This was the sentiment of numerous member faculty of the Association of Faculty and Educators of DLSU, Inc. (AFED) during an online consultatory town hall last March 13 for the admin-proposed Academy, which will combine the Senior High School (SHS) and Lasallian Core Curriculum (LCC) into a single, college-like unit.
The Academy will serve as a “pre-university” program that will integrate SHS students to the tertiary level and “align its curriculum with the University’s” starting Term 1 AY 2024-2025, explained Provost Dr. Robert Roleda.
Should the plan push through, a dean will be appointed in the Academy to replace the Senior High School Engagement Coordinator.
“The purpose of a dean is to have a structure…to decentralize the governance, ‘dipalagingsa Provost na lang,” Roleda said.
(…not always directing everything to the Provost.)
Among other key changes upon implementing the Academy include modeling provisions regarding leaves, attendance, and residency after undergraduate rules, and integrating the SHS student affairs with that of the tertiary level. However, SHS faculty will still follow the Integrated School’s (IS) policies regarding ranking, promotion, salary grade, and permanency systems.
The proposed change in policy will also allow SHS students to join undergraduate clubs and organizations.
AFED President Dr. David San Juan recommended that the University should consider studying the Academy more closely before proceeding with the plan, as current systems are “already effective” and the proposed structural changes might just be a concern in the long run.
San Juan cautioned that combining LCC and SHS courses, which he notes are different in nature, will dilute the quantity and quality of LCC courses and potentially weaken small- and medium-sized departments.
He also argued that simultaneously following the mandates of the Commission on Higher Education and Department of Education simultaneously could be “a regulatory nightmare,” given how the Academy is a single entity of secondary and higher education units.
Concerns on additional costs and disruptions in teaching load were raised by AFED as well. “Considering that the admin is always pointing out the need for financial sustainability, retaining the current setup is more practical,” the association’s notes read.
The affiliation of SHS faculty—whether they would be part of AFED or the IS Faculty Association—was also a point of confusion among faculty members. Roleda then clarified that it is to the discretion of SHS faculty as a unit to decide which organization they would join.
It often comes as a surprise to students that the University offers insurance coverage as part of their matriculation. In a sit-down with The LaSallian, the 1911 Insurance Agency expounds on the coverage, procedures, and targets that they manage for the DLSU’s insurance policies.
Health within reach
All enrolled students are covered with personal insurance under Malayan Insurance Company and Sun Life Grepa Financials to provide Lasallians with personal accident insurance. This covers the reimbursement of expenses incurred from accident-related injuries, regardless of when and where the accident occurred, including non-school-related activities. Students pay P155 under their termly miscellaneous fees to pay for the insurance.
To process a claim, the billing statement, medical certificates, incident reports, and a copy of the student’s ID must be submitted to 1911 within a year from when the incident happened. 1911 Administrative Assistant for Medical Reimbursements Jeanine Fontanilla explains that once the documents are completed and validated by their office, the case will be endorsed to the insurance company for evaluation. The reimbursement will be processed as soon as the claim is approved.
Malayan offers P30,000 for medical reimbursement on a per-term basis, while Sun Life Grepa offers P25,000 for one-time use each calendar year, giving students a total medical coverage of P55,000. Hospitalization due to illness or accident is covered with P500 per day of admission. Some P5,000 in fire relief is also offered in cases of residence loss. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance is worth P250,000, while up to P20,000 funeral expenses may be reimbursed. The insurance coverage for unprovoked assault and murder is P200,000.
The insurance policy also covers additional expenses incurred from accidents such as prescriptions, mobility aids, and vaccines. “Lahat—as long as kasama siya sa aksidente mo. Kunwari may nabangga (ngsasakyan). Kailangan niya ng wheelchair or saklay. Pwede ‘yun pero P55,000 ang limit for everything,” Fontanilla says.
(All expenses are covered as long as it is due to the accident. For instance, someone got hit by a vehicle. He will need a wheelchair or crutches. That’s covered, but P55,000 is the limit for everything.)
However, pursuant to Section 8.10.3 of the Student Handbook, exclusions from the insurance coverage include suicide, bacterial infection, certain murder and assault, war, strikes, nuclear radiation, professional athletics, mountaineering, scuba diving, aerial sports, racing, and mine cave-ins.
Other perks
Malayan also provides students with travel insurance on a case-to-case basis. The company’s Administrative Assistant for Travel Insurance Cheryl Olanolan notes that students who avail of the insurance must be at least 18 years old and have their respective college departments certify that they were traveling for academic purposes such as competitions or conferences to be eligible.
The value of the coverage is dependent on the duration of travel and the request made, which commonly covers luggage loss and damage. To ensure the safety of the policyholder, the package restricts travel to domestic and international destinations with known social, political, or religious unrest, or countries where travel is banned by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
A micro-insurance for University staff is also offered through the Zero Extreme Poverty Insurance (ZEPsure) founded by Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC through the collaboration of 1911 Insurance Agency, Philippines Business for Social Progress, Malayan, and Sun Life Grepa. The insurance package, which includes an annual premium worth P65, aims to assist University personnel with withstanding unexpected financial hardships in case of an accident in their family.
“Insurance po siya for the poorest of the poor. Actually, hindi po siya for the students talaga. More on sa [personnel] of DLSU schools like mga janitors [at] mga nagtatrabaho dito,” Gazo clarifies.
(It is insurance for the poorest of the poor. Actually, it is not really for the students. It is for the personnel of DLSU schools, like janitors and those who work here.)
To meet ZEPsure’s target of having a million members by 2030, Gazo shares that they are also reaching out to staff members from other La Salle schools nationwide. “No one left behind ang goal namin,” he emphasizes.
Marking their electoral return after not fielding candidates last year over red-tagging allegations against their rival, Santugon sa Tawag ng Panahon (Santugon) took over four of the five elected positions in the University Student Government (USG) Executive Board (EB) against an undermanned Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista (Tapat), who won the executive treasurer position through a win by Juliana Meneses.
Tapat, however, remained unrivaled in the Laguna Campus, with the campus’ sole runner Nauj Agbayani sealing the campus presidency. Despite the EB results, Special Elections (SE) 2023 finished tipping slightly in favor of the red party, who seized 38 seats, while Santugon won 33. Thirteen seats remain vacant as of writing and are yet to be filled up through appointments.
Voting for SE 2023 was held online through an automated voting system in Canvas, which may be a factor in this year’s 62.9-percent turnout, translating to 14,782 out of 23,491 voters.
Contrary to previous elections, the turnout in all colleges in the Manila Campus quickly crossed the validation mark within four days, while the Laguna Campus took five days. This also marks the highest voter participation in major USG elections since General Elections 2014, which had a slightly lower turnout at 62.05 percent.
Santugon almost swept the executive board, while Tapat kept the majority of other seats.
Slightly redder
College presidential seats were split between the two parties. Tapat secured four colleges: College of Liberal Arts (CLA), College of Science (COS), Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education (BAGCED), and the School of Economics (SOE). Santugon took the rest.
Santugon maintained their influence in their strongholds and largely dominated the votes for batch governments in the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, and the College of Computer Studies. Meanwhile, Tapat held on to their strong influence over BAGCED, COS, and SOE and continued its newfound momentum in the Gokongwei College of Engineering.
The Legislative Assembly remains Tapat-dominated in this year’s USG after the party won 12 of the 19 seats with runners. Freshmen batches also voted mostly in favor of Tapat this year, similar to last year, handing the red party 13 of the 18 seats for freshman batch governments.
A barrage of issues
Unlike last year’s quiet campaign period, SE 2023 was mired with familiar controversies. Ina Peñaflor, Moi Pulumbarit, and Jimson Salapantan from Tapat were deemed unqualified to run for their supposed EB positions due to “corrupted soft copies of EAF and IDs.” They were temporarily allowed to run due to a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the USG Judiciary upon the DLSU Commission on Elections (Comelec), but it was eventually lifted when the party withdrew the initial motion that allowed for the TRO. Santugon also sought to overturn Comelec’s decision to deny the certificate of their CATCH2T26 vice presidential bet, but the court dismissed their petition due to lack of merit.
Tapat took another blow over allegations of sexual assault on social media against their CATCH2T26 batch vice presidential runner Jeck Sanchez, whose candidacy was eventually withdrawn from the ballots. Candidates from both parties took to Facebook to express their support for the victims and address the controversy at hand. Tapat is no stranger to this kind of controversy, with their former candidate facing similar allegations during General Elections 2021.
Members under the red banner, who were unable to run for positions in BLAZE2025, were also scrutinized over leaked messages involving defamatory statements against their Santugon counterparts. For this, Santugon President Manolo Enriquez criticized Tapat, expressing, “Just because you were deemed unqualified to be a candidate does not give you the right to bring down those who are.”
Tina Erquiaga, part of the supposed slate, clarified in a Facebook post that their messages were not meant to promote abstention. She then went on to defend the students’ rights to abstain and expressed that they “stand by the rights of free assembly and discussion.”
Now Vice President for External Affairs-elect Macie Tarnate was also under fire for some of her answers in interviews with The LaSallian and Ang Pahayagang Plaridel. Tarnate initially responded positively to the Philippines’ abstention to the ceasefire in Gaza but recanted it shortly after the release of the interview, explaining that she missed the word “abstention” due to “mental exhaustion from the last few days.” She also clarified her answer on setting a price ceiling for rice. Tarnate explained she agreed with the general idea of the policy but not in the context of how it was implemented by the current administration.
Even plans put forth by the candidates were unsafe from criticism, as Tapat and Santugon accused each other of plagiarizing past plans of action. Outgoing FAST2020 Batch Legislator Marianne Era, who then ran under Tapat, accused Santugon’s Ienne Mondero and Franky Alejo of plagiarism for allegedly copying her platform, “FAST Forward,” with “almost the same description and goal.” Montero clarified that the similarity in the title is a coincidence and that their platforms will be implemented differently.
Tapat’s plan of action, “COB Central,” was also accused of plagiarism for having the same title as a project under the ANGAT coalition last Make-Up Elections 2022. Then RVRCOB college presidential candidate Michelle Engbino explained in response that the two projects are entirely different, with theirs focusing on centralizing communications between RVRCOB units and ANGAT’s on gearing students for external opportunities.
More than 600 Lasallian faculty members and students were recognized for their research achievements in Gawad Saliksik 2024 held at the Verdure, Henry Sy Sr. Hall last February 2.
Of the honorees, 286 instructors have been awarded for publishing in journals—48 of whom had their research works credited in the Scopus database—and 93 have received honors for their participation in external projects.
Among these awardees are Dr. Shung Fung Chiu from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Dr. Jeremiah Joven Joaquin and Dr. Hazel Biana from the Department of Philosophy, who were recognized for contributing to Nature, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary journals.
Over 200 Lasallian student researchers were also honored for their published outputs, 79 of whom received accolades for their undergraduate papers, 46 for their senior high school research, and the rest for their postgraduate works.
The awardees’ contributions to accredited journals and external projects also prompted discussions in a forum on how the University will move forward in terms of research.
When asked how DLSU’s “treasury of research” can influence critical dialogue on socio-political issues, Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Tan noted that Lasallians “tend to be shy, introverted, or perhaps not particularly inclined to bask in the limelight.”
“Trying to influence [others] to do good has two aspects to it… [First,] you need to make sure that you have this ability to do your homework properly so that what you’re saying actually has substance. The second part of it is having the willingness to be in the limelight,” he answered.
The administration revealed its plans moving forward in achieving its goal of being a “green research university” as part of a four-year strategic plan they declared during the start of the academic year.
To make graduate programs a more prominent part of the University’s education portfolio, DLSU President Br. Bernard Oca FSC announced that tuition fees for PhD students will be lowered, as decided during the President’s Council held earlier on the same day.
“We are counting on our graduate programs by research as our way to complete our transition into a robust and functional research university,” Oca said.
Provost Dr. Robert Roleda shared that the University still lags behind its peers in terms of citations despite producing a lot of research outputs. Tan detailed that DLSU lacks international collaborations, as only 30 percent of the University’s over 1,000 annual publications are done with international partners—lower than the above-40-percent rate of Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, and University of Santo Tomas.
“We need to have our voices better heard in the conversations within communities. The least we can do is to place our works in more visible forums,” Roleda stated.
University Fellow Arnulfo Azcarraga likewise emphasized that publications must be disseminated in journals of high-quality peer evaluation and paper review.
“Those are the only channels where the review process will amount to a real validation that we know our science, that we have interpreted our results correctly, and that our methodology is pertinent and ethical,” Azcarraga expressed.
Batch and college units under the University Student Government (USG) are often viewed as the “student services” arm responsible for setting up help desks, conducting welfare checks, and disseminating important information through social media groups. They also act as the bridge connecting students to the USG Executive Offices.
However, student services and representation are only a part of their role under the USG. With each batch and college government having its own distinct initiatives, they are also tasked to fill the gaps that neither the USG Executive Offices nor the administration can provide to their constituents by lobbying needs-based policies and implementing advocacy projects.
Roles in review
According to the USG Constitution, college governments are the “highest governing body and representative authority of each respective college” and batch governments are the same for their batches.
In these college governments, the Executive Board (EB) is composed of the college president (CP), batch presidents, and batch legislators. It is their responsibility to handle college affairs, oversee the needs of various departments and batches, execute policies issued by the Legislative Assembly pertinent to their college, and organize and implement programs for their college.
Meanwhile, each batch government has an elected batch president, batch vice president, and batch legislator. Their roles include encouraging their batchmates to participate in batch, college, and University-wide programs and organizing initiatives for the “enhancement and development of the batch.”
The administrating EB of the different units has the jurisdiction to restructure their unit specific to their needs. Some college governments’ EB only has the CP as the elected, who then appoints a chief of staff and a chief of operations.
All batch and college units have committees dedicated to student services that cater to the student body’s concerns on administrative and academic matters. They also have to form committees for each of their operational functions, such as documentation, finance, and project management, to help them comply with the requirements of the USG Department of Activity Approval and Monitoring (DAAM) and the Office of Student Leadership Involvement, Formation and Empowerment (SLIFE) in crafting initiatives specific to students’ needs.
College and batch units hope to do more than being entangled in bureaucratic processes and confusing systems.
A trail of paperwork
Essentially, college governments create programs directly catered to the departments and student batches under them and assist the USG in addressing academic and non-academic concerns on a smaller scale.
College of Science President Jimson Salapantan explains that a project’s level of interactivity, logistical support, manpower, and funding are major considerations during the planning stages of initiatives they launch under his government unit. Once these plans are ironed out, the college governments defend the project’s Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Measures, more known as GOSM, to DAAM and the USG Office of the Vice President for Internal Affairs at the beginning of each term, which serves as guidance in outlining activities and allocating funds per project.
The plans are then translated into paperwork after deliberations. Salapantan explains that after meetings with working committees and partners, pre-activity documents, which include proposals, forms, and permits, are subject to the approval of the DAAM or SLIFE. Following approval, several University offices are contacted to borrow equipment and reserve venues.
While the practice has continuously been in place, batch and college units are still challenged by the lengthy documentation process and the bureaucratic nature of processing approvals. “The delays often result from minor inconsistencies, like missing middle initials for some signatories or discrepancies in the required number of days for comprehensive program design,” Salapantan laments.
BLAZE2024 Batch President Juliana Aguilar adds that the “excessive amount of paperwork” needed to implement projects can sometimes impede their plans and lead to the discontinuation of some of their initiatives. She mentions that contingency plans, which include simplifying planning processes, are formulated by their unit in advance so that projects are not dismissed completely.
The batch and college governments also regularly conduct post-event participant evaluations to assess the impact of their projects. “The success of a project is measured through feedback from constituents,” FAST2021 Batch President Moira Pulumbarit says, explaining how essential it is in shaping future initiatives.
Unclear purpose
Given the numerous offices and positions in each government unit, some students find difficulty in classifying and distinguishing the purposes of each office. Izzie Epifanio (IV, PHM-LGL) recalls finding the positions and offices overwhelming during her first year and admits that there are still positions and offices whose purpose remains unclear to her.
On the other hand, Jonathan* (III, BS-LGL) shares that while he finds the distinction clear, communication between the different government units is necessary to reduce project overlap and maximize resources. “Units should have a more holistic approach when it comes to policy-making. There should be more projects and programs that are also intended for student development [and] more social events that would help forge connections,” Jonathan suggests.
Incumbent officers hope that the USG would play a more supportive role to their units to create large-scale projects, as college and batch governments “have not been as visible and have had less reach,” according to Salapantan. Aguilar believes that “this diversity in thinking can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of student needs [along with] solutions to address them.”
Pulumbarit also advocates for the integration of batch governments into larger University decisions. “By actively involving batch student governments…we can ensure that the student body’s unique needs and experiences are considered, leading to more effective and inclusive decision-making processes that benefit the entire University community,” she posits.
Following DLSU’s drop to the 1501+ bracket in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings from the 1201 to 1500 bracket last year, University faculty and administrators convened in a town hall meeting to plan how DLSU can improve its rankings and strengthen its global competitiveness last October 4 at the fifth floor of Henry Sy Sr. Hall.
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Tan attributed the drop to the growing roster of participating universities, which increased from 1,100 universities in 2018, the year DLSU joined, to 1,900 in the current year.
“THE ranks the top five percent of universities in the world and DLSU is at the bottom of that five percent,” Tan explained.
The THE World University Rankings assesses universities based on five key indicators: teaching quality accounts for 29.5 percent of the overall score, research environment for 29 percent, research quality for 30 percent, industry engagement for four percent, and international outlook for 7.5 percent.
While DLSU reached the annual requirement of having at least 150 publications to qualify in the list, Tan highlighted that DLSU’s decline in ranking primarily lies on the number of times these papers are cited by scholars globally. Preliminary reports show that DLSU is below world median level in all research quality and research environment indicators, where DLSU scored 31.3 and 12.8 percent, respectively.
“We must find a way, especially for those in the STEM disciplines, to be visible to the people inventing things and eventually turning them into products,” Tan said.
Faculty members suggested the revision of incentives and support for high-impact publications to target the areas of research quality and international outlook. Tan noted that collaborating with international co-authors in journals that center on local matters might be an effective move to enhance research visibility, which could lead to more highly cited publications.
“Having foreign co-authors is not a sign of weakness. We should see this as a sign of whether the research we’re doing is local-minded or trying to solve international issues,” Tan emphasized.
Recruiting international faculty as honorary professors and developing student exchange programs for research internships spanning one to three months were also suggested to target the same areas.
Improving PhD programs and scholarships was put forward to address the below-world-median standing of DLSU in doctorate-to-bachelor ratio and doctorate-to-staff ratio. Consultancy by faculty members to various industries through the University was also considered as a possible contributor to industry income. This metric forms part of the industry indicator that DLSU got a 17.4-percent rating in, a sharp decline from last year’s 36.9 percent.
Additional measures proposed to improve the University’s performance include institutionalizing a data-driven approach to research policy, negotiating upgrades of research requirements with the Association of Faculty and Educators of DLSU, and preparing a block grant proposal to the Commission on Higher Education for research expansion.
Tan expressed that DLSU will continue devising initiatives to remain competitive amid the increasing number of universities in the THE roster to avoid further decline in the rankings.
“It is a matter of prioritizing effort and being able to predict what effects and changes DLSU can make in the future,” Tan stressed.
Associate Provost Dr. Leni D. Garcia declared this in the University Attire Policy Forum held last July 5 at the Br. Andrew Gonzalez Multipurpose Hall, announcing a new “inclusive and equitable” dress code that ends decades of traditional “decent and modest” attire rules.
Both the Manila and Laguna campuses of DLSU attempt to promote inclusivity with the new dress code, granting students the freedom to express their personalities and gender identities while promoting respect and prohibiting offensive attire.
Prioritizing fairness, freedom
Instead of prohibiting length specifications in clothing, the Student Discipline Formation Office will now allow students to sport any clothing style as long as “genitals, buttocks, and nipples, are covered with opaque materials.”
Printed or implied profanities, hate speech, and images that create hostile environments or depict illegal activities are still strictly prohibited. Violators will be charged with a minor offense after four warnings.
Faculty members may still require a dress code for their classes as long as it is relevant to the nature of the course. However, non-compliance with class-specific attire policies will not be reflected as a violation of the Student Handbook and may only be sanctioned within the class itself.
“We want independent decision-makers,” Garcia stated, adding that students should be able to make sound decisions on their own, including how they dress themselves. She added that students must have the autonomy to choose styles that reflect their identities without the fear of being punished.
The University Attire Policy was formed based on the Oregon NOW Model Student Dress Code, which offers leniency by requiring a “minimum safe attire” instead of listing several restrictions. It was also emphasized that the creation of a new dress code considered cultural differences and practicality while confronting sexual objectification, discrimination, stereotypes, and public shaming.
Garcia argued that the “sensibilities of other members of the institution are subjective and therefore unfair” to apply in a widespread policy. She cited the rules of the old dress code and claimed that most restrictions, such as requiring coverups for “revealing” attires, specifically targeted women and are rooted in a sexist and paternalistic mindset.
“To those who identify as males, you are natural harassers. Do you accept that? That’s what the old dress code says,” Garcia stressed.
Department of Theology and Religious Education Associate Professor Dr. Marilou Ibita spoke on using biblical passages and DLSU’s identity as a Catholic institution to undermine the goals of the new dress code. “It pains me when [the Bible] is used as a weapon against the marginalized and certain communities,” Ibita said.
Lasallian Center for Inclusion, Diversity, and Well-being (LCIDWELL) Director Dr. Estesa Xaris Legaspi said she expects the revised attire policy to support the goals of the University’s Safe Spaces Act.
“Sometimes the University is the only space a student will have,” Legaspi expressed. “I am very proud that we are becoming an inclusive academic institution.”
What’s next for inclusivity
In the same forum, Garcia revealed that their office is developing policies for the formal use of lived names within the University.
Recently, AnimoSpace began to accept applications for students to have their display names customized to their lived names. Legaspi said that students have the freedom to choose their identity “to the extent the law allows us to.” Although Garcia highlighted that the official date of implementation is still to be decided, the development is already approved by the Academic Council.
The implementation of inclusive and equitable dress code guidelines, including the recognition of students’ lived names, paves the way for changes anticipated to foster inclusivity and create a supportive environment.
After two years of online sessions prompted by the pandemic, the Lasallian Enrichment Alternative Program (LEAP), themed “LEAP to the Stars”, welcomed students onsite last June 26 to 27 and 29 through a hybrid setup as part of the University Vision-Mission Week (UVMW). The 2023 iteration offered classes focused on discovering hobbies, engaging in sports, and taking downtime to de-stress.
Break from academics
Aside from giving Lasallians an opportunity to explore activities beyond their course work, the three-day event also encouraged students to pursue their special interests and introduced them to various advocacies through seminars, workshops, and output-based classes.
Habitat for Humanity Green Chapter held a crochet class and fundraising initiative through Habi Crafts. Part of the class’ proceeds were to be donated to the group’s housing site, Pasig 2. The Council of Student Organizations led a toy-making class using recycled materials in Purraya: Hiraya Para sa mga Pusa in support of DLSU PUSA.
The Student Discipline Formation Office Anti-Drug Advocates’ Zumba is One Key to be Drug-Free promoted a drug-free lifestyle and emphasized the role of physical activities in relieving stress.
Social media personalities Ayn Bernos and Kia Duntugan (I, HUM-BIO) graced the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium stage during #VLOGZ: Voicing Leadership and Opportunities with Gen Z as they spoke on responsible content creation and using online platforms to support advocacies.
Similar to previous years, an array of recreational activities entered the scene such as film viewings including BlockbAUster: Hidden Figures hosted by Archers for UNICEF and acquaintance parties like Empyrean Equipoise: An Acquaintance Party in the Clouds by the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants.
Lasallians were also able to participate in classes for sports and self-defense such as CATCH 2T25’s CATCH the Intrams Fever and DLSU Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Grappling Organization’s Street Survival: Mastering Self-Defense Strategies for Real-Life Combat at the Enrique M. Razon Sports Center.
Online no more
The event coordinators, composed of committees from the Council of Student Organizations and its 48 accredited organizations, encountered challenges that came with the transition from online to onsite LEAP classes.
“It was a bit hard for us to adjust some of the policies and processes we had because most of it [were] deliberately for the online setup. In a sense, we had to come up with a whole different process for us to accommodate the new setup,” Project Head for Operations and Activity Screening Gwyneth Jao lamented, adding that it was her first time experiencing face-to-face LEAP classes.
Despite such difficulties, Jao expressed that the physical sessions of LEAP enabled organizers to bring the student body together through classes like Comedy Manila: United in Laughter, which sold out the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium.
“Everyone enjoyed the classes they chose and the memories they made, which in turn made me feel happy and proud of myself that I and my team were able to give them this experience,” she shared.
Class Coordinator and Logistics Project Head Anika Pineda noted that the event not only encouraged Lasallians to explore activities beyond their academics but also “created opportunities on leadership and event organization for the entire student body.”
Although Pineda called LEAP’s return on campus “overwhelming,” the involvement of approximately 16,000 students, 200 LEAP class organizers, and 70 central committee members appeared to make LEAP 2023 a “fulfilling success.”
Calls for active citizenship for various socio-political issues were elevated at the AKBAY Advocacy Summit at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium last June 26 as part of the Lasallian Enrichment Alternative Program.
The event featured talks on five advocacy pillars—social justice, media information and literacy, gender and human rights, poverty, and environment—from youth leaders and experienced professionals. Booths and an art exhibit also filled Pardo Hall at the fifth floor of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall last June 26, 27, and 29 to connect participants to advocacy organizations and showcase creative pieces on the volunteerism of the Lasallian community.
Labor leader Atty. Luke Espiritu zeroed in on how the fight for social change is undermined by the unjust justice system itself, illustrated through the inaccessibility of legal services in marginalized communities and with “almost 90 percent of laws” focusing on property instead of human rights. He argued that this handicaps lawyers in defending the underprivileged over capitalists in court.
Espiritu added that the government is designed to favor those who acquire property, citing the Maharlika Investment Fund as an example. “That P500 billion is devoted to those who are already wealthy, for them to promote their wealth accumulation as so-called investments,” he stated.
The Maharlika Investment Fund, which went through a speedy enactment period after being certified as urgent by President Marcos, is a controversial sovereign wealth fund that can be invested in key sectors such as foreign currencies, infrastructure projects, and real estate.
The LaSallian Editor in Chief Ana Mapa spotlighted media information and literacy by discussing the role of fact-checking in combating fake news. Mapa stressed the importance of accessing information from sources with fact-checking initiatives such as #FactsFirstPH. “We have to learn which voices to listen to and we have to use our voices to make people listen to us,” she shared.
Former Laguna Campus Student Government President Elle Aspilla spoke on the status of LGBTQ+ rights within the University and posited a call to action toward social change on gender and human rights. Aspilla, who was deadnamed on her recognition rites last June, recalled her experiences as a transwoman student. “I don’t want any Lasallian to experience the same discrimination and unfortunate circumstances that I experienced in the University, but we are moving forward with the help of the USG,” she expressed.
Socio-economic and environmental issues were also highlighted by economic development consultant Atty. Benedict Nisperos and Habitat for Humanity Green Chapter President Bea Vida.
Focusing on urbanization within Southeast Asia, Nisperos argued that the rapid expansion of urban cities, infrastructures, and private enclaves would hinder the eradication of poverty in these areas. As such, local government units (LGUs) should hasten their efforts in providing livelihood, social protection, and healthcare, Nisperos urged. He added that “urban areas need to recalibrate their approaches so that they could approach poverty as a main issue of consideration in their own [government unit].”
Vida addressed the lack of initiatives by LGUs in eradicating environmental degradation, overpopulation, land misuse management, and land grabbing. She related her own efforts to help with these issues such as her commitments to non-government organizations like Lokal Lab, which aims to ”empower the youth in order to be purpose-driven and create nature-based solutions.”
Addressing the interconnectedness of the five advocacy pillars, Mapa noted that such issues should be viewed as one “shared struggle” that calls for urgent action.
For Aspilla, the real battle for social change happens beyond the four walls of a classroom. She hoped that academic institutions become a safe space for students to confront socio-political matters.
“Kung sa school pa lang, hindi na ligtas para sa atin na i-call out ang admin, magkaroon ng organizations, at magkaroon ng mga protesta laban sa mga bulok na sistema, paano pa tayo sa tunay na laban?” she stressed.
(If it is already unsafe for us to call out the admin, form organizations, and protest against the unjust systems, how will we be able to fight in the real battle?)
The Health Services Office (HSO), through the University Student Government, announced the reinstatement of the mandatory periodic health exam (PHEx) and drug testing as an enrollment prerequisite for Academic Year (AY) 2023-2024 last May 10, after it was waived from 2020 to 2022 due to the pandemic.
New testing schedules for PHEx are available from July 19 to August 9, and drug exam from July 17 to 22, and 24 to 29.
The health examination began last May 22 until July 18 at the Waldo Perfecto Seminar Room for men and the main clinic for women, both on the ground floor of Br. Connon Hall. The drug testing, meanwhile, started from May 29 to July 15 on the sixth floor of Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall. Both examinations will be done from Monday to Saturday, beginning at 8 am.
An appointment through My.LaSalle must be done ahead of the assessments. Students are advised to book their schedule as reflected in their respective My.LaSalle portals as the examination, particularly the drug test, will only accommodate 400 students per day. Separate appointments must be booked for each examination.
Prior to the conduct of PHEx, students must fill out HSO’s medical and dental forms and must register no later than ten minutes before their appointment schedule. The student would then be subject to medical history-taking, head-to-foot physical examination, dental examination, and chest x-ray. Should a medical condition be identified during the examination, the student would be informed via their email accounts and asked to submit a medical clearance within one week after the PHEx. If the findings indicate mild conditions, the student may approach the University clinic for immediate treatment.
For the drug testing portion, students must submit a hard copy of the SDFO Drug Test Consent Form on or before its extended deadline on June 13, then claim its corresponding Acknowledgement Slip at the testing area. The slip would be needed when the test is taken on their chosen schedule. The student will be asked to submit a urine sample that will be tested for methamphetamine HCl (shabu), tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy).
Overall results will be available at the Enrique Razon sports clinic from August 29 to September 29. If unclaimed within that schedule, the findings must be claimed at the drug testing provider’s office.
Should a student test positive for illegal substances, a confirmatory test subject to evaluation will be conducted. If the sample tests positive again, the student and their parents or guardians would be invited by the Dean of Student Affairs to discuss appropriate intervention plans.
As stipulated in the guidelines of the Lasallians Fight Against Drugs (LFAD) drug testing program, a positive result “shall not be a ground for any disciplinary action against the student and should not be reflected in any of his/her academic records.” The results of the test are also prohibited to be used to incriminate the student in any form of legal action.
Students may take the required health examinations in another accredited medical facility, while those who have taken similar examinations on or after May 1 may opt to forgo the HSO exam. Both are required to submit the results of the tests to HSO on or before July 22, 2023.
Once the results are validated, the medical clearance requirement for enrollment will be marked as done on My.LaSalle accounts.
The PHEx and drug tests are required procedures under Sections 1.20.1 and 1.20.3 of the Student Handbook. The examinations are performed by the HSO and a DOH-accredited diagnostic laboratory. Fees of P250 and P450 were included in the fees for Term 2 AY 2022-2023 to fund PHEx and the drug test, respectively.
The LFAD drug testing program was first implemented in Academic Year 2015-2016. In 2018, the Commission on Higher Education issued a memorandum requiring the implementation of a mandatory drug test in higher education institutions in accordance with the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
The Department of Health has a hotline to aid people with drugs and substance abuse concerns. The hotline may be reached at 1550. OCCS may also be reached for assistance via [email protected]; 0928 454 6489 or 0905 221 6924 (Undergraduate); 0961 096 5358 (Graduate); and at Room 203, Br. Connon Hall.
EDITOR’S NOTE:July 17, 2023 The article was updated on the second paragraph for additional testing dates.
