1. Early Life and Education
Aileen Baviera's early life and educational journey laid the foundation for her distinguished career as a sinologist and political scientist, marked by a deep immersion in Chinese studies.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Aileen San Pablo was born on August 26, 1959, in Manila, Philippines. Information regarding her specific childhood experiences or family background beyond her birth name is limited in the provided sources.
1.2. Education
Baviera pursued her higher education at the University of the Philippines Diliman. In October 1979, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service, graduating cum laudewith honorLatin. Her academic specialization in Chinese and East Asian studies began early in her career. From 1981 to 1983, she conducted research in China as a student of modern Chinese history at the Peking University (referred to as Beijing University in some sources). During this period, she dedicated herself to learning the Chinese language, acquiring a diploma from the Beijing Language Institute. Her time in China also included extensive travel to the northern and western parts of the country, deepening her understanding of its diverse regions and culture. In 1987, Baviera obtained a Master of Arts in Asian Studies, specifically specializing in China and East Asia. She later completed her Doctor of Philosophy in political science in 2003, further solidifying her academic expertise.
2. Career
Aileen Baviera's career spanned various roles in academic, research, and leadership capacities, establishing her as a pivotal figure in the study of China and East Asia in the Philippines.
2.1. Academic and Research Positions
From 1980 to 1986, Baviera served as a researcher and trainer at the Foreign Service Institute of the State Department. She then transitioned to teaching, joining the Faculty of Political Science at the University of the Philippines where she taught until 1990. Following this, she took on the role of a research coordinator at the Philippine-China Development Resource Center, a position she held until 1993. From June 1993 to May 1998, Baviera was the head of the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies at the Foreign Service Institute. Concurrently, from 1996 to 1997, she also taught at the Faculty of Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University. Her academic career continued to flourish at the University of the Philippines Asian Center, where she served as an Associate Professor until June 2005. She became a full professor in July 2005. From July 2010, she took on an international role as the chief editor for Asian Politics & Policy for the Policy Studies Organization, based in Washington, D.C..
2.2. Leadership and Administrative Roles
Beyond her direct academic and research contributions, Baviera also held significant leadership and administrative responsibilities. From June 1998 to December 2001, she served as the executive director of the Philippine-China Development Resource Center. She further took on a prominent administrative role at the Asian Center, serving as its Dean from September 2003 to October 2009. Most recently, as of March 2020, she was the president and chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering understanding of international relations in the Asia Pacific region.
3. Scholarly Contributions and Views
Aileen Baviera's intellectual work is characterized by her deep expertise in sinology and her evolving perspectives on political dynamics, particularly concerning China and East Asian regional security.
3.1. Sinology and Research Focus
Baviera was widely recognized as one of the Philippines' foremost experts on China. Her academic and research interests were diverse yet interconnected, focusing on modern Chinese history, contemporary Chinese politics, and East Asian security issues. She extensively researched topics such as regional cooperation frameworks in East Asia and the political attitudes and behaviors of Chinese communities residing in the Metro Manila area. Her work provided critical insights into the complexities of China's rise and its implications for regional stability and Philippine foreign policy.
3.2. Evolution of Political Views
During her early years, Aileen Baviera held leftist political leanings. However, her extended period of research and study in China from 1981 to 1983 significantly shaped her political insights and led to a critical evolution of her views. This firsthand experience allowed her to develop a sharp discernment regarding political propaganda, whether it emanated from Mao Zedong's ideology or Ferdinand Marcos's regime. She articulated that her time in China taught her "to recognize and shun the shallowness of political propaganda when I saw it," leading to a more nuanced and independent political perspective. This intellectual development underscored her commitment to rigorous academic inquiry over ideological adherence.
4. Major Publications
Aileen Baviera authored and contributed to several significant academic works that reflect her research and expertise in sinology and East Asian studies. Her selected publications include:
- Contemporary Political Attitudes and Behavior of the Chinese in Metro Manila, published in 1994.
- Regional Security in East Asia: Challenges to Cooperation and Community Building, published in 2008.
5. Personal Life
Aileen Baviera was married to Jorge Villegas Baviera, who passed away in 2018 due to a heart attack. She had three children with her husband: Vita Amalya, born in 1985; Mara Yasmin, born in 1986; and Jorge Vittorio, born in 1991.
6. Death
Aileen Baviera died in the early morning of March 21, 2020, at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Philippines. Her death was caused by pneumonia, a complication of COVID-19. She contracted the disease on March 12, 2020, shortly after returning to the Philippines from Paris, France, where she had participated in a security conference. She was one of two Filipino delegates, the other being Alan T. Ortiz, who were exposed to the virus at this conference and later succumbed to the illness.
7. Legacy and Reception
Aileen Baviera is remembered as a pioneering and highly influential Filipino expert on China. Her extensive academic contributions and leadership roles significantly advanced the understanding of Chinese politics, East Asian security, and the intricate Philippines-China relations within the Philippines and beyond. As a sinologist, she provided critical analyses that informed academic discourse and public understanding, making complex international dynamics accessible. Her work on the political attitudes of Chinese communities in the Philippines highlighted internal societal complexities, while her focus on regional security and cooperation underscored her commitment to broader East Asian stability. Baviera's ability to evolve her political views based on direct experience, rather than adhering to fixed ideologies, exemplified her intellectual rigor. Her legacy lies in her sustained efforts to bridge academic research with policy-relevant insights, fostering a more informed approach to foreign policy in the Philippines and contributing to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of China in a global context.