The turnover of the books was led by University officials led by the Chancellor, Very Rev. fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner III, O.P., Vice-Chancellor Very Rev. fr. Filemon I. dela Cruz, Jr., O.P., and Rector Very Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P. The officials were joined by Project Lead Professor Clarence M. Batan, PhD, who in his speech proudly presented the output as “our University’s ambag for the Catholic Church.” According to Batan, the study’s outputs “lead to the path of New Evangelization and the insightful discovery of the catechist in all of us.”

Receiving the books were bishops of the Philippines, led by Most Rev. Roberto Mallari, D.D., Chair of the CBCP-ECCCE, who were present during the three-day Ambag 500 Retreat at the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church.

Apart from the PARI project, the NCS 2021 likewise implemented Research-based Intervention Outcome initiatives that introduced various strategies such as family, digital, youth, adult, bible, and creative catechesis “to re-energize the Catechetical Ministry across Ecclesiastical Territories.” All the outputs of the project may be accessed through: . 

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In his introduction, Batan said that the book was the output of combined inputs from the catechists’ stories, stories of pedagogy, stories of holiness, and creative catechesis. The book mixes the use of parables, lectures, prayers, conversations, poems, dance, songs, theater, and visuals as part of the pedagogical armament of catechists as they carry out their ministry in their respective areas.

A key feature of the book is the “retablo” of saints and blessed who were known catechists and thus serve as role models for those continuing the ministry.

The book is the fourth of a projected seven-part series of books/modules arising from The National Catechetical Study (NCS) 2021: Pastoral Action Research and Intervention (PARI) Project jointly carried out by UST’s Research Center for Social Sciences and Education and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education.

The book was edited by Batan, along with associate editors Keith Aaron T. Joven, Joan Cristi T. Bagaipo, PhD, Renniel Jayson J. Rosales, Leonardo O. Quimson, Jr, MA, and Jonathan James O. Cañete. Joining them in the project were Christine C. Balmceda, Ser Allan G. Bodoraya, Tricia Mae V. Cruz, MA, Arthur G. Octubre, Ma. Elena P. Octubre, Abigael Maitim-Padilla, Maria Corazon C. Sanin, MA, and Mc Kyle F. Vilaz.

The latest work can be downloaded in .pdf format via:  

Meanwhile, the Online Launch, which includes presentations from the authors and editors, can be seen on the project’s YouTube Channel:  

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The Faculty of Arts and Letters hosted its 52nd St. Thomas More Lecture featuring renowned social anthropologist Prof. Mary Racelis on March 20, 2021 via livestream.

Brave new post-pandemic world
In her lecture entitled “What’s Different about the New Normal? Phoenix Arising from the Ashes”, Racelis spoke on how the Filipino society can emerge, rebuild, and live through the Covid-19 pandemic.

On one hand, Racelis examined the country’s losses in various sectors after a year since the first lockdown was implemented. In the economic aspect, Racelis’s findings indicated that various sectors were plagued with unemployment and income losses due to closures of businesses. Moreover, the pandemic forced the rise in prices of basic goods, caused the nationwide economy to fall in a downward spiral, crippled the public transport, and precipitated huge loans for vaccine purchases.

In the health sector, Racelis noted that the poor communities were stricken by food insecurity, which leads to hunger and malnutrition, and also lack of information on Covid-19 guidelines. The health status and access of the poor, prior to the COVID-19, was already difficult, and the Covid-19 pandemic presented itself as a new threat, adding more trouble. “It is not new that their health situation has a very hard time responding to help the majority of population of the poor in the city,” she said.

“The public health measure, while desirable, was really unrealistic in many cases,” Racelis said. “When you live in a small room in a structure in an informal settlement, where water is difficult to get, how do you wash your hands and (practice social distancing) and get penalized if you don’t?” she said.

Moreover, Racelis highlighted the importance of mental health. “Now we realized that mental health is real. It’s serious. It’s not something to be ashamed about. It has to be recognized in its own terms and it must be dealt with in a humane and a strong humanitarian, healthy way,” she said.

In terms of education, online learning became the forefront of bringing knowledge to students since the pandemic halted the face-to-face sessions. According to Racelis, the problems it presented include weakening of children’s knowledge due to access to equipment, parents doubling roles and serving as tutors, and social restrictions.

“Even though they want to participate in this virtual learning, it is often undermined by their situation and lack of access to technology, even though many local governments have actually allocated e-systems for them,” she said.

Rising from the ashes

On the other hand, the gains which Racelis presented include the enhanced creativity and risk-taking attitudes of Filipinos. “We learned new skills. We have (learned the) ordering and delivering (through) online selling, connecting directly with the rural producers and a lot of NGO groups in economic spheres, which helped mobilize so that connection can be made,” she said.

“Who knew self-reliance has become so important, people have to do this especially because you are never sure when assistance is going to come either from the government of the private sectors,” she said. “If (assistance) comes, wonderful. But you cannot rely on it, so you have to do something on your own. You know, sariling-sikap,” Racelis added.

For the society to be reborn, Racelis said that community and local government level planning must be mapped out. According to her, planning from the government becomes crucial because of the circumstances and its solutions differ from one area to another.

“The local government has to come to terms of it and from that collective awareness should come national government policy in support of different types of issues that need to respond to reflexively through congress through being the government of national country,” she said.

According to Racelis, implementing specific economic reform would mean re-examining large and costly infrastructure projects, then reallocating budgets more heavily toward social services in behalf of the poor.

Racelis stated that the government must also maintain price stability, support small and medium-sized enterprises, promote agricultural productivity, reorganize ill-fitting policies, and recognize civil society roles as intermediary groups.

For Racelis, reorienting a solidarity economy means putting the people and the planet at the front and center in a globalized market. “Economy cannot be just blind growth and profit maximization as its values set as its criteria of success. It has to be more than that,” she said. “Formulate societal frameworks, whose economic practices align with values like solidarity, participatory democracy, equity in class, ethnicity, gender, and age,” she said.

Capping her lecture, Racelis underscored the importance of demanding change to mold a better world—a lesson that the Filipino Phoenix must rise above from, leading to its glorious rebirth. “Let us all demand transformation. Let us all do our share to create a brave new post-pandemic world that is sharing, inclusive, democratic, and socially just,” Racelis said. “That regards all people with respect and dignity. And that is firmly committed to the observance of human rights and the rule of law,” Racelis added.

Racelis is a faculty member at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Ateneo de Manila University. She is also serving as a research scientist in the Institute of Philippine Culture of the same university.

The St. Thomas More Lecture is the most prestigious lecture-forum by the Faculty of Arts and Letters. Its distinguished roster of speakers includes, among others, Supreme Court Associate Justices Ramon Paul Hernando and Antonio Carpio, the late former senator Edgardo Angara, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, former Finance Secretary Jesus Estanislao, and National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera and F. Sionil Jose.

Rewatch the St. Thomas Lecture 2021 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_sui1_kMyQ&ab_channel=USTSosyolohiya

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According to Alejandria, “the project is designed as a descriptive qualitative study which will primarily employ the anthropological methods of focused ethnography to document and map the socio-cultural contexts of mental health issues among university students. The participants of this study will be identified through the assistance of the research collaborators of participating private and state universities, whose locations are selected based on the cultural representations that could be generated due to a pluralistic demography. Apart from this, these locations have universities with established guidance and counselling programs.”

Furthermore, Alejandria stated that the project’s key assertion is that “efficient mental health intervention can only be drawn from a culturally relevant understanding of the lived experiences of the patients.” The aim of the work is “the development of patient-centered interventions that could have social, economic, and policy impacts.” Among the tools to be used are “interviews, focus group discussions, and other processes available in focused ethnography.” The project will cover Manila, as well as the provinces of Albay, Benguet, Palawan, Rizal, Leyte, and Davao.

Alejandria is the Research Interest Group Lead for Social Health Studies at the . Joining her in the team as co-leads are Simbahayan Community Development Office Director Froilan A. Alipao, MCD, Communications Bureau Assistant Director for Online Philippe Jose S. Hernandez, and Senior High School Humanities and Social Sciences Strand Chair Marie Antonette D. Quan.

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The MoU stipulates the continued support, such as but not limited to materials, financial resources, and expertise, of UST for the projects of the Baseco community, which shall be subjected to regular assessments and evaluation for improvement purposes. Meanwhile, the Samahan commits to actively pursue the agreed-upon community development projects and liaise with UST on a regular basis.

The agreement will last until 2022. The MoU formalizes what has for years been sustained engagement between Alejandria and fellow Thomasians with the Baseco community, where community development projects such as education campaigns on tuberculosis, provision of clean water, and the maintenance of a community pharmacy, known as Klinika Tomas, have been sustained.

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Joining Jazul and Alejandria in the paper were , Mr. Solomon Sarne, Ms. Lora Kimberly Cabalbag and Ms. Edlynne Martinez.

The poster paper entitled: ‘Initial Assessment of the Information Education Campaign (IEC) Materials for Pediatric Tuberculosis in the selected informal urban community settlers’ is an interdisciplinary work of an anthropologists, pharmacists, medical technologists, nurse, sociologists and geographer. Responding to the need for prevention through education of tuberculosis in, the researchers focused on the areas of Baseco, Port Area, Manila; Payatas, Quezon City; and Bagong Silangan, Caloocan City. The purpose of the project was to formulate IEC materials for the caregivers of children living with tuberculosis in selected informal settlements in Manila, Quezon City and Caloocan City. Utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model and focus group discussions, the study proved that through the campaign, which utilized materials such as comic and calendars, knowledge of tuberculosis was increased, with a majority of caregivers in the community expressing confidence in using the materials.

The poster proposed an educational tool to disseminate information on the proper management of pediatric tuberculosis in community settings. The project was funded by the DOST – NRCP and by a research seed grant by the UST Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation (OVRRI).

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The results were based on three broad areas: research, outreach, and stewardship. Garnering an overall score of 61.5 – 68.0, UST landed in the 301-400 range, emerging at the top among all Philippine HEIs.

According to the summary provided by THE, UST, known for its health and medical programs, ranked best in Sustainable Development Goal #3 – Good Health and Well-Being (201-300). Its programs in the health sciences have consistently reaped recognitions and produced excellent professionals who are now serving in their communities here and abroad.

UST also ranked well in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), at 101-200. Among the projects that the University and its researchers undertook are the provision of water and sanitary services to Baseco Compound. 

As for SDG 14 (Life below Water), UST landed in the 101-200 rank. UST’s projects on Lake Taal, its researches on the white spot shrimp syndrome, and its projects on the sustainability and livelihood of those dependent on marine resources were recognized. 

Finally, UST also ranked high in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), landing on the Top 82 spot worldwide, with its growing number of partnerships with higher education institutions, industry players, government agencies, as well as foundations and charitable organizations here and abroad.

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Alipao’s paper focused on “laying down the baseline and evaluation of six selected HEIs in their community engagement with partner communities vis-s-vis development and organizing practice through the framework of Outer and Inner Outcomes (Nexus Community Partners, 2014) and Organizational Development Model (Alipao & UST-SIMBAHAYAN, 2012).” According to Alipao, “Outer Outcomes are tangible, visible, and communities are empowered, as seen in leadership, membership, social programs (health, environment, economy, education) and, social structure. Meanwhile, Inner Outcomes are the principles and processes of doing participatory community engagement like power, identity, relationships and, culture.” The paper made use of the Organizational Development Model, which highlighted the organizational plan, leadership, membership, policies, structures and, strategies (training/education, community organizing, project implementation, resource mobilization, networking, mobilization and finance/fund) of the partner communities/community organizations.

This research project is a component of Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-approved program entitled University of Santo Tomas (UST) – (CCPED) Certificate Course on Community Engagement and Organizing that was conceptualized and implemented by the UST SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office in collaboration with the UST Center for Continuing Professional Education and Development. The program provided the participants from different Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) from all over the Philippines key opportunities and gained knowledge, understanding, skills and, values of/for community engagement vis-à-vis development and organizing that they applied in their respective educational institutions’ community extension and development program and partner communities.

The conference was attended by 1,300 participants from all over the world.

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The book, which talked about the experiences of countries in the global south (usually referred to as third-world countries), tackled issues such as mortality, food insecurity, older adult migration, living arrangements and institutionalized care, income supports and security, and poverty, in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria, India, and the Philippines. The book argued that “aging is steadily evolving as a public health and social crisis for which countries of the global south are ill-prepared.” Alejandria said that countries’ problems are multi-faceted, as seen in lack of policies, or the presence of unimplemented / under-funded policies, as well as societal and cultural barriers.

To cite the case of the Philippines, Alejandria shared her extensive experience in working with families in the Baseco compound, where the elderly not only become carers for their grandchildren, but also income earners again. “Families can earn as little as 70 pesos (USD $1.37) a day in Baseco, which is an area that is plagued by health issues caused by lack of adequate sanitary infrastructure, like toilets and adequate plumbing.” Alejandria said that these multi-faceted problems can and must be addressed through a multi-disciplinary approach and through a convergence of different societal sectors. “The academe can help by researching and pointing out the problems, the experiences, and the realities, while the private sector will come in for funding and [bankrolling] the interventions. Of course, the government will come in when it comes to policies and even financial support.”

The book, which was four years in the making, was the product of a fellowship that Alejandria attended at Brown University, along with her co-editors and writers. Among the contributors is Director , who co-wrote the introduction. As a contribution to literature on social health, “this is the first book to bring together varied perspectives on the situation of older adults, and the challenges and opportunities that lie in developing innovative, sustainable programs to support elderly care services.”

Credit:  ()

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The conference was highlighted by the lectures delivered by speakers, namely, Professors Yozo Yokota and Haruko Satoh. Yokota delivered his lecture focused on Education and Displaced People. He is an internationally renowned jurist and teacher in international laws on economics and human rights, a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar and a respected advocate of human rights. Satoh delivered a lecture titled ‘Between Aspiration and Reality: Cultural Conflict in a University Classroom.’  He is a Specially Appointed Professor at the Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at Osaka University, Japan.     

Alipao, who teaches at the under the , discussed that the role of the faculty members is to respond to the challenge of being agents of social transformation within and outside the university. He said that to be able to respond to this call, faculty members must be committed and equipped with integrated knowledge, skills and values for teaching and learning, research and service with the communities.  

With Alipao’s experience of almost 17 years of serving the University of Santo Tomas through teaching, research and service with the communities, he has proven that these were complex and yet integrative for the full processes of learning and serving. These processes enriched Alipao’s experiences and wisdom for the integrative formation of students in terms of knowledge generation and management and service with the communities.  His paper generally described and reflected the processes and learning gained from the experiences of community integration as integrative method of teaching, research and service for community development with all the stakeholders, which include the author (Alipao) as faculty, researcher and university community development facilitator; the immediate and substantial university departments or offices where the author is directly connected; the students as learners, researchers and servers for community development and empowerment and; the partner communities as substantial stakeholders.

Alipao joined 200 academics and practitioners in representing more than 40 different nations that came together and shared their research studies and practices.

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