We are pleased to present the maiden issue of TILAMSIK: The Southern Luzon Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. Although many of our readers know that this is not the first time a journal bearing the name Tilamsik and the same International Standard Serial Number has been published, our team decided to reset the journal's volume and issue numbering under its new banner, The Southern Luzon Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, as approved by the Board of Regents of Southern Luzon State University through BOR Resolution No. 53, s. 2022. Through this move, we reaffirm our commitment to highlighting the scholarly contributions of researchers and practitioners whose work is about and/or situated within Southern Luzon – a region often regarded as being at the periphery of the knowledge economy (see Soler et al. 2024). In a world where academic publication readership is highly competitive, as we argued elsewhere (Guinto 2024), we offer this recalibrated Tilamsik as a journal of choice for those who wish to make a positive difference in communities across Southern Luzon while remaining globally relevant and attentive to issues that directly affect our service area.

In this maiden issue, we feature six rigorously selected articles whose authors have worked closely with us since 2022 – yes, you read that right, 2022. Unlike many journals, we provide mentorship to our authors to help ensure that their papers reach publishable quality. When we see potential in a manuscript and it falls within the scope and aims of our journal, we work closely with its authors throughout the publication process while preserving their distinctive writing style. This is a publication model we hope to champion – one that differs from the experience offered by many international journals, where contributors, especially novice researchers, are often left discouraged and alone. Nearly half of the contributions in this issue come from novice researchers whose promising work has been nurtured and is now published here. And yes, tumatanggap kami ng mga papel na nakasulat sa Tagalog (ang pangunahing wika sa Katimugang Tagalog) dahil nais naming mas marami ang makabasa ng mga makabagong kaalaman na, nawa'y, makatulong sa ating mga kababayan.

The first article is by Jennifer M. Oestar of the Department of Education–Schools Division of Lucena City, who examines Green School Practices in Quezon Province, providing the basis for a recommended Green Schools Sustainable Development Program. Sinuri naman ni John Lloyd Cañones ng De La Salle University ang lexical semantics at mga kultural na paglalarawan ng salitang "rikit", isang salitang may natatanging kahulugan para sa mga lumaki sa bayan ng Lucban. Norman Vincent A. Paderes of Southern Luzon State University offers a philosophical examination of the role of abduction in poetry, arguing that it can enrich literary criticism. Drawing on insights from employers of Southern Luzon State University BS Biology graduates from 2007 to 2024, Kathleen N. Ordoñez-Pornobi examines graduates' workplace performance to determine how well the program responds to industry needs and where it may be further strengthened. Herbert Perez of the Department of Education–Division of Tayabas, together with Aileen Elarco of Southern Luzon State University, explores grit and need fulfillment among Career Executive Service Officers in DepEd CALABARZON, from which they propose the Arrowed Pentagon Model of Executive Leadership. Finally, Georgie Marie L. Martinez and Julianne A. Quisao examine the often-taboo topic of parent-child communication about human conception and genitalia among selected participants in a relatively conservative province, noting how parents employ communicative covers through metaphors and euphemisms.

Taken together, these contributions attest to our commitment to fostering academic dialogue on local issues that matter most to our communities. We are sincerely grateful to our Editorial Board members and peer reviewers whose dedication made this maiden issue possible. It is our hope that Tilamsik will continue to provide Southern Luzon – its people, thinkers, community workers, practitioners, and researchers – with an important space in scholarly conversations about and for the region.