With the failures of modernization, Development Communication (DevCom) has pivoted its development paradigm from simply achieving economic well-being as the end-all and be-all to a complex inclusive, long-term sustainable development. Two years after its completion, this is a retelling of a research journey on exploring the notions of an indigenous presence of the Alangan Mangyan public sphere in the mining discourse, and examining these episodes through critical self-reflection. This chapter aims to probe, through the dominant voice of the first author, the following through placing importance on the role of self-reflexivity in research: to achieve theoretical understanding by reevaluating the role of dialogue as an embodiment of participation in DevCom praxis, placing reflexivity in its theory and praxis, and exploring critical studies as a potential tradition in its research.