The Ateneo de Davao University proudly congratulates Ms. Jwyneth Royce A. Denolan, a student of the University and member of the Ateneo de Davao University – College Red Cross Youth (AdDU – CRCY), for receiving the distinction of being one of the Outstanding Red Cross Youth of the Philippines (TORCY) last 29 October 2019 at the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Logistics & Multipurpose Center at Mandaluyong City. This distinction was given as part of the 2019 Red Cross Youth Excellence Awards, given to outstanding RCY volunteers, as well as outstanding Chapter Youth Councils and Outstanding School Councils. The Outstanding Red Cross Youth of the Philippines itself was launched in 2003. Relatedly, the AdDU – CRCY was also picked as a finalist in the Outstanding Red Cross Youth Council category.
Denolan joins two other representatives from Davao City in claiming the distinction. Other finalists represented Red Cross Youth chapters from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Laguna; Iloilo; Rizal; Camarines Sur; and Cebu. In the Outstanding Red Cross Youth Council category, the AdDU – CRCY was also joined by universities from Iloilo, Quezon City, and Manila, including the University of Santo Tomas.
When asked about her success, Denolan credits her volunteer and organizing work for the AdDU – CRCY, whose “different humanitarian works,” working in “first-aid stations in various school events,” and “volunteering during relief operations,” have made her more resilient and versatile. “The Red Cross has a lot to do with my individual holistic development—development in physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects,” Denolan reflected. Her work as member of the AdDU – CRCY has also helped her immensely in her personal development. “I’ve gained a lot of friends in my different school councils and in the chapter who I now consider as family,” she said. “My involvement in the AdDU – CRCY allowed me to develop and grow further not only as an RCY youth leader, but as a sui generis leader as well.” She also credits her Red Cross work for helping her grow into a sui generis leader who practices the values taught by the Ateneo. “Being in the club helped me make much more sense of Ateneo’s 6Cs and elevated my desire to become a woman for others,” she added. On a final note, she thanked her work for the Red Cross for strengthening her faith, which pushed her to strive for social justice. “The Red Cross movement has honed my spiritual life in the sense that it made my faith both in God and humanity, much stronger. The more I see clearer the suffering [of] humanity, the more I also see the various efforts people, especially in the Red Cross, do to aid in attending to those who are in need,” she said.
According to the Philippine Red Cross, the Red Cross Youth Excellence Awards plays “an important part in the implementation of the programs of the RCY department,” which also involves “inspiring more young individuals and councils towards excellence as they become valuable citizens of the country.” It believes that “due recognition to exemplary volunteers and councils will foster a community in the Red Cross Youth with a drive to do more, do better, and reach further.”
Two students of the Ateneo de Davao University students joined the 10th University Scholars Leadership Symposium 2019 (USLS) held last 1 to 7 August 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. First-year student Ms. Samantha Claire G. Cayona, represented the Environmental Science department; while second-year student Ms. Trixy Marie A. Macaraeg, majoring in American Studies, represented the International Studies department. They formed part of the Philippine representation to the conference, which is “one of the world’s largest youth gatherings” in 2019, comprising “more than 1,500 budding change-makers from 100 countries.”
At the conference, the students were treated to a weeklong series of experiential learning activities, workshops, and lectures featuring special guest speakers as well as university scholars from all over the world, including those from Australia, Nigeria, and the Maldives, among others. Speakers for the 10th USLS included Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Chris Temple, Co-founder of Living on One, an organization recognized along with Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie as part of the 100 Visionary Leaders of 2015 published in the Real Leaders magazine. Cayona and Macaraeg, together with the other student participants, were given the week to network, share, and initiate programs with “like-minded youth and young professionals from over 100 countries who are driven as leaders in their field, proactively driven to pursue humanitarian work, desire to be a change-maker in the wake of pressing global issues and assist communities towards a more equitable future.” According to the organizers, Humanitarian Affairs Asia, the “electrifying atmosphere at the USLS will ignite [the students’] passion for humanity, drive [them] to step out of [their] comfort zone, and set [their] heart on greater causes;” additionally, the symposium “will challenge [them] to live a life as a servant leader with passion, persistence, patience, and purpose.”
Reflecting on her experience at the USLS, Cayona said the conference helped her “understand more the value of service and humanity,” for she realized that “there are people whose determination and passion endure” in spite of “never-ending” challenges whose solutions can seem intractable at times. She also noted her reaction at hearing the different speakers recount their experiences. “All the talks highlight the need of feeling uncomfortable and being disturbed to fuel the urgency to respond and to act,” she said. “Being uncomfortable and disturbed involve embracing the realities no matter how ugly and painful they are.” She also added, “Those are the kind of words I need to hear to realize that I am looking at issues in a wrong angle and that I might have missed the chance to create action because I have chosen to focus more on what is pleasant rather than those that need the most attention… Humanity and service require sacrifice.” Finally, Cayona remembered her interactions with the other student participants fondly. “I was in a room filled with youth leaders from all over the world who carry the same aspiration as I have,” she said. “We sat with diverse people who have different stories to tell.” Despite the differences in advocacies, the participants came together in conversation and hope of taking direct action against the ills of the world. “Every interaction was a learning opportunity and it became a chance for me to understand that I have no excuse [not] to contribute,” she said.
Meanwhile, for Macaraeg, the experience only reminded her of her privilege as a student of the Ateneo de Davao University. “Not everybody gets to pursue a college degree,” she said. “We are very lucky, everyone who were in that room, to have the resources we need in order to chase our dreams and go after the profession we want.” This realization spurred her to give back to her community and the world. “Entailed with that privilege is the responsibility to give back and aid those who are in need,” she said. Reflecting further, Macaraeg realized how she can effect change in the world. “The initiative doesn’t necessarily have to be impressive,” she said. “It needs to be influential and transformative…. We need to start from the grassroots.” The 10th USLS gave Macaraeg the opportunity to reflect on her own capabilities and discover that she, too, can give back to her community. “Because of the 10th USLS, I realized that I could do something despite my limited capabilities, and that is to give back to my nation as much as I could,” she said. “Many injustices are still prevalent and it is up to our generation to change that,” she added.
The 10th USLS was organized by the Humanitarian Affairs Asia organization and the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. The symposium invited “young leaders who are passionate about social change;” “young leaders who are an active global citizen;” and “young leaders who are well-versed in current affairs and appreciate cultural diversity.” According to the organizers, the USLS also “nurtures and grooms emerging leaders to be world-class humanitarian movers.”
The Ateneo de Davao University informs the community that the Multi-Sectoral Committee of the College of Law will hold its consultation meeting on the proposed tuition and fee increase for the College of Law for School Year 2020-2021 on 28 January 2020, 2:30 p.m., at the Pakighinabi Room, 3F Community Center of the First Companions.
Attached in the memo below is the list of the committee members.
The Ateneo de Davao Academy of Lifelong Learning (ADD-ALL), in collaboration with the AdDU School of Nursing, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF), invites everybody to apply for the Organ Donation Innovative Strategies for Southeast Asia (ODISSeA), an academic postgraduate program for nurses and doctors in Davao City.
ODDISSeA is an Erasmus+ project funded by the European Commission which aims to design and implement a specialized training program on organ donation in 8 universities across Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand.
ODISSeA is envisioned to build adequate knowledge, skills, and attitudes in organ donation to improve the number of well-trained specialists, to coordinate the organ donation process, and to improve the delivery of care to patients with end-organ failure.
The Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) is among the two participating universities from the Philippines, and is the only one from Mindanao that will be offering this program to formalize education in organ and tissue donation and professionalize transplant coordination in the Philippines. Upon successful completion, graduates will receive an accomplishment diploma validated and accredited by the participating universities.
AdDU is also an accredited Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) CPD provider, with accreditation no. NRS-2018-325.
The course will run from January to September 2020. For inquiries, please email the ADD-ALL office at lifelonglearning@addu.edu.ph or drop them a line at (082) 221-2411 local 8414.
Last 19 December 2019, the Ateneo de Davao University, joined by representatives of Huaqiao University of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), inaugurated the Confucius Institute on the second floor of the Finster Hall, Jacinto campus. This institute is the first Confucius Institute in Mindanao, and outside Luzon. In partnership with Huaqiao, the Matteo Ricci Mandarin Program in AdDU led the inauguration of the Confucius Institute, which has been long in the making.
This inauguration came a year after Ateneo de Davao University President, Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J., signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Huaqiao University President Prof. Xu Xipeng last November 2018. Titled “Jointly Establishing Confucius Institute Between Huaqiao University, China, Ateneo de Davao University, Philippines,” the agreement signed by the two presidents formally laid the groundwork to establish the Institute in Davao City. Further, the agreement aimed “to enhance Sino-Philippine friendship, cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries, meet the needs of the local communities to learn Chinese language and culture in the Philippines and promote Chinese teaching.” The institute itself will “actively promote the learning of Mandarin and Chinese history and culture in Mindanao,” and will “promote cultural exchanges and tours between China and the Philippines.” Part of this is reminding the people of Davao City of their rich historical connections with China, of helping them renew their understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of China in the Philippines, and for some, their own familial roots in China.
The timeliness of the Confucius Institute was not lost on President Tabora. Establishing the institute was not only a response to “the need for enhanced instruction in ‘Mandarin,’ the common Chinese language,” and to “the increased appreciation of Chinese culture in Davao City and in Mindanao,” but also a decisive response to the climate of uncertainty and anxiety characterizing the relationship between China and the Philippines, mainly due to territorial disputes between the two countries. But the reality is that the relationship between the Philippines and China has been steadily developing, all the same. As Fr. Tabora mentions in his address at the inauguration ceremony, the Confucius Institute aims to meet the “demand of the growing cultural, social, and political and commercial interaction between China and the Philippines, especially here in Mindanao.” Thus the Ateneo de Davao University joins the initiative of the Davao City government through City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, as it has also come to an agreement with the Municipal City of Jinjiang, in the PRC, to create a bond between the two cities as sister cities. With the Confucius Institute, the Ateneo de Davao University contributes to the improvement of the “bilateral cultural and economic exchanges between Davao City and Jinjiang City, and China and the Philippines.” The institute, and its cultural exchange and Mandarin instruction programs, signifies the University’s sincerity and efforts to “reach out to its Asian neighbors,” to “help build the stockpile of knowledge and expertise in Mindanao for further service to its diverse peoples.”
In Ateneo de Davao, the Matteo Ricci Mandarin Program started the work to further relationships with China. Named after a Jesuit scientist and theologian who traveled to China in 1582 during the Ming Dynasty, the program was established in August 2012 and worked closely with the Confucius Institute of the Angeles University Foundation (CI – AUF) to promote Chinese Language and culture locally. According to Fr. Tabora, the Matteo Ricci program offers an average of 13-15 Mandarin classes at 20-25 students per class and four summers of Mandarin classes.
Ateneo de Davao University alumni who have been taught Mandarin through the program developed the competence to work at the Chinese Consul Generalate Office. AdDU alumni who can speak Mandarin pride themselves in their linguistic edge as they find gainful employment in the business sector, in banks and business establishments. They are also afforded the choice to participate in higher Mandarin education courses in China. Currently, Mandarin is a required class in many courses in the School of Business and Governance and certain courses of the School of Arts and Sciences.
Learning Mandarin is also not restricted to students, but is now extended to working professionals as well, thanks to the cooperation between the Matteo Ricci program and the Ateneo de Davao Academy of Lifelong Learning (ADD-ALL). The latter has offered short-term courses for adults in conversational and business Mandarin, designed for professionals and business people who wish to learn Mandarin as a practical foreign language. The program has also gone as far as sending a group of adult learners to Jinjiang, China, as part of a study and cultural tour, fulfilling one of their course requirements for their Mandarin language and Chinese culture modules. Now, with the establishment and inauguration of the Confucius Institute, more Mandarin classes and cultural visits to China are being eyed for interested learners. Its help is also already being sought by other schools; for example, Huaming in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, has reached out to the Confucius Institute for trained teaching personnel.
Fr. Tabora’s inaugural address outlines clearly the multi-pronged goals of the Confucius Institute, which it hopes to achieve with the help of the University’s partners in Huaqiao University and the Hanban. Mindanao’s first Confucius Institute aspires to:
Strengthen [Ateneo de Davao’s] instruction in the Mandarin language in our higher education courses both on the undergraduate and graduate school levels;
Continue to serve local government units like the provincial government of Davao de Oro in their desire to learn Mandarin;
Serve the Davao business community, especially the Filipino members of this community with Chinese blood and heritage, who wish urgently to learn Mandarin;
Support the teaching of Mandarin in the basic education level, first, at Ateneo de Davao, second, at public schools, in Davao, at other public and private schools in Mindanao and in the Visayas;
Serve interested government units in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Philippine National Police, the Military and the Immigration Services;
Encourage the participation of our students in the Summer and Winter Camps of the Hanban as well as to organize cultural and educational visits to China;
Work closely with the Hanban in order to establish appropriate standards of external quality control for our teaching programs;
Consider seriously in partnership with Huaqiao University the establishment of a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, major in teaching English and Mandarin, in AdDU, in order to begin developing our own teachers in Mindanao;
Identify scholars whom we might recommend to Huaqiao university for a four-year scholarship for a Master’s degree in Teaching the Chinese Language;
Act as a safe space for dialogue between academicians and experts to discuss issues of common concern towards the establishment of deeper friendship, understanding, complementary prosperity, and peace between our countries.
As Mayor Duterte says in her address at the inauguration, “the establishment of the Confucius Institute is another testament to Davao’s growing relationship with China.” As the first Confucius Institute in Mindanao, it bears a special responsibility to its people: it should “open…gateways to effectively promote Chinese history and culture in Davao City and in the entire Mindanao.” In this way, the institute also complements the city government’s collaborative efforts with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, which provides scholarship grants for people to study in China, accessible to the citizens of Davao City through the Educational Benefits System Unit (EBSU) of the city government.
The Confucius Institute welcomes the challenge of supplying Mandarin teachers to schools and Mandarin programs in the Visayas and Mindanao. This is by hosting Mandarin language programs, Mandarin proficiency exams (HSK), and certifications, by creating spaces for Filipinos to engage with China through the Mandarin language, and by engaging with the lived experiences of the reality of China, through cultural camps. This institute, owing to the strategic location of AdDU in Davao City and its influence in charting the course of Philippine education, “shall become a dynamic hub for the promotion of Chinese language, culture, and arts” not only for Mindanao but for the entire Philippines.
Photos courtesy of the Institutional Communications and Promotions (ICOMMP) Office, Ateneo de Davao University
The Arrupe Office of Social Formation has always been inspired by the life, works, and the person of. Fr. Pedro Arrupe SJ, from whom the office is named after. His contributions to society brought about a more praxis-based education – an education that integrates immersions and engagements, and theological reflections to shape men and women for others, especially to those in the peripheries. With this, the office wishes to honor his life and works, most especially now that the cause of his canonization is underway, with a week-long commemoration and celebration. This celebration is themed “Conversions and Conversations”. This theme speaks of Pedro Arrupe’s insistence that continuing education should be what Christian education is: A call to conversion. “A conversion that will prepare us for witnessing to justice as God gives us to see it from the signs of our times.”
Furthermore, he reminds everyone that personal conversion cannot be separated from structural social reform. The conversations aspect of the theme is inspired by Pedro Arrupe’s answer to the question of fighting atheism wherein he said, “We won’t be fighting anyone or anything!” Our tactic is not fighting but dialogue, mutual respect, learning to listen, trying to understand the obstacles that keep people from a knowledge of God. This response speaks true not only in response to atheism but also in the lack of faith which results in many conflicts that can be witnessed in our past and present time. Thus, this commemoration hopes to inspire people to see God in all things, love all things, and to be men and women for others.
Considered one of the most influential leaders of the Jesuits since St. Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Arrupe leaves a legacy that enriches not only Jesuits but the Church at large. It is a legacy of “men and women for others,” committed to human dignity, the common good, and the Jesuit mission defined as the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Fr. Arrupe is truly a person worth emulating and celebrating.
Schedule of Activities for Arrupe Week 2020:
The Arrupe Exhibit is an interactive exhibit that is open to all. Get to know more about yourself, the Arrupe Office, and Fr. Pedro Arrupe,SJ.
You are also welcome to join the reflection session on February 4th. It hopes to provide an avenue to quiet down and discern about life through reflection points inspire by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ. Miss Shela Jaso will facilitate this reflection.
Open Mic: An Open Mic is an avenue where people can share any material they wish that the theme brings to mind. The theme of course follows the entire event’s theme which is “Conversion and Conversations”. It can be poetry, prose, music, anecdotes, and even articles. All media is accepted as long as it respectably explores the theme.
This is a non-judgemental setting but performers and audience members should remain respectable to the policies of the university.
Each performance shall be 15 minutes long or less.
Audience should respect the performers which means chatting and looking at mobile phones while there is an ongoing performance will not be allowed.
Snacks and beverages will be served.
If you are interested in performing or sharing during the open mic, please do not hesitate to contact us through Aivy Villarba –arnvillarba@addu.edu.ph. The subject of the e-mail should be “Arrupe Week – Open Mic”
The Cardoner Volunteer Program is looking for its Batch 5 volunteers to be deployed in St. Aloysius Gonzaga Institute of Higher Studies (SAG-IHS) in Taunggyi, Myanmar, Xavier Learning Community (XLC) in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and the Bangsamoro Areas through the Madaris Volunteer Program.
The Cardoner Volunteer Program is a year-long volunteer service program offered to graduates and faculty members of the Ateneo de Davao University.
As part of the over-all social formation track of the university, the program seeks to strengthen the social spirituality of every Atenean, translated into volunteerism and service for and with the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society.
TheCardoner Volunteers will commit themselves for a year of service and will be integrated to partner communities/institutions which has specific set of needs that can hopefully be addressed by the volunteer and the program. It also aims to harness holistic growth of volunteers as they encounter a transformative experience through interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
The volunteers will serve as Regular Academic Teachers and/or Technical Non-Academic Support Staff in their own field of study/expertise as needed by the partner school or institution.
Since this is purely volunteer work, the volunteer will not be compensated but shall modestly be entitled of the following privileges:
a. Monthly Living Allowance (mobility, communication, personal essentials)
b. Board and lodging courtesy of a foster family and/or institutional billeting
c. Basic deployment kit
d. Opportunities for transformative growth thru formative sessions and experiential learning
Since its inception in 2016, the Cardoner Volunteer Program has deployed nineteen (19) volunteers assigned in the partner institutions in Asia Pacific namely SAG-HIS and XLC, and in Mindanao including the Lake Sebu Indigenous Women Weaver’s Association, Incorporated (LASSIWAI), South Cotabato, and the Bangsamoro areas through the Madaris Volunteer Program.
As a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19, and after careful consideration and consultation with key stakeholders, the University has decided to postpone all graduation, recognition, and moving-up ceremonies.
This decision also heeds the Davao City Government Guidelines No. 4 which mandates “the postponement of recognition and graduation activities until the public emergency is lifted or withdrawn.”
Each unit, from Grade School to the College of Law, will announce its new schedules of commencement exercises after the public health emergency is over. The University looks forward to celebrating its students’ achievements soon.
The University understands the disappointment this may cause and we deeply regret the inconvenience. The safety and well-being of all students, families, teachers, and staff are paramount.
The University asks for understanding and cooperation, and enjoin everyone to keep safe and healthy to contain the spread of the infection.
Let us all pray for the protection of our communities.
The Ateneo de Davao University Office of the Academic Vice President (AVP) has released the following set of guidelines regarding the conduct of final exams, graduation ceremonies, entrance exams, and enrollment, to keep the COVID-19 virus from spreading in the University.
The Ateneo de Davao University, through its School of Nursing, hereby announces its formal recognition of the Occupational English Test (OET) of Cambridge-Boxhill Language Assessment as an official admission document for future enrollees of its graduate and undergraduate programs.
The OET is a well-respected international English language test that vouches for the practice-specific English proficiency of healthcare professionals. The Ateneo de Davao University’s School of Nursing now joins the ranks of institutions from all over the world that recognize the OET as a reliable form of medical occupation-based language proficiency assessment.
The Ateneo de Davao University expresses its recognition in the spirit of strategic internationalization employed by the School of Nursing, given its openness to the admission of international students into its college degree (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and graduate (Master of Arts in Nursing) programs. Ultimately, the School of Nursing intends to share and showcase its quality technical mentorship and values-based formation to aspiring professionals who are the future of the world’s medical and healthcare sectors.
We are inviting you to the 3rd Ignatian Conversation 2020. Mindanao Week of Peace 2020 on Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship this November 26, 2020, 3:00 – 5:45 PM via Zoom and FB Live.
“An attempt to understand key concepts of Pope Francis’ latest encyclical in their relevance for establishing harmony and peace in Mindanao and in the world.”
On January 09, 2021, the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBF), in partnership with Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), turned over a PHP 18 million worth of molecular laboratory to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Bajada, Davao City.
The facility shall address the growing need for COVID 19 testing, specifically in this region, which can run 200 samples each day.
The blessing and inauguration, an actual turnover ceremony, was presided by Fr. Antonio Basilio, SJ, Rector of the Davao Jesuit Community. The virtual ceremony was attended by the following:
Alfred Ty Trustee of MBFI
Aniceto Sobrepeña President of MBFI
Leopoldo Vega Undersecretary of Department of Health (DOH)
Sebastian Duterte Vice Mayor of Davao City
Dr. Marjorie Culas Assistant Head of Davao City Health Office (to represent Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio)
Dr. Ricardo Audan Chief OIC of SMPC Medical Center
Atty. Oscar Mata Chief Administrative Office of SPMC
Fr. Joel Tabora SJ President of Ateneo de Davao University
Jeremy Eliab Executive Vice President of Ateneo de Davao University
To watch the live coverage of the Blessing and Inauguration of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Molecular Laboratory, visit Ateneo de Davao University’s official Facebook page: https://fb.watch/2_6O5Ysmpf/
On January 26, 2021, the 3rd satellite antenna in Miarayon, Bukidnon is connected online! With the satellite Internet, St. Therese School of Miarayon can now conduct online classes for students and training for teachers.
Miarayon is located at 1,500 meters above sea level between Kalatungan and Kitanglad mountain ranges. Because of its location, there’s no cellular signal of any kind. With the satellite internet, St. Therese School of Miarayon is no longer cut off from the rest of the world and they can now conduct online classes for students and training for teachers using a stable 35 Mbps connectivity. Even the surrounding community can benefit from this application of space technology to provide immediate and rapid solutions to bridge the digital divide!
We’ll continue bringing the benefits of satellite technology to Mindanao in the coming weeks! Hopefully, we’ll have all 12 sites operational by mid-March. Afterward, on to an upcoming project (keeping fingers crossed) of bringing this to the rest of the Philippines!
Rogel Mari Sese
#ACCESSMindanao is a program from Ateneo de Davao University that aims to establish a network of schools, hospitals, businesses, and communities that are linked to the Internet through satellites to provide connectivity to remote and isolated communities throughout the BARMM and Mindanao.
The Ateneo de Davao, being a Catholic, Jesuit, and Filipino University in Mindanao, is committed to contributing to the work of reconciliation with God, Creation, and with fellow people by establishing a humane humanity that thrives on the core values of respect, love, faith, hope, freedom, and justice. As an academic institution and truth-seeking community, it shall endeavor to always search for the truth both in the theoretical and practical realms, even in the various modes of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in general, and social media in particular.
The advent of social media or the “new media” has revolutionized the way people obtain information, communicate, and interact with one another. While technology might appear as neutral, heeding the concept of affordances (Gibson, 1979), as the range of possible actions made available by technology, allows us to approach the usage of social media as the “mutuality of actor intentions and technology capabilities that provide the potential for a particular action” (Majchrzak et al., 2013). Social media algorithms highlight this mutuality: what a user posts and clicks determine the kind of content that is fed back to the user. Everything that one does on social media is archived and treated as data that may be accessed and used by others for shaping political campaigns, commercial marketing, and advertising, and even in criminal ads. Hence, we underscore an informed and critical awareness in using social media.
Social media can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, social media successfully empowers and connects people by bridging relationships, democratizing access to essential data, highlighting popular discourses, and enabling decision-making processes. On the other hand, it also provides a platform for divisive and destructive ads that engender and amplify conflicts, brokenness, misunderstanding, moral decay, and criminality.
The students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and parents who are part of the Ateneo de Davao University community are particularly at risk of the ill effects of social media if its irresponsible use should remain unchecked. In this digital age where ICTs are integral to human interaction, caution must be observed. Whether social media use leads to positive or negative outcomes, it is directly related to how they are used (or abused or misused), by whom, and especially for whom who may be passing judgment. Therefore, the key to enjoying the benefits while avoiding the problems is to use these powerful tools sensibly, constructively, and responsibly.
To achieve these aspirations, the University adopts this Social Media Use Policy to guide the University community in providing safe spaces for self-expression, fostering respect for persons and institutions, advancing truth-based individual formation and social transformation, and promoting healthy Interpersonal relationships through a culture of dialogue.
Section 1.Core Principles and Values. The University upholds the core principles and values that promote a safe space for self-expression and an institutional mechanism for addressing grievances and concerns. The Social Media Use Policy is founded on the following principles and values:
1. As Catholic. AdDU recognizes that Jesus is the source of truth as we are engaged in finding the truth that flows from our faith that does justice. Believing in the universal apostolic truth, we are also invited to recognize and honor the truth of others. In our Catholicity, a fair hearing to hear the truth of everyone is our way of proceeding in the hope of validating the multiple facets of truth coming from our differentiated human experiences.
2. As Jesuit. Inspired by the teachings of St. Ignatius, the AdDU Community puts a premium on eloquentia et sapientia (wisdom and eloquence) founded on the values of discernment, magis, cura personalis, and service to others; encouraging everyone to be the embodiment of strength in faith (fortes in fide) and love of God (ad majorem Dei gloriam). AdDU also leads its community by reflecting on the lived experience of St. Ignatius towards intimacy with the person of Jesus Christ and being moved by the Spirit (lux in Domino), with commitment to truth (veritas liberavit vos), and insight into and love for humanity (cura personalis) and care for the common good including generosity.
3. As Filipino. Contributing to the promotion of social justice, the AdDU community is expected to engage in conversations even through social media platforms to promote sensitivity to gender and cultures, inter-religious dialogue, equality and equity of all, and the protection of the environment, especially in and for Mindanao;
4. Responsibility. Members of the University Community shall be personally responsible for how they interact through ICTs.
5. Human Rights. Freedom of expression in all its forms is guaranteed at all times and should not be used to infringe other freedoms as all civil liberties are indivisible, interconnected, and interdependent. This right is guaranteed under the 1987 Constitution and has been declared to be a fundamental principle of democracy. It may only be restrained under certain conditions such as when it is injurious to the rights of others and the rights of the community or the society (Chavez vs Gonzales, G.R. No. 168338, February 15, 2008). This policy is therefore not to be construed as censorship to free speech but instead necessitates self-regulation, personal responsibility, and accountability in light of law and jurisprudence.
6. Respect. Online etiquette should be underscored by the imperatives of respect for oneself, for others, and for the institution. The commitment to the search for truth in academic freedom necessitates interpersonal respect for this search. Hence, disrespect would mean any personal disrespect that leads to the dispossession of “certain rights within a given society…individual claims that a person can legitimately expect society to fulfill since as a full-fledged member of a community, he has an equal right to participate in its institutional order.” (Honneth 1992, p. 190-191)
7. Dialogue. Any grievance or concern arising from administration, formation, instruction, research, and engagement are best resolved through dialogue where parties come together in peace to work out ways of addressing the issue, concern, or problem to yield positive outcomes.
8. Teachers as Formators. The ultimate aim of Jesuit education is the full growth of the person which leads to action – action, especially, that is suffused with the spirit and presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Man-for-Others. This goal of action, based on sound understanding and enlivened by contemplation, urges students, faculty, administrators, and other members of the community to self-discipline and initiative, to integrity and accuracy. At the same time, it judges slip-shod or superficial ways of thinking unworthy of the individual and, more important, dangerous to the world he or she is called to serve. Hence, teachers are not just instructors but formators attending to the overall well-being of students. They are thus required to model the behavior that they wish to shape.
9. Students as Co-creators of a Safe Space. Students are important members of the University Community. They are the representation of a Jesuit education- a unity of the heart, mind, and soul, and a dedication to human excellence. Hence, they are expected to commit to the same values and principles enshrined in this policy.
10. Parents and Guardians as Partners. As members of the University community, parents and guardians are partners in the formation of students. They are expected to commit to the same values and principles enshrined in this policy.
11. Social Media as Networked Publics. All forms of engagement in social media are treated as unique and distinct from the common understanding of what “public” is. Its public nature is founded on the notion of “networked publics” (boyd, 2010) which is characterized by:
a. Persistence – online expressions are automatically recorded and archived;
b. Replicability – content made out of bits can be duplicated
c. Scalability – the potential visibility of content in networked public is great; and
d. Searchability – content in networked publics can be accessed through search.
12. THINK Formula. There is no limit to what type of content you can post on social media. You can post text, links to websites, photos and illustrations, including GIFs, infographics (maps, diagrams, charts, or any other graphic visualization of information), posters, and video. But, following the Philippine Province Social Media Protocol and the legacy of St. Ignatius’ “discreta caritas,” or discerned love, the AdDU community shall be guided by five (5) considerations in communicating through the social media, summarized in the acronym THINK:
T = TRUE. The Jesuit is on the side of truth. All his messages are TRUE to the best of his knowledge.
H = HELPFUL. The Jesuit’s task is to build up other people and the Body of Christ. Every message can build or harm.
I = INSPIRING. Human communication is not merely cerebral. All human messages have an affective component to them. A Jesuit is aware of the affective component of his messages and its effects on the receiver.
N = NECESSARY. Some messages are better left unsaid or unsent. The Jesuit is aware that the social media makes communication so convenient that a knee-jerk reaction is fostered often giving rise to communication that is neither helpful nor harmful but merely fills cyberspace.
K = KIND. Since charity is the norm of all Christian behavior (Jn. 13: 36/ Mt. 11:29), the Jesuit’s messages are always kind or at least do not have the potential to harm.
Section 2. Scope & Coverage.
1. Who are covered. This policy is applicable to ail Ateneo de Davao University Community members, including the students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and alumni. The following are responsible for disseminating this policy:
a. Office of Student Affairs and Prefects of Discipline to students; b. Human Resource Management and Development Office to teachers, administrators, and staff; c. Ateneo de Davao Parents-Teachers Conference Inc., Ateneo de Davao Grade School Community Association, and the Junior High School and Senior High School counterparts; d. The Ignatian Spirituality and Formation Office; and e. Alumni Affairs Office to alumni
2. What platforms are covered. Use of ICTs includes emails, learning management systems, facsimile transmittals, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers among others. Social media refers to “internet-based applications…that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content” (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). It may mean to include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedIn, Youtube, personal blogs or webpages, and other messaging platforms like Messenger, Viber, Line, Whatsapp, Telegram, Signal, and other similar technologies. Furthermore, social media should not be primarily seen as the platforms upon which people post but rather as the contents that are posted on these platforms (Miller et al., 2016).
Section 3. Prohibited Acts. Following on the principles previously stated, critical, truthful and honest social media engagements are encouraged. However, the use of information and communication technologies and the social media which is violative of existing and subsequent laws shall be prohibited nor shall these digital platforms be used for any unlawful purposes, to wit:
1. The Anti-Photo and Voyeurism Act of 2009 or Republic Act 9995; 2. The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or Republic Act 10175; 3. The Data Privacy Act or Republic Act 10173; 4. The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10627; and 5. The relevant Student Handbooks of each unit, the Employees Manual, and other existing and subsequent University policies.
Section 4. Support Programs. It is the responsibility of every member of the University Community to carefully map out their social media plan, choose their social media channels, consider account management, access, and security, and articulate interaction and moderation protocols. For this purpose, this policy calls forth for the strengthening of various formation programs, to wit:
1. Teacher, staff, and administrator formation through the Induction Program; 2. Student orientation programs; 3. Student formation classes; 4. AdDU Sui Generis Leadership Program; 5. Guidance Center Programs; 6. Recollection and Retreats; 7. Formation Webinars/Fora. Through the leadership of the Institutional Communications and Promotions Office (iCOMMP) in partnership with the University Information and Technology Office (UITO), the different units and offices of Ateneo de Davao University shall endeavor to implement various forms of webinars, conversations and/or fora on a regular basis, at least once a year, on any or all of the following:
a. AdDU Social Media Use Policy; b. Media Information Literacy; c. Online Etiquette; d. Cybercrimes; and e. Other relevant topics.
Section 5. Feedback Mechanism. Members of the community are encouraged to engage with each other via all acceptable channels of communication. Complaints must be directed to the proper offices and addressed accordingly. This will encourage the community to be more dialogical rather than adversarial.
As a matter of protocol, the AdDU community is encouraged to raise concerns with the appropriate personnel or office (i.e. teacher, department chair, staff, administrator, etc.) However, should there be legitimate issues and concerns where the person or office concerned is not accessible, the following express channels of communication may be used:
1. Email – expressline@addu.edu.ph 2. Facebook – (to be created) 3. Twitter – (to be created)
Towards this end, a social media officer (SMO) within the Institutional Communications and Promotions Office (iCOMMP) shall be designated to provide a prompt and immediate response to the issues and concerns raised through the official channels. The same officer shall also be responsible for linking the user to the appropriate office and/or person where or upon whom a concern is raised.
Reporting and Monitoring. The Ateneo de Davao University shall not be regularly monitoring the social media accounts of the members of its community. It shall only act upon prohibited posts when reported to and/or learned by the authorized personnel (OSA or Prefects of Discipline for Students, Faculty Club for Teachers, AGSCA/ADPTCI/SHS for Parents, AAO for Alumni) of the university.
Any person may initiate a complaint, either in writing or via electronic mail. In the spirit of fair play and due process, anonymous complaints or reports shall not be acted upon unless it is allowed by existing University Policies such as the “University Policy on Whistleblowing- Confidential Disclosure). Thereafter, an investigation shall be conducted by the respective units through the assigned offices or bodies. After deliberation, a written recommendation shall be made and forwarded to their respective approving authority.
It is hereby emphasized that the University shall defer to the terms and conditions of each social media platform for violations committed by its users.
Addressing Issues and Concerns. Channels of communication where grievances may be raised shall be made available for everyone to access. Everyone shall be encouraged to optimize these platforms to allow communication to flow and dialogue to take place through various platforms that can address issues and concerns and resolve grievances rather than resorting to adversarial, hostile, and disrespectful means.
Section 6. Consequences for Violations
1. Jurisdiction. Violations of any provision in Section 3 are dealt with according to the procedure laid out and penalties imposed by the respective student handbooks, the employee’s manual, and the by-laws of the parent and alumni associations, as the case may be.
a. Office of Student Affairs for violations committed by students in the higher education unit; b. Prefects of Discipline for violations committed by students in the basic education unit; c. Human Resource Management and Development Office for employees; d. Ateneo Grade School Community Association for parents in the Grade School Unit; e. Ateneo De Davao Parent-Teacher Conference, Inc. for parents in the Junior High School Unit; f. SHS Parent Association or its counterpart for parents in the Senior High School Unit; and g. Alumni Affairs Office for AdDU alumni.
2. Appeals. Decisions made by the authorized office or association in the preceding paragraph may be appealed to the Office of the University President within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the decision. The decision of the University President shall be final and executory.
3. Penalties. When applicable, the penalties imposed on each unit are based on their respective student handbooks, the employee handbook, and the by-laws of the parent and alumni associations.
As a general rule, violations of this provision shall be determined in accordance with existing University policies and/or by laws of the appropriate organizations/units. However, the following violations and their corresponding range of sanctions, depending on the gravity of the offense committed, may be used to determine the appropriate sanction to be imposed:
Section 7. Effectivity. The Social Media Use Policy takes effect upon the approval of the University President. Once approved, this policy must be published and disseminated to the University community. This policy may be amended only upon the approval of the University President.
This webinar is open to all students, not only communication majors, who are interested to join. Rappler expects to accommodate 500 participants from AdDU and other universities.
The five Philippine Jesuit law schools—namely, the college of law of Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan are pleased to announce that beginning today, October 16, 2021, its full version of the collaborative law journal named Cogitant Legalis —Ateneo Journal of Law, Policy, and Advocacy may be accessed in each institutions’ websites.
Please be informed that the Multi-Sectoral Committee will hold a consultation meeting on the proposed tuition and fee increase for the College for School Year 2022-2023 on January 28, 2022,via Zoom. The appropriate link will be sent separately by the Office of the VP for Finance and Treasurer.
Members of the Multi-Sectoral Committee are the following:
Please be informed that the Multi-Sectoral Committee will hold a consultation meeting on the proposed tuition and fee increase for the College of Law for School Year 2022-2023 on January 27, 2022, via Zoom. The appropriate link will be sent separately by the Office of the VP for Finance and Treasurer.
Members of the Multi-Sectoral Committee are the following:
The Philippine Daily Inquirer and Statista went through an extensive process to come up with The Philippines’ Best Employers for 2023. The list is the culmination of a vast and comprehensive research project that covered tens of thousands of evaluations, the opinions of thousands of employees, and the scores for hundreds of companies.
Ateneo de Davao University was ranked 32 in the country’s Best Employers list, which places it 2nd in the Employer in Education category, right after De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde. The University of Santo Tomas was ranked 37, placing it 3rd in the Employer in Education category.
Every company employing at least 250 people in the Philippines is considered eligible for the ranking. Statista pre-researched an initial list of over 2,000 eligible employers via industry lists, employer databases, and desk research. In addition, a registration form was published prior to the survey that allowed companies to register for the employee survey.
Based on the respondents’ evaluations, employers received a total score. The total score was calculated based on the direct and indirect recommendations, with a greater weight given to the direct recommendations (i.e. willingness of the participants to recommend their own employer).
Finally, employers were ranked by their total score. Scores can theoretically reach a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 0. Companies’ scores within the ranking lie between 9,37 and 7,86. The scores of the 300 awarded companies constitute the best 9% of eligible companies in the basic list.
Ateneo de Davao University is ecstatic to announce that it is one of the Top 1 performing Schools in the Philippines according to the results of the November 2022 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE).
We would like to congratulate all of our exceptional examinees, most especially Ms. Laila Frances Duca, who ranked Top 10 for the exam. All 53 examinees passed for a 100% passing rate, an amazing achievement from our hardworking test-takers.
