WAY OF PROCEEDING. Xavier Ateneo's VP for social development Roel Ravanera welcomes the leaders and members of various SD units during the cluster's general assembly. Supplied photo.
Students’ social formation was the prime focus of the discussions during the general assembly of the units under Xavier Ateneo’s Social Development cluster, held earlier this month at the university’s AVR1 (Old Library).
The SocDev cluster also reviewed their goals, namely: Goal 1 - Institutionalization of SocDev framework into the university goals and processes towards contributing to its mission of forming "men and women for others"; Goal 2 - Development of institutional expertise relevant to local, national, and international concern in line with the Jesuit Province Roadmap; and Goal 3 - Harmonization of SocDev policies and guidelines with that of the Xavier Ateneo's.
“The Social Development Office has taken a direction towards strengthening our students’ social formation and the response from our college deans has been good,” said VP for social development Roel Ravanera.
He added: “This is the noble way of proceeding. What is needed is for us to work together as a team and even as a family.”
SOCDEV FAMILY. Xavier Ateneo Social Development cluster members pose after the successful conduct of their general assembly. Supplied photo.
Based on the three-year goals, the cluster eyed specific targets for the present school year.
For the first goal, they target to craft consolidated social formation activities under the Service Learning Program (SLP) and Student Social Involvement and Advocacy Program (SSIAP), produce copies of updated social formation modules, create a functional centralized database, and craft Manual of Operations.
In line with the second goal, they intend to make one sustained engagement with a community or sector per college and target two externally-funded projects per SD center.
For the third goal, the cluster hopes to get the approval of the modified guidelines and load equivalency for SD coordinators, directors, faculty; to present standard terms of references for SD personnel; and to get the approval on the guidelines for an official XU SD representation in various local and national policymaking bodies.
“We have a special focus in Mindanao, most especially in the Jesuit Province Road Map along with the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Institutional Societal Engagement (ISE) director Engr Dextor Lo, who also heads the Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI).
“We should develop solutions with and for society,” Lo added.
Updates of the other units, which are the SD centers, under ISE, were also mentioned by Lo.
DESIRE TO SERVE. Xavier Ateneo McKeough Marine Center director Fr Mars Tan SJ closes the general assembly with a message for the cluster that it is innate to help others as we are social beings. Supplied photo.
SSIAP director Nestor Banuag Jr told the assembly: “Advocacy aims to provide support which focuses on social formation and hopefully shapes views and widens our horizons. Our process of conscientization is continuing education and discussion.”
Tabang Marawi Shelter Project (TMSP) coordinator Alexis Baldia said that they have conducted community governance, health and proper sanitation interventions, and values formation in the war-torn areas of Marawi. “We’re not just building houses but we are building a community in the resettlement,” she said.
On SLP, director Engr Gail de la Rita said that there is a need to “strengthen our social formation to put emphasis on social justice among our students,” adding that, “We go back and anchor our missions to the Jesuit Province Roadmap.”
Fr Mars Tan SJ, director of XU Marine McKeough Center, closed the activity by sharing to the cluster that as social beings, it is innate that there is a desire to help [others], to contribute to the society given the resources and skills.
“Ang trabaho nato sa (Our work in) SD is heavy, tiring but this is a big favor being done to us in the university to practice our desire as human beings, to be able to help,” Tan said.
Social engagement is a mark of a Jesuit institution. At Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, this is carried on by the SocDev cluster which consolidates and strengthens the decades of experience and gains from institutional social engagement through its various college-based and expertise-based centers and institutes.∎