20/11/2025
𝐌𝐒𝐔-𝐈𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲; 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐏 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧
The Department of History of the Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology proudly announces that faculty member 𝐑𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐕. 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐝 is among the contributors to the forthcoming anthology 𝙏𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙀 𝙖𝙨 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙮: 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, to be published by Aletheia Publishing.
A groundbreaking work, TRESE as Philosophy inaugurates the new series Pinoy Pop Culture as Philosophy, the first in the Philippines to apply the “as philosophy” approach to local works of popular culture. The anthology brings together scholars and thinkers who delve into the dark, dynamic universe of the award-winning komiks series TRESE, uncovering its philosophical depth, cultural resonance, and narrative complexity.
Chapters in the volume tackle themes such as female agency, intergenerational justice, the superego, and social contract theory through the lens of the TRESE mythos. Contributors include Alexander Atrio L. Lopez, Beaujorne Sirad Ramirez, Justin Felip D. Daduya, Concordia Marie A. Lagasca-Hiloma, Khent Bryll M. Jarales, Dan Ian Niño B. Jaducana, Carl Jayson D. Hernandez, Christine Carmela R. Ramos, Jairus Diesta Espiritu, and MSU-IIT’s Ralph Jason V. Abad. The anthology is edited by Leander Penaso Marquez.
In his foreword, TRESE co-creator Budjette Tan expresses admiration for the scholars’ work, noting that their philosophical investigations reveal deeper patterns and underlying messages within the stories: “𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨.”
Aletheia Publishing has announced that the book will be launched between November 28–30 at UP Diliman, as part of the International Conference on Philosophy of Education and Values Education. The final date will be confirmed soon.
𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 promises to widen conversations on Philippine popular culture, demonstrating how local creative works can raise philosophical questions, shape cultural imagination, and illuminate contemporary social realities.
Photo Credits: Aletheia Publishing (altheiapublishing.com)
