The Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines, Inc. (ACUP) concluded its first Youth Seminar-Workshop and gathered over a hundred student leaders, student affairs officers, and organization advisers from all over the Philippines. It was held on July 23 and 24, 2024, at the Fr. Francis Gevers Hall of Saint Louis University (SLU), Baguio.The ACUP Youth Seminar-Workshop centered on the youth鈥檚 role in synodality and social transformation.
The two-day gathering explored ways in which the youth can be involved in synodal efforts in their schools and communities; emphasized the unique roles of the youth in promoting innovative ideas in line with synodality and methods of new evangelization; and empowered the youth to take action in matters of the environment, social transformation, and technology in line with the teachings of the Church.
The two-day gathering had for its keynote speakers the Angat Buhay Chairperson Atty. Maria Leonor 鈥淟eni鈥� G. Robredo and the Office for the Promotion of the New Evangelization (OPNE) Director Rev. Fr. Jason H. Laguerta, Ph.D., while Mr. John Rhey Espinoza and Radio Veritas 846 anchor Ms. Hazel Lorraine Icalia from OPNE served as the Masters of Ceremonies.
Day 1
In his welcome remarks, ACUP and Saint Louis University President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD shares that 鈥淭his conference is both an opportunity and a challenge. It is a chance to deepen our understanding of synodality. It is also a call to action, urging us to work collectively toward social transformation. Your participation here is a testament to your commitment to these principles and we look forward to the innovative ideas and collaborative ideas that will emerge from our discussions. May this conference inspire you, challenge you, and empower you to be catalysts for positive change in our world. 鈥�
Fr. Laguerta鈥檚 keynote discussion on the morning of Day 1 centered on 鈥淭he Youth鈥檚 Role in Synodality and New Evangelization鈥�. His long-established active involvement in the synodal efforts of the Church鈥撯�搃ncluding engaging with thousands of faithful at the annual Philippine Conference for New Evangelization, which he serves as the Director鈥撯�損rompted valuable insights to be shared with the participants.
He interpreted the theme 鈥淭ayo-Tayo鈥� in three ways: Tay么 T谩yo (Let us stand), Tayo-tayo (we, together), and Tay么! Tay么! (Stand! Tumindig!) in calls to action to stand up for your beliefs and principles and to become and share good news to your community.
鈥淣ever stop questioning things, not with disrespect, but because that is what is needed for us to grow as a Church. We cannot just be quiet bystanders. Do not let life pass you by,鈥� Fr. Laguerta encouraged the participants.
Fr. Laguerta called Jesus 鈥榯he change that changes everything鈥� and urged participants to open their hearts to encounter Christ, saying 鈥淓vangelization is to be so transformed by the love of God so that you are clear about who you are. Be what God has meant you to be, and you can transform the world. We have to go back to that fundamental relationship with God, that basic experience of God鈥檚 love in our heart. You are loved! You are loved more than you鈥檒l ever know. This is more than enough for us to be a seeker, a dreamer, a warrior, and a mess-maker. Young people, I challenge you: Be the change you want to see in the world. You can be that change if you have allowed God to change you.鈥�
To facilitate active dialogue among the youth and the Church, Fr. Laguerta鈥檚 talk had a panel of student reactors from Catholic schools in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including San Beda University (Manila) Student Council President Ms. Mari Ernestine Okol, University of St. La Salle (Bacolod) Student Senate President Mr. Yuval Adera, and Notre Dame of Marbel University (Koronadal) Student Government President Mr. John Ryan Huqueriza. They shared insights and comments on Fr. Laguerta鈥檚 keynote address.
In the afternoon session, Living Laudato Si鈥� Philippines Executive Director and Thomasian alumnus Mr. Rodne Galicha spoke on 鈥淭he Youth and the Environment: The Road to Laudato Si鈥� Schools.鈥� His organization empowers citizens to adopt lifestyles and attitudes that meet the urgent need to care for our common home. It acts towards promoting sustainable development and stopping the climate crisis and degradation through collective action among people from different sectors. Mr. Galicha鈥檚 talk explored the youth鈥檚 role as stewards of God鈥檚 creation and how they can apply this in their own learning environments.
Ms. May Parsons, the UK-based Filipina nurse and Thomasian alumna who administered the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine, discussed 鈥淭he Youth and Social Transformation: Inspirations to Uplift the Community鈥� in her video message. Ms. Parsons is currently the Associate Chief Nurse and Director for Risk, Governance and Compliance at the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, United Kingdom, and was awarded the prestigious George Cross by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Since marking her name in history, she has launched a charity to support medical workers, particularly to uplift nurses from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The third plenary speaker for Day 1 is Break the Fake Movement Founder Mr. Gabriel Billones, Jr., the first Filipino who became an Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University in New York City. He leads an alliance of over 500 young professionals across Southeast Asia who fight fake news, promote media and information literacy, and encourage responsible digital citizenship. His talk focused on 鈥淭he Youth and Technology: How to Counter the Information Disorder.鈥�
Day 2
The keynote speaker for Day 2, human rights lawyer and Angat Buhay Chairperson Atty. Leni Robredo, discussed 鈥淭ayo-Tayo: The Youth鈥檚 Involvement in Synodality and Social Transformation鈥� at the Fr. Joseph van den Daelen Center for Culture and Arts Theater of SLU. Before, during, and after her term as the 14th Vice President of the Philippines, she has led efforts to implement community-centered and sustainable development initiatives on education, health, community engagement, and disaster response and rehabilitation. It is her seasoned leadership and expertise in such matters that enriched the discussion, which took the form of a fireside chat.
With over 500 Catholic school administrators, teachers, students, and youth leaders from SLU and ACUP in attendance during her talk, Atty. Robredo recommended schools to provide more spaces, time, and opportunities for student involvement in causes they are passionate about, so that they become empowered to express their thoughts and ideas, and encouraged to pursue learning in areas of interest outside their chosen program and curriculum.
Upon being asked if such a change is possible within the current school system in the country, Atty. Robredo answered 鈥淭his [systemic change in educational mindset] is possible, but it has to start at the basic education level so that the critical thinking of students is well-developed. It will take time to achieve that kind of progressive education system, but even though it will be a time-consuming journey, it needs to be started, considering that the international educational assessments have seen the Philippines at low ranks.鈥�
She also shared her observations of schools abroad, particularly in Helsinki, Finland, which consistently top the international educational assessments, such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for Education. She noted that their focus on having greater autonomy and adaptability in schools, lessening bureaucracy, starting formal schooling at a slightly later age (seven years old) so the children can maximize their early development years at home, establishing less strenuous schooldays with only a few academic units in a given week, and giving multiple opportunities and free time for students to pursue their advocacies and interests are the best practices to study and emulate.
On the topic of prioritizing sustainability, Atty. Robredo was asked how to enjoin people from all walks of life, particularly when for many struggling and under-served Filipinos, the 鈥渟ustainable option鈥� is unreachable or impractical because that costs more.
鈥淭he biggest mistake that we commit when we talk about sustainability is to look at it as a separate matter [from inequity], but we need to view it as part of a larger problem. Ideally, ones who make sustainability policies would also be immersed and well-informed about the day-to-day struggles faced at the grassroots level, and would have the foresight to integrate sustainability policies into larger social welfare initiatives and programs,鈥� shared Atty. Robredo.
鈥淔or example, if people have no access to clean water at home, then we can鈥檛 fault people for buying bottled water. Potable water is a right, and they have no other choice. It鈥檚 easy to say, just save money [to avoid 鈥榯ing卯-ting卯鈥� and single-use plastic consumption like sachets], but these people either have no job, or are working three simultaneous jobs with barely any sleep just to provide for their families, so for me, you cannot talk about sustainability without first attacking the many causes of inequity in society,鈥� said Atty. Robredo.
She added, 鈥渂efore we talk of sustainability, we have to search for solutions to the more immediate issues our less privileged citizens face [like hunger, housing, healthcare]. Once these daily struggles are resolved, then they could have the means to turn their focus on sustainability efforts. But if we don鈥檛 first focus on meeting their immediate needs for survival and livelihood, then complying would not be important for them and you can鈥檛 even fault them for that.鈥�
Following the fireside chat was the plenary discussion on 鈥淭he Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Journey of the Louisian Community” by the 2022 Catholic Heroes Awardee of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines and SLU Executive Assistant to the President Prof. Joselito C. Gutierrez, Ph.D., who is also the Officer-in-Charge of the SDG and Laudato Si鈥� Center of SLU. He discussed programs to uplift people and promote the missionary spirit among Louisians, which are attuned to the needs of the people since they truly immerse themselves and journey with their partner community.
In the afternoon, a workshop on Missionary Discipleship was led by Mr. John Rhey Espinoza, with breakout sessions focusing on the environment, social transformation, and technology.
The two-day youth gathering concluded with a collaborative cultural presentation. The CCA Performing Groups of Saint Louis University represented Luzon with their performances of 鈥�Tayong Mga Pilipino鈥�, 鈥�Pumalakpak鈥� from the musical Higit sa Pagibig, Koyu no Tebulul, and Piliin mo ang Pilipinas. Holy Name University represented Visayas with their lively performance of the celebratory group dance Kuradang, and the University of the Immaculate Conception represented Mindanao with their spoken word poem that invited youth to listen and participate in creating a more sustainable community titled, 鈥�Tayo at Kalikasan鈥�. For dinner, the SLU Concert Orchestra鈥檚 String Quartet enriched the ambiance.
Having celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, ACUP is currently led by its President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, Ph.D., who also serves as the President of Saint Louis University in Baguio City.
UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., Ph.D., serves as the ACUP Vice President, while the ACUP Secretariat is under the care of the UST Office of Public Affairs, led by the ACUP Secretary-General and UST Office of Public Affairs Director Ms. Michaella O. Lagniton.
