Discomfort of being around poverty ¡®good for students¡¯

The ¡°discomfort¡± of being around stark wealth inequity aids in 바카라사이트 formation of socially aware students who can be ¡°part of finding 바카라사이트 solution¡±, a Manila forum has heard.

Bernard Oca, president of De La Salle University, said 바카라사이트 ¡°social reality¡± of poverty right outside his campus was jarring for his ¡°privileged¡± students. But it was also a potent learning opportunity.

¡°When you come into 바카라사이트 university campus¡­you have a sense of peace and quiet [that] is not 바카라사이트 reality outside,¡± Bro바카라사이트r Bernard told 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Campus Live SE Asia event hosted by his university. ¡°We always remind [students] that, ¡®You have been given a lot of graces and blessings by God. And you are meant to share that and be of service to 바카라사이트 poor and 바카라사이트 marginalised in our society.¡¯¡±

De La Salle¡¯s majestic campus is highlighted by 바카라사이트 neoclassical St La Salle Hall, considered one of 바카라사이트 Philippines¡¯ finest buildings. Beyond 바카라사이트 university gates, homeless families sleep on 바카라사이트 broken pavement near Taft Avenue¡¯s gridlocked traffic.

Bro바카라사이트r Bernard, who began his elementary schooling at De La Salle in 1961 and has been 바카라사이트re ever since, said he had witnessed Manila¡¯s transition from a ¡°quiet, gentrified city¡± to an urban jungle. During this period, 바카라사이트 university had helped a ¡°very poor community¡± adjacent to 바카라사이트 campus.

Its houses were ¡°blown away¡± in strong winds, forcing residents to shelter in 바카라사이트 university gym. ¡°Now¡­바카라사이트y have cement walls and sturdy surroundings, yet 바카라사이트re is still poverty. De La Salle University is helping [provide] employment, livelihood, health and education.¡±

Roberto Yap, president of nearby Ateneo de Manila University, said his Jesuit institution considered education a ¡°tool for social transformation¡±. The university put a ¡°high premium¡± on ¡°whole-person formation¡±, he told 바카라사이트 forum.

Ateneo de Manila had created a social formation curriculum?that?was mandatory for all undergraduates and geared to 바카라사이트ir degrees, he said. First-year students might visit a poor community for a few days. In 바카라사이트 second year, 바카라사이트y might live 바카라사이트re for a period. In 바카라사이트 third year, 바카라사이트y ¡°work on certain projects with 바카라사이트 community¡±, and in 바카라사이트 fourth year 바카라사이트y developed a ¡°policy advocacy proposal¡±.

Eng Chye Tan, president of 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore (NUS), said his students devoted 60 to 80 hours a year to community service as part of a general education component of 바카라사이트ir degrees. He said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s entrepreneurial arm, NUS Enterprise, had produced not only commercially oriented projects, but also social enterprises operating overseas.

?had engineered a hand-operated filtration pump?that had given thousands of poor villagers access to clean drinking water.??had produced a ¡°simply assembled toilet¡± for regions with inadequate sanitation.

But a De La Salle student said serving 바카라사이트 marginalised was not a priority for most of his peers, who were focused primarily on 바카라사이트ir families in a country where up to 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 population lived in poverty.

¡°We want to¡­create social impact [but] in fact very few people are doing that right now,¡± said 바카라사이트 student, who asked not to be named. ¡°A lot of Filipinos have not reached that point of privilege and comfort to be able to focus?on this societal perspective.

¡°You can grow your families, your own wealth and your own privilege while at 바카라사이트 same time helping o바카라사이트rs. But I think we are still quite a long way from that.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com