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Press Release
PROFESSOR AMBETH R. OCAMPO DELIVERS LECTURE ON PH HISTORY AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, in partnership with Northern Illinois University’s (NIU) Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and with the support of the Asian American Resource Center, hosted a public lecture by Professor Ambeth R. Ocampo on 28 October 2025 at NIU in DeKalb, Illinois.
The event, titled “Jose Rizal, Jose Marco, and the Ab(Uses) of History,” drew faculty members, students, and members of the Filipino-American community for an engaging discussion on how historical sources - both authentic and fabricated – shaped, and continue to shape, the nation’s understanding of its past.
Dr. Kanjana Thepboriruk, Acting Assistant Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, opened the program by welcoming guests and reaffirming NIU’s longstanding commitment to advancing Philippine and Southeast Asian studies. Consul Ella Karina Mitra introduced Professor Ocampo, highlighting his distinguished background, contributions to academia and public scholarship, and the numerous accolades recognizing his impact on Philippine historiography.
In his presentation, Professor Ocampo revisited key themes from his recent engagements in Chicago, including his research on the works of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, whose writings offer a vivid portrayal of life during the Spanish colonial period.
He also discussed the controversial figure Jose E. Marco, whose historical forgeries - such as the Code of Kalantiaw and fabricated works attributed to Fr. Jose Burgos - misled generations of scholars and students. Professor Ocampo underscored that these forgeries, while false, have deeply influenced the Filipino sense of identity and national narrative, serving as reminders of the enduring responsibility of historians to question and verify sources.
The lecture concluded with an open forum, where participants thanked Professor Ocampo for his insights, particularly in relating history to present-day questions of identity and nationhood.
The Consulate expressed its gratitude to NIU’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Asian American Resource Center for their partnership in organizing the successful event, which strengthened academic collaboration and promoted greater appreciation of Philippine history and heritage among Filipino-Americans and the broader university community.
Photo 2: Professor Ambeth Ocampo delivers his lecture titled “Jose Rizal, Jose Marco, and the Ab(Uses)(right),
of History,” at the Asian American Resource Center of the NIU on 28 October 2025.
Photo 3: Prof. Ocampo touches briefly on his experience at the British Library during his lecture.
The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, in partnership with Northern Illinois University’s (NIU) Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and with the support of the Asian American Resource Center, hosted a public lecture by Professor Ambeth R. Ocampo on 28 October 2025 at NIU in DeKalb, Illinois.
The event, titled “Jose Rizal, Jose Marco, and the Ab(Uses) of History,” drew faculty members, students, and members of the Filipino-American community for an engaging discussion on how historical sources - both authentic and fabricated – shaped, and continue to shape, the nation’s understanding of its past.
Dr. Kanjana Thepboriruk, Acting Assistant Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, opened the program by welcoming guests and reaffirming NIU’s longstanding commitment to advancing Philippine and Southeast Asian studies. Consul Ella Karina Mitra introduced Professor Ocampo, highlighting his distinguished background, contributions to academia and public scholarship, and the numerous accolades recognizing his impact on Philippine historiography.
In his presentation, Professor Ocampo revisited key themes from his recent engagements in Chicago, including his research on the works of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, whose writings offer a vivid portrayal of life during the Spanish colonial period.
He also discussed the controversial figure Jose E. Marco, whose historical forgeries - such as the Code of Kalantiaw and fabricated works attributed to Fr. Jose Burgos - misled generations of scholars and students. Professor Ocampo underscored that these forgeries, while false, have deeply influenced the Filipino sense of identity and national narrative, serving as reminders of the enduring responsibility of historians to question and verify sources.
The lecture concluded with an open forum, where participants thanked Professor Ocampo for his insights, particularly in relating history to present-day questions of identity and nationhood.
The Consulate expressed its gratitude to NIU’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Asian American Resource Center for their partnership in organizing the successful event, which strengthened academic collaboration and promoted greater appreciation of Philippine history and heritage among Filipino-Americans and the broader university community.
Photo 2: Professor Ambeth Ocampo delivers his lecture titled “Jose Rizal, Jose Marco, and the Ab(Uses)(right),
of History,” at the Asian American Resource Center of the NIU on 28 October 2025.
Photo 3: Prof. Ocampo touches briefly on his experience at the British Library during his lecture.