Xavier

magazine
2015 Issue

Ateneo de Cagayan

The Appeal for

Our Common Home

13

12

CBCP declares XU
Catholic Cultural Center

14

XU meets public school students,

parents for Senior HS orientation

15

Fun-filled activities
at the XU Grade School

XU, French embassy ink MOA

for greater cooperation

16

29

Seeking Ones Purpose

World Bank, XU form

knowledge sharing partnership

20

21

Mission & Ministry:

Education and Formation

27

10

Your mother and mine:

XU holds Marian concert

26

An appeal for
Our Common Home
New XU Alumni board members
take oath of office

XU alumnus wins
Brandt School
Commitment Award 2015

Understanding
social engagement
built on social justice

Clam seeding effort

in Macajalar Bay

28

Cover Story

Milestones

Fr Robert J Suchan SJ
1926-2015: A Tribute

18

Napolcom, PNP-10 laud

XUs collaborative
service learning program

XU unveils modern
Learning Spaces

Contents

XU Muslim students
impassioned speech
on belief in same God
gets biggest ovation at
Catholic Conference

XU-NSTP fortifies partnership with

CDO communities, institutions

22

23

25

24

Maybank Foundation
visits Xavier Ecoville

US Embassy strengthens
partnership with XU

Published by

Communications Office

Room 101, Campion Hall

Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan
9000 Cagayan de Oro City
(+6388) 858-3116 local 3324
www.xu.edu.ph

Project Editors: Vanessa Gorra and Stephen Pedroza

Layout and Graphic Designs: Wendel Abejo
Copyreader: Lennie K Ong
Contributing Writers:
Ma Estela Lucena M Neri, Jason M Madronero, Danikka Rose M Fabela, Mary Antoinette M Magallanes, Nor Jamal Batugan,
Fr Leo C Pabayo SJ, Nadine Arabelle L Vivares, Victoria Melissa C Pulido, Stephen J Pedroza, Nia Bea Cadorna, Angela
Bernice Cabildo, Rezza Mae B Tolinero
XAVIER MAGAZINE

Photo Credits:
Lito Homonlay, Jason M Madronero, Phil Magtrayo, Niccu Bagonoc, Nor Jamal Batugan, Angela Bernice Cabildo, McKeough
Marine Center, Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana Social Involvement Office, Loyola Jesuit Community, XU Office
of the Chaplaincy,
Catalina H Gaite
Director, Communications Office

Send your stories (maximum of 750 words) to commgroup@xu.edu.ph

2015 Issue

Taking care of our

common home
doesnt have to be a
daunting undertaking.
We made a list of
eleven simple ways by
which we can make a
difference.

Results of the August 2015 Physician

Licensure Exam pegged our Jose P
Rizal School of Medicine as the 8th best
medical school in the country. XU had
59 successful examinees, giving the
school a passing percentage of
96.72 which was above the
national rate of 85.28
percent.

8 new
associate ASEAN
Industrial Engineers
Xavier University garnered a 100%
passing rate in the 7th Industrial
Engineering Certification Examination, with
eight new Certified Industrial Engineers (CIEs).

New
Nurses,
4 in top ten
The College of Nursing continues
to shine, garnering a 100% passing
rate in the May 2015 Nursing Licensure
Exam. The national passing rate was 54.26
percent. Moreover, four XU BSN graduates
were in the top ten: Nina L Sabardan,
5th place; Trisha Camille A Lagrito, 9th
place; Ruel Ray C Cuay, 10th place;
and Llybe Kristen S Lobido,
10th place.

Top
performing
nursing school in PH
with 100% passing rate
XU ranked number one top performing
nursing school with a 100% passing percentage
for the November 2015 Nursing Licensure
Examination, along with the University of Santo
Tomas and the Mariano Marcos State University.
Out of the 65 XU successful passers, two graduates
landed in the top 10. May Karren T Deutzmann
garnered a score of 84.60%, earning her
the ninth place, while Rhea Mae G
Mecisamente scored 84.40%, taking
the 10th spot together with 15
other graduates.

Four
programs declared
centers of excellence,
development
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
recognized Xavier Universitys Agriculture
program as a Center of Excellence, and the
Chemical Engineering, Literature, and Biology
programs as Centers of Development. CHED made
the announcement in its Memorandum Order No 38,
Series of 2015, released in December.
The designation qualify the said XU programs
to avail of financial assistance for projects
particularly in the area of cutting-edge
technology. XUs Agriculture program was
previously also declared a Center of
Development in 2009.

Milestones

Jose
P Rizal School
of Medicine is 8th top
performing school nationwide

The eight new CIEs were also designated as

Associate ASEAN Engineers (AAEs). They are
Benjamin M Chan III, Louis Allan O Cuarteros,
Alyssa Iris V Jariol, Dariel S Palasan, Rupert
Marionne S Nellas, Deme Rose A
Santos, Bonn Kleiford D Seranilla,
and Bryan J Timaan.

New
XU Chemists

The September 2015 Chemist

Licensure Examinations yielded
four successful examinees, giving
XU an 80 percent passing rate above
the national passing rate of 53.7
percent.
John Dean Rivera Aavieza (March 2013),
Rhea Lyn Labado Curayag (March
2015), Ronel John Baja Maquidato
(March 2014), and Maurice
Vincent Cabilogan Revilla
(March 2010) are XUs
newest Chemists.
New
Agricultural
Engineers
Five XU grads have been added to
the roster of agricultural engineers.
Donna Jade A Belara, Bernie A Daba
Jr, Ana Marie Q Empeynado, Jullibee
V Montecanas, and Rynell Richard
U Pahente successfully passed
the August 2015 Agricultural
Engineer Licensure
Exam.

New
Electrical
Engineers and Master
Electricians
Seven of our 2014 graduates passed
the September 2015 Electrical Engineer
Licensure Examination. They are Sean
Rhett A Besas, Marvin B Belsondra,
Shernan A Eco, Dan Lyndon C
Galamiton, Carlo Rafael C Manzano,
Daryl C Tayong, and Sidney T Tong.
Eco and Tong also passed
the Master Electrician
Licensure Exam.

New
Real Estate
Appraisers, 4 in top ten
Xavier University had 70 successful
passers in the August 2015 Real Estate
Appraiser Licensure Examination. Of the
70 takers, four of our alumni obtained the
top ten highest ratings. They are Lynette R
Rongo (BSAc 2014), 6th place; Mark Anthony
M Jamis (BSAc 2014), 9th place; Art Francis U
Aana (BSAc 2007) 10th place, and Junny
A Estardo (BSN 2008 BSChE 2002), 10th
place. XU earned a passing rate
of 61.95 above the national
passing rate of 52.04.

New
Guidance
Counselors
Xavier University had eight
successful passers in the August
2015 Guidance Counselor Licensure
Examination. They are Ferdinand Navarro
Labitad, Larry Baguan Polino, Catherine
Canizares Lopez, Arlene Baldad Valmoria,
Kristine Camille Tolod Macesar, Milrey Joy
Gasendo Ybanez, and Ma Concepcion
Tabique Narisma. XU scored a passing
rate of 88.83 higher than the
national passing rate of
60.14 percent.

Welcome,

our new Vice President for Administration

The XU Board of Trustees appointed Mr Edison B
Sasoy as Vice President for Administration. Ed finished
BS Management Engineering from Ateneo de Davao
University and taught computer programming courses
at the XU Computer Center from 1983 to 1986. He then
went on to work for Philippine Sinter Corporation in various
capacities: Supervisor, Administration; Supervisor, Engineering
Department; Safety Officer and Quality Control Circles Coordinator; IT Head;
HR Supervisor; Lead Auditor; Group Head, Business Process Innovation; and
Logistics Manager. He took early retirement from Philippine Sinter in 2013 and
rejoined XU in August 2015. Welcome back to the XU Community, Sir Ed!
XAVIER MAGAZINE

XU unveils

modern

Learning Spaces
A modern and cozy haven seeks
not just to accommodate Ateneans
but also to inspire 21st century
learning among the Xavier University
community.
On December 4, in time for the XU
Festival Days 2015, the renovated
fifth floor of the Annex Library, now
called Learning Spaces, officially
opened to provide students with a
learning environment that supports
and inspires excellent academic
performance.
Our dream here in the XU Libraries
is to improve the students because
the learning environment has an
effect on the performance of the
students, remarked XU Libraries
director Estrella Cabudoy. Active
participation in the classroom,
plus improved learning spaces
equals excellent overall academic
performance.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony
was led by US Embassy Manila
counselor for public affairs Carolyn
Glassman, XU President Fr Roberto
C Yap SJ and XU Academic VicePresident Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ.
2015 Issue

The Learning Spaces, designed by

architect Ernest Martin Soriano,
house the Nursing and Filipiniana
sections, the Fr Miguel Anselmo
Bernad SJ Exhibit Room, the
American Corner, and confab spaces.
Constructed from March until
October 2015, the Learning Spaces
feature laptop tables, rolling
bookshelves, open areas, Wi-Fi and
a self-service printing room where
students can print and photocopy
documents for free. Students can
also borrow a laptop or a tablet for
up to four hours for their research
assignments.
Our Learning Spaces are unique
in Mindanao; there is no other
facility like them in other schools
in Mindanao. The way we see our
Learning Spaces may inspire our
present and future students more,
Cabudoy expressed.
We built this also for the needs
of the Outcome-Based Education
Program of each department. We
want to provide a conducive learning
area for students.

In progress is
further library
renovation from
the fourth floor
downwards. The XU
Libraries management is
also preparing to accommodate XU
Senior High School students in the
next school year.
Students are learning on their own
and the spaces we provide them
are for their comfort, Cabudoy
said. The Learning Spaces are an
extension of their living room, where
they can discuss, stay in a corner,
or sit on the floor according to their
preference.
We give this new breed of learners
freedom here in our new Learning
Spaces. They are free to choose how
they want to study. n

Fun-filled a c t i v i t i e s
at the XU Grade School

XU
by Ma Estela Lucena M Neri

Grade School students

were busy bees from July
throughout September,
attending leadership training,
celebrating Nutrition Month
and Buwan ng Wika and
winning contests!

Leadership Training for

Student Leaders

Nutrition Month and Buwan

ng Wika Celebrations

A two-day leadership training and

teambuilding activity was conducted
for XUGS student leaders on July 17-18
at the Macasandig campus. The activity
was organized by the Office of Student
Activities and was attended in by more
than 80 student leaders composed of
Central Student Government (CSG) Officers
and Grades 3-6 Class Presidents and
Vice-Presidents. The Student Activities
Coordinators, Irene Antonette Camaro
and Ma. Concepcion Llamis, together with
a team of teacher-facilitators, prepared
the training program to enhance the
leadership skills and potentials of the
young student leaders.

Xavier University Grade School celebrated

the Nutrition Month and Buwan ng Wika in
July and August, respectively, with various
activities.

XUGS alumni CSG officers, Shaira Baltazar

and Alyssa Go from batch 2011 and
Angelika Gultia and Shenzen Golez from
batch 2012, were invited to facilitate
formation activities that focused on
trust, communication, planning and
management. Former street kid turned
XU DevCom graduate Rustie Quintana
also graced the leadership training and
inspired the student leaders as he shared
his life story and conducted a special mudpainting workshop for the kids.

The Filipino and Sibika/Hekasi

Departments had a grand launch of the
Buwan ng Wika in August. Various activities
were lined up for the students to further
appreciate and value Filipino culture and
traditions. The activities included laro ng
lahi, sabayang awit, tula, balagtasan and
paligsahan sa pagguhit. The Buwan ng
Wika ended with a colorful culminating
program and a fun-filled Pista sa Nayon
activity. n

Other activities included an amazing

race, talent night, film viewing, and
morning exercise. The leadership training
culminated with a mass and a general
planning of activities that the CSG will be
spearheading this school year.

Ma Estela Lucena M Neri is a teacher at

Xavier University Grade School.

The Home Economics and Livelihood

Education (HELE) Department, in
collaboration with the medical services
unit of the Grade School, spearheaded
different programs that promoted this
years Nutrition Month theme: Timbang
Iwasto, sa Tamang Nutrisyon at Ehersisyo.
The month-long celebration culminated
with the recognition of winners of the
sandwich, fruit & vegetable salad and
juice-making contests.

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

Seeking
Ones Purpose

learning experience. But with

that thought also came another:
These seminarians need me as
their teacher. I may not be the
best teacher they could have, but
I could still give them a learning
experience they could benefit from
all their life. I may have had lapses
along the way, but I learned from
all these and I will take them with
me long after my JVP year. I was
not a seminarian, but I had the
opportunity to live the seminary.

by Jason M Madronero

here comes a time in our

life when we question why
we do what we do. We seek
the purpose of the things
we do and ask how they give
meaning to our life.

My first days and weeks

of teaching at XUHS were
not a breeze. Every day
was a challenge for me...

I graduated in March 2014 with a degree in

Secondary Education major in Biological
Sciences. Being a graduate of Xavier,
people expected me to land a job right
after graduation. But I was one of those
who decided to take a leap of faith. I
chose to become part of the 35th Batch
of the Jesuit Volunteers of the Philippines
(JVP), a national non-governmental
organization (NGO) affiliated with the
Society of Jesus. The organization is
dedicated to serving under resourced
communities such as schools, parishes
and other small NGOs.
My decision was met with surprise and
even discouragement. Friends asked if
I had lost my mind, choosing volunteer

Perhaps one of the highlights of my

volunteer year was being one of
the few million people who joined
His Holiness Pope Francis during
his Papal Mass in Tacloban City. Like
the rest who were there, I did not
mind being exposed to and soaked
by the rain for eight hours. It was a
moment of deep joy and gratitude
when I gazed upon his face during
the motorcade around the airport
where the mass was celebrated.

work over a job that would actually pay.

Some said that I should just stay in
Cagayan de Oro, that there were better
opportunities here. Even my parents
were, at first, against my decision to do
volunteer work after graduation. I think
it was the Atenean in me that led to
my resolve to pay it forward, to use
my education as a tool to serve others
without counting the cost.
I was assigned to work at the Nativity of
Our Lady College Seminary in Borongan
City, Eastern Samar as a college instructor
and resource development officer. As a
teacher in the seminary, I was able to
appreciate my chosen path in life more.
The 10 months in the seminary were
a witness to all my shortcomings and
affirmations, failures and successes.
Teaching was a challenging task. I had
three different subjects every semester.
There were times when I wanted to give
up. I thought, I dont deserve to be their
teacher. There are other people, priests
out there who can provide them a better
XAVIER MAGAZINE

Living in the seminary was an honor

to me. When I look back on how I
first reacted to my assignment and
how my perceptions were changed
along the way, I can only smile and
say that God indeed had a purpose
for bringing me there. He wanted
me to have and to experience
renewed faith, unwavering hope
and unconditional love. I just cant
find the words to describe the
experience.
I took and passed the Board
Licensure Examination for
Professional Teachers (BLEPT) in
Tacloban City during my last few
days as a volunteer - with only
a handful of reviewers, practice
questionnaires and lots of prayers.
What came out in the licensure
exam was something I did not
expect. I landed in the Top 5 from
among 17, 904 examinees! I cannot
thank the Lord enough for all the
blessings He has showered me.

2015 Issue

I came home last April and applied

as a science teacher at Xavier
University High School. Through
Gods grace, I was accepted. I
brought along with me the lessons
I learned during my volunteer year,
believing that they were sufficient
preparation. After all, teaching in
high school was my comfort zone. It
was what I had trained for.
My first days and weeks of teaching
at XUHS were not a breeze. Every
day was a challenge for me
preparing learning activities and
strategies, integrating reflection in
the lessons and most challenging
of all, handling a bunch of
hyperactive and kulit general
section students. In my first weeks
of teaching, I got creative in finding
ways to keep their heads on the
lessons, inserting jokes and even
hugot lines in the discussions
and activities, using catchphrases
such as, Are you ready to pray,
classmates?, and even mimicking
my college teachers Carpe Diem
mantra after class. Every time my
students saw me in the hallways,
covered courts and even in the
canteen, they would greet me
with, Hi Sir! Seize the day!, Sir,
pila na akong demerit? Ayaw
baya ko bagsaka ha [Sir, how
many demerits do I have? Please
dont fail me], and, even, Sir,
Gwapo kaayo ka! [Sir, you are very
handsome]., to which I would say,
Wala koy sinsilyo! [I dont have
spare change!]
I had thought my five years (four
years in college and one year with
the JVP) worth of training and
formation were enough to prepare
me for this mission, but. I soon
realized that I still had to learn
again and that I still had more to
learn. For they say learning is a
never ending process. And so I also
say to my students, Its not only
you who learn from me. I also learn

from you. Every day, I get to learn

things from my students, and most
of these are new to me.
One important lesson Ive learned
as a new teacher at XUHS is the
value of hope. Whenever I feel
that I havent given my best in a
day of teaching, theres that spark
of optimism that leads me to do
better the next day. My students
taught me how to never give up
when times get rough. Even when
they become rowdy and inattentive,
I can still be silent and smile.
The past months of my
life have been full of
ups and downs,
laughter and
tears, successes
and failures.
My daily grind
(as Fr Jonjee
puts it) is far
from the usual
day-to-day work
routine. Its a
roller coaster ride.
At the end of the day,
when all the lessons have
been delivered and class activities
done, I smile and say in my voice
hoarse from a day of teaching,
Tomorrow is another day to teach
and learn. Tomorrow is another
day in my life at XUHS. If you ask
me if Ive found my purpose, Id say,
Ill just let the experience unfold
my purpose. n

Jason M Madronero is a science

teacher at Xavier University High
School.

11

Cover Story

Our Common Home

The Appeal for

by Danikka Rose M Fabela

he Earth is our common

home and this home
speaks a lot about who we
are: it reflects the kind of
lives we live and the kind
of relationships we build.
Unfortunately, many of us
have forgotten that this home
is a gift. What we need is a
powerful reminder that we
have to defend and protect
this gift so it can also do the
same for us.
And we have just been given this
reminder. Pope Francis Laudato Si is a
revolutionary text that talks about our
home and our responsibilities towards
it. As a way of spreading the message
of this encyclical on the environment,
Xavier University invited Fr Pierre de
Charentenay SJ, editor of Jesuit journal
La Civilt Cattolica published in Rome,
to speak to the XU community on Pope
Francis appeal to every person living on
this planet.

Ecological Situation

Ecological Reflection

Fr Pierre speaks with emphasis when

he says that humanity is using more
than what the Earth could produce
and that this practice is becoming
worse every year. The first chapter,
What is Happening to Our
Common Home, points to the
various human activities that
greatly affect the environment.
The impacts of these are varied,
affecting our water and biodiversity.
Fr Pierre repeatedly mentions that
there is a connection between the
environment and human life. In effect, he
tells us that our environmental concerns
are essentially connected to our social
problems. Indeed, nothing in this world is
indifferent to us.

At the heart of this seeming apathy is a

mistaken notion of dominion. We have
misunderstood the Genesis account
on creation and we have believed that
since God has given us power, we can do
whatever we want with creation. The Pope,
however, according to Fr Pierre, rejects
the dominion theory that gives man total
domination over creation. We have to see
this Earth as a gift that belongs not just to
a chosen few but to everyone. We should
not destroy it. Fr Pierre reminds us that
we should not wait for our government
to tell us what to do and what not to do.
We need to see the environment as a
personal responsibility.

The danger of domination is also

daunting especially as regards technology.
Technological advances are beneficial
to humanity but, when things go out of
control, technology can dominate us. This
has already been happeningas a matter
of fact. We have advanced in technology
but the maximization of profit has always
been at the expense of nature. Most of
the time, there is no display for concern
of the negative impact of advancement
on human beings.
Fr Pierre worries that relationships are
thought of in terms of efficiency and this
way of thinking might destroy the planet.
Humanity has already forgotten about
beauty, gratuity and human relations.
We have lost our personal sense of
responsibility toward the community. Fr
Pierre refers to Practical Relativism as
the practice of human beings pleasing
themselves. This is when we give absolute
priority to immediate convenience and
all else becomes relative. The center is
always the self.
We know these facts but our response is
astoundingly weak. We just dont move,
Fr Pierre quips.

It is also of enormous importance that

we see the environmental crisis from
a political perspective. The Pope is
quite strong against leaders who do
not have a sense of common good.
Many times, politicians want immediate
results without regard for environmental
consequences. Paragraph 54 of the
document tells us that our politics
are subject to technology and finance.
These two powerfully lobby their special
interests to political people, thereby
affecting the common good. Thus, a
simple response will not be enough.
Political will and decision are necessary.
We must also think along the lines of
integral ecology if we are to make sense
of the phrase all is connected. Integral
ecology calls for reducing inequality
between individuals and countries; it also
asks us to defend the different cultures.
Fr Pierre explains that the defense of
different cultures is also the defense of
the environment. What is needed is an
ecology of daily life.

Ecological Challenge
The question for every one of us is Are
we able to defend our planet? Providing
an answer to that question is rather
difficult. It means a lot of work for all of
us urgent work! Fr Pierre invites us to

XAVIER MAGAZINE

Open forum follows the talks, reflecting on the challenges of reconciling with creation and the Popes exhortations to
generously care for our common home.

find the solution now and warns us

about superficial ecology. It is not
enough to recycle our garbage or
paint the wall of our houses green.
They can only delay the disaster
and there is much more to be done
beyond that. For Fr Pierre, it is a
matter of redefining our notion of
progress and to search for another
type of developmentone that looks
into quality of life and better human
relations, not just the type that
caters to efficiency, technology and
finance.
The demand for radical conversion
is clear. It has to start from usin
the way we live. Fr Pierre pronounces
that an ecological revolution needs
conversion, which depends greatly
on our capacity to understand our
situation. There will be no change
in politics if we do not change our
motivation. All things come from
what we are inside. If change is not
possible within the self, then we
cannot expect others to change
either. Ecological conversion
demands changes in lifestyle and
international politics.
The challenge is overwhelming. Pope
Francis, along with all the bishops
in the world, speaks courageously
of the cry of the Earth and the cry
of the poor. Laudato Si has put
depth and meaning to the ecological
issues that haunt us issues that
are undeniably affecting every being

October 2015 Issue

on Earth. Fr Pierre admits that the

text does not solve everything. There
are still questions on nuclear power,
ecological transition and maintaining
the environment. However, Laudato
Si remains a beautiful text to be
read and studied whether you are
Catholic or not. It teaches us not only
that we are part of the crisis but also
that the solution lies in our very own
hands.
Our mission, as a Jesuit university,
is to ensure that we continue to
promote measures to protect our
environment. We cannot be blind
and deaf to what we see and hear.
Rather, our hearts are filled with
inspiration to understake this
God-given mission.We look at this
document as a guide for becoming
the stewards of the environment. It
should strengthen our hope that this
world can be transformed despite all
that is happening around us.
A good summary of everything that
has been said here can be found in
the encyclical itself:
The sister now cries out to us
because of the harm we have
inflicted on her by our irresponsible
use and abuse of the goods with
which God has endowed her. We
have come to see ourselves as
her lords and masters, entitled to
plunder her at will. The violence
present in our hearts, wounded by

sin, is also reflected in the symptoms

of sickness evident in the soil, in
the water, in the air and in all forms
of life. This is why the Earth herself,
burdened and laid waste, is among
the most abandoned and maltreated
of our poor; she groans in travail
(Rom 8:22). We have forgotten
that we ourselves are dust of the
Earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies
are made up of her elements. We
breathe her air and we receive life
and refreshment from her waters.
(Laudato Si, paragraph 2)
The Earth indeed is our common
home. It is who we are. n

Danikka Rose M Fabela heads the

Student Formation Ministry of the
Campus Ministries publication,
Cardoner and is the moderator of
Xavier Kristohanong Kabataan.

13
CBCP declares XU

Catholic Cultural
Center

he Catholic Bishops
Conference of the
Philippines Episcopal
Commission on Culture
(CBCP-ECC) declared
Xavier University as an
official Catholic Cultural
Center (CCC) in the
country.
The formal conferral of the title was
held at the Eucharistic Celebration
presided by Rev Elenito Galido
DD, CBCP-ECC chairman, at the
University Church of the Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin
Mary on September 7 as part of
the Mission and Ministry Week
celebration of XU.
Being a Catholic Cultural Center,
XU is tasked to carry out a decisive
role in cultivating the relationship
between faith and culture through
opening opportunities toward
understanding and inclusiveness.
It also means proclaiming the joy
of the gospel, promoting peace
in Mindanao, and enriching the
values formed through the Catholic
culture and using these as guides
in various academic
disciplines.

by Mary Antoinette M Magallanes

This is very good in the sense that
this reminds us of our role as a
university to promote the joy of
the gospel and to really strengthen
our Catholic identity, shared Irene
Guitarte, XU Vice-President for
Mission and Ministry.
Just like the other CCCs in the
Philippines made up of educational
institutions, seminaries and
diocesan centers, XU aims to serve
as an avenue for discussions on
faith and culture. But more than
this, Guitarte believes that being a
Catholic Cultural Center encourages
the XU community to be true to
the universitys mission of
serving the church, the
global community
and the Filipino
people.

This is really an affirmation of our

mission as a Catholic, Jesuit and
Filipino university. Its really going
back to the basics of our faith, of
our identity, said Guitarte, adding
that this kind of endeavor has
always been part of XUs character
formation.
This is what we teach here at Xavier:
formation not only of the head but
also of the heart, the hands and the
soul. n

World Bank, Xavier University form

knowledge sharing partnership
The World Bank and Xavier
University-Ateneo de Cagayan
signed on August 26 a historic
partnership agreement that
establishes the academic institution
as a Knowledge for Development
Community (KDC).
KDCs are schools and policy
and research institutions in the
Philippines that share knowledge
and engage citizens on development
challenges in their communities and
in the entire country.
Xavier University has been
active in conducting research
and social outreach programs
on issues in governance, asset
creation and distribution for the
poor, environmental stewardship,
and peace and development in
Mindanao, said XU President
Fr Roberto C Yap SJ. With this
partnership, we look forward to
more collaborations in helping
advance peace and prosperity in
Mindanao.
World Bank Country Director Motoo
Konishi said the Bank is partnering
with XU because the universitys
research and social outreach
programs are aligned with the
Banks Country Partnership Strategy
(CPS) for the Philippines.
If you look at our Country
Partnership Strategy 2015-2018, you
can see that both the World Bank
and Xavier University are practically
talking the same language, said
Konishi.
With the tagline Making Growth
Work for the Poor, the CPS guides
the Banks work in the Philippines. It
has the following engagement areas:
Transparent and accountable
governance;
Empowerment of the poor and
vulnerable;

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

Rapid, inclusive and sustained

economic growth;

challenges and solutions

highlighting peoples participation.

Climate change, environment, and

disaster risk management; and

With this new partnership, XU

becomes the 18th member of the
network of KDCs nationwide, and is
one of three in Mindanao. The KDC
network includes the World Bank,
the University of the Philippines
Diliman School of Economics,
Philippine Institute for Development
Studies, the National Economic and
Development Authority, the Asian
Institute of Management, the House
of Representatives-Congressional
Policy and Budget Research
Department, the Ramon
Magsaysay Award
Foundation, De La
Salle UniversityJesse M. Robredo
Institute of
Governance, St.
Paul University
Philippines,
University of
the Philippines
Los Baos, Ateneo
de Naga University,
Palawan State University,
Central Philippine University,
the University of San Carlos,
Siliman University, the University of
Southeastern Philippines, and Notre
Dame University. n

Peace, institution building, and

social and economic opportunity.
Under this CPS, we are focusing
in areas with the highest poverty
incidence, where the magnitude
of poverty is severe or in areas
with high vulnerability. We support
programs and projects that are
transformational, or those whose
impact are far-reaching in terms of
poverty reduction, added Konishi.
XU was among the banks research
partners for the World Bank
Mindanao Jobs Report. Fr Yap was
a member of the Advisory Group
and a team of XU researchers
conducted the value chain analysis
on Mindanao vegetables.
Konishi said this was an example
of how a partnership could work
on the ground in pursuit of the
common goal of promoting peace
and development in Mindanao.
According to Konishi, the World Bank
looks at good governance as the
exercise of power by the authorities
and public institutions to efficiently
provide public goods and services,
including the delivery of basic
services, infrastructure and a good
investment climate for job creation.
Implicit in this view is the role of
the citizens in actively demanding
good governance. The KDC can be a
good platform, not only for sharing
knowledge and solutions, but for
engaging and rallying citizens to the
common cause of ensuring good
governance, said Konishi.
Under the partnership agreement,
the World Bank and XU as a KDC will
jointly organize knowledge sharing
activities to discuss development

15

XU meets public school students, parents

for Senior HS orientation

s the implementation of the

Department of Educations
(DepEd) Senior High School
program draws near, public
discussions play an imperative
role in ensuring the programs
success.
It is for this pursuit that Xavier University
- Ateneo de Cagayan, the first university
in Mindanao, took the opportunity to
introduce the schools Senior High School
program during an orientation organized
by the Cagayan de Oro City National
High School (CDONHS) for their Grade 10
students and their parents on September
22 at the XU Gymnasium.
The orientation aimed to clarify the
program structure for Senior HS, and to
guide the students and their parents in
choosing the right track and strand to take
in Senior High.
Along with the XU Senior High Team,
CDONHS also invited speakers from DepEd,
TESDA and DOLE to explain the relevance
of Senior High School, especially when
it comes to finding better employment
opportunities regardless of whether

students choose to pursue higher studies,

decide to work or start a business right
after graduating from Senior High.
Students must choose their track and
strand under the Senior High School
program based on their career assessment
results, shared Dr Joey Jegonia, director
of XUs Office of Promotions, Testing and
Admissions (OPTA). Your choice must be in
line with your competency and ideal career
in the future.
One of the most discussed topics during
the open forum was the Tuition Voucher
Program of DepEd to offset the cost of
tuition in private educational institutions.
Through the Voucher Program, students
and their families will be able to exercise
greater choice in deciding the Senior HS
program that is most relevant to their
needs and career goals.
XU welcomes DepEd tuition vouchers
in addition to offering more than 450
scholarships to students entering Senior
High School.
The Senior HS program comprises the
additional two years to the current 10

years of basic education, in line with the

DepEds Enhanced Basic Education Act of
2013 (Republic Act No.10533), which aims to
strengthen the basic education system in
the Philippines.
Students can choose their career tracks in
academic, technical-vocational-livelihood,
sports, and arts and design. These tracks
will help prepare graduates for higher
education, entrepreneurship, further
middle-level skills development and
employment.
XU offers all Academic and select
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood tracks.
XU has been preparing for this transition
since 2014 and its Center for Integrated
Technologies has formed partnerships
with international and local companies to
employ its tech-voc graduates.

XU, French
Embassy

ink MOA for

greater cooperation

Xavier University through the

Office of International Cooperation
and Networking (OICN) and the
Cooperation and Cultural Section
(SCAC) of the French Embassy in
Manila renewed their partnership
for the development of cultural
exchanges between France and the
Philippines.

This public forum formed part of the

discussion series of XU in collaboration
with government agencies, schools,
parents associations and student
organizations toward forming globally
competitive graduates who will meet the
standards and fulfill the demands of the
ASEAN Economic Integration. n

Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, XU president,

Laurent Legodec, first counselor
of the SCAC French Embassy,
Juliette Montuelle, French attach
for higher education, and Elisabeth
Enerio, OICN director, signed the
memorandum of agreement on
June 29 at XU.
The partnership paves the way
for the promotion of French and
Filipino cultures and expansion
of student and faculty mobility
programs between XU and
educational institutions in France.
The research endeavors between XU
and French universities will center
on the fields of food processing and
food security, biotechnology, marine
sciences, and climate change.

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

SCAC will sponsor a faculty member

from the XU Food Technology
Department to take a two-year
masters program at the Toulouse
Agri Campus in Toulouse, France.
Moreover, the agreement fortifies
the support of the French Embassy
for the French language courses and
cultural programs of XU with faculty
training, financial assistance and
access to comprehensive academic
materials.
XU offers French courses in the
curriculum of its Bachelor of Arts
in International Studies program
and as elective subjects in other
programs.
This partnership is also in line
with the agreements forged by the
French and Philippine governments
to develop educational ties between
the two nations. n

17

in Him. Who knows, after this voyage,

I might become a better version of
myself. And yes, at this moment, I
believe I have become that.

My experience here in Indonesia is one

that Ill never forget for the rest of my life.

XU Muslim students

impassioned speech

on belief in same God

gets biggest ovation

at Catholic conference

When 4th year AB English Literature student Nor Jamal Jan-jan Batugan attended the 2015 conference of the Association of Southeast
and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) in Indonesia, he thought only of how the conference could help him become
a better person. He did not expect that what he would share would garner a resounding applause from the mostly Catholic crowd.

Administrators and student leaders from Catholic schools in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and
Thailand were in Indonesia to discuss the role of Catholic Higher Education in fostering religious inclusiveness.

Many of you may be well aware of

what is happening in my countryin
its southern part where I come from.
Conflicts have become a part of
our daily lives and my people, the
Bangsamoro, have been its primary
victims for the longest time. Sadly,
religion is even used as a basis to
justify such conflictswhich I openly
condemn. Is there any religion in
the face of the earth that teaches
violence? I believe none; all faiths
teach peace, love, and sacrifice for
the betterment of the world.
What I learned from my experience
here in Indonesia is that there is
something greater than anything
else that binds us all regardless of
our religions, faiths, and beliefs. Our
task is to look for it, search for it:
that which bridges all humanity at
largeour faith in God, the One who
created you and me.
I believe if only Muslims would be
good Muslims or Catholics would be
good Catholics then this world would
be more peaceful and happier. Isnt
our belief in the same God enough
for us to realize and understand that
we came from the same Creator?
That we are brothers and sisters in
humanity?

The Hindus would say: Namaste,

meaning The God in me greets the
God in you.
They see Him as the Ultimate Being
that binds them together. Yes, I call
Him Allah and you call Him Father
In Heaven, but they are the same
God that I worship in my mosque
and you pray to in your chapel.
Isnt His love and mercy the right
of every human beingMuslims
and Catholics alike? Shouldnt love
and peace encompass us all, His
creation?
My experience here in Indonesia
is one that Ill never forget for the
rest of my life. I was housed in a
Buddhist family, had two Indonesian
foster brothersone of them was
even aspiring to be a Dominican
priest. But our differences never
hindered us from being the closest
friends; rather, we celebrated our
differences and learned from one
another. I saw in them the human
in me and they saw in me the
human in them. I even had Korean
and Japanese friends. I witnessed
masses and liturgies but never have
I felt that I was different or, worse,
threatened. In fact I believe I am part
of this great family and that I even
became a better Muslim.

into becoming a better servant of

God. My university taught me to
find God in all things, to seek His
presence, and to recognize His
existence in everything that I do.
My Catholic university taught me to
do things in Magisin excellence,
to do things more than what is
expected. My Catholic university
taught me to perform all my duties
and responsibilities, my dreams, my
aspirations all for the greater glory
of God, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Yes, I have become a better person
because of youand for that my
brothers and sisters, I am forever
indebted and grateful to you.
Maraming, maraming salamat. Thank
you all from the bottom of my heart.
Again, I greet you with the greetings
of peace, a greeting of
Islam: Wassalmu
alaykum wa
rahmatullahi wa
barakatuh. n

Back in the Philippines, my

Catholic university has taught
me many values that formed me

Keynote addresses came from distinguished guests such as renowned Muslim leader Almad SyafiI Maarif and Bishop Antonius Subianto
Bunjamin. But according to Fr Joel Tabora SJ, writing for the Manila Times, it was Jan-jans testimony that got the most ovation.

My Catholic university
taught me to perform all my
duties and responsibilities, my
dreams, my aspirations
all for the greater glory of God,
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam...
Yes, I have become a
better person.

Here is Jan Jans speech in full.

rof Budi Widianarko of

Unika Seogijapranata,
Fr Michael Calmano of
ASSEACU, respected rectors,
distinguished guests, beloved
co-participants, ladies and
gentlemen: I greet you all
with the greetings of Islam, a
greeting of peace:

Assalmu alaykum wa rahmatullhi wa

baraktuh.
May the peace, love, and blessings of God
be upon us all.
I am deeply honored and overwhelmed
to be given this chance to speak in front
of you. I believe that many of my coparticipants deserve to deliver this speech
more than I, considering the fact that they
can give it due justice more than I can.
Nevertheless, Ill do my best.
Back in my home country, many have
asked me: How come youre participating
in a Catholic conference when you are

a Muslim? I look for a logical answer

and find myself listening to a thousand
voices that speak at the back of my
mind. Oftentimes, the answers are too
complicated for others to understand that
I prefer not to choose one. And so, I only
respond with my biggest smile, hoping that
it will suffice as an answer.
I have to accept that finding a very concrete
answer to such query is truly difficult.
What I am very sure of is that there is
a small voice speaking to me from the
deepest bottom of my heart. It demands
that I listen and I follow. It tells me to
embark on this journey and to lay my trust

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

of Bukidnon. He prepared himself for

mission work by going to a Bisayan
language school for missionaries in
Davao. Unfortunately he did not learn
much in his study of Bisayan. Perhaps
he was already too old to learn a new
language. In the end, he learned just
enough to be able to pronounce the
Bisayan words of the Mass. He did not
learn enough to preach in Bisayan. Thus
he had to be content to be assistant to
the parish priest of Camp Phillips of Del
Monte. He was eventually assigned to do
school work again at Xavier.

Fr Robert
J Suchan
SJ 1926-2015
A Tribute

by Fr Leo C Pabayo SJ

f I were to paint a portrait of

Fr Bob Suchan it would be
something like a statue of
St lgnatius that I had seen
in a Jesuit magazine. In that
statue, St Ignatius is depicted
as walking with his body
thrust forward as if plowing a
strong wind that was blowing
against him. I believe that Fr
Bob would appreciate this
because it would identify him
with St Ignatius whom he
looked upon as his model in
the spiritual life and because
it depicts something of his
own unique character and
personality.
Fr Bob was a man who, once he set his
mind to accomplish a task, would go for it
unmindful of the winds of criticisms and
objections that may come his way. This
was the way that he handled his job for
23 years as Director of the College Library
of Ateneo de Manila. He was assigned
to the job just before Vatican Council
II. The aftermath of Vatican Council II
was a turbulent time in the Church. It
was a time when many of the customs,
practices and even attitudes of Catholics

underwent many changes. One of the

changes was the very liberal attitude
towards the books that were formerly
banned from being read by seminarians
and students in Catholic schools like, for
example, the books of Freud and Marx.
In Catholic schools, these books were
accessible only to the college professors.
As Library Director, Fr Bob thought it his
duty to continue to carefully oversee the
kinds of books that the students read. He
put in lock and key books that he thought
contained erroneous teachings in morals.
He was met with many objections for this.
His strength of character showed by the
way that he held on to what he thought
was a good policy. One superior said,
however, that sometimes Fr Bob tended
to be overly strict and stubborn in not
listening to reasonable objections to his
policy. Fr Bob was librarian for 23 years.
After his many years of service as librarian,
he continued to solicit books through a
Foundation that he founded, namely, the
PLMP (Philippine Library Materials Project
Foundation Inc).
The first love of Fr Bob, however, was
pastoral work. He longed to do work in
the mission districts of the Philippine
Province of the Society of Jesus in
Mindanao. He finally got his wish when he
was assigned to the Jesuit Mission District

Fr Bob took his religious vow of poverty

very seriously. Even in his old age he
would sometimes take the jeepney
from Pueblo Grade School to Xavier
Corrales although we had a Grade School
Chaplains car that he could use. This
was his way of living up to the mandate
of a recent General Congregation of the
Jesuits that says that a Jesuit should
sometimes experience the real poverty
of the poor, such as sharing the simple
life of those who commute by public
transportation. He also practiced his vow
of poverty by being abstemious in the
use of things in the house. For example,
when a page from his calendar had to
be changed at the end of the month, he
would cut the removed page into four
parts and use them for writing notes that
he sent to people.
Fr Bob was very generous to poor people
who came to beg from him. Even when
others said that he was being abused
already, he gave the begging poor the
benefit of the doubt and continued
to help those that regularly came to
him. He also lent money liberally to
employees of the university in the
Grade School. Though he made the
effort to teach the borrowers to also be
responsible and pay back from their
salary what they borrowed from him, he
often did not succeed in collecting back
what he lent to them.
Fr Bob was regular in hearing
confessions particularly when he was
assigned to work with me in the Grade
School. He was also very regular in
hearing confessions in the university
Church. He was most conscientious
in counseling the penitents so that
sometimes a confession would last very
long. He would do this even with the
children in the Grade School. In certain
instances I had to remind him to observe
the time allotted for confession per class
because the children had classes to
attend.

XAVIER MAGAZINE

19
In one of our conversations, Fr
Bob surprised me when he told
me that his ancestors must have
intermarried with the Chinese
when Genghis Khan invaded and
occupied Germany. He said that
his name Suchan really came from
two Chinese names, namely, Su
and Khan or Chan. I thought that
this explained why Fr Bob walked
the way he walked. I had the
impression that Fr Bob walked like
the Chinese that I had seen in movie
documentaries.
The grandparents or greatgrandparents of Fr Bob migrated
to the United States from Germany.
His German ancestry could explain
his passion for orderliness and
promptness. He had little patience
with Filipino time. If the students
in the Grade School were scheduled
for confession, they had to be in the
chapel on time, otherwise Fr Bob
would climb up to the third floor to
tell their teacher to already bring
their students down to the chapel
for confession.

I once remarked to him that among

the old Jesuits in the Philippines, he
was probably one of the healthiest
and the strongest considering his
old age. I asked him what his secret
was. He told me that it was by living
according to the spirituality that St
Ignatius taught us.
When he became minister of our
community (a minister is the one
who is in charge of or oversees the
physical needs of the members of
the Jesuit community), he made it
known that the overweight members
of the community ought to do
something about their obesity. He
did this by placing a weighing scale
near the door of our dining room!
Fr Bob was a prayerful man. He
celebrated Mass with utmost
devotion and was most meticulous
in observing the rubrics of the Mass.
This led one who attended his Mass
to remark that his was an example
of a saintly celebration of the Mass.
It was unfortunate, however, that Fr
Bob had a very weak voice so that
he was barely audible without a
microphone. For some reason, he

If I were to paint aSuchan

portrait of Fr Bob ing
it would be someth
like
a statue of
St lgnatius...

2015 Issue

sometimes shied away from using

a microphone. Another example of
his prayerfulness was his practice of
praying the Rosary at certain times
of the day.
Although Fr Bob had what I thought
was a streak of stubbornness, he
was a very caring and humble
person and had a good sense of
humor. This was evident in the way
that he related with the poor and
made friends. When I got sick, Fr Bob
was the quintessence of the virtue
of cura personalis. He was regular
in visiting me in the hospital and in
my room at Loyola House during my
convalescence.
Fr Bob was in good health physically
until he was affected by Alzheimers.
When this disease worsened, Fr
Antonio Moreno, our
Provincial Superior,
decided that he
could be best
taken care of in
the Infirmary
of Ateneo de
Manila where
there were
enough nurses
and other
health workers
who could look
after him. He died
apparently of heart failure
on August 22 at the age of 89.
Xavier University greatly misses his
presence particularly in the Grade
School.
May his soul and the souls of the
faithful departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace. n

Fr Leo C Pabayo SJ is the chaplain

of XU Grade School. He also
regularly contributes as a
columnist to the Mindanao Gold
Star Daily.

21
Clam seeding effort in Macajalar Bay:

protecting the survival

of giant clams

iant clams are the largest

species of bivalve mollusks,
and they have an important
role to play as ecosystem
engineers of the coral reefs.
Out of the nine species of
giant clams that exist in the
world, seven are found in the
Philippines. Unfortunately,
majority of the species
are listed as endangered
by the Convention of the
International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES).
In an effort to reintroduce and propagate
the clams in Macajalar Bay, the McKeough

Choosing the best sites for

seeding
Prior to the actual clam seeding and
culture, members of the local government
unit conducted a site-selection
assessment using a set of criteria to
determine which marine protected areas
(MPA) are best suited to receive the clams.
The four species of giant clams, namely
Tridacna squamosa, Tridacna maxima,

Volunteers from
the LGUs take part
in the deployment
of the clams in
Villanueva.

The journey of the clams from

Camiguin to the XU-Marine Station
in Jasaan lasted 30 minutes via a
speedboat, and at least an hour
more for land travel via truck. Upon
arrival at the station, the clams were
unpacked and transferred to tanks
of aerated seawater.
The next day, prior to the clam
deployment to the different MPAs, a

by Nadine Arabelle L Vivares

Marine Center (MMC) of Xavier University,
in partnership with Cantaan Centennial
Multipurpose Cooperative (CCMPC) and
the Macajalar Bay Development Alliance
(MBDA), organized the Clam Seeding and
Culture in Macajalar Bay, a seeding effort
to establish a breeding stock of giant
clams in the bay.

and several hundred juveniles set

on cement slabs were packed for
transport.

Tridacna crocea, and Hippopus hippopus

came from a giant clam sanctuary
managed by the CCMPC in Cantaan,
Camiguin.
The areas selected had to be conducive
enough for the stock to survive, thrive, and
possibly spawn. Criteria include, among
others, the presence of native species,
corals, clear waters and the presence of
Bantay Dagat. MPAs in the municipalities
of Laguindingan, El Salvador, Opol,
Villanueva, and Balingasag were
eventually chosen as the best sites.
An orientation seminar on Giant Clam
Seeding and Culture was also held at
the XUAVR-2 on August 20 as a primer
for the Macajalar Bay LGUs, especially
the steward municipalities. The list of
speakers included Johnny Cabreira, who
shared his experience with clam seedings
and a self-made documentary titled The
Treasures of Agutayan, while Dr Hilly
Ann Roa-Quiaoit, XU Vice-President for
Research and Social Outreach, presented
and discussed basic clam biology,
as well as clam seeding procedures,
maintenance, and monitoring.
Representatives from the Philippine
National Police - Maritime Group, the
Philippine Coast Guard and Marine
Biology students of XU also participated
as volunteers.

A pledge to restore the giant

clams
On September 3, the XU team travelled to
Cantaan, Camiguin to retrieve the clams
which were already set aside beforehand
by the staff of the CCMPC. The clams were
carefully packed in containers and kept
cool using layers of wet canvas. A total
of 200 clams (50 individuals per species)

XAVIER MAGAZINE

short program was held at the XUMarine Station. CCMPC chairperson

Alona Cordero spoke about
culturing clam culture in Cantaan,
Camiguin. Silliman University Angelo King Center for Research
and Environmental Management
(SUAKCREM) director and National
Scientist Dr Angel Alcala (also
former Department of Environment
and Natural Resources Secretary)
also spoke about the importance
of clam seedings. The program
was culminated by a ceremonial

signing of Stewardship Agreement

signing between MMC, CCMPC, MBDA,
and the steward LGUs. Afterwards,
the clams were transported to
respective municipalities and
deployed in their MPAs.
The clams will be regularly
monitored by the steward LGUs in
the hopes that they will soon spawn,
propagate and ultimately increase
in number, saving the clam species
from possible extinction. n

Understanding social engagement

built on social justice
by Victoria Melissa C Pulido
Xavier University took part in the
Association of Jesuit Colleges and
Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCUAP) Service Learning Program in
August at Sogang University, Seoul,
South Korea, with the theme, Social
Engagement based on Justice. It was
the first time for Sogang University
to host the program.
The school sent me as program
officer of KKP-SIO and Ann Margaret
O Pangan, a 4th Year International
Studies student. Other universities
that participated were Sanata
Dharma University in Indonesia,
Sophia University in Japan, and
Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de
Manila and Ateneo de Zamboanga
University in the Philippines.
This years AJCU-AP Service Learning
Program exposed the delegates
to Korean Culture as we visited
a number of heritage sites and
institutions which served the
underprivileged in South Korea and
other neighbouring Asian Countries.
These areas include the Korean
Traditional House, Myeongdong
Cathedral and the Korean
International Cooperation Agency
(KOICA). There were also lectures
to deepen our understanding and
appreciation on Social Involvement
and Dialogue Education.

2015 Issue

The highlight of the 11-day exposure

program was the volunteer work at
Kkottongnae, a religious community
in South Korea which is run by
the Congregation of Kkottongnae
Brothers and Sisters. The community
was established in 1976 by Fr John
Oh, a parish priest who envisioned
Kkottongnae as an organization
which would provide food and
shelter to the homeless. What
started as a small community
of volunteers evolved into an
institution which trains and teaches
individuals on how to genuinely care
for the poor through their Love in
Action School.
The Kkottongnae Love in Action
School facilitated different
volunteer activities for the delegates.
These included feeding and food
distribution at Seoul Station and
the week-long volunteering at a
hospital, childrens home, elderly
home and a home for the disabled.
Delegates witnessed the sacrifice
and dedication of the Kkottongnae
Brothers and Sisters and were
moved by the stories of hope and
forgiveness by the community
members. The volunteer work at
Kkottongnae provided a venue for
us to transcend our understanding
of service from something of an
obligation to a commitment to
empathize and respond to the

needs of our poor

brothers and
sisters.
AJCU-AP Service
Learning
Program 2015
instilled among
delegates the
value of social
justice, which goes
back to the fundamental
truth that man is innately
good. This innate goodness has
allowed us to make sacrifices, build
relationships and show genuine
concern for the well-being of
others, especially the poor and the
marginalized. The Service Learning
Program hopes to continue to form
young men and women who are
fuelled by the inspiration of God to
work for social justice in their own
country. n

Victoria Melissa C Pulido is a

formator of the Kristohanong
Katilingban sa Pagpakabana
(Christian Community for Social
Awareness) -Social Involvement
Office.

23

Maybank
Foundation
visits Xavier Ecoville
by Nia Bea Cadorna

US Embassy strengthens partnership with XU

through American Corner
by Stephen J Pedroza

he Xavier University American Corner has been an integral partner of the Thomas Jefferson
Information Center of the Public Affairs Section of the American Embassy in promoting United
States-Republic of the Philippines relations. Recognizing this contribution, the US Embassy in
Manila visited XU on September 9.

Sarah Ziebell, public diplomacy information

resource officer at US Embassy in Jakarta
together with US Embassy - Manilas
Information Resource Center director
Xavier Lara and deputy director Princess
Grace Wooden paid a courtesy call on XU
President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ.
Also present were Kristohanong Katilingban
sa Pagpakabana Social Involvement
Office (KKP-SIO) director Nestor M Banuag
Jr, College of Arts and Science dean Dr
Juliet Dalagan, XU Libraries director Estrella
C Cabudoy (also the area director for
XU American Corner), and International
Studies/History/PolSci Department
chairperson Manilee Paares.
The US Embassys visit aimed to strengthen
its partnership with XU through a series of
discussions on the program plan for 2015;
namely, Livelihood Workshop for Mothers:
Handicraft Making/Basket Weaving;
Environmental Workshop for Out-of-School
Youth: Turn Trash to Art; Save Mother Earth;
Estero Clean Up Drive; and Mangrove
Planting; and other civic engagements.
The team made an initial visit to Talongan

Village, a relocation site in Sitio Calaanan

with KKP-SIO director Banuag.

administrators enjoyed tinkering and

experimenting with the new technologies.

We are very happy to partner with

KKP-SIO. What we are looking into is
sustainability through these collaborative
projects with the US Embassy, Cabudoy
said, adding that the above projects aim
to provide entrepreneurial skills, heighten
environmental awareness and push
for personal development among the
community members.

One of the challenges we face today

is how to fit creativity and learning
together, and Makerspace is a way to
inspire young minds to build machines,
explore opportunities and volunteer
in communities, said Ziebell whose
primary background is in the area of film,
programming and outreach, and digital
technologies.

Managing a portfolio that includes

American Spaces partnership in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Australia,
Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste,
Ziebell also gave a demonstration on
Makerspace, a creative way to explore and
discover new ways of learning through
3Doodler, Makey Makey and LittleBits.

Making is a social experience, built

around relationships. Makerspaces
promote learning through play and have
the potential to demystify science, math,
technology, and engineering concepts and
encourage more women to seek careers in
those fields, she added. n

Makerspace is more than just a collection

of gadgets. It is a community hub for
people to learn and create together,
Ziebell said.
Pupils and teachers from City Central
School, XU college students and
XAVIER MAGAZINE

Maybank Foundation executives

from Malaysia Shahril Azuar
Jimin (Chief Executive Officer),
Ahmad Faezal Mohamed (Vice
President and Head of Corporate
Responsibility), Mohmad Hilmi
Hashim (Project Manager
of Corporate Responsibility
International) and Eric
Montelibano (VP for Corporate
Affairs) visited Xavier Ecoville on
Aug 17 to meet with the residents
and to see the progress of the
community.
Together with the community members and
leaders, Maybank-Xavier Ecoville Manpower
Association (MAXEMA) presented the proposed
Technical Learning Center (TLC) to be supported
by Maybank Foundation. The TLC will offer
technical courses in carpentry and electronics to
a total of 60 scholars. In partnership with Xavier
Universitys Center for Integrated Technologies,
Maybank Foundation will fund the construction
of the TLC building and the training fees of the
scholars.
After the site visit, the Maybank Foundation
executives met with Mayor Oscar Moreno
regarding the proposed TLC. The Xavier Ecoville
Project is also planning to partner with the local
government to expand TLCs reach in the city.
Maybank Foundation has been XEPs major
partner since 2013. They donated Xavier Ecovilles
200-seater Community Center and provided
financial support for the MAXEMA scholars in
their technical and vocational schooling. In
October 2014. The scholars then took the National
Certificate II examination of the Technical
Education and Skill Development Authority
(TESDA) and 15 out of the 22 Maybank scholars
passed the test. On June 5, Maybank Foundation
also turned over an additional Php500K for the
future projects of MAXEMA. n
2015 Issue

25
XU alumnus
wins
Brandt
School
Commitment
Award 2015

New XU Alumni board

members take oath of office
by Angela Bernice Cabildo
Old friends took their new positions as 2015-2016 officers and board members during the induction
and oath-taking ceremony of the Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan Alumni Association (XU-AAA).

XU

Held on Sep 8 at the Berchmans Refectory, the short ceremony was graced by XU President Fr
Roberto Yap SJ, who led the oath.

by Stephen J Pedroza

graduate Jessie Jhon Mateo Magkilat and his Canadian project partner Hannah Saley received
the Commitment Award 2015 of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of
Erfurt in Germany.
Magkilat, who graduated AB International
Studies from XU in 2010, and Saley
were awarded the grand prize for their
proposed project Reading on Wheels.

My partner and I decided to do a project

related to education since it is our
common denominator, said Magkilat who
taught major subjects on International
Studies (IS) at XU from 2011-2013 before
accepting a two-year scholarship
grant from Katholischer Akademischer
Auslnder-Dienst (KAAD).

The Commitment Award honors WBS

graduate students who collaborate among
themselves and propose projects with
social relevance and developmental
impact.
Having lived in Cagayan de Oro City for
almost eight years, I saw the increase in
the number of street kids, he said. So
I talked about it with Hannah, and our
ideas just started coming out!
Magkilat is now in his final year at WBS,
studying for a Master of Public Policy
specializing in International Affairs,
Cooperation and Development, and
International Political Economy, while
Saley is a recent graduate of the same
masters course but with specializations in
Conflict Studies and Management.

They describe Reading on Wheels as an

opportunity for the community to build
trust with the street children and to meet
them at a place they are familiar with. The
target group will be between ages 5-12
and we hope to use Reading on Wheels
as an avenue to create a childhood that
these children have never experienced.
The purpose is not to directly teach a child
how to read and write but to instill values
of respect, integrity and knowledge as we
inspire an attitude of lifelong learning.

As a former XU instructor, Magkilat wants

to mobilize XU students to be part of this
project as volunteers and mentors.

Following their award-winning project

proposal, the duo is looking forward to
gathering volunteers in CDO to take the
Reading on Wheels wagon filled with
books and other educational materials
to different areas where street children
congregate, for a 3-hour interaction once
a week.

Besides Reading on Wheels, Magkilat also

presented at the Commitment Award 2015
an initiative to provide the Kilikili National
High School (KNHS) with an internet
connection and a digital high-speed copymachine.

We are currently working with our partner

organizations in the Philippines to develop
a proposal for budget allocation. The prize
money from the Commitment Award will
cover the costs for purchasing culturally
sensitive books, a mobile wagon (locally
built), mats and training materials for the
volunteers, Magkilat explained.

We are looking to establish a partnership

with the Ateneo Diplomatic Corps, the
co-curricular organization of the IS
Department of XU. We will be working
closely with Brandt School graduate
Manilee Lorraine Paares who is the
current chairperson of the department, he
declared.

Raypon (HS 1979, LlB 1994) was sworn in as President and alumni chapter representative of
the College of Law; Nathalie T Igot (AB Econ 1977, MA Econ 1994) as Vice President (Internal) and
representative of the College of Arts and Sciences; Lampa I Pandi (BS Bio1985, MD 1989) as Vice
President (External) and representative of the School of Medicine; Alma P Eufinado (BSCE 1988, MBA
2013) as Secretary and representative of the College of Engineering; Michael Jones L Sia (BSCS 1997)
as Treasurer and representative of the College of Computer Studies; Ligaya M Nacalaban (BSC 1980,
MBA 1995) as Auditor and representative of the School of Business and Management; and Hester Lee
Sumanpan (HS 2003, BSN 2007, MBA 2013) as Public Relations Officer and representative of the College
of Nursing.
The following Board Members also took their oath:

Graduate School
Juanito R Demetrio (AB 1978, DPA 2010)
CIT
Francis Umaran (CIT 1997)
School of Education
Vincent L Padilla (BSE 1993)
College of Agriculture Alberto R Lagamon (HS 1985, BSA 1989, LlB 2006)
High School Rico S Borromeo (HS 1982, MD 1991)
Grade School Easternwhale A Sheng (GS 1970, HS 1974, AB 1978)

On December 5, the XU-AAA had its Grand Alumni Homecoming where the awards for Outstanding
Alumni were given.
The XU-AAA is a federation of all XU alumni chapters in Cagayan de Oro and abroad that collaborates
in the pursuit of the universitys mission. The alumni undertake programs, projects and activities to
help their fellow alumni and the less privileged, and to actively participate in the development efforts
of the city. n

Maglikats hometown of Kilikili, Wao, Lanao

del Sur is one of the countrys poorest. He
strongly believes that the said equipment
will boost the schools quality of teaching
and learning environment for students.
Magkilat said in an online post of WBS
that teachers at KNHS are still using
a mimeograph machine to reproduce
instructional and examination materials. n

The pair believes that through Reading on

Wheels they can promote education as a
source of hope and a chance to inspire,
teach and motivate street kids toward a
brighter future.
XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

27

s a child, I spent many

September evenings at
community rosary meetings.
Little did this sleepy but
faithful girl know that several
years down the road would
take her from solemn songs
of praise to a night filled with
music from Into the Woods
and The Pretenders.
The Xavier Universitys Office of the
Chaplaincy, in collaboration with the Xavier
Center for Culture and the Arts (XCCA) and
the Office of Mission and Ministry (OMM),
offered Mary and the Music: A Birthday
Tribute on September 8 at the Xavier
University Covered Courts.
The tribute was a medley of sacred
and pop songs as well as Broadway
musical scenes. On the repertoire were
performances by the Singing Angels of God
from Tibasak, XU High School Glee Club,
XU - United Religious Organizations, XCCA
artists, XU Glee Club, Friends & Music, and
Xavier Philharmonia.
As I stepped into the covered courts and
accepted an XU Church donation envelope
for grotto construction and prayer room
renovation, I could see that it was nearly
a full house. XU faculty member Erika

Your
mother
and
mine

XU holds
Marian concert
by Angela Bernice Cabildo
Gacus knew of the event thanks to
announcements at the University Church,
where she hears mass every Sunday.
Another churchgoer, Arvin Bonbon, was
also excited to hear the choir perform.
Its my first time to attend a Mama Mary
celebration at XU, said Bonbon.
XU has been a faithful musical celebrator
of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. In 2014,
the university community held a Marian
concert for the benefit of lumad high
school scholars of Upper Pulangi. In 2013,
a concert was also held after the renaming
of XUs Immaculate Conception Chapel as
the University Church of the Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The renaming was part of the celebration
of XUs Ruby Jubilee. It was also the
universitys way of showing solidarity with
the local Church, which marked the 80th
anniversary of the establishment of the
Diocese of Cagayan de Oro that year.
In his message of welcome, Fr Richard Ella
SJ thanked everyone for coming to share
in this years praise, blessing the concert
with the hope that it would be a fitting
tribute to the woman who said yes to
God, who said yes to be the mother of our
Savior Jesus Christ, who said yes to be the
mother of us all.
The first song, Something Good from The

Sound of Music, was sung by a girl dressed

like Frulein Maria, but I could hear the
anxious joy of a young Mary who had just
been visited by the angel Gabriel. Not
While Im Around from Sweeney Todd: The
Demon Barber of Fleet Street sounded like
the reassurances of a mother whose son
was beset by persecutors, and Slipping
Through My Fingers from Mamma Mia!
was her sorrowful but graceful acceptance
of her sons sacrifice. With pop songs
such as Boyz II Mens A Song for Mama
and The Thompson Twins Hold Me
Now weaving through it and a wreath of
liturgical songs such as Simeons Canticle
and Hail Holy Queen, the tribute was
certainly transcendental.
Marys love is really the love of all mothers
combined, said artistic director Hobart
Savior. With our musical director, we tried
to achieve a sense of connection, through
pop music, with messages from mothers
that could still be praise songs for Mother
Mary.
As I listened to the music, I looked around
and saw a few hands furtively brushing
away tears. Knowing that I wasnt alone, I
stopped ignoring the pain in my chest and
let the tears flow.
It had been a long day. That morning,
my mother had gone with me to get new
XAVIER MAGAZINE

clothes for a new job. It had been

a while since it was just the two
of us. We were rushing because
she had to catch a noon plane for
a work trip. But even though we
took so long that she had to skip
lunch altogether, Mom still told me
that she enjoyed being with me.
The sleepy girl pinching the wrong
rosary beads had grown up into
someone else, someone busy and
far away. That evening reminded
me of how close my mother is and
always will be to me. n

The writer is an alumna of Xavier

University with a degree in
Development Communication.

Mission &
Ministry:
Education
and
Formation
by Rezza Mae B Tolinero

I was moved by
that movie, thinking
of whether or not I
am capable of being
immovable despite
the chaotic things that
surround us, said
Kristen Seneres, a first
year Nursing student,
after watching a movie
about the life of Mother
Theresa. The movie was
one of those shown
during the Mission and
Ministry Week held from
September 1 to 8.
We celebrate the Mission and
Ministry Week so that we will be able
to feature the formation program

2015 Issue

and initiatives in our University,

said Irene Grace A. Guitarte, XU Vice
President for Mission and Ministry.
The thrust of our cluster is really on
formation.
Along the theme Formators sent to
the Peripheries: Care for the Person
and Creation, activities for this year
included a Kumpisalan ng Bayan
wherein FFP students were given
an opportunity to confess their
shortcomings; a Mass Wedding for
27 couples in at University Church;
and a series of talks and video
presentations on the culture of
poverty and the poverty of culture.
That week, Xavier University was
also declared as one of the Catholic
Cultural Centers in the Philippines.
This, for Guitarte, was an affirmation
of our collective role on really
promoting the joy of the gospel and
really promoting our Catholic Values
and Ignatian Values.
On the other year-round formation
programs of the University, Rejoice
Papa, a first year BSIS student said
that As Ive observed, helpful gyud
kaayo kay naay programs where
they feed street children and teach
them, naa puy uban nga ga-help sa
scholars.
On the other hand, Kristen
expressed that As a student I
just saw these [the formation
programs] as reminders of our faith

and not merely something

that will transform
us immediately.
Transformation
requires effort
and time. It
can even take
a lifetime
for us to be
transformed
into Christlike creatures.
She elaborated
that class subjects
intended for formation
may not be enough for total
transformation but these will serve
as reminders to students as to what
is right and wrong.
Total formation is really having a
sound mind, sound body. We see
that all of those have been played
together, remarked Guitarte. n

29
XU-NSTP
fortifies partnership
with CDO communities, institutions

he National Service Training

Program (NSTP) of Xavier
University strengthened its
partnership with the different
communities and institutions
in Cagayan de Oro City
through the signing of a
memorandum of agreement
and contract of engagement.
Xavier considers its partners very
important in the social formation of our
students, XU-NSTP director Dennise
Edwina Gonzales said in her message
to the attendees of the MOA signing
ceremony Friday, August 14.
You [our partners] have been there for
our students formation so they can fulfill
their roles in nation building and you have
given your time in mentoring them every
Saturday, Gonzales added.
Leading the MOA signing were CDO
Archbishop Antonio J Ledesma SJ DD, XU
President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, CDO schools
division superintendent Dr Elena M
Borcillo, Oro Integrated Cooperative (OIC)
chief executive officer Floriano R Hilot,
and City Welfare and Development (CSWD)
officer Teddy Sabuga-a, together with the
representatives of partner institutions
from the city government, barangay local
government units, XU offices and civil
society organizations, among others.

by Stephen J Pedroza
and, for that, we are very grateful, she said.

Community projects
As part of the universitys desire for
greater societal engagements, the
community projects to be conducted in
partner barangays for this school year
will center on addressing different social
issues.
In barangays Carmen and Lapasan,
XU-NSTP students will run information
education campaigns on solid waste
management in line with RA 9003
(Ecological Solid Waste Management Act)
and the Green Campus Agenda of the
university, and on voters education in
preparation for the 2016 national elections,
in partnership with the Kristohanong
Katilingban sa Pagpakabana Social
Involvement Office (KKP-SIO).
The partnership with the city government
for its Hapsay Dalan campaign and proper
management of waste disposal has been
renewed for this year.
For the riverside communities of CDO
(barangays 13, 15, 17 and Consolacion),
NSTP projects will zero in on disaster risk
reduction and management (DRRM).
School- and home-based tutorial
sessions will also be conducted in Iponan,
Macasandig, Xavier Ecoville, and various
public elementary schools in the city, in

partnership with the Nia Maria Learning

Center and Ateneo Rover Circle on the
basics of scouting.
Aimed at cultivating the youngs interest
and appreciation for Filipino culture and
the arts, XU-NSTP students will be sharing
their talents and skills to elementary
pupils with the support of Xavier Center
for Culture and the Arts (XCCA) and its arts
companies.
In partnership with the Sustainable
Sanitation Center (SuSan), anti-dengue
campaigns will also be launched in
Camaman-an where there is a high
incidence of dengue influx. A 2014 report
of the Department of Health had shown
CDO to have the most number of denguestricken patients for the said year among
all cities in Northern Mindanao. Besides
Camaman-an, the barangays with reported
high cases of dengue incidents included
Carmen, Balulang, Bugo, Kauswagan, Bulua,
Iponan, Macasandig, Patag, Gusa, Canitoan,
Tablon and Lapasan.
In collaboration with the XU-McKeough
Marine Center (MMC), NSTP students will
embark on marine ecology conservation
projects as part of the ridge-to reef
approach towards environmental
protection.
To inculcate the value of savings among
the young, XU-NSTP and OIC are partnering
to teach children ways to save and budget

Most of these CDO communities and

institutions have been partners of
XU since 2002, the year NSTP was
implemented.

their school allowances. One of

these ways is to open a kids savings
account in a cooperative.
Lastly, XU-NSTP has collaborated
with the Archidiocese of Cagayan
de Oro to push for sustainable
agriculture. A vacant lot at the St
John Vianney Seminary will be
converted into a model organic farm,
which other parishes can follow.

Our partners have been there to secure

our students, to make them feel at home,
XAVIER MAGAZINE

We can give our students a lot

of experiences but if it lacks the
reflection component, service
learning is not complete, Yap said.

This MOA signing was considered a

significant activity for the XU-NSTP
team and its partners for it sealed
their commitment to the formation
of Ateneans to become men and
women for others.

NSTP is a one-year formative

process which adopts a two-pronged
approach: classroom sessions
with reflection sessions, and area
work experience. NSTP has three
components: the Reserve Officers
Training Corps (ROTC), the Civic
Welfare Training Service (CWTS) and
the Literacy Training Service (LTS)

NSTP is a major component of the

service learning programs of Jesuit
universities such as XU.

We teach our students the theories

of social development in the
classrooms, but to actually form the

NSTP at Xavier

whole person head, heart and

mind we need you, our partners,
so they can have contact with the
communities, to learn from them
and to understand what it really
means to be a person for others.
At the outset, the partnership has
a clear orientation and a goal to
mobilize the communities where
the students will be fielded to
implement their own community
development projects, thereby giving
their own share in the barangay
development processes.
I cannot thank you enough for
receiving our students in your
communities and organizations and
for helping them grow, Yap said. n

Napolcom, PNP-10 laud XUs

collaborative service learning program

The National Police Commission
(Napolcom) and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) Region
10 commended the effective
implementation of the Collaborative
Service Learning Program (CSLP)
of the Kristohanong Katilingban sa
Pagpakabana - Social Involvement
Office (KKP-SIO) of Xavier University.
Being recognized and given
an award for doing our job is
unexpected and profoundly
humbling, said Jannina Alfante,
CSLP coordinator. We go beyond
what is asked of us; we stay true
and committed to our mission, she
added.
KKP-SIO leaders received the
plaque of appreciation from police
chief superintendent Lyndel A
Desquitado on September 7 at the
Police Regional Office, Camp Alagar,
Lapasan. The CSLP of the KKPSIO has been instrumental to the
development of the database of the
police record information system
and crime mapping system, the
plaque read.

Gonzales also expressed her gratitude

to the partners for keeping XU students
safe and secured while conducting their
community projects in their respective
areas.

In his message, the XU president

emphasized the value of reflection
as a way to process the students
experiences and learning in a
community engagement.

2015 Issue

CSLP is a curriculum-based service

learning experience for students
from various academic disciplines.
As part of its dynamics, the program
takes the participants to partner
communities and institutions
to facilitate dialogue education
a way of learning that brings
theoretical premise into proactive
social relevance.
Alfante said, We are grateful for
the award and we share it with the
XU College of Computer Studies, to
our CSLP faculty champion Cristina
Amor Cajilla, and, most especially,
to the students who gave their best
to help design the systems for the
PNP-COCPO.
Under the supervision of Cajilla, a
faculty member of the College of
Computer Studies, ten Computer
Science students worked on the
designs of the database systems for
Police Stations 1, 3 and 4 in Cagayan
de Oro City.
KKP-SIO commits itself to work
for the holistic formation of the XU

community who will live out the

values of preferential option for the
poor, justice, peace, and service, as
they engage with different sectors
and organizations in Mindanao,
Alfante shared.
CSLPs underlying principle is
entwined with the characteristics
of Jesuit education that deems
educational formation of individuals
as a means for preparing them to
become apostolic instruments in
service of the church and country as
it serves human communities.
Alfante was optimistic that this is not
the end of their engagement with
the PNP-10. This recognition also
means that KKP-SIO will continue
and sustain our partnership with
PNP-COCPO and with all the other
stakeholders of CSLP to push for
community development, social
justice and good governance. n

Katagna Ka?
Trivia enthusiasts gathered at
the Magis canteen for the Central
Student Governments general
knowledge quiz show. Questions
ranged from current events to
holiday traditions and iconic
theme songs to TV series and
video games.

Kikay is back!
Kikay from New York is back! Shes back in
Burgos! Shes back in her hometown! The Xavier
Stage restaged the hilarious New Yorker sa
Burgos, an adaptation of Marcelino Agana Jrs
New Yorker in Tondo.

The Society of Early

Childhood Teachers treated
young kids to a re-telling of
Jesus birth using puppets.
Children sang along to
Christmas favorites Jingle
Bells and Joy to the World.
Teaching messages about
love and joy, the show
encouraged children to
remember the essence of
Christmas.

Foreign exchange students under

the AFS Intercultural Programs
and XU International Students
Association (XISA) organized a
variety show as a fund raising
activity. The foreign students
sang Cebuano songs to the
amusement of the audience and
demonstrated the prevailing
fashion sense in their home
countries. AFS intends to raise
funds for the construction of a
library at the Fr Leoni Memorial
School for the Umayamnon
community in Cabanglasan,
Bukidnon.

As told by
puppets

Imported
Halo-Halo

High School
fashion
High school students took
to the runway to promote
the Senior High School
program. They donned on
their high school uniforms
and varsity outfits, as well
as the designs of top local
designer Gil Macaibay Jr.

Himig Atenista
The original song writing competition returned with
a new breed of young composers. Atenistang Dugo
by One Sided band won the grand prize of P15,000.
Deminions with their song Musika Natin To and
Flambeauxs Catalyst were declared runners-up
winning P10,000 and P5,000 respectively. Himig
Atenista aims to showcase Atenean talent through
original compositions depicting the life and growth of
Xavier University as an institution and a community.

No probs, Its Improvs

Dulaang Atenista staged its hit improvisation
show at the Little Theater. The improv
performance showcased comedic short form
acts constructed from predetermined games
yet with impromptu and random situation
suggestions from the audience. There was no
dull moment with the crowd constantly bursting
into laughter as actors spoofed different scenes
and threw riotous punch lines.

Goethe Institutes
Science Film Festival

Grand Alumni
Homecoming

Grade school, high school and college students

delighted in learning Science with the Goethe
Institutes Science Film Festival, an annual
activity that aims to awaken the interest of the
younger generation in different scientific fields
through short movies. This years showcase
focused on the theme of light in celebration of
the United Nations International Year of Light.

As a grand closing to the Xavier Days, hundreds

of alumni came home to Xavier for the 2015
Grand Alumni Homecoming organized by the
XU Alumni Association and hosted by the
Ateneo Aggies Alumni Association. Besides
the fellowship and merry-making, the
homecoming also honored outstanding alumni
and graduates from the class of 1965 as golden
jubilarians.

Frisbee Challenge
Acidus of Jasaan outplayed 10 other teams to
become this years Frisbee champions. The
games also doubled as a charity event with
proceeds from the registration benefitting a
tribe in Bukidnon.

Hip Hop, Rave and

Fireworks
More than a hundred thousand guests from
Cagayan de Oro City and Mindanao were
estimated to have participated in the four-day
revelry. Xavier Days, regarded as the longest
and biggest party in the city, culminated with
the Hip Hop Extreme Dance Competition and
Rendezvous Rave Party at the soccer field. An
astonishing display of fireworks capped off the
celebration.

Saplot Fashion Show

XU alumni and distinguished CdeO designers
Gil Macaibay Jr, Mark Yaranon and Albert Rivera
previewed their design collections in a fashion
show that turned the Science Center dry pond
into a runway.

Xavier Law @ 60
The College of Law celebrated 6o years of
service to God and country. The celebration
featured boxing icon Emmanuel Manny
Pacquiao as inspirational speaker.

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

A talk on Laudato Si
A lecture on Laudato Si: Caring for our
Common Home by University President
Fr Roberto C Yap SJ kicked off XUFD. Fr
Yap underscored three key themes of the
Encyclical: that everything is connected, that
those who are most affected are the poor, and
that everyone is called to care for creation.

Back in Time
The showcase on Xavier Days Festival Night
took the crowd back in time with its theme
of nostalgia. The Covered Court stage was
decorated with a huge arc reminiscent
of the half-moon-shaped seats of the
Science Center building. Silver objects
shaped like diamonds hung on the stage
as a representation of the decorative walls
found on the buildings of XU.

Tugtugan Fest
The XU Soundtable took hold of the main lane
and welcomed guests entering the university
gates with their throwback music in line with
the theme of coming home

Wreath laying and

Eucharistic mass
The XU community members gathered at
the University Church of the Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary to mark
the feast day of St Francis Xavier on December
3. Fr Roberto Yap SJ presided the Eucharistic
celebration which followed the wreath-laying
ceremony. Concelebrating with him were
fellow Jesuit priests from the Loyola House
community.

Laro ng Lahi
Faculty, staff, formators, and
high school and college students
played traditional Filipino games
hitting the palayok, dampa,
karang-karang, pabitin and palosebo. These games, which are
reminiscent of ones childhood,
aimed to foster camaraderie and
strengthen existing friendships.

Praise and
worship

Tree lighting and

launching of Belen

The United Religious Organization

hosted Praise Jam featuring
performances from Christs Youth
in Action, Ateneo Catechetical
Instruction League, Lestonnac
Flame Circle, Legions of Mary,
Associate Missionaries of the
Assumption, Christian Life
Community, and Youth for Christ.

The lighting of trees along the main lane

and the launching of the Belen signalled the
official start of the festivities of Xavier Days.

Coming Home
to Music

An access to XUs
ultimate timeline

The XU Band staged The Wind of

Entertainment, showcasing wind
instruments, such as the clarinet, flute,
trombone and trumpet. The band played
renditions of popular songs Kay Ganda
ng Ating Musika, Dancing Queen and
Cheerleader before closing with Christmas
songs. In between their performances were
intermission numbers from the bands
majorettes and invited singers Lee Jee
Balisado and her sister Annjean Cave.

Museo de Oros exhibit on the

rich history of Xavier University
showcased not only the important
artifacts of Xaviers history, but
also cultural imageries that have
helped make XU the home of past
and present generations.

XAVIER MAGAZINE

Campus Ministries director Fr

Richard V Ella SJ urged the youth
to set St Francis Xavier as an
example for living a full godly life.
Francis Xavier was also a college
student like you. The greatest
ambition that he realized and
actualized in his life was to be
ambitious for God to bring the
Gospel and the good news to all
the people.

Bike Caravan
Thirty tri-sikads and many more
participants on foot clad in colorful
shirts and bearing props paraded around
Divisoria to the lively sounds of trumpets
and tambourines.

Cinemulat
Controversial yet socially-relevant films were given
the spotlight at the Cinemulat Film Festival. Japanese
film Departures by Yohiro Takita, Les Choristes, a
French feature directed by Christophe Barratier, and
Hable con Ella by Spanish director Pedro Aldomovar
were screened at the XU Little Theater. A combination
of two words: cine which means film and mulat
which translates as realization or awareness,
Cinemulat aims to use film as an artistic tool to raise
awareness and impact change among viewers.

Horrifying fun
Crying children, bloody murder victims,
laughing ghosts, restless spirits, and other hairraising nightmare freaks inspired by the movies
Insidious and Silent Hill greeted guests of
The House of No Escape. For more than 10
years now, the Psychology Departments horror
house has been an ultimate crowd-favorite and
one of the most popular destinations during
Xavier Days.

2015 Issue

or many generations, we have called

ourselves as Ateneans, a name uttered
with pride and dedication to our relentless
pursuit for competence, conscience and
commitment. Through its vivid years, Xavier
University Ateneo de Cagayan, standing
strong, has formed leaders of character,
who have drawn from the past and the
present to envision the future and realize
its ideals in ways that are bolder, broader
and brighter.
This academic institution has been a
purveyor of leaders at the forefront of
development, alumni whose names
are synonymous with the progress
of Mindanao and the country. Xavier
University is a thriving academic and
creative community bringing exciting
adventures and new experiences. With an
ASEAN perspective, the new vision-mission
is meant to inspire the XU community
forward with its commitment to excellence
and greater societal engagements. Xavier is
a home that takes care of creation, a home
that nurtures the source of splendors
Mother Nature. Xavier is our prime training
ground, the rendezvous of our talents
and advocacies, our creative space, and
ultimately, our common home.
All these things called for nothing short of
a grand celebration, which has been one of
the most sought-after festivals not just in
the university but also in Cagayan de Oro

December 2-5, 2015

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

City. This year, we drew together nearly a

hundred thousand people from different
corners of Northern Mindanao to a journey
of nostalgia reminiscing our student life
at Xavier and harking back to fine splendid
memories within her walls while looking
forward to greater heights. It was a festival
that surpassed the past XUFD celebrations
in quality, magnitude and hype. It was a
festival that spoke to the core of what we
do best: Find connections, revel in style
and entertainment, and contribute to a
contemporary definition of our shared
home.
Our Common Home has a slew of other
definitions but they all converged at a
common point of a celebration that wooed
our hearts and stimulated our minds,
paradoxically uniting us by presenting our
inherent diversity as the Xavier Ateneo
community.
Words by Stephen J Pedroza
Stories by Wilson Hormeguera, Rezza
Mae Tolinero, Ma Isabela AC Agawin,
Mary Antoinette Magallanes, Kim Llano,
Jose Angelo Lorenzo Gomos, Philip
Louis Embate, Symie Fe Quinimon, Carlo
Saclapus and Joshua Angelo Valero
Photos supplied by The Crusader
Publication, Xavier Alumni, Office of
Student Affairs and XUFD Photo Archives

XAVIER MAGAZINE

2015 Issue

Xavier
Ateneo de Cagayan

magazine
2015 Issue

2015 Issue