliña, as well as Interim Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mae Brigitt Bernadel L. Villordon also attended the event.
