National Conferences on Local and National History


The PNHS is proud of the tradition, begun in 1978, of holding its national conference on local and national history in pursuit of its mission to expand the frontiers of historical research in the Philippines. These conferences have been held all over the archipelago in an effort to bring to teachers and students of history the most recent researches on local and national history and related disciplines, not only by national historians, but more especially by local historians.

In Luzon up to Kabikolan, ten national conferences have been held – in UP Diliman (1984), Ateneo de Naga (1990 and 2000), Ateneo de Manila (1996), UP College Baguio (1999), Cavite State University (2004), Mariano Marcos State University, Batac, Ilocos Norte (2005), University of the Philippines Baguio and Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry (ISCAF), Banaue, Ifugao (2008), Holy Angel University, Angeles City, Pampanga (2011)., and University of Northern Philippines, Heritage City of Vigan, Ilocos Sur (2014).

In the Visayas, eleven conferences have been convened – at Silliman University, Dumaguete City (1979, 2001, and 2012); Negros Occidental Historical Commission, Bacolod City (1980); San Carlos University, Cebu City (1981); UP Cebu College (2002); Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa (1994); Leyte Normal University, Tacloban City (1998 and 2006); Holy Name University, Tagbilaran, Bohol (2009), and the Provincial Government of Iloilo, Iloilo City (2015).

The PNHS has convened the most number of national conferences in Mindanao and Sulu – fifteen altogether, hosted by the following institutions: Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro (1978); Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (1982); Surigao City Historical Commission, Surigao City (1985); Mindanao State University-General Santos City (1987, 1989, 2010); Butuan City Historical Commission (1988); Mindanao State University – Marawi (1991); Mindanao State University – Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (1992); University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato (1993); Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City (1995); Mindanao State University – Jolo (1997); Surigaonon Heritage Center, Surigao City (2003); Tangub Historical Commission in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental (2007); and Liceo de Cagayan University. Cagayan de Oro City (2013). The 37th National Conference in National and Local History was hosted by the City Government of Butuan and the Butuan City Heritage Society on October 20-22, and this was the sixteenth national conference in Mindanao.

In each of these conferences, there is usually a conference theme in order to draw attention to the region where the conference is held, as well as to other regional histories in the context of national history. For instance, the following themes were chosen for the various conferences: “Local Traditions and National History,” in Tawi-Tawi; “Focus on Maguindanao Studies,” in Kabacan; “Focus on Palawan Studies,” in Puerto Princesa; “The Lumad, the Bangsa Moro and the Christian Filipino: Documentary History of the Philippines,” in Zamboanga; “The Muslim Filipinos in Philippine History,” in Jolo; “History and the New Millennium: Northern Luzon in Perspective,” in Baguio; “The Millenarian Movements, Historical and Contemporary: Perspectives for the New Millennium,” in Naga; “A Century of Education in the Philippines,” in Dumaguete; “Towards a National History of the Philippines: Local History in the Context of National History” in Cebu City; “Cultural History of the Philippines, Ethnohistory of Mindanao and Sulu,” in Surigao City; “Focus on Cavite and Beyond: Local History in the Context of National History,” in Indang, Cavite; “Focus on Northern Luzon: Local History in the Context of National History,” in Batac, Ilocos Norte; “Revisiting Visayan Historiography, Revisioning Philippine Historiography,” in Tacloban, Leyte; and “Focus on Mindanao and Sulu” in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental; “ Philippine Ethnohistories: The Luzon Cordillera and Beyond,” in Banaue, Ifugao; “Towards a National History: Local History in the Context of National History,” in Tagbilaran, Bohol; and “Focus on Mindanao and Sulu” in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental; “Philippine Ethnohistories: The Luzon Cordillera and Beyond,” in Banaue, Ifugao; “Towards a National History: Local History in the Context of National History,” in Tagbilaran, Bohol; “Celebrating 70 Years of the PNHS: Looking Back and Looking Forward – Historical Antecedents and Future Prospects in National and Local History” in Angeles City; “Towards a National History: Mindanao and Sulu Local History in the Context of National History” in General Santos City; “History and Environment:” in Dumaguete City; and “History and Culture” in Cagayan de Oro City; “History of the Northern Philippines: Local History in the Context of National History” in the Heritage City of Vigan; “History and the Central Philippines: Local History in the Context of National History” in Iloilo City; and “Mindanao History in the Context of National History” in Butuan City.