Turn-over Ceremony of the Collected Writings and Memorabilia of Dr. Mary Racelis

Friday, March 7, 2008

Dr. Mary Racelis is a 76-year old Research Scientist and Professor in the Department of Socio-Anthropology of the Ateneo de Manila University. She is not just any research scientist in that she has always presented her findings to both local and international stakeholders to advocate for the well-being of the poorest in society. Dr. Racelis is also a feminist and her advocacy of women and children has caused policy changes in United Nations organizations.

There were tributes from friends who had worked with Dr. Racelis, be they in UNICEF or Civil Society. One tribute I liked was that of Atty. Hec Soliman who said that managing knowledge by preserving implicit knowledge through writing and archiving is providing society with the needed stuff to write history. Without recorded knowledge, there would be no history. What Dr. Racelis has done by way of her writings is providing society, Philippine Society in particular, the materials to continue writing Philippine history from the perspective of women and the poor.


I saw the turn-over ceremony beyond the personal life of Dr. Mary Racelis. I viewed Mary's pro-poor voice embodied in all her writings as a representation of a woman's soul, that soul being the collective energy of women needed in the continuing transformation of society. People die. Mary will one day say "yes" to her own mortality but her contribution to make this world a better world will stay forever.