Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
On Text Message (SMS) Regarding Suspension of Classes July 19 2009
For Immediate Release
TO: ATENEO COMMUNITY
FROM: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
RE: On Text Message (SMS) Regarding Suspension of Classes
There is a text message circulating that the University has suspended classes until July 29. The text message (SMS) is false. Please be reminded that official announcements on suspension of classes are generally posted as memoranda published in bulletin boards and University website. Announcements are also sent via e-mail and SMS.
FOR FUTURE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY DELIVERED DIRECTLY ON YOUR SMART MOBILE PHONES, PLEASE ENROLL YOUR NUMBER AT THE ADDU INFOBOARD. For students and parents interested to join the ADDU Textcast, follow the following steps using your Smart mobile:
STEP 1: Key in ADDU (space) REG (space) YOUR NAME/YOUR PROGRAM OR DEPARTMENT or if parent, put PARENT/ ID NO and send to 717ADDU. You will receive a reply from the system.
STEP 2: After you have received a text reply, key in ADDU (space) PUSH (space) ON and send to 717ADDU.
You can also inquire about suspension of classes through telephone (82) 221.2411.
If you want to be included in the email-cast, please write an email to pres@addu.edu.ph expressing your intention to be part of the recipient list of memoranda coming from the University.
A memorandum has been released by the University regarding Influenza A (H1N1) cases in campus. A primer released by the University's Integrated Health Services is posted in the website for information and guidance of parents, students, faculty and staff.
TO: ATENEO COMMUNITY
FROM: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
RE: On Text Message (SMS) Regarding Suspension of Classes
There is a text message circulating that the University has suspended classes until July 29. The text message (SMS) is false. Please be reminded that official announcements on suspension of classes are generally posted as memoranda published in bulletin boards and University website. Announcements are also sent via e-mail and SMS.
FOR FUTURE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY DELIVERED DIRECTLY ON YOUR SMART MOBILE PHONES, PLEASE ENROLL YOUR NUMBER AT THE ADDU INFOBOARD. For students and parents interested to join the ADDU Textcast, follow the following steps using your Smart mobile:
STEP 1: Key in ADDU (space) REG (space) YOUR NAME/YOUR PROGRAM OR DEPARTMENT or if parent, put PARENT/ ID NO and send to 717ADDU. You will receive a reply from the system.
STEP 2: After you have received a text reply, key in ADDU (space) PUSH (space) ON and send to 717ADDU.
You can also inquire about suspension of classes through telephone (82) 221.2411.
If you want to be included in the email-cast, please write an email to pres@addu.edu.ph expressing your intention to be part of the recipient list of memoranda coming from the University.
A memorandum has been released by the University regarding Influenza A (H1N1) cases in campus. A primer released by the University's Integrated Health Services is posted in the website for information and guidance of parents, students, faculty and staff.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Civic Duties of Ateneans
THE CIVIC DUTIES OF ATENEANS
Commencement Address to the Class of 2009
Ateneo de Davao University
March 21, 2009
Justice Antonio T. Carpio
Father Antonio Samson, President of the Ateneo de Davao University, Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chair of the Board of Trustees, other members of the Board of Trustees, the Deans of the Colleges, members of the Faculty, other officials of the University, Father Robert Hogan, the Class of 2009, parents and relatives of the graduates, my fellow alumni of this distinguished University, my colleague in the Supreme Court Justice Conchita Morales, Atty. J Castro of the Judicial and Bar Council, Attys. Nonong and Charito Cruz, my wife Ruth and my daughter Audrey, my fellow Davaoeños, friends -- good morning to all.
Allow me to thank the Board of Trustees for conferring on me this honorary Doctorate of Laws. I am deeply honored with this award bestowed by my own alma mater. And I am of course extremely pleased to address the Class of 2009 this morning.
I welcome this privilege to give you, the Class of 2009, some parting advice before you receive your diplomas and walk out of the gates of this University. As a life-long student of the law, I can tell you about your rights as citizens of our country. But this morning, I will tell you about your civic duties.
The real world you are about to face is now in turmoil -- economically, socially and politically -- largely because people are obsessed with their rights and have forgotten their civic duties to society and country.
Our Constitution enumerates our rights as citizens, but you cannot find in our Constitution an enumeration of our civic duties. Congress has not passed a law enumerating the civic duties of citizens, not even the law that established the Civic Welfare Training Service. There is no decision of the Supreme Court enumerating, or discussing, the civic duties of citizens. In the curriculum of most schools, civics is taught as part of other subjects.
I believe that revisiting your civic duties as citizens is a fitting send-off as you start your exciting journey in the real world.
I shall bring you to my Latin class forty plus years ago in Ateneo de Davao High School where Father John Hogan taught us the origin of civics, from the Latin word civitas or city. The early Romans had the duty to defend their city, and this took the form of service as a foot soldier in the Roman army. And so the farmer-soldier was born -- the average Roman citizen tilled his farm, but when his city came under threat, he would take up arms as a soldier. He made or bought his own uniform, sword and shield. He armed himself using his own resources. That was how Rome became a strong Republic – through the unselfish and patriotic efforts of all its citizens.
Today, what is the equivalent of the farmer-soldier in the Republic of the Philippines? What are the civic duties of every Filipino citizen to maintain and support a strong Republic -- to insure good governance, development and justice in our country?
The first civic duty of a citizen is to seek the truth, and to stick to the truth. There can be no good governance without the truth. A government policy that allows suppression of the truth breeds suspicion of governmental acts, and destroys public trust in government itself.
During the Senate impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada, the suppression of the contents of the envelope triggered within 24 hours a public outrage that led to EDSA II and the ouster of the President. Ironically, the prosecution did not even present during the trial the contents of the envelope to secure the conviction of President Estrada for plunder. It turned out the contents of the envelope were not that important. And yet the mere suppression of the contents of the envelope was enough to cause the sudden downfall of the President. Indeed, suppressing the truth could be more fatal than disclosing the truth.
The second civic duty of a citizen is to participate in the governance of our country. At the minimum, this duty means voting in every election, and voting only those you can trust to run the government honestly and efficiently. About twenty-five percent of our electorate do not vote largely because of apathy -- a neglect or refusal to participate in the governance of our country. This 25% is more than enough to change the outcome of any election.
The election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency proves that ordinary people, when organized and motivated, can beat well-oiled political machineries. The Obama phenomenon required one essential thing – the participation of the citizenry by registering to vote in the elections. Obama’s campaign workers registered millions of new voters, changing the voting map of the United States. This made the big difference on election day. The lesson is clear: even those who in the past never voted in the elections can elect the president they want and deserve, if they exercise their duty to vote. In the coming elections in 2010, and in succeeding elections, be sure to exercise your duty to vote, and to vote only honest and competent candidates to public office.
The third civic duty of a citizen is to oppose oppressive or corrupt acts of those who hold public office. Public office is a public trust. If that trust is breached, the citizenry must demand an accounting because history has shown that only a vigilant citizenry can prevent abuse of public trust. An abuse of public trust that goes unchecked will repeat itself, and will become widespread and even more vicious.
When I was still in the private practice of law, I was one of those who filed the first plunder case against a sitting President. My law partners and I fielded a battery of lawyers in the first impeachment trial of a President. And these private lawyers assisted the public prosecutors in the plunder trial. The idea that we wanted to convey is that every citizen, within his or her means and competence, must prevent abuses especially by the highest public official. If we do not, then no one else will and we will truly deserve the government we get.
The fourth civic duty of a citizen is to respect the fundamental rights of his or her fellow citizens. We live in a pluralistic society of different religions, traditions and ethnic origins. We can only survive if we live in harmony with our fellow citizens.
As technology shrinks our 7,100 islands, and as a growing population consumes more of our diminishing resources, there will be greater competition not only among Filipinos in general, but also among Filipinos of different backgrounds. We need to be more tolerant than ever of those who do not share our own background or world-view.
The fifth civic duty of a citizen is to be fair in all his or her dealings with others. Whether you work in the public or private sector, you ultimately serve as trustees -- trustees of the public, and trustees of the stockholders or members you serve. Never abuse such trust. The root of the problem in the government and corporate world today is abuse of trust motivated by greed. Public officials entrusted with public funds treat those funds as their personal assets. Executives entrusted with corporate funds pay themselves huge bonuses even if their companies lose money.
Such abuse of trust has caused untold misery to taxpayers who continue to suffer from lack of basic services. Such abuse of trust has impoverished ordinary investors, like retired schoolteachers, who have lost their lifetime savings. It boils down to a failure by those who hold public or private office to exercise the civic duty to act with fairness in all their actions.
The sixth civic duty of a citizen is to leave his or her country a better place than he or she found it. Our country was built on the blood, toil, tears and sweat of every generation of Filipinos that lived in this country. A country does not develop in just one generation. A sustained development over several generations is required to lay the foundation for a country to take off, although the actual take off or turn-around can take place in just 15 to 20 years, as what happened in Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and China.
The development of our country broke down during the martial law years. An analysis of UNESCO’s motion chart of development indexes shows that for one entire decade, the Philippines did not progress because its GDP in 1976 was roughly the same as its GDP in 1986. In the same period, the GDP of our neighboring countries rapidly increased, and this accounts in part for how far they have developed, and how far we have lagged behind, today. We cannot afford a repeat of those stagnant years. It is your civic duty to insure that the country keeps on developing in your generation.
I have explained the civic duties of every citizen. But you, the Class of 2009, you have received a far better education in Ateneo than the rest of the 1.4 million young Filipinos who are entering the labor force this year. To you who have received a far better education, more is expected of you. You have a seventh special civic duty to the country as graduates of the Ateneo.
Your Ateneo education has taught you to ask questions, to think and analyze, and to dare to act on your convictions. In life, these are the essential tools to solve problems, to remove bottlenecks, to improve efficiencies, to make new discoveries, and to create new products. Your Ateneo education has taught you to question old ways of doing things, why they were hailed as solutions when they first appeared, and why they are now the intractable problems that must be overcome at all cost. The contemporary thinker Matt Miller calls these old ways that weigh us down The Tyranny of Dead Ideas. Dead Ideas can be laid to rest only by asking questions, by thinking and analyzing, and by daring to act to put the Dead Ideas to their grave.
In 1992, it took from 3 to 15 years to get a telephone line in Metro Manila. In the provinces, most people did not even expect to get a telephone in their lifetime. The problem was the telephone industry was a monopoly. When the modern telephone system was first introduced in this country, a monopoly franchise was necessary to entice the private sector to raise the huge capital for the telephone system. The monopoly was the solution then. From the 1960s onwards, the demand for telephones skyrocketed. But the telephone monopoly, secure in its franchise, took its sweet time in meeting the huge demand. Facing no competition, the monopoly also became inefficient. The telephone monopoly had become the problem, and no longer the solution.
As Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of President Fidel Ramos, I recommended the issuance of an Executive Order mandating the telephone monopoly to interconnect with all new cellular phone companies. No new cellular phone company would enter the industry if its subscribers could not call the subscribers of the telephone monopoly. I argued that the telephone monopoly franchise applied only to landlines, and not to cellular lines. The President signed the Executive Order. Suddenly, new cellular companies rushed to enter the industry. Competition blossomed. In less than two years, any one could get a cellular phone on demand with no waiting time.
The same thing happened in the shipping industry. A Dead Idea, the prior operator rule, prevented for several decades competition in inter-island shipping. Under the prior operator rule, existing shipping lines had a veto power over new companies that wanted to operate in the same routes. The prior operator rule was invented by administrative agencies to encourage investments in the shipping industry. But after several decades, the prior operator rule became an obstacle to the modernization of the shipping industry. Upon my recommendation, President Ramos issued an administrative order abolishing the prior operator rule. Soon thereafter, new roll-on, roll-off vessels plied the sea-lanes, making possible the nautical highways that connect our islands today.
When I joined the Supreme Court in 2001, I noticed that it took three to five years before the Philippine Reports – the book bound copies of decisions of the Supreme Court - reached trial court judges in the provinces. Printing the Philippine Reports took years, and shipping them to the provinces was expensive. Disseminating Supreme Court decisions in this way was another Dead Idea. So in 2004 I set-up the Supreme Court E-Library, the first web-based, full text search and retrieval electronic library in the Philippines.
Decisions of the Supreme Court are uploaded to the E-Library within 72 hours from promulgation. What took several years to reach trial court judges in the provinces now takes only a few days. And with the search engine of the E-Library, what took weeks to research now takes only a few minutes by simply typing key words or phrases. Judges without internet connection access the Supreme Court decisions thru the compact disc version of the E-Library, which we simply send by mail to trial judges.
Dead Ideas can block the progress and development of our nation for years or even decades. Once we throw away these Dead Ideas, the nation’s development will accelerate rapidly. In the telecommunications industry, analysts estimate that for every 10% cellular phone penetration of the population, the economy on the average gains a 1.5% one-time increase in GDP. Today, more than 50% of our population have cellular phones compared to almost zero percent when President Ramos issued the Executive Order in 1993.
As graduates of the Ateneo, you have the skills to identify Dead Ideas, to question old ways, to analyze problems, and to think of new solutions. You also have the confidence to dare to implement your solutions. The Ateneo has equipped you with the sword and shield to slay the dragons of Dead Ideas. As full-fledged Blue Knights, you are now ready to fulfill your special civic duty as Ateneans -- to do battle with the Dead Ideas in the real world as you leave the gates of this University.
To the Class of 2009, in your journey through life, you will now and then be faced with choices -- either to follow through, or to turn your back, on your civic duties to our country. Like the Roman farmer-soldiers of old, face bravely your civic duties as citizens of our country. And like true Ateneans, dare to question, to think, to analyze, and to act on your convictions. In honoring your civic duties as citizens and as Ateneans, you become men and women for others in the Ignatian Spirit in our own time and age.
To the Class of 2009, my fellow alumni of this distinguished University we are all proud of, congratulations and Godspeed!
Commencement Address to the Class of 2009
Ateneo de Davao University
March 21, 2009
Justice Antonio T. Carpio
Father Antonio Samson, President of the Ateneo de Davao University, Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chair of the Board of Trustees, other members of the Board of Trustees, the Deans of the Colleges, members of the Faculty, other officials of the University, Father Robert Hogan, the Class of 2009, parents and relatives of the graduates, my fellow alumni of this distinguished University, my colleague in the Supreme Court Justice Conchita Morales, Atty. J Castro of the Judicial and Bar Council, Attys. Nonong and Charito Cruz, my wife Ruth and my daughter Audrey, my fellow Davaoeños, friends -- good morning to all.
Allow me to thank the Board of Trustees for conferring on me this honorary Doctorate of Laws. I am deeply honored with this award bestowed by my own alma mater. And I am of course extremely pleased to address the Class of 2009 this morning.
I welcome this privilege to give you, the Class of 2009, some parting advice before you receive your diplomas and walk out of the gates of this University. As a life-long student of the law, I can tell you about your rights as citizens of our country. But this morning, I will tell you about your civic duties.
The real world you are about to face is now in turmoil -- economically, socially and politically -- largely because people are obsessed with their rights and have forgotten their civic duties to society and country.
Our Constitution enumerates our rights as citizens, but you cannot find in our Constitution an enumeration of our civic duties. Congress has not passed a law enumerating the civic duties of citizens, not even the law that established the Civic Welfare Training Service. There is no decision of the Supreme Court enumerating, or discussing, the civic duties of citizens. In the curriculum of most schools, civics is taught as part of other subjects.
I believe that revisiting your civic duties as citizens is a fitting send-off as you start your exciting journey in the real world.
I shall bring you to my Latin class forty plus years ago in Ateneo de Davao High School where Father John Hogan taught us the origin of civics, from the Latin word civitas or city. The early Romans had the duty to defend their city, and this took the form of service as a foot soldier in the Roman army. And so the farmer-soldier was born -- the average Roman citizen tilled his farm, but when his city came under threat, he would take up arms as a soldier. He made or bought his own uniform, sword and shield. He armed himself using his own resources. That was how Rome became a strong Republic – through the unselfish and patriotic efforts of all its citizens.
Today, what is the equivalent of the farmer-soldier in the Republic of the Philippines? What are the civic duties of every Filipino citizen to maintain and support a strong Republic -- to insure good governance, development and justice in our country?
The first civic duty of a citizen is to seek the truth, and to stick to the truth. There can be no good governance without the truth. A government policy that allows suppression of the truth breeds suspicion of governmental acts, and destroys public trust in government itself.
During the Senate impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada, the suppression of the contents of the envelope triggered within 24 hours a public outrage that led to EDSA II and the ouster of the President. Ironically, the prosecution did not even present during the trial the contents of the envelope to secure the conviction of President Estrada for plunder. It turned out the contents of the envelope were not that important. And yet the mere suppression of the contents of the envelope was enough to cause the sudden downfall of the President. Indeed, suppressing the truth could be more fatal than disclosing the truth.
The second civic duty of a citizen is to participate in the governance of our country. At the minimum, this duty means voting in every election, and voting only those you can trust to run the government honestly and efficiently. About twenty-five percent of our electorate do not vote largely because of apathy -- a neglect or refusal to participate in the governance of our country. This 25% is more than enough to change the outcome of any election.
The election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency proves that ordinary people, when organized and motivated, can beat well-oiled political machineries. The Obama phenomenon required one essential thing – the participation of the citizenry by registering to vote in the elections. Obama’s campaign workers registered millions of new voters, changing the voting map of the United States. This made the big difference on election day. The lesson is clear: even those who in the past never voted in the elections can elect the president they want and deserve, if they exercise their duty to vote. In the coming elections in 2010, and in succeeding elections, be sure to exercise your duty to vote, and to vote only honest and competent candidates to public office.
The third civic duty of a citizen is to oppose oppressive or corrupt acts of those who hold public office. Public office is a public trust. If that trust is breached, the citizenry must demand an accounting because history has shown that only a vigilant citizenry can prevent abuse of public trust. An abuse of public trust that goes unchecked will repeat itself, and will become widespread and even more vicious.
When I was still in the private practice of law, I was one of those who filed the first plunder case against a sitting President. My law partners and I fielded a battery of lawyers in the first impeachment trial of a President. And these private lawyers assisted the public prosecutors in the plunder trial. The idea that we wanted to convey is that every citizen, within his or her means and competence, must prevent abuses especially by the highest public official. If we do not, then no one else will and we will truly deserve the government we get.
The fourth civic duty of a citizen is to respect the fundamental rights of his or her fellow citizens. We live in a pluralistic society of different religions, traditions and ethnic origins. We can only survive if we live in harmony with our fellow citizens.
As technology shrinks our 7,100 islands, and as a growing population consumes more of our diminishing resources, there will be greater competition not only among Filipinos in general, but also among Filipinos of different backgrounds. We need to be more tolerant than ever of those who do not share our own background or world-view.
The fifth civic duty of a citizen is to be fair in all his or her dealings with others. Whether you work in the public or private sector, you ultimately serve as trustees -- trustees of the public, and trustees of the stockholders or members you serve. Never abuse such trust. The root of the problem in the government and corporate world today is abuse of trust motivated by greed. Public officials entrusted with public funds treat those funds as their personal assets. Executives entrusted with corporate funds pay themselves huge bonuses even if their companies lose money.
Such abuse of trust has caused untold misery to taxpayers who continue to suffer from lack of basic services. Such abuse of trust has impoverished ordinary investors, like retired schoolteachers, who have lost their lifetime savings. It boils down to a failure by those who hold public or private office to exercise the civic duty to act with fairness in all their actions.
The sixth civic duty of a citizen is to leave his or her country a better place than he or she found it. Our country was built on the blood, toil, tears and sweat of every generation of Filipinos that lived in this country. A country does not develop in just one generation. A sustained development over several generations is required to lay the foundation for a country to take off, although the actual take off or turn-around can take place in just 15 to 20 years, as what happened in Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and China.
The development of our country broke down during the martial law years. An analysis of UNESCO’s motion chart of development indexes shows that for one entire decade, the Philippines did not progress because its GDP in 1976 was roughly the same as its GDP in 1986. In the same period, the GDP of our neighboring countries rapidly increased, and this accounts in part for how far they have developed, and how far we have lagged behind, today. We cannot afford a repeat of those stagnant years. It is your civic duty to insure that the country keeps on developing in your generation.
I have explained the civic duties of every citizen. But you, the Class of 2009, you have received a far better education in Ateneo than the rest of the 1.4 million young Filipinos who are entering the labor force this year. To you who have received a far better education, more is expected of you. You have a seventh special civic duty to the country as graduates of the Ateneo.
Your Ateneo education has taught you to ask questions, to think and analyze, and to dare to act on your convictions. In life, these are the essential tools to solve problems, to remove bottlenecks, to improve efficiencies, to make new discoveries, and to create new products. Your Ateneo education has taught you to question old ways of doing things, why they were hailed as solutions when they first appeared, and why they are now the intractable problems that must be overcome at all cost. The contemporary thinker Matt Miller calls these old ways that weigh us down The Tyranny of Dead Ideas. Dead Ideas can be laid to rest only by asking questions, by thinking and analyzing, and by daring to act to put the Dead Ideas to their grave.
In 1992, it took from 3 to 15 years to get a telephone line in Metro Manila. In the provinces, most people did not even expect to get a telephone in their lifetime. The problem was the telephone industry was a monopoly. When the modern telephone system was first introduced in this country, a monopoly franchise was necessary to entice the private sector to raise the huge capital for the telephone system. The monopoly was the solution then. From the 1960s onwards, the demand for telephones skyrocketed. But the telephone monopoly, secure in its franchise, took its sweet time in meeting the huge demand. Facing no competition, the monopoly also became inefficient. The telephone monopoly had become the problem, and no longer the solution.
As Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of President Fidel Ramos, I recommended the issuance of an Executive Order mandating the telephone monopoly to interconnect with all new cellular phone companies. No new cellular phone company would enter the industry if its subscribers could not call the subscribers of the telephone monopoly. I argued that the telephone monopoly franchise applied only to landlines, and not to cellular lines. The President signed the Executive Order. Suddenly, new cellular companies rushed to enter the industry. Competition blossomed. In less than two years, any one could get a cellular phone on demand with no waiting time.
The same thing happened in the shipping industry. A Dead Idea, the prior operator rule, prevented for several decades competition in inter-island shipping. Under the prior operator rule, existing shipping lines had a veto power over new companies that wanted to operate in the same routes. The prior operator rule was invented by administrative agencies to encourage investments in the shipping industry. But after several decades, the prior operator rule became an obstacle to the modernization of the shipping industry. Upon my recommendation, President Ramos issued an administrative order abolishing the prior operator rule. Soon thereafter, new roll-on, roll-off vessels plied the sea-lanes, making possible the nautical highways that connect our islands today.
When I joined the Supreme Court in 2001, I noticed that it took three to five years before the Philippine Reports – the book bound copies of decisions of the Supreme Court - reached trial court judges in the provinces. Printing the Philippine Reports took years, and shipping them to the provinces was expensive. Disseminating Supreme Court decisions in this way was another Dead Idea. So in 2004 I set-up the Supreme Court E-Library, the first web-based, full text search and retrieval electronic library in the Philippines.
Decisions of the Supreme Court are uploaded to the E-Library within 72 hours from promulgation. What took several years to reach trial court judges in the provinces now takes only a few days. And with the search engine of the E-Library, what took weeks to research now takes only a few minutes by simply typing key words or phrases. Judges without internet connection access the Supreme Court decisions thru the compact disc version of the E-Library, which we simply send by mail to trial judges.
Dead Ideas can block the progress and development of our nation for years or even decades. Once we throw away these Dead Ideas, the nation’s development will accelerate rapidly. In the telecommunications industry, analysts estimate that for every 10% cellular phone penetration of the population, the economy on the average gains a 1.5% one-time increase in GDP. Today, more than 50% of our population have cellular phones compared to almost zero percent when President Ramos issued the Executive Order in 1993.
As graduates of the Ateneo, you have the skills to identify Dead Ideas, to question old ways, to analyze problems, and to think of new solutions. You also have the confidence to dare to implement your solutions. The Ateneo has equipped you with the sword and shield to slay the dragons of Dead Ideas. As full-fledged Blue Knights, you are now ready to fulfill your special civic duty as Ateneans -- to do battle with the Dead Ideas in the real world as you leave the gates of this University.
To the Class of 2009, in your journey through life, you will now and then be faced with choices -- either to follow through, or to turn your back, on your civic duties to our country. Like the Roman farmer-soldiers of old, face bravely your civic duties as citizens of our country. And like true Ateneans, dare to question, to think, to analyze, and to act on your convictions. In honoring your civic duties as citizens and as Ateneans, you become men and women for others in the Ignatian Spirit in our own time and age.
To the Class of 2009, my fellow alumni of this distinguished University we are all proud of, congratulations and Godspeed!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Trisha Kristel D. Wee
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
Ateneo de Davao University Commencement Exercises March 21, 2009
Trisha Kristel D. Wee
BS Nursing, cum laude
Class Valedictorian
Division Awardee
Rev. Fr. Antonio S. Samson of the Society of Jesus, President of the Ateneo de Davao University; the Honorable Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; Rev. Fr. Robert C. Hogan of the Society of Jesus, recipient of the Clovis Thibault Award; the Philippine Catholic Lay Mission, recipient of the Drs. Jess and Trining dela Paz Award; Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; members of the Jesuit community in Davao City, honored guests, administrators, beloved mentors, our dear parents, my fellow graduates, friends, good morning!
Critical events in the mid-80s remain a watershed in Philippine history for they present a sobering example of how people in nations outside of the Anglo-American axis translate the concepts of democracy and liberty into one powerful action. We, Filipinos, took our parliament to the streets of EDSA and there we raised our collective voices, and fought for ethical governance. The yoke of imperialism, and the stink of corruption, have become all too familiar to us, Filipinos, and we took action for it. We knew what was at stake and paid a price – a higher price.
And yet, two decades after our People Power Revolution and a decade after the Asian financial crisis, our country today finds itself at a juncture so difficult, it affects the bulk of our laboring masses. The capitalist system embraced by most democratic societies has proven to be vulnerable to global economic meltdown, unable to deliver life’s basic necessities for millions: jobs and a living wage, affordable quality health care and education, and food security. The unmitigating global financial crisis has slammed the country with the force of a typhoon, which began as a ripple in a far-away land but was at the height of its force when it hit Philippine shores. With the global financial downturn wrecking havoc on our local employment, addressing basic labor issues such as providing decent work has become more and more difficult to achieve – potentially undermining the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty and hunger. Naturally, a sluggish global growth will restrain overseas deployments and lessen remittances which constitute our traditional buffer against financial calamities. The global financial crunch could also result in further cuts in the salary and benefits of Overseas Filipino Workers as employers cave in to the crisis. Filipinos-in-diaspora, particularly those providing manpower for international economies, remain vulnerable to job cuts. Further, this global crisis has manifested an environmental face: that of climate change and global warming, cosmic phenomena which the world has slowly come to grips with in the wake of so many environmental disasters costing lives and property.
Yet, this pressing reality resulting from the collapse of economies of industrial nations is not displayed as a direct demonstration of imperialism and corruption as it was in precedent times, and yet it undeniably threatens our collective striving for democracy, liberty, equality, and more significantly, basic and undeniable human rights, to which we, as Filipinos, are undoubtedly deserving of. Thus, it demands societal interventions directed to alleviate the present circumstances, just as our people marched along EDSA and voiced out the need for change. This leads us to a comparative reflection, given our rich history on revolts and reforms as bases, and we ask ourselves: Do we, with thoughtful consideration and analyses, and reflective exercise of judgment, understand what is at stake? Have we located where we stand in the midst of this global reality as it affects all of us? Are we prepared to take on the tall order of transforming society not for the sake of itself, but for ourselves as bearers of the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of our generation? Eventually, have we discerned where the spirit of God is leading us to, in these most trying of times? These thoughts posed as questions, as I express them here, are my honest estimation of seeking, or better still, of understanding a worldview to which an Ateneo graduate confronts in sincere attempt to live out the core values learned from this institution.
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach of the Society of Jesus, in reinforcing other documents on Jesuit educational agenda, has so often emphasized the thrust of Jesuit education which is to form leaders-in-service, men and women of competence, conscience and compassionate commitment (1989). From the time they launched their first school in Italy in 1548, more than four centuries ago, the Jesuits stuck to their premise that high quality education is the best path towards achieving a meaningful life through responsible leadership and committed service. They have continued to embrace liberal arts, the natural and social sciences, and the performing arts, in concert with all the other branches of knowledge, as powerful means to developing leaders with the potential for influencing and transforming society. In other words, their hope is to unlock our human potential in the exercise of responsible choice for service to humanity.
Likewise, St. Ignatius de Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, has left a spiritual legacy which resonates hope and idealism, ultimately giving us an understanding of the world that we inhabit today: that it is a badly broken and a distorted world, and yet it can be restored and be made better and more humane than it is now. In principle, this theme is reiterated by William Byron of the Society of Jesus at Georgetown University, which I find appropriate in relating to our country’s woes: and these are empowerment and responsibility. In his Keynote Address to the World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae, Byron mentioned and I quote, “Those who have a place to stand know where they begin and where they leave off… (they) have a responsibility to help society by doing what they can to halt the drift, to offer direction and guidance through the participation of their committed selves in the flow of history.” We relate this theme in the context of today’s global recession and we say that as future nurses, medical doctors, teachers, social scientists, public servants, NGOs, peace advocates, accountants, entrepreneurs, computer programmers, engineers, architects, and media practitioners – whether here or abroad – we are called to act upon our analysis of the present global order. For indeed, analysis cannot be substituted for blame; but our analysis turns into paralysis unless our sense of responsibility “translates itself into the effective action of responsiveness” (Byron 1997).
As graduates, we are not merely educated to understand. More than sheer understanding, we are educated to commit ourselves to a cause greater than our individual interests. Our search for truth is informed by our sense of responsibility for the life of society. And so, it is with deep appreciation of the ultimate aim of our Ateneo education that we have finally reached this kairos moment today – this passage of time we call college graduation. We are here today because we take the values imbued by our Jesuit education seriously. We are here today because we understand and commit that our educational formation transcends the goals of money, fame and success. Today, we articulate ever more strongly that the purpose of higher education is not for self-development but the development of leaders in all spheres of public life who are committed to the ideals and values to the extent that these usher in critical change in society.
Indeed, our Alma Mater has imbued in us the needed idealism to address present and future socio-political and economic ills which, as we learned so humbly in these past few months, have global consequences. The greater challenge now lies in how we are better able to translate these non-negotiables – the core values that we live by, the values of God – into concrete life actions for the greater good, particularly to those among us who are condemned to live at the margins of society. We commence from within ourselves, integrating human dignity, solidarity, integrity and absolute honesty without fail, as these then reverberate outwards towards our own family, our community, our city, our country, and our world. When is the best time to begin? My fellow graduates, there’s no better moment with greater sense of urgency than now. Today, we commence our mission: not on job interviews, not next month, not even tomorrow. We begin today.
May God abide by us to strive for that which is good and just! Thank you and a pleasant morning to all.
Ateneo de Davao University Commencement Exercises March 21, 2009
Trisha Kristel D. Wee
BS Nursing, cum laude
Class Valedictorian
Division Awardee
Rev. Fr. Antonio S. Samson of the Society of Jesus, President of the Ateneo de Davao University; the Honorable Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; Rev. Fr. Robert C. Hogan of the Society of Jesus, recipient of the Clovis Thibault Award; the Philippine Catholic Lay Mission, recipient of the Drs. Jess and Trining dela Paz Award; Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; members of the Jesuit community in Davao City, honored guests, administrators, beloved mentors, our dear parents, my fellow graduates, friends, good morning!
Critical events in the mid-80s remain a watershed in Philippine history for they present a sobering example of how people in nations outside of the Anglo-American axis translate the concepts of democracy and liberty into one powerful action. We, Filipinos, took our parliament to the streets of EDSA and there we raised our collective voices, and fought for ethical governance. The yoke of imperialism, and the stink of corruption, have become all too familiar to us, Filipinos, and we took action for it. We knew what was at stake and paid a price – a higher price.
And yet, two decades after our People Power Revolution and a decade after the Asian financial crisis, our country today finds itself at a juncture so difficult, it affects the bulk of our laboring masses. The capitalist system embraced by most democratic societies has proven to be vulnerable to global economic meltdown, unable to deliver life’s basic necessities for millions: jobs and a living wage, affordable quality health care and education, and food security. The unmitigating global financial crisis has slammed the country with the force of a typhoon, which began as a ripple in a far-away land but was at the height of its force when it hit Philippine shores. With the global financial downturn wrecking havoc on our local employment, addressing basic labor issues such as providing decent work has become more and more difficult to achieve – potentially undermining the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty and hunger. Naturally, a sluggish global growth will restrain overseas deployments and lessen remittances which constitute our traditional buffer against financial calamities. The global financial crunch could also result in further cuts in the salary and benefits of Overseas Filipino Workers as employers cave in to the crisis. Filipinos-in-diaspora, particularly those providing manpower for international economies, remain vulnerable to job cuts. Further, this global crisis has manifested an environmental face: that of climate change and global warming, cosmic phenomena which the world has slowly come to grips with in the wake of so many environmental disasters costing lives and property.
Yet, this pressing reality resulting from the collapse of economies of industrial nations is not displayed as a direct demonstration of imperialism and corruption as it was in precedent times, and yet it undeniably threatens our collective striving for democracy, liberty, equality, and more significantly, basic and undeniable human rights, to which we, as Filipinos, are undoubtedly deserving of. Thus, it demands societal interventions directed to alleviate the present circumstances, just as our people marched along EDSA and voiced out the need for change. This leads us to a comparative reflection, given our rich history on revolts and reforms as bases, and we ask ourselves: Do we, with thoughtful consideration and analyses, and reflective exercise of judgment, understand what is at stake? Have we located where we stand in the midst of this global reality as it affects all of us? Are we prepared to take on the tall order of transforming society not for the sake of itself, but for ourselves as bearers of the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of our generation? Eventually, have we discerned where the spirit of God is leading us to, in these most trying of times? These thoughts posed as questions, as I express them here, are my honest estimation of seeking, or better still, of understanding a worldview to which an Ateneo graduate confronts in sincere attempt to live out the core values learned from this institution.
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach of the Society of Jesus, in reinforcing other documents on Jesuit educational agenda, has so often emphasized the thrust of Jesuit education which is to form leaders-in-service, men and women of competence, conscience and compassionate commitment (1989). From the time they launched their first school in Italy in 1548, more than four centuries ago, the Jesuits stuck to their premise that high quality education is the best path towards achieving a meaningful life through responsible leadership and committed service. They have continued to embrace liberal arts, the natural and social sciences, and the performing arts, in concert with all the other branches of knowledge, as powerful means to developing leaders with the potential for influencing and transforming society. In other words, their hope is to unlock our human potential in the exercise of responsible choice for service to humanity.
Likewise, St. Ignatius de Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, has left a spiritual legacy which resonates hope and idealism, ultimately giving us an understanding of the world that we inhabit today: that it is a badly broken and a distorted world, and yet it can be restored and be made better and more humane than it is now. In principle, this theme is reiterated by William Byron of the Society of Jesus at Georgetown University, which I find appropriate in relating to our country’s woes: and these are empowerment and responsibility. In his Keynote Address to the World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae, Byron mentioned and I quote, “Those who have a place to stand know where they begin and where they leave off… (they) have a responsibility to help society by doing what they can to halt the drift, to offer direction and guidance through the participation of their committed selves in the flow of history.” We relate this theme in the context of today’s global recession and we say that as future nurses, medical doctors, teachers, social scientists, public servants, NGOs, peace advocates, accountants, entrepreneurs, computer programmers, engineers, architects, and media practitioners – whether here or abroad – we are called to act upon our analysis of the present global order. For indeed, analysis cannot be substituted for blame; but our analysis turns into paralysis unless our sense of responsibility “translates itself into the effective action of responsiveness” (Byron 1997).
As graduates, we are not merely educated to understand. More than sheer understanding, we are educated to commit ourselves to a cause greater than our individual interests. Our search for truth is informed by our sense of responsibility for the life of society. And so, it is with deep appreciation of the ultimate aim of our Ateneo education that we have finally reached this kairos moment today – this passage of time we call college graduation. We are here today because we take the values imbued by our Jesuit education seriously. We are here today because we understand and commit that our educational formation transcends the goals of money, fame and success. Today, we articulate ever more strongly that the purpose of higher education is not for self-development but the development of leaders in all spheres of public life who are committed to the ideals and values to the extent that these usher in critical change in society.
Indeed, our Alma Mater has imbued in us the needed idealism to address present and future socio-political and economic ills which, as we learned so humbly in these past few months, have global consequences. The greater challenge now lies in how we are better able to translate these non-negotiables – the core values that we live by, the values of God – into concrete life actions for the greater good, particularly to those among us who are condemned to live at the margins of society. We commence from within ourselves, integrating human dignity, solidarity, integrity and absolute honesty without fail, as these then reverberate outwards towards our own family, our community, our city, our country, and our world. When is the best time to begin? My fellow graduates, there’s no better moment with greater sense of urgency than now. Today, we commence our mission: not on job interviews, not next month, not even tomorrow. We begin today.
May God abide by us to strive for that which is good and just! Thank you and a pleasant morning to all.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Maria Ilsea W. Salvador
SALUTATORY ADDRESS
Ateneo de Davao University Commencement Exercises
March 21, 2009
Maria Ilsea W. Salvador
AB Philosophy, cum laude
Salutatorian and Division Awardee
Faith and Justice Awardee
Rev. Fr. Antonio S. Samson of the Society of Jesus, President of the Ateneo de Davao University; Hon. Antonio T. Carpio, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; Fr. Robert Hogan, of the Society of Jesus, recipient of the Clovis Thibault Award; the Philippine Catholic Lay Mission, recipient of the Drs. Jess & Trining dela Paz Award; Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; members of the Jesuit community, distinguished guests, administrators, mentors, families, friends, my fellow graduates, a pleasant and glorious morning!
In the name of the Graduating Class of 2009 of the Ateneo de Davao University College Unit, it is with great honor and privilege that I welcome everyone to this year’s Commencement Exercises. This ceremony capitulates approximately an average of sixteen years of learning, and consequently, of unlearning, towards total human development and the assurance of a good future. Today’s ceremony is a celebration for having successfully overcome the travails corollary to acquiring a college degree. The journey has been fraught with a smattering of challenges but it has ultimately made the route to this day worth remembering and cherishing.
This formal exercise is an offering to our families, especially our parents who are here today to witness the fulfillment of the goals long since planned and invested in. It is through their love, support, abiding sacrifice, and guidance that we have successfully arrived at this point from which our future is anchored on. As much as the academic struggle has been ours, it is to them that we owe the necessities needed to fuel the quest for an education and a degree.
Graduation is also a passage of time when we recognize and remember the dedication shown by our mentors in leading us to the mental and even practical requisites, so that we can carry ourselves through whatever path we choose to take. We have been given the essentials to venture out and explore the boundaries of knowledge, but the duty of making the most out of this is ours alone.
As this ceremony progresses, tears will probably be shed — for all the memories of the people and experiences gathered through the four, five or more years in college. This event is also a proper occasion to recall those moments. We leave our college life hopefully better and richer in person because of the people we journeyed with and the life-defining experiences we went through.
Rightfully so, this special occasion culminates our stay in the Ateneo de Davao, where we learned the importance of balancing the three important thrusts — academic excellence, spiritual maturity, and of course, social awareness and involvement. Hopefully, all of us do have our reasons to celebrate and be thankful for a well-earned Jesuit education because we have been enthused and motivated to be our better best not just for ourselves and our families, but for the good of the Davaoeños, Mindanaoans, and the rest of the Filipinos.
But more than all these, this important ritual is also for us a moment of thanksgiving to the Lord of All Knowledge and Wisdom, the Lord of History, without whose abiding presence for all human endeavors our journey in this path of life would be meaningless.
After today, we take on different paths. Some of us may pursue further studies, others may join companies, some might take over family businesses, or better yet, join government service and advocate for noble causes. In other words, we become adults in the truest and fittest sense of the word. Wherever our paths may lead us, hopefully we get to live out the essential core values our education has taught us. It is our alma mater’s great hope that we consistently be exemplars in embodying the best of its educational tradition.
Bit by bit, we do our part. Bit by bit, we eventually achieve what we aimed for, and even be transformed by the process into becoming better human beings who will hopefully serve other human beings, driven by a transformative faith that transforms society. We, therefore, celebrate in magnanimity what is rightfully the joy that is ours by graduating today. Let us, the graduating class, bask in this momentous gathering and let our parents, and the whole Ateneo community share in this jubilation.
Today’s program is still young and once again, a wonderful welcome, good morning, and thank you.
Ateneo de Davao University Commencement Exercises
March 21, 2009
Maria Ilsea W. Salvador
AB Philosophy, cum laude
Salutatorian and Division Awardee
Faith and Justice Awardee
Rev. Fr. Antonio S. Samson of the Society of Jesus, President of the Ateneo de Davao University; Hon. Antonio T. Carpio, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; Fr. Robert Hogan, of the Society of Jesus, recipient of the Clovis Thibault Award; the Philippine Catholic Lay Mission, recipient of the Drs. Jess & Trining dela Paz Award; Mr. Paul Dominguez, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; members of the Jesuit community, distinguished guests, administrators, mentors, families, friends, my fellow graduates, a pleasant and glorious morning!
In the name of the Graduating Class of 2009 of the Ateneo de Davao University College Unit, it is with great honor and privilege that I welcome everyone to this year’s Commencement Exercises. This ceremony capitulates approximately an average of sixteen years of learning, and consequently, of unlearning, towards total human development and the assurance of a good future. Today’s ceremony is a celebration for having successfully overcome the travails corollary to acquiring a college degree. The journey has been fraught with a smattering of challenges but it has ultimately made the route to this day worth remembering and cherishing.
This formal exercise is an offering to our families, especially our parents who are here today to witness the fulfillment of the goals long since planned and invested in. It is through their love, support, abiding sacrifice, and guidance that we have successfully arrived at this point from which our future is anchored on. As much as the academic struggle has been ours, it is to them that we owe the necessities needed to fuel the quest for an education and a degree.
Graduation is also a passage of time when we recognize and remember the dedication shown by our mentors in leading us to the mental and even practical requisites, so that we can carry ourselves through whatever path we choose to take. We have been given the essentials to venture out and explore the boundaries of knowledge, but the duty of making the most out of this is ours alone.
As this ceremony progresses, tears will probably be shed — for all the memories of the people and experiences gathered through the four, five or more years in college. This event is also a proper occasion to recall those moments. We leave our college life hopefully better and richer in person because of the people we journeyed with and the life-defining experiences we went through.
Rightfully so, this special occasion culminates our stay in the Ateneo de Davao, where we learned the importance of balancing the three important thrusts — academic excellence, spiritual maturity, and of course, social awareness and involvement. Hopefully, all of us do have our reasons to celebrate and be thankful for a well-earned Jesuit education because we have been enthused and motivated to be our better best not just for ourselves and our families, but for the good of the Davaoeños, Mindanaoans, and the rest of the Filipinos.
But more than all these, this important ritual is also for us a moment of thanksgiving to the Lord of All Knowledge and Wisdom, the Lord of History, without whose abiding presence for all human endeavors our journey in this path of life would be meaningless.
After today, we take on different paths. Some of us may pursue further studies, others may join companies, some might take over family businesses, or better yet, join government service and advocate for noble causes. In other words, we become adults in the truest and fittest sense of the word. Wherever our paths may lead us, hopefully we get to live out the essential core values our education has taught us. It is our alma mater’s great hope that we consistently be exemplars in embodying the best of its educational tradition.
Bit by bit, we do our part. Bit by bit, we eventually achieve what we aimed for, and even be transformed by the process into becoming better human beings who will hopefully serve other human beings, driven by a transformative faith that transforms society. We, therefore, celebrate in magnanimity what is rightfully the joy that is ours by graduating today. Let us, the graduating class, bask in this momentous gathering and let our parents, and the whole Ateneo community share in this jubilation.
Today’s program is still young and once again, a wonderful welcome, good morning, and thank you.
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