A third year undergraduate BA History student of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Antonio Sebastian B. Jover, was selected to participate in a writing workshop as part of the Japanese Studies Research Development Competition in the Philippines. The workshop was held on October 10-12, 2024, at the Asian Center in UP Diliman.
Now on its 7th year, the competition is held annually and interested participants can submit their study proposals with topics focused on Japan—anything from anime, festivals, or food. Those whose studies are selected were required to take part in the workshop. Jover was the only undergraduate participant from UPV and joined other undergraduate and MA students from other universities in the country.
Workshop participants were each assigned a reviewer and were required to present their proposals. Not all the reviewers were present but their feedback was relayed by video or by other reviewers present, such as Dr. Cheng Chua and Dr. Celero. Jover’s proposal was well-received by his assigned reviewer and the other workshop participants.
The workshop participants also took part in group discussions and enjoyed an opening dinner at the University Hotel. They also gained plenty of insights from speakers Dr. Meyer-Ohle, Dr. Celero, Dr. Cheng Chua, and Dr. Santamaria, who shared their knowledge on conducting research, especially studies focused on Japan.
Participants of the workshop were encouraged to complete their research and submit it by December, for a chance to present their completed study in March and win valuable prizes. Four undergraduate and four MA students whose research work will be deemed winners will each receive the latest Apple IPad models. The event is organized by the UP Diliman Asian Center in partnership with the Japan Foundation. Dr. Meyer-Ohle, a professor of Meiji Gakuin University, served as the keynote speaker.
