By Angelica H Salamero
Xavier University, through the Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana – Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO) in collaboration with the various schools, colleges and partner institutions, held the 5th Collaborative Service Learning Summit (CSLS) with the theme “The Plight of Education for Social Justice through Collaborative Service Learning” at the University Amphitheater.
The summit showcased students’ academic output-based researches on development processes and concerns of community partners specifically in the Sendong relocation sites and Barangay Lumbia.
Student-researchers presented on a wide range of topics, namely: setting up an accounting mechanism, documents tracking, traffic information, police information and emergency response system, website development for BIGHOOP Charities and KKP-SIO management and social assessment to post-Sendong communities, among others.
Moreover, the summit featured website development for the Manresa Farm, photojournalism exhibition on the Alubijid identity, coastal resource management projects, and values formation and tutorials for Brgy Lumbia children.
XU president Fr Roberto Yap SJ said that “Service Learning Program is a very important program at Xavier University as it applies the three languages from Pope Francis—the language of head: to understand the concepts and theories using our heads and mind; the language of hands: we apply these concepts we have learned to the community using our hands; and the language of heart: because it touches our hearts, we put this in the service of the people.”
Fr Yap also commended the student-researchers and their mentors, KKP-SIO and the partner communities for the success of the summit.
Present during the event were the community partners from barangays Lumbia, Carmen, and Camaman-an of Cagayan de Oro City, representatives from BIGHOOP Charities, Lumbia Joint Livelihood Association (LJLA), CDOC Police, and Estate Management Division (EMD). The summit forms part of the celebration of the Research and Social Outreach (RSO) Month.