UP Cebu CCAD faculty member Asst. Prof. Maurice Jitty Villaester recently presented a research paper at the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) 2026 Conference, held on March 4–7, 2026 at the United Nations University in Tokyo, Japan.
His paper, “Constructing Counterpublics: Gen Z Students Reclaim Martial Law Memory through DYUP Sugbo,” examines how Generation Z students engage with the historical memory of Martial Law through campus radio and peer-driven media. The study focuses on Batbat, a ten-episode student-produced radio program aired via DYUP Sugbo, created by students enrolled in the general education course Wika, Panitikan, at Lipunan sa Ilalim ng Batas Militar (PS 21) at UP Cebu.
Grounded in counterpublic theory and informed by cultural memory and civic media frameworks, the research highlights how student broadcasters used storytelling, humor, and peer-oriented language to communicate historically grounded narratives about Martial Law to fellow Gen Z audiences. The findings show how campus media can serve as a youth-driven space for critical dialogue, democratic memory, and civic participation.
Access the paper HERE: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17275595
This presentation reflects CCAD’s continuing commitment to research, media education, and the critical engagement of students with history, communication, and public discourse.