October 2017
BUKIDNON MISSION DISTRICT (BMD)
Fr. Bros Flores gives us this update on education initiatives in the BMD: “On 21 October, Saturday, representatives from Ateneo de Davao’s Mindanawon Office and Xavier University went to Jesuit Retreat House (JRH) in Malaybalay to introduce and orient the graduating Senior High Students of the 4 BMD Schools and their grades 10 and 12 class advisers on the many scholarship opportunities for the students. Ms. Perpy Tio of Mindanawon together with four Mindanawon scholars enlightened the group about what it means to be a Mindanawon scholar at AdDU. On the other hand, Xavier University presented the School of Education and College of Agriculture’s many college options and scholarship opportunities. The new Andrew L. Gotianun Sr. Center for Integrated Technologies (ALG-CIT) scholarship for Senior high school technological-vocational track was also presented. Nineteen graduating Lumad high School students and twenty Grades 10 and 12 class advisers from the four BMD Schools attended the orientation at JRH. Ms. Jenny Lynn Lee, school manager of Apu Palumgawan Cultural Education Center also attended the gathering. The five representatives from XU were Dr. Gilda Brito (Director, CIT), Ms Olive Lim (CIT Faculty), Dr. Rosario Mosqueda (Dean, College of Agriculture), Ms Gyllen Sanchez (College of Agriculture Faculty), and Dr. Jovy Delosa (Dean, School of Education).”
ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY (ADDU)
From Mr. Vinci Bueza, ADDU Assistant to the President for External affairs, reports as well on the Madaris Volunteer Program and the Bangsamoro Youth Caucus:
“The Madaris Volunteer Program (MVP) held the first iteration of its annual Madaris Leadership Program for Bangsamoro student leaders and teachers last September 17-21, 2017 at the Eden Nature Park in Davao City. This year’s program is comprised of two separate seminar-workshops, respectively called Compassionate Leadership: A Training-Workshop for Bangsamoro Leaders, and Teachers’ Training: Cultivating a Culture of Peace in the Classroom and Beyond. Student leaders and teachers from the MVP’s twelve (12) partner-madaris in the Bangsamoro participated in the event. These workshops are aimed at sharing with the students the gift of compassionate leadership—“to see as others see and to feel as others feel”—as well as helping the teachers build lasting peace in the classroom that would spread among the larger community. Intended to renew these student leaders and teachers’ focus on the Bangsamoro struggle, the program primarily comprised group workshop sessions and lectures by several resource persons.
The MVP is a collaborative initiative of ADDU with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines for the promotion of inter- and intra-faith dialogue through immersion. It is also implemented in strategic partnership with the National Association of Bangsamoro Education, Inc. and the Regional Government of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
The Salaam Movement and Al Qalam Institute convened 60 young Moro leaders from 12 different Muslim youth organizations across the Philippines to participate in the 1st Bangsamoro Youth Caucus at ADDU last September 15, 2017. The Caucus aimed at providing the young moro leaders the knowledge about the Enhanced Bangsamoro Basic Law. It also aimed at providing a strong voice of the Bangsamoro youth in field of the current Bangsamoro peace process. The Caucus also discussed the emerging problems with various extremist groups that are aimed at destabilizing the people and and the lack of awareness and engagement within the youth sector and communities about the peace process and the EBBL. They also identified and categorized pressing issues and problems within the Bangsamoro. In the said activity, resolutions and proposed mechanisms were thereafter presented leading to an official statement of which its drafting lasted for about 9 hours after corresponding revisions and deliberation with all the members present in the Caucus.
The official statement of the Bangsamoro Youth Caucus was officially adopted as a University Statement by the ADDU Board of Trustees last November 11.”
LOYOLA HOUSE OF STUDIES (LHS)
Last October 4, for its quarterly community forum, the LHS Community gathered to receive updates on the Province Roadmap. Fr. Rector Jun Borres invited Fr. Gaby Gonzalez (Province Assistant for Planning) and Fr. Robert Rivera (Chair of the Commission on Ministries) to give the same report on the Province Roadmap that they delivered during the August Meeting of Superiors and Directors of Work. Their inputs were generally well received, and during the open forum there were numerous insights and suggestions from both the fathers and the scholastics regarding possible initiatives that can be taken to further the implementation of the Roadmap. A simple hasutus (merienda) was served after the forum.
This bulletin is meant to keep our Philippine Province Jesuits and partners in mission updated regarding developments in the implementation of the Province Roadmap. Please email any news contributions from your respective apostolates to rrivera@xu.edu.ph.