Green Light, Manila Standard Today

Dr. Emiliano T. Hudtohan

October 28, 2013

The resounding cheer of Animo La Salle continues to reverberate after De La Salle University captured the UAAP 76^th season men’s basketball crown.  DLSU president Br. Ricky Laguda, FSC, alumni Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, and Fr. Joey Faller saw the victory with the eyes of faith. The miracle victory was a perfect synergy of Lasallian faith and zeal.  Games were played with zeal and passion; there were reflective moments through liturgical rituals, serious studies and quiet calm at the Cojuangco conditioning laboratory in Agno. The team’s faith and zeal ignited the Animo La Salle amongst a mammoth crowd of 20,000 at MOA. During time-outs, a hush of silence engulfed the Lasallian community.  From those magical moments of reflection, the thirteen heroes with ‘never shall we fail’ determination emerged as the embodiment of Animo La Salle.

Service Learning

The butterfly effect of Animo La Salle continues to spread among the communities served by students engaged in service learning which completes the faith-zeal learning cycle.  Here, I feature the experience of Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance (CSRGOVE) K33, MBA Lasallian Leadership and CSR, and MBA Social Responsibility, Human Rights and Sustainable Development classes.

The community engagement of K33 was in partnership with the Center of Social Concern and Action (COSCA) of De La Salle University.   The COSCA anchors the students to “the [DLSU] vision-mission and current realities using the option for the poor lens.”  This is aligned to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines “preferential option for the poor” and the De La Salle Brothers’ fourth vow “to teach the poor gratuitously.”  In effect, the students are now at the forefront in carrying mission of the Church and the Brothers in the Philippines. And as the 21^st century calls for social empathy COSCA, more than ever, plays a key role in nation building through community development

Baesa community

K33 had a project with Barangay 161, Zone 14, Baesa, Caloocan City.  They created a community profile and focused on the Jasmin Child Development Center.  They got their feet wet and hands busy after two community visits under the guidance of Cosca coordinator Mei Guanzon and facilitator Sr.  Genoveva Dumay, RGS. Team Gjairus Castillo with Pocholo Villena, Marius De Guzman, Wesley Han, and Theodore Yap did the barangay profile documentation; Team John Paul de Luna with Angelica Samson, Clarissa Chung, Jun Seo Park, Neil Chua and Marla Bello did the audio visual video in compact disc and Team Luisa Gamboa with Kara Cabrera, Marian Capiral, Gabriella De Jesus, Abigail Francisco, Jannica Lim, and Patricia Razon did an orientation profile of JCDC in PowerPoint presentation and a flip chart.  .

They found out through barangay captain Toetino D.G. Gajudo that the community had problems with water and electrical connections, waste disposal, peace and order, and sustainable livelihood.  They discovered that the Jasmin Sacred Heart Association, Inc. (JSHAI) showed vibrant initiatives to improve the lives of its members.  The association established the Jasmin Child Development Center (JCDC).  Having been acquainted with JCDC president Leonarda Eugenio, VP Romeo de la Pena, secretary Gemma Arellano and officer-in-charge Sallie Cadubla, K33 chose to include the center in producing a barangay profile for orientation purposes. On August 28, 2013, they turned over the Baesa and JCDC project in tri-media presentation. A compact disc and a flip chart were turned over to Sallie Cadubla, Menchie Macalde, and Katherine Galos of JSHAI.

On September 20, 2013 at the DLSU SL workshop at the Heritage Hotel, overall team leader

Marla Bello said that there is a need to “see for themselves the so-called reality of life. Lasallians as future leaders of the country should be achievers for God and country, committed to the community [and] service to other people.”

POLA parish

The MBA Lasallian Leadership class based their projects on the research of Vice-dean Dr. Debbie Edralin regarding the community needs of Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned (POLA). Hulo, Mandaluyong City.  Together with the pastoral council of POLA, the class decided to do skills training and fund-raising for the church construction.

Class president John Michael de Mesa,  an experienced Lasallian volunteer, set up the  Admin Com with Michelle Saquido, Mylene Quero, Wella Guanco;  Finance Com with  Alexis Uy, Carlo Gomez, Isabel Hocson and Jigo Rigor;  Procurement Com with  Alex Co,  Esyl Talingting, Mark Lin,  John Rafael Atienza , Artemio Macalino and  Ramilyn Maribao;  Documentation Com with  Jelina King,  Aerianne Mendoza, Mark Joseph Legaspi,  Manuel Domingo,   Adelfa Malate,  Jecy Corpuz  and Macky Inandan   Raffle Com with  Kat Silva, Karla Vistro ,  Glenda Aure, and  Roby Uy (Belo  raffle sponsor); and  Debriefing Com with  Betina Jareno,  Jacqueline Potencio and Jonathan Masangkay

Through Michelle Saguido, Sec. Joel Villanueva designated TESTA trainers for POLA technical skills building workshops.  There were 7 participants for the manicure/pedicure workshop, 10 for food processing, and 7 for haircut who were certified by TESTA graduates.  Through John Michael de Mesa and Alexis Uy, the class turned over to POLA pastoral council a donation of Phpesos 40,000.00 and secured one POLA scholarship for computer study at TESDA.

The Social Responsibility, Human Rights and Sustainable Development class was also engaged with POLA.    In partnership with the POLA pastoral council three teams were formed: 1. Finance Team with Nikki Bombales, Martin Hautea (sold two POLA statues), Tanya Manalaysay Kevin San Agustin, Mar Jan Guy, Reinhart Uy (secured Unilab donation), Marc Ching, Roma Magsumbol, Stephanie Bisnar and their MBA-JD classmates raised Phpesos 20,000.00 for POLA church construction, 2.  Medical Team with Sr. Marietta Pia (breakfast sponsors) Vanessa Espino (assistance of Dr. Jeanne Valderrama), Angel Gonzaga (grocery donors), Dianne Molina, and Kathrina Manalili conducted a medical mission together with POLA volunteers for 55 POLA parishioners on March 24, 2013.  They were assisted by the finance team in escorting the senior citizens, distributing packed breakfast, vitamins and medicines (courtesy of Unilab SVP Jose Maria Ochave and Chris Lapuz) and groceries; and 3. Environmental Team with Monina Mercaldo, Judy Liu, Faye Bonifacio, Cariza Sy, Den Lagdamen, Charlie Aganon and Vernon Ventura secured 100 pieces of 16 liter waste bins courtesy of Kane Industrial Corporation (care of Monina Mercaldo) for sustainable household waste management. The recipients were from the sub-parishes of St. Joseph, Holy Cross, Holy Spirit, Our Lady of Pena, Sta Rita, Sacred Heart of Jesus-Ayala Homes, and St. Joseph-Plainview subdivision.

Animo service

The Animo La Salle exemplified by the DLSU champion team reflects the faith and zeal every Lasallian should aspire for, especially in rendering service to the community.  And rookie coach Juno Sauler is an epitome of Animo La Salle when he quoted William Ernest Henley’s Invictus: “I am the master of my fate.  I am the captain of my soul.”  He also cited Frederick Nietzsche, “He who has the why to live for can bear almost any how.”

I must say faith is the why and zeal is the how of service learning.  And the service learners, in the words of Teilhard de Chardin, SJ truly become “spiritual beings with human activities.”

This, in my view, is Animo La Salle at the service of the nation.