Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): PASR Journal

This volume marks a milestone in the journal’s publishing journey, presenting seventeen articles that weave together education, culture, and faith. Significantly, it includes two international contributions: one authored by a Vietnamese scholar whose study is set within the Catholic Church in Vietnam, and another by a scholar working in Thailand. Their inclusion expands the journal’s reach beyond the Philippines, affirming its commitment to fostering transnational dialogue and Southeast Asian scholarship. This volume unfolds as a collective narrative of education, culture, and faith in the Philippines, where the lived experiences of teachers, leaders, and communities reveal the deep interconnections between resilience, values, spirituality, and sustainability. The journey begins with novice principals in Biñan City, who entered leadership with anticipation and unease, striving to balance administrative responsibilities with moral expectations shaped by local traditions. It continues with public secondary teachers in General Trias, whose resilience was sustained by shared values and solidarity even as they struggled to maintain work–life balance. In the wake of disruption, novice teachers navigating post-COVID classrooms discovered strength in adaptive practices, emotional grounding, and peer collaboration. The broader educational landscape is reflected in the K–12 reform, where satisfaction among stakeholders was tempered by gaps in infrastructure and values integration, signaling the need for refinement. The journal also turns to Vietnam, where the Catholic Church’s digital evangelization is framed as both theological and sociological engagement. In this light, evangelization is affirmed not as mere technical adaptation but as a transformative pastoral response to contemporary realities. Alongside this, the salt-making industry in Cavite revealed both decline and resilience, with salt symbolizing purity and livelihood, urging modernization while honoring tradition. In higher education, Catholic Social Teaching practices among students demonstrated frequent engagement, though certain principles required deeper pastoral emphasis. The journal then turns to Marian devotion, where the title “Mother of the Church” fostered collective conscience and vocational inspiration. In the digital age, AI policies in faith-based syllabi underscored the need for ethical disclosure and digital equity, framing technology as both a tool and a moral responsibility. Cultural resilience shines through Filipino fiestas, where Sinulog, Peñafrancia, and Obando functioned as “Social Eucharists,” sustaining kinship and mitigating urban alienation. Philosophical inquiry into modern liberalism revealed its socio-political and economic foundations, exposing how autonomy can weaken collective solidarity. Meanwhile, Minasa enterprises in Bulacan preserved cultural heritage through artisanal food processing, balancing tradition with modern technology. Devotional practices such as Lupi in Pakil urged preservation of its sacred essence beyond secular framing, while Moryonan rites in Marinduque highlighted resilience and spirituality through sacred vows. A discourse on Just Transition, proposing a synergy between UN SDG 8 and Laudato Si’, embedding ecological ethics and Catholic social teaching into labor and sustainability policies. Set within Asia’s diverse religious landscape, one article shows how contextual theology engages interreligious dialogue, cultural inculturation, and social justice while remaining rooted in Christ-centered faith and magisterial teaching. As the closing voice of the journal, another article highlights John Paul II’s communio ecclesiology, enriched by sociological principles of solidarity, vocation, and shared meaning, as a bridge between Vatican II and contemporary synodal developments, offering a lasting resource for the Church’s participatory communion and mission. Together, these studies form a continuous narrative that affirms the inseparability of education, culture, and socio-religious life in the Philippines. Across classrooms, communities, industries, and policies, leadership and practice emerge not merely as technical or economic undertakings but as moral journeys shaped by conscience, calling, and cultural identity. In this light, the journal opens with a collective affirmation that sustainable progress must be anchored in values-driven resilience, socio-religious meaning-making, and philosophical reflection, ensuring that transformation remains human-centered, community-rooted, and spiritually grounded.

Dr. Venicris M. Alonsozana
Editor-in-Chief