Ano ba ang gitna ng Metro Manila? Taga-North o taga-South ka ba? Sa mga nakalipas na taon, isang hindi-mamatay-matay na debate sa social media ang pagsagot sa mga tila simpleng tanong na ito. Bagama’t masasabing walang maayos na kalutasan ang balitaktakang ito, dalawang mahalagang punto ang mapupulot. Una, malinaw na merong mayabong at taal na diskursong pang-espasyo ang mga Pilipino para unawain ang kanilang posisyon—sa parehong literal at di-literal na kahulugan—sa lipunan. Ikalawa, at mas mahalaga, tila hindi nakasasabay ang akademikong diskurso sa bilis ng pagbabago sa aktwal na danas ng mga tao sa iba’t ibang nosyon ng lapit, layo, at lunan. Kakatwa ang ganitong makupad na pag-unlad kung iisipin na nabibilang ang tinaguriang debateng “North–South” sa mahabang listahan ng mga kolokyal na konseptuwalisasyong pang-espasyo, kahanay ng mga salitang “jeprox,” “promdi,” at “looban.” Layon ng sanaysay na ito, sa tulong ng mga konsepto mula sa araling Timog-Silangang silangang Asya na nakatutok sa mga usaping urban, na matukoy ang mga butas ng kaalamang pang-espasyo sa araling Pilipino, ang limitasyon ng paggamit ng kolokyal na konseptuwalisasyon, at ang mga posibleng lunas sa mga nasabing kakulangan. Kritikal ang pagtugon sa suliraning ito lalo pa’t pinaiigting ng pandemya ang matagal ng pangangailangan para sa isang mayabong na bokabularyong magagamit sa usapin ng espasyo. What is the center of Metro Manila? Are you from the North or South? In recent years, answering these seemingly simple questions transformed into a never-ending debate in social media. Although there will probably be no concrete resolution to these discussions, two insights can be derived. First, it is clear that Filipinos have a rich and indigenous discourse on space to understand their position—literally and figuratively—in society. Second, and more important, it appears that academic discourse cannot keep pace with the rapid changes in how people actually experience notions of proximity, distance, and place. Such slow development is peculiar considering that this so-called North–South debate belongs to a long list of colloquial conceptualizations of space, along with the words “jeprox,” “promdi,” and “looban.” This essay, with the aid of concepts from Southeast Asian studies that are focused on urban issues, seeks to identify the gaps in spatial knowledge in Philippine studies, the limitations of using colloquial conceptualizations, and the sources of possible remedies to address the said weaknesses. Addressing this problem is critical, especially now that the current pandemic attenuates the longstanding need for a robust vocabulary to talk about space.
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