Beyond Aquinas
Robredo speaks in nat’l conference of Catholic universities in Aquinas
The Vice President, in her speech, emphasized the role of schools in engaging their students in service and learning beyond the classroom through outreach programs that help poor communities.
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — “Service and learning do not exist as separate concepts,” said Vice President Leni Robredo at the annual national conference of the Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines (ACUP) on January 20 at the Daragang Magayon Hall, Aquinas University of Legazpi.
Responding to this year’s event’s theme, “Catholic Universities and the Government: Toward Mutual Collaboration for Social Transformation,” she emphasized the role of schools in engaging their students in service and learning beyond the classroom setting through providing effective training grounds in preparation for the youth’s role in nation building via the development of more service learning courses.
She suggested that curriculum and course syllabi may include immersion to places similar to Lambonao, Iloilo where she initially launched the “Angat Buhay Program” back in October 2016.
Robredo adds that “[w]e can only fully understand [their] needs if we are willing to go out of our comfort zones [and] immerse in their daily struggles.” She shared that from these visits, she was able realize that the key to uplifting the lives of the poor is the path of conversion and cooperation for everyone to be able to successfully collaborate. Before she closed her speech, Robredo returned to the core of the event and reminded the participants that as the missions and visions of each university align, “may [they] always remember those who have been long ignored and relegated in the fringes of society.”
Along with Vice President Leni Robredo, Congressman Joey Salceda was also a guest speaker in the event. The three-day assembly of ACUP, hosted by Aquinas University of Legazpi, Ateneo De Naga University and Unibersidad de Sta. Isabel from January 19 to 21, focused on the partnership of the government and Catholic universities toward social transformation, as well as Catechism leadership. A workshop with student leaders from the universities present was also conducted where concrete ways towards social transformation was tackled. ■ By Marian Justine H. Yorobe
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