The first 36 graduates of the Tboli Sbù Senior High School pose for a class photo with Department of Education officials, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority officials, the Community Elders and members of the Municipal tribal Council, and partners from Ateneo de Davao University. Photo by Eanna Marie Fernandez.

On 07 April 2017, Jesuit House Minister Fr. Tony Basilio, SJ turned over to COPERS Director Dr. Gail Ilagan the token of appreciation he received on her behalf from First Lieutenant Allan Wadsilang on 26 March 2017 when Ilagan was away on official business.

Wadsilang had traveled from his unit’s headquarters in Sulu to deliver the token, a 16-inch Jolo kris with intricately carved wooden grip and scabbard framed in glass and mounted on a 30”x15”x4” wooden frame. He had initially gone to Gate 3 of the Matina Campus, but was directed by the guard to Fr. Basilio at the Jesuit Residence to help him complete his mission in Davao City.

In the Malay tradition going back to the 3rd century, the kris symbolizes royalty, authority and power. It is rarely manufactured these days.

The gold plaque under the kris is inscribed with the unit’s appreciation for Ilagan’s invaluable service to the troops of the 6th Scout Ranger “The Cutting Edge” Company. The Scout Rangers, known to be the best jungle fighters in the world, are under the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) of the Philippine Army.

Ilagan, author of the book War Wounded that was published by the Ateneo de Davao University in 2010, pursues her advocacy for mental health management among active duty troops in Mindanao. Under her leadership, the Center of Psychological Extension and Research Services (COPER) has recently concluded the pilot of a Combat and Operational Stress First Aid (COSFA) training design among troops in various parts of Mindanao to address their psychological welfare and to help the Philippine Army develop an in-service manual.

All University offices will be closed from 13 April 2017 until Easter Sunday, 16 April 2017.

For further inquiries, please call (082) 2960724

You may download the forms here.

• Application Forms
• Recommendation Form

Bismillah . Rabiss

Moulders, mentors Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J., President of Ateneo de Davao University, your pro-Bangsamoro writings for this generation are for keeps. Dr. Gina Montalan, Academic Vice President Mr. Benjamin Lizada, Chairman of the Board of Ateneo de Davao University Bro. Karl Gaspar, CSsR, Dean of Studies at St. Alphonsus Theological and Mission Institute Atty. Manuel P. Quibod, Dean of the College of Law Dr. Renante D. Pilapil, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Dr. Jenner Y. Chan, Dean of the School of Business and Governance Dr. Patria V. Manalaysay, Dean of the School of Nursing Engr. Randell U. Espina, Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture Dr. Annabel J. Casumpa, Dean of the School of Education

Striving and selfies, the age of contradictions, our time when quakes can be easily forgotten by the front page story of the next day.

I have so many stories to tell you. So forgive my halo halo, hodge podge narratives. I come from a community of Darangen traditions and deep lake folklore, eager to share what klieg lights would often ignore, to highlight about positive practices from the periphery. One mayor uses his personal money to add to the ira to settle deep-seated rido, one mother of 30 plus survives without a husband, in every corner a nurse passing the board is celebrated with printed ads.

We may be covered but the veiled also seeks to be unveiled of ignorance. Strange is the same…

My story of aspiring brings me when I took up MA in Diliman, it was nosebleed facing a French-trained professor. Only five of us around a table on Political Economy, we each had to pretend to sound smart. Eye-to-eye with the Professor was like melting under the Saudi sun. No hiding behind someone’s head.

It was the same in lawschool with heart pounding as a way of life . Rejected by 3 bar exams, UP College of Law and all broadcasting companies after college, I was a woman on fire. I was going to Pasay at the end of the MRT for law school and Quezon City on the other end for Masters. There was no law prohibiting taking two courses. Twice a week at UP Diliman when I should be resting from whole day readings, I commuted to and fro, siksikan sa MRT, dashing lines, found law books for the Masteral class. I was exhausted, secretly vomited and too thin.

So I honor your journey of sleepless nights, surviving the jungle of words, recitation, and thesis writing . Our zombie life in codals, highlighters, coffee five times daily , was like a Samurai awaking like an alarm clock finding the right defenses. We abstained and we forgot life, liberty and property in no lovelife, dating, etc.

Marching like you are doing today was the headiest feeling, nirvana.

So the value of higher studies. You bring context, pattern, trends into the conversations of fanatics. You shed light on pros and cons, you reason before affirming . A batchmate in bar exams may have suffered stroke or nervous breakdown but this diploma is very meaningful. Especially in a place where one out of 10 Bangsamoro can’t get to school. How do you dialogue with kids who denounce all forms of dialogue anyway? How do you contribute to a society which cannot understand many of the Western theories we are grounded on.

The aspiration for recognition is the same everywhere…

Before I get ahead on the BBL that hopes to address land dispossession, marginalization and discrimination, may I mention the unspoken and the non-tangibles that sometimes aren’t well defined. Trust is a big capital here. Come down to the Moro areas with projects but they do not sustain for there is no trust. Theory and fact must be complemented by long immersion.

That brings me to our work on Bangsamoro Law drafting, efficiency and diversity are what are offered. Co-management of governance by various mechanisms drives away the concentration of power from few hands. When I shake the hands of national officials, I think how could they act on the many hundreds of letters that pile up on their table. This archipelago must be brought together by technology and human talent which can be done through structural arrangements.

The BM bill and enabling peace agreement can only be successful if the professional can assist the non professional, if the haves can provide for the have nots, if you can choose the career working for communities.

My social consciousness wasn’t always this way.

I was born and grew up 15 years away from this country, studied and bffd with refugees from Palestine and Somalia and Ethiopia. Boarded a plane alone when I was 8 years old. I got lucky but the kindness of being fed and schooling compelled me to ask more of life. When school didn’t teach me about Bangsamoro, we travelled every Friday to Quiapo slums to see them. When lawschool didn’t expose me to jails, I visited them regularly. When youth policy lecturers were a few, kapal muks ako to volunteer my way around the regions.

When Muslim women wouldn’t face cops or soldiers, movements here fostered conversations. One old narrative tells of a woman deliberately slashing her face so that soldiers won’t find her attractive.

Rule of law is valuable in a society of factions, sections and islands. You must bring people back to principle versus patronage, science than opinion, technology than human time.

Social justice must bring back our trust in institutions which outlive us.

Working with communities heals you, touches you, deepens you. Do not let titles get u stuck to the desk life, a danger in heart attacks, and suicides of yuppies.

In so doing, passion is an ingredient in what we do, hyper they often tease me. But sitting in one seat is limiting in one forum, that is why it is a forum of life, you have to take other seats. Because often when you want to be a leader, you have to follow, be an assistant of a leader, when you want to stand up for a philosophy, you have to start as a neophyte learner of such idea.

There were times I would cry at the seeming less commitment of peers, feeling as I were the only left. Always on the verge of resigning from the various movements I joined.

There I learned to accept. I thought early on NOT to depend on the words and plans of one, but to take things as they come. Invest but also have contingency.

Freelance work worked for me. I could earn from emailing material such as editing them. I had control over my time. This I credit to my higher studies. Some don’t know your name, but they value your school.

So take it from me, recommit to the communion of life, serve back your community, for ain’t it wonderful to also die where you planted a legacy. Strange is the same.

On a closing note, I fell for an Atenean, did not come true, but thanks for this honor, a dream come true.

Congratulations! Go out into the Filipino sun and make your own sunshines, Sirs and Maams.

Justin Ryan D. Morilla of Ateneo de Davao University placed 5th in the 2016 Bar Exams with  the grade of 88.40 percent.

Ateneo de Davao University maintains its standing as one of the top law schools in the Philippines with these (2017) Bar Stats:

• 1st timers 100% (24/24)
• Retakers 62.5% (5/8)
• Overall 90.63% (29/32)

As announced, a total of three thousand seven hundred forty seven (3,747) lawyers passed the 2016 Bar exams out of six thousand three hundred forty four (6,344) examinees, or an overall passing rate of 59.06 percent.

The highest percentage of bar exam passers ever recorded was in 1954 with 75.17 percent, while the lowest was in 1999 with 16.59 percent.

STATEMENT OF THE FIVE ATENEO PRESIDENTS ON THE MARAWI SITUATION AND
THE DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW

(The following is a joint statement of all Ateneo presidents on the
current situation in Mindanao.)

Marawi, an old and storied city, has almost 400 years of history. It
is Mindanao’s Kilometer 0; the starting point for all other baseline
measurements on the island. In recent days Marawi has become the
center of a furious battle between government forces attempting to
arrest a senior Abu Sayyaf member and forces sympathetic to his goals.

People who behead, kidnap, steal, destroy, and extort for any reason
are lawbreakers and are criminals of the worst kind. Reference to any
religious creed to rationalise their action does not mitigate its
criminality, but makes it more horrifying. For the Supreme Being
worshipped both by Christians and Muslims alike is a God of Compassion
and Peace. The “God” therefore that is claimed to call forth the
bombing of innocent men, women and children is a false god, as Pope
Francis has repeatedly pointed out. The undersigned wholeheartedly
support the members of the Armed Forces and the police who give their
last full measure of devotion so that our country may be safe.

To keep us safe, the President has declared Martial Law in Mindanao.
He has speculated that this condition may have to be extended to the
entire country. The declaration of Martial Law is of course one of the
powers vested in the President by the Constitution. There are numerous
safeguards in place against the abuse of Martial Law. Essentially both
of the other branches of government have the power to revoke the
actions of the President.

Some have questioned the scope of the declaration as overbroad as it
encompasses the entire Mindanao. Moreover, the President has other
powers, such as calling out the armed forces to quell lawless
violence.
Admittedly though, many voices favor Martial Law, claiming they are
not afraid because the security apparatus of the state will keep them
safe. These voices argue that only criminals are afraid of Martial
Law.

We have more than a decade of reasons to be wary of Martial Law. We
have seen what happens when every dissenting voice is labeled as
seditious, when every inquiring mind is denounced as unpatriotic. We
are not supporting terrorists by remembering our scars and learning
from our pain.

A Martial Law limited in scope, enforced with discipline and
restraint, with respect for the Constitution and the inviolability of
human rights, can solve specific problems. An unrestrained Martial
Law, one that keeps its decisions and movements quiet and secret from
its citizens, unconcerned with human dignity, will only compound the
problem it seeks to solve.

We call on our government officials to act judiciously as they
exercise the immense range of their power. Civilian rule must always
reign supreme over military rule. We call on everyone to remain
vigilant, to hold our officials accountable for their actions, to
demand to know and to be told the truth at all times. We expect that
the safeguards placed in our Constitution to curb the abuse of power
will be respected and followed. And we trust our President when he
tells us that martial rule shall only be limited and temporary.
Let us not waver in our desire and action to bring peace to our land,
especially in Mindanao. Martial Law might buy us short-term cessation
of hostilities. But it does not uproot the despair that has bedeviled
our people for years. Let us aim for the very roots of our temptation
to terror and violence. We listen to our Provincial superior, Fr Tony
Moreno SJ, himself a Mindanaoan, who has written:

“Conflict in Mindanao, we know, is rooted in social injustice. Poverty
in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is the highest in the
country. Educational delivery is worst in the country. Conflict in
Mindanao is increasingly caused by what Pope Francis has so often
decried, and most recently repeated in Cairo: ideology that
masquerades as religion. In Mindanao, our Muslim friends decry a
corruption of their religion of peace into a Wahabi-Salafi ideology of
hatred that victimizes not only Christians but especially Muslims of
peace. Even so, many Muslim youth in Mindanao today are drawn to this
ideology. It comes with many names: ISIS, BIFF, Abu Sayaf, Maute.
Eliminate these, and there will still be many more. They are
frustrated by rounds of ostentatious negotiations that do not prosper;
they are wearied of their hunger or joblessness; they are fascinated
by the idea of a world where their ideology rules supremely and
exclusively. All who do not agree, they are taught to hate. Or kill.
“This is the heart of the serious conflict in Mindanao that we must
address. Before it ever explodes in violence like in Marawi, it brews
in the frustration and pain of social exclusion. And martial law and
any such hard-fisted solutions do not get to the roots of this
problem, let alone benefit the country as a whole.”

In this month of Ramadan, we pray with our Muslim brothers and sisters
for God to show us the way to lasting peace. And we pledge our support
to our brothers and sisters of Marawi, for all that they will need to
rebuild their beautiful city.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam,

Fr Karel S San Juan SJ (President, Ateneo de Zamboanga University)
Fr Joel E Tabora SJ (President, Ateneo de Davao University)
Fr Jose Ramon T Villarin SJ (President, Ateneo de Manila University)
Fr Primitivo E Viray Jr SJ (President, Ateneo de Naga University)
Fr Roberto C Yap SJ (President, Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan)

The Ateneo de Davao University condemns the violence and terrorism that victimized Marawi City.  It was perpetrated by an extremist group that uses murder, hatred and destruction to propagate its ideology of religious intolerance.  This violence is not confined to Marawi but increasingly threatens all the peoples of Mindanao-Sulu.  Committed just days before Ramadan, the violence shows the callous cynicism of the perpetrators towards the peace-loving Muslims of Marawi City and of Mindanao-Sulu.  We commiserate with the victims in Marawi and wherever such violence may occur in our troubled nation.

In response, the President has imposed martial law throughout Mindanao-Sulu.  Guided by our love for peace and our love for Mindano, we pray for our President and our security forces.  We declare ourselves ready to collaborate critically with government in the restoration of peace. However, recalling the dark experiences of martial law in Mindanao under Ferdinand Marcos, we also express our deep concern about how it might be implemented today.  We do not want a repetition of the horrors of Marcos’ martial law.  With the bishops of Mindanao, we call on our President to orient the military towards a martial law that protects the people and leads to peace. Martial law must respect human rights, for it is ultimately in defense of human rights that it is imposed.  Martial law does not suspend the civil and political rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

We fervently hope that the Government considers that the military solution tends to defeat itself.  Bombs and bullets create martyrs, which inspire more radicalized fighters.  They cause collateral damage, which create more innocent suffering, righteous indignation and hatred for government.  Or, hatred for rebels or religious radicals, as the case may be.   The bombs and bullets of the government, the MNLF, the MILF and even of the CPP-NPA-NDFP have not helped.  They have only caused more suffering and deeper levels of inhumanity.  As President Duterte himself has stated, we cannot build this nation on the cadavers of our citizens.

As violence has warranted the imposition of martial law, so may wisdom and peace warrant its lifting soonest.  Let us not lose sight of Ambisyon 2040 where for the next generation we envision a society of educated Filipinos of diverse religions living together in peace because poverty shall have been overcome.

Let us therefore not obliterate one another in our differences, but cooperate in our diversity to bring about a happy future in our common home.  Let us support the work for the Bangsamoro Basic Law and return to the negotiating tables for peace in social justice.  Let us build our infrastructure.  But let us build our people first.

Let us work together to make it happen.

God bless Mindanao!   Mubarak Ramadan!  God’s peace for all!

Tinguhaa ang manghatud kanato ngadto sa Kalinaw

Ngadto sa Tanang Katawhan nga Maayo’g Kabubut-on:

Kami, ang mga Katolikong Obispo sa Mindanao, nagapadangat niining pamahayag ngadto sa matag Mindanawon. Sa sinugdanan, buot kaming motubag sa gipangayo sa among mga Katolikong magtutuo nga giya pastoral kalabot sa isyu sa Martial Law.

Nagaampo kita alang sa tanang mga nangamaty nga inosenteng biktima sa Marawi ug nangamuyo kita sa Ginoo sa pagpanalipod sa tanang mga pamilya nga nangagiw ngadto sa adunay kasegurohan.

Atong gihukman isip dakung sala ang mga buhat sa terorismo nga maoy nakakalas og dagahang mga inosenteng kinabuhi, pagpangsunog sa kabalayan, mga edispisyo publiko, apil na ang usa ka Protestanteng dormitoryo sa tulunghaan ug ang Katolikong Katedral.

Among gipakasala ang walay katarungan nga pagdagit sa mga magtutudlo ug mga lumilihok sa Simbahan. Nagaampo kita alang sa kasegurohan sa tanang mga gidagit, apil na sila si Padre Teresito Suganob ug mga kawani sa Simbahan. Nagahangyo kami sa mga nagdagit kanila nga dili sila pasipad-an, ug nga buhi-an silang tanan. Samtang ang mga biktima nangalisang sa kamatayon, nakabaton usab sila’g kaisog sa paghalad og labing dakung pagsaksi alang kang Kristo.

Among gipalanug sa labing kusog ang among pagkondena sa terorismo sa tanang mga panagway niini. Kini usa ka ideolohiya nga supak gayud sa mga gituohan sa bisan unsang relihiyon sa kalinaw. Labi pang ngil-ad kini nga terorismo nga gipasiugdahan sa panahon kanus-a ang atong mga igsuong Muslim nangandam alang sa balaang bulan sa Ramadhan. Ang terorismo nagatuis ug nagsukwahi sa matuod nga kahulogan sa bisan unsang relihiyon. Kini nakaguba sa maangayon nga panagsandurotay sa katawhan sa nagkadaiyang pagtuo. Ang terorismo nakatukod og usa ka kalibutan sa pagduda ug pagpihig, sa kasilag ug pagdumot.

Ang Presidente sa Pilipina mitubag sa krisis sa Marawi pinaagi sa pagpakanaug og Martial Law alang sa tibuok Mindanao. Daghanan ang misaway niining gimbut-an isip pagpabalik sa mga kalisangan sa miagi na nga diktadoryang pagdumala. Ang uban midapig niini isip hukum nga gikinahanglan.

Nasayud kita nga ang mga suliran sa kalinaw ug kahapsay, sa nagapadayon nga pagpanghasi sa ubang mga rebeldeng grupo, sa mga problema sa krimen ug droga, sa pangurakot ug pagka-ut-ut (corruption and underdevelopment), mikuyanap sa tibuok Mindanao. Ang mga suliran sa Mindanao milapaw sa mga utlanan sa dakbayan sa Marawi.

Ang atong mga Katolikong magtutuo nagahangyo kanato og giya pastoral mahitungod sa Martial Law. Kita giniyahan sa Balaang Kasulatan ug sa mga pagtulon-ang sosyal sa Simbahan. Si San Pablo nagtudlo kanato : “tinguhaa ang unsay maghatud kanato ngadto sa kalinaw” (Rom. 14: 19).

Ang Martial Law usa ka paagi kung wala na’y lain pang kadangpan. Nagasunod ba kini mga prinsipyo moral? Dili na ba mahimo ug wala na ba’y sangputanan ang uban pang mga pamaagi sa pagsulbad sa mga grabe ka lawom ug lapad nga suliran sa Mindanao? Ang mga positibo nga bunga sa Martial Law mas bug-at ba kay sa mga dautang mahitabo. Anaa bay dakung purohan sa kalampusan? Magpasiugda ba kini’g kultura sa pagkamaakohon (culture of accountability) ug magwagtang ba kini sa kultura sa pagpanghinggawas-sa-sala (culture of impunity)? Magpadagsang ba ang Martial Law og mga pagpangyatak sa tawhanong katungod? Maabusahan ba ang Martial Law alang sa mga dautang katuyoan?

Ang mga tubag niining mga pangutana anaa sa tagsatagsa ka panghunahuna. Daghan ang atong mga kahadlok. Apan, sa kasamtangan, wala pa kita’y igo nga kapasikaran alang sa hingpit nga pagsalikway sa pagpakanaug sa Martial Law isip supak sa moralidad. Hinoon, dayag kaayo ang atong pag-uyon nga ang Martial Law usa lamang ka temporaryong kondisyon.

Atong isalikway ang bisan unsang pang-abuso sa Martial Law, ug sama sa nangagi dayag nga isalikway nato kung kini nagasunod sa dalan sa kadautan. Kinahanglan kitang magmabinatayon.

Among giaghat ang tanan sa pagpabilin nga mabugnawon atubangan sa Martial Law, masinugtanon sa matarung nga mga sugo sa awtoridad nga subay sa balaod, ug dili magpasiugda’g mga buhat sa kabangis. Nagahangyo kami sa pangagamhanan sa pagwagtang sa tanang mga hinungdan sa terorismo, sama sa kapobrehon ug kawalay kaangayan, pinaagi sa matarung ug maakuhon nga pagdumala nga nakatutok lamang sa kaayohan sa tanan.

Ang tumong sa matag relihiyon mao man ang kalinaw sa kalibutan, kalinaw sa langit. Magkahiusa kita sa pagpaninguha sa unsay maghatud kanato sa kalinaw. Ang tanang mga relihiyosong magtutudlo ug pangulo magkahiusa sa pagsumpo sa tanang buhat padulong sa terorismong ideolohiya. Managhiusa kita sa paglihok padulong sa kalinaw. Mag-ampo kita alang sa kalinaw ug magbudlay kita alang sa kalinaw.

Ang Diyos manalangin unta sa katawhan sa Marawi. Ang Diyos manalangin unta sa tanang Mindanawon.

Uban sa pag-uyon sa mga Obispo sa Mindanao,
+Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo, O.M.I.
Arsobispo sa Cotabato
26 Mayo 2017

Pursue What Leads To Peace

Prof. John Harvey D. Gamas, from the International Studies Department, presents the Mindanao Muslim History book during its launch last 31 May 2017 at the Finster Auditorium. Photo by Aivy Rose Villarba.

The marginalization of Moro identity and the disregard for their historic agency fostered prejudices and biases that have alienated the Mindanao Muslims from the rest of the country. This alienation is perpetuated by the nationalist historical narrative of the north that continues to be the dominant discourse in what we anachronistically call “Philippine history.” Privileging one version of the struggle against Spanish colonization glosses over parallel struggles across the archipelago. This book, therefore, seeks to address this lacuna in Philippine history by integrating Muslim historical experience in the discourse. It aims to achieve this objective by presenting primary documentary sources. These sources have been carefully chosen to highlight Muslim religio-political independence and the historical injustices committed against them.

Many published works have already sought to highlight and integrate Muslim experience in Philippine history. The most well-known of these works is Majul’s Muslims in the Philippines. But unlike Majul’s book which includes his analysis of events, this book simply offers documentary sources to the reading public.

These documentary sources are the essential building blocks upon which historians reconstruct or interpret the past, hence the label “primary texts.” In the strict sense, primary texts are contemporaneous or eyewitness accounts of past events written in the original language. To purists, a translated work ceases to be primary principally because of the danger that the translation would not be faithful to the original. However, using the original languages here would not serve its purpose of making known the contents of the documents to the ordinary reader. For this reason, we are presenting the English translations of the documents which come from various languages, ranging from Arabic to Chinese, Malay to Tausug, and especially Spanish. To the best of our knowledge, these are reputable English translations, and we welcome scholars who can help us with better translations in future editions.

To preserve the integrity of the texts we opted to retain the grammar, spelling (including misspellings), and the footnotes of the original text. However, in our explanatory notes, we have standardized the spelling of names and places.

The primary sources presented here come in various forms or literary genres. Most of them are correspondences between European colonial officials, travel reports, and treaties from the 1500s to the late 1800s. There are also Chinese court records from the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Some of the primary sources were originally part of oral tradition but were later written or codified. This includes legendary narratives, Muslim royal genealogies, and Moro law codes.

These primary sources come from different published materials. A lot of these materials are already out of print. Some are buried in voluminous collections like Blair and Robertson’s The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898. Though utilized by serious researchers, this multivolume translated compilation of Spanish primary documents looks daunting to ordinary readers. This book, therefore, seeks to give a reader-friendly presentation of the primary texts. Most primary materials are presented in full. Some are excerpts as the original full document contains information that is beyond the scope or objective of this book. Each documentary source is introduced with a short overview so as to facilitate a better understanding of its content and context.

Guests applaud the compilers and editors of the Mindanao Muslim History: Documentary Sources from the Advent of Islam to the 1800s book. Photo by Aivy Rose Villarba.

Since most documents are coming from a Western viewpoint they explicitly and implicitly contain a triumphalist crusading mindset. Other Western sources like those of the English travelers, though less condescending, still showed some orientalist contempt for the people they regarded as culturally inferior. Hence, we have to be circumspect and keep a critical eye in reading these sources.

The compilers have no illusions whatsoever of presenting an exhaustive collection of primary sources of Mindanao Muslim history. It is impossible to capture the wealth of documentary sources in one book. The present work, therefore, is delimited thematically and chronologically. The overarching themes, which also function as the criteria in the choice of primary sources, are Muslim religio-political uniqueness and independence, and the historical injustices inflicted on Moros by the Spanish colonizers and their collaborators.

The book is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 shows the unique culture and history of the Muslims in Mindanao that evolved from local traditions and enriched by Islam. Chapter 2 details the Spanish colonizing activities and the resistance of the Moros. Chapter 3 shows the gains of the Spaniards over the centuries and the decreasing power of the Sultanates. What the documents show are the injustices committed against the Muslims in the form of military attacks, economic disenfranchisement, and socio-cultural insensitivity.

We have included excerpts from four documents that do not fall under any of the chapter headings but which we think are important in shedding light on Mindanao. These are placed in the appendices.

Watch the recorded live video of Our Stories, Our Struggles, Our Hopes: Launching of the Mindanao-Sulu Timelines and Mindanao Muslim History Book last 31 May 2017 at the Finster Auditorium, Ateneo de Davao University.

Certain points must also be clarified with regard to the theme. First, the term Mindanao does not only refer to the big island of Mindanao, but encompasses all the other islands and island groupings, big and small— including Sulu—that are traditionally included in Mindanao as a region. Second, the word “Muslims” or “Moros” (used interchangeably in this book) does not denote a monolithic ethno-linguistic identity. At present, the word refers collectively to the thirteen main Muslim ethnic groups in the Philippines. Third, the emphasis on historical injustices must not to be taken as a project to create a new hegemonic discourse. It does not seek to uncritically solidify the narratives of victimhood and nationalist primordialism nor does it argue that the Moro struggle was a mere part of the wider Philippine national movement. Such narratives have been critized for simplifying the complex reality of Mindanao history.

What this book mainly accentuates, as its primary objective, is the fact that the Muslim ethnic groups suffered and struggled in the midst of injustices committed against them. By highlighting this often neglected and painful part of history, we get a balanced view and understanding of the Mindanao problem. It is our desire that through primary texts we may be able to realize the complexity of this archipelago’s history or histories. Beyond the nationalist historical narrative of the north are diverse historical experiences which must be taken into account. Framing them simply as a part of the Filipino nationalist struggle would diminish the essential differences in identities and contexts. Moro nationalism was born out of a unique historical context where northern Filipinos were also villains and not necessarily co-partners. Integrating the historical experience of Muslim peoples in Mindanao is essentially a call to acknowledge the injustices their ancestors suffered and to which the present generation continues to go through. The legacies of the colonial “othering” of the Moros which justified violence and alienation, have become the wellsprings that inspire the Moros to fight for self-rule. Therefore, apart from material solutions, the Mindanao problem should also be addressed by acknowledging and rectifying prejudices and biases rooted in historical injustices. As B.R. Rodil reminds the editors, it is hoped that “In the end we should create a new generation of relationship, based on mutual acceptance, and a beautiful history, our own creation.”

We hope that all of you have an insightful reading of Muslim Mindanao History.

You may get your copy of the Mindanao Muslim History book from the University Publications Office for only Php350.00. Visit them at 8th Floor Community Center of the First Companions, Ateneo de Davao University, Roxas Avenue, Davao City. You may contact them via landline at (082) 221-24-11 local 8213 or via email at publications@addu.edu.ph.

by Dr. Christine S. Diaz

The Social Research Training and Development Office (SRTDO) presented the findings of the City-Wide Social Survey Series 7 (CWSS-7) last 9 June 2017 at the Training Room, 8th Floor Xavier Hall, Community Center of the First Companions, Ateneo de Davao University.

Guests from various government agencies, non-government and people’s organizations attended the event. The students, faculty, and staff also attended the research dissemination.

Dr. Christine S. Diaz (Director, SRTDO), Ms. Mildred M. Estanda (faculty, Economics Department), and Dr. Cleofe Arib (Director, CBRE) disseminated the research findings.

The survey provided data about Davao City’s socio-demographic profile, household facilities, labor force status, financial situation, and self-rated poverty. The perceptions of Davaoeños regarding K to 12, peace and order, governance, their state of happiness, and some current social issues were also covered in the survey.

CWSS-7 is the seventh run of the surveys conducted bi-annually since 2014. It is funded by the AdDU University Research Council (URC) and administered by SRTDO.

For more information about the CWSS-7, visit research.addu.edu.ph.

For more photos during the CWSS-7 research dissemination, visit the Ateneo de Davao University Gallery.

MPG Leaders’ Summit. The MPG leaders pose with members of the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute (MPI) and the members of the Madaris Volunteers Program (MVP). Both the MPI and MVP provided key insights to the MPG leaders in how to best use sports in the peacebuilding initiatives in Mindanao.

By John Juenz Rubillar

When people think of sports, the first thing that usually comes in mind are players competing in tournaments for gold medals, or athletes clashing for the position of first place. But behind all the fanfare and competition lies a sense of enjoyment and sportsmanship that connects players, both teammates and competitors alike.

This is what lies at the heart of the Mindanao Peace Games (MPG), a sporting event that goes beyond traditional sporting events by using sports as a catalyst for peacebuilding.

The Mindanao Peace Games had its humble beginnings in 2014, when a small group of coaches and sports leaders shared their hopes and dreams on the development of Mindanao. More coaches from schools all around Mindanao soon joined the discussion, united by their shared love for sports. They conceptualized the Mindanao Peace Games to introduce sports as a medium in the development of the region.

The MPG is now held annually since its conception. It gathers athletes of different religions and ethnicities from all over Mindanao. The MPG goes beyond traditional sporting events by aiming to provide an avenue where student-athletes learn more to be better people, where coaches learn more to be better mentors, and sports directors and coordinators learn to be transformational leaders.

MPG Community Outreach. The various team captains of the participating schools pose for a picture with the CDO DepEd Superintendent after conducting a sports clinic for 200 public school kids in Cagayan de Oro City.

Aside from games and tournaments, it also conducts coaches’ forums, community outreach programs, and even hosts TED talks. Coaches and athletes from all over Mindanao gather together to discuss topics centered on Mentor-Leadership, History of the MPG, and the Value of Empowering Women through Sports. The MPG also conducts discussions emphasizing the role of the coach, not only as a sports mentor, but as a teacher in the overall development of his or her athletes as well.

The companionship formed from playing sports and the values learned from other activities allows players to form friendships and connection which, in turn, may pave the way for peacebuilding. Sports transcends across cultural, political, and religious boundaries, and at the same time provides a common platform for a more united Mindanao.

Using sports as a catalyst for peace is not unheard of in the International community. In Jamaica, the Jamaican Red Cross uses sports to strengthen resilience among young people in urban communities with a long history of violence. Similarly, in Rio de Janeiro, The Brazilian Olympic Committee spearheaded the “Community Champions” project, which uses martial arts, sports, and personal and educational programs to realize the potential of young people and coaches in communities affected by crime and violence.

Regardless of race, nationality, or ethnicity, sports is an activity that everyone can relate to. Relationships are at the heart of peacemaking, and the MPG builds on this by using sports to develop supportive relationships in a way that is fun, engaging, and real.

Guests applaud the compilers and editors of the Mindanao Muslim History: Documentary Sources from the Advent of Islam to the 1800s.  L-R: Mr. Ramon Beleno III, Ustadz Janor C. Balo, Ms. Maria Janua P. Cunanan, Mr. John Harvey D. Gamas, Dr. Anderson V. Villa, and Dr. Mansoor L. Limba.  Photo by Aivy Rose Villarba.

By Aivy Rose Villarba

In order to address the gap in Philippine history by integrating Muslim historical experience in the discourse, the Ateneo de Davao University Publication Office launched the Mindanao Muslim History: Documentary sources from the advent of Islam to the 1800s book last 31 May at the 7th Floor Finster Hall, Finster Auditorium.

The book is compiled and edited by John Harvey Gamas, Dr. Mansoor Limba, Dr. Anderson Villa, Utadz Janor Balo, Maria Janua Cunanan, Dr. Heidi Gloria, and Ramon Beleno III.

“It aims to achieve the objective by presenting primary documentary sources. These sources have been carefully chosen to highlight Muslim religio-political independence and the historical injustices committed against them,” Gamas said during the book presentation.

Historian, novelist, and Anthropology professor of Ateneo de Davao University Bro. Karl Gaspar, CSsR expressed that the compilation is most impressive because it includes important documents from way back the pre-conquest era to documents written in the 1800s.

Gaspar added that the book is very important and timely.

“Apart from material solutions, the Mindanao problem should also be addressed by acknowledging and rectifying the prejudices and biases rooted in historical injustices,” he said.

He also pointed our that the historical injustices committed against the Moro people persist in the manner that many Filipino Christians regard our Moro brothers and sisters.

“Strong prejudices and biases have evolved into very condescending myths. This book debunks all these myths,” he said.

The book is divided into three chapters: Islam and the Rise of the Sultanates in Mindanao, Spanish Colonial Intrusions into Mindanao, and the Decline of the Sultanates in Mindanao.

You may purchase copies of the book at the Ateneo de Davao University Publications Office (UPO) for only P350.00 at the 8th Floor Xavier Hall, Community Center of the First Companions, Ateneo de Davao University, Roxas Avenue, Davao City. You may reach UPO via landline at (082) 221-24-11 local 8213 or via email at publications@addu.edu.ph.

THE EDITORS

John Harvey D. Gamas is an assistant professor and chair of the International Studies Department of the Ateneo de Davao University. He obtained his Master of Arts in International Studies, major in European Studies from De La Salle University. He specializes in non-Western International Relations, focusing on Southeast Asian maritime history as the locus for theorizing the “international.” Currently, he is an active member of the International Studies Association (ISA), the Philippine International Studies Organization (PhISO), and the European Studies Association of the Philippines (ESAP).

Dr. Mansoor L. Limba is an associate professor of the Islamic Studies program and a member of the Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Identities and Dialogue in Southeast Asia of the Ateneo de Davao University. He is associate editor of IQRA Journal and an International Fellow of the Vienna-based King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). His research interests include international politics, history, political philosophy, intrafaith and interfaith relations, cultural heritage, Islamic finance, jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (‘ilm al’kalam), Qur’anic sciences and exegesis (tafsir), hadith, ethics, and mysticism.

Dr. Anderson V. Villa is an associate professor of the International Studies Department of the Ateneo de Davao University and the Editor of IQRA Journal. His research interests include international migration and immigration policies, migration and citizenship studies as well as ethnicity, conflict and peace studies. He also heads the Migration and Diaspora Section of the Ateneo Center for Politics and International Affairs (CPIA). He is a member of the Philippine Political Science Association (PPSA) and the Association for Asian Studies (AAS).

Ustadz Janor C. Balo is an assistant professor and program coordinator of the AB Islamic Studies of the Ateneo de Davao University. He is a graduate of the Zaid bin Thabit Qur’anic Institute of King Faisal College, Mindanao State University. He finished BS Psychology from the same university. In 2016, he received his Master of Science in Psychology, major in Industrial and Organization Psychology from the Ateneo de Davao University. He is a registered Psychometrician and a Shariah Bar exam passer.

Maria Janua P. Cunanan is a faculty member of the Political Science and History Department of the Ateneo de Davao University. She graduated from the Central Mindanao University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. In 2012, she was awarded as one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) at the Malacañan Palace by former President Benigno Aquino III.

Ramon B. Beleno III finished AB Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University, and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Nueva Caceres. He gained his masters in Political Science major in Global Politics from the Ateneo de Manila University. For four years he served as chairperson of the Department of Social Sciences of the Ateneo de Naga University. At present, he is the chair of the Political Science and History Department of the Ateneo de Davao University.

Dr. Heidi K. Gloria is a professor emeritus of Ateneo de Davao University. She has an MA in History from the University of San Carlos, and a PhD in History from the University of the Philippines. She founded Tambara, Ateneo de Davao University’s multidisciplinary journal on the humanities and social sciences. She was the curator of the Davao Museum and a part of the World Archaeological Congress Council. Dr. Gloria has published on the ethnohistory, ethnoecology, and cultural change of Mindanao indigenous communities.

Watch the recorded live video of Our Stories, Our Struggles, Our Hopes: Launching of the Mindanao-Sulu Timelines and Mindanao Muslim History Book last 31 May 2017 at the Finster Auditorium, Ateneo de Davao University.

The sculptor, Jose “Jojo” Barcena, Jr, poses with Sitti Maryam: Our Lady of Compassion at Roxas Avenue. Taken last 27 June 2017, after the sculpture’s blessing. Photo by Aivy Rose Villarba.

By Aivy Rose N. Villarba

The new sculpture in Roxas Avenue, Davao City, named the Sitti Maryam: Our Lady of Compassion, has become a head turner since it was unveiled.

The 12-feet sculpture made of metal and cement was created by Jose “Jojo” Barcena, Jr, artist born and raised in Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Barcena said he created the sculpture in memory of the victims of the Roxas Night Market blast last 2 September 2016 which claimed 15 lives and left 67 injured.

“This is to give hope to the people in a form of sculpture,” he said.

Barcena explained Mary is looking at the bomb site, her left hand pierces through her chest. This is a reminder of the scars of the incident. The right hand of Mary venerates the victims of the blast.

“Kung nawalan tayo ng anak at ng mahal sa buhay, this can be very painful for a mother (It is very painful especially for a mother to lose a child and a loved one),” he said.

However, he also reminded that death is part of life. “Let us accept the pain, move on and work again, may pag-asa pa (there is hope),” he said.

The sculptor added that the whole composition is similar to a piece of cloth like the one surrounding the Our Lady of Compassion.

“Naniniwala ako na tayong mga Pilipino ay parang hibla ng tela na kailangan buuin. Kung mapunit man, let us try to weave again (I believe that we Filipinos are like the thread in the cloth that needs to be united. Even if it is torn, let us try to weave again),” he said.

Barcena said even if they are not believers, the people may see the sculpture as a symbol of our Inang Bayan (Motherland).

“We are capable of doing good things. Let us be catalysts for change for our country. Let us be united again. Let us turn our scars into stars,” he said.

The sculptor invites the people to visit the memorial in Roxas Avenue.

“I invite them na pumunta sila dito [Roxas Avenue] at pakiramdaman ang aking gawa at ‘yun ang magdidikta kung ano talaga ang laman ng puso nila (I invite them to go to Roxas Avenue. Look at the sculpture, feel it and it will reveal what is truly in their hearts),” Barcena ended.

BLESSING. Fr. Ulysses Cabayao, SJ  blesses the Sitti Maryam: Our Lady of Compassion statue. Photo by Aivy Rose Villarba.

Our Lady of Compassion statue, which took 5-days to finish by the sculptor, was blessed and unveiled to the public last 27 June 2017.

Members of the Roxas Market Vendors Association, Task Force Davao, and the Ateneo community gathered and dined at the Rodriguez Hall, Community Center of the First Companions, Ateneo de Davao University after the blessing.

Members of the College and Senior High School Community gathered at the Pakighinabi Room last 21 June 2017 for the discussion on Diversity and Religious Freedom. The event is one of the most well-attended Pakighinabi sessions. Photo by Igy Castrillo.

By Patricia Suarez

Members of the Ateneo de Davao University gathered for a Pakighinabi session last 21 June 2017 at the Pakighinabi Room, 3/F Ricci Hall, Community Center of the First Companions.

University President Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ,  lead discussant talked about diversity and religious freedom.

He opened the discussion by looking back at history.

“While the country may have celebrated independence from Spain 119 years ago, our struggle today must also be for independence from religious extremism and intolerance.  

This comes from an irreligious position which as a consequence of its claims that there is only one God, that there is only one legitimate religion, and that they are the only true worshippers of God, rejects the concept of diversity of religions and anything like freedom of religion,” he said.

He added monotheism rejects the notion of religious freedom and any person who challenges this notion can be attacked, assaulted, tortured or killed.

The lead discussant continued with a quote from Pope Francis which said: the world’s situation today is a world war being fought by piecemeal. Bombs explode in football stadiums and rock concerts. These terrorist attacks do not target just armed combatant but innocent lives as well. Children.

“No civilized society can be built without repudiating every ideology of evil, violence, and extremism that presumes to suppress others and annihilate diversity by manipulating and profaning the sacred name of God,” Fr. Tabora said quoting the Supreme Pontiff. 

Tabora also stressed that terrorists say “In God’s name I will kill you!”

He explained there is religious diversity and it is presumptuous to annihilate diversity. This fabricated set of ideas is not religion. It does not connect us to God who all regions recognize as the God of compassion. It uses God to carry out the evil designs of human beings, and it drags the sacred name of God into human politics and human conflict.

“God [the Creator of Heaven and earth] does not need to be protected by men. It is he who protects them. It is not we who protect God from evil but God who delivers us from evil. A God who wishes death upon his children is a false God,” he said.

It was also pointed out during the discussion that people were created with religious freedom. The Vatican council only recognized this 52 years ago and proclaimed the right to religious freedom on the basis of the dignity of the human person with the encyclical Dignitatis Humanae. 

The right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person as this dignity is revealed through the Word of God and in the human person itself.  All men and women are to be immune from coercion in such way that no one is supposed to be forced to act in any manner contrary to his or her beliefs whether privately or publicly.

“We cannot discharge these obligations of seeking the truth unless they enjoy immunity from such external actions of coercion and psychological freedom,” the University President said.

“Seek the truth, religious truth. Adhere to the truth once it is known,” Tabora ended.

The Pakighinabi Conversation Series is designed to provide members of the University community a platform to discuss multidisciplinary issues and concerns in an open and friendly manner. It is a project of the Office of the University President.

MARY QUITE CONTRARY

Homilies and Reflections on Our Blessed Mother By Fr. Renato L. Puentevella S.J.

Published by ADDU University Publications Office. Davao City 101 pages

Karl M. Gaspar CSsR

Before I read my review, I would like to thank the organizers of this book launch for the honor of being able to give this review. It is but a coincidence, but on this day that we have this book launch, we are celebrating the feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Being a Redemptorist Brother, the Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon is very important to our identity as a religious congregation. In fact, last year, we the Redemptorists all over the world celebrated the 150th year Jubilee of the turning over of this icon by Pope Pius IX to our Fr Superior General with the words: make her known! Thus, I am just so glad to do my task at this event on the feast day of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

Now my review:

There is no question that Mary, a simple peasant woman who became the Mother of God and Our Blessed Mother, remains truly an icon for million, believers all over the world. There seems to be no diminishing of her popularity. Long after she left this planet, she continues to figure in the consciousness of peoples and communities around the world. News stories about her continue to flood various media channels. Whether in visual art, music and films, she has remained a constant presence. This is, of course, especially true for members of the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity.

As a tradition in the Philippines, the month of May is reserved to honor Mary and to deepen our devotion to her. The Flores de Mayo and the culmination of the month are important dates in the calendar of Catholic parishes and Base Ecclesial communities. Even at the height of the Marawi hostilities the Franciscans of Baloi in the Prelature of Marawi did not allow the war situation to block the culmination of their Flores de Mayo.

Recently, there have been a lot of buzz in terms of her apparitions in Fatima, since this year, 2017, we are celebrating the centennial year of her appearance to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal six times in 1917 every 13th of the month from May to October. Pope Francis travelled to Fatima not just to honor Our Lady of Fatima/but to canonize two of the children. Duplicate images of Our Lady of Fatima journeyed in the whole world, including the Philippines.

Meanwhile, controversies hound other claims of apparitions. Just recently, the former Archbishop of Lipa, Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles announced that the Holy See had reiterated its negative judgment on the supernatural nature of the apparitions.   It was claimed that on September 12, 1948, Mary — as Mediatrix of All Graces — appeared to Sr. Teresita Castillo, also known as Sr. Teresing, who was just 21 years of when it allegedly took place in the Carmelite convent in Lipa City. On September 12, 1948, the young nun was outside praying when one of the garden vines began to shake. She then heard the voice of the Virgin Mary, who asked Teresita to kiss the ground and return to the same spot for fifteen days.

Another controversial site of an alleged Marian apparition is the one that supposedly happened in Mejugorie, a once-obscure village in Bosnia. Recently Pope Francis voiced his serious doubt about the authenticity of the alleged continuing apparitions of the Madonna. Six children first reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981 in a scenario reminiscent of famous apparitions in the French town of Lourdes in the 19th century. But despite this, pilgrims continue to visit Mejugorie. This is true of the site of the Marian shrine in Simala, Cebu. Th9 Local Church of the Archdiocese of Cebu has distanced itself from this site of alleged miracles but hundreds of pilgrims continue to flood this shrine.

So what explains the intense interest and enthusiastic fascination of the thousands of Marian devotees for Our Blessed Mother? Now comes a book — MARY QUITE CONTRARY: Homilies and Reflections on Our Blessed Mother — by Fr. Renato L. Puentevella S.J. This book constituted by two parts (In Praise of Our Lady and Mary and the Spiritual Life including 31 essays shows the reader why one Marian devotee has this interest and fascination. Claiming that this book is a long overdue tribute to Mary, the author hopes that other Marian devotees or non-devotees alike would find reading this book worthwhile.

Fr. Punetevella claims that he is not “a theologian or a Marian scholar” and thus modestly assert that he is unqualified to write about Mary. True enough the published literature on Mary by theologians and scholars have been compiled through centuries that they now constitute the theological discourse on Mariology. But MARY QUITE CONTRARY is a wort y addition to this literature. Whatever may be lacking in theological depth and scholarly breath is more than made up by the very personal take of the author’s grasp of the significance of Mary in our faith-life as Christians. The author, however, does make an effort to bring in a bit of scholarship to this book by quoting the writings of Joseph Landy, James Donelan and Raymond Brown.

Indeed, the reflections of this book are very personal arising out of the author’s long years in the ministry and how Mary constantly was a source of i spiration for his vocation as a Jesuit from the time when he came of age when Mary gave him the “courage to fly off to the novitiate without my father’s permission” to the long years when Mary bailed him “out of a number of times when I got into hot water, metaphorically speaking” including a near drowning at a beach in Cagayan de Oro City.

The essays cover quite a number of the mysteries of the Rosary where Mary takes center stage like the events around the Annunciation, Visitation, the birth in Bethlehem and the Assumption. There are also essays related to the historical moments recorded in the Sacred Scriptures: the appearance of Gabriel (Lk 1:29), her encounter with the prophet Simeon (Lk 2: 35), her visit to her cousin Elizabeth where she sang the famous Magnificat (Lk 14:7-11) of the Magis (Mt 2:11), the wedding at Cana Jn 2:3-4) and her presence at Calvary (Jn 19: 25-27). True, there is no text in the Bible indicating Jesus appearance to Mary after he rose from the dead, but the author posits that there was no need for any of the Evangelist to write of this appearance as common sense informs us that the son would surely first appear to his beloved mother.

Why is the book’s title — MARY QUITE CONTRARY? Taking off from a nursery rhyme, the author explains the choice of the title by indicating that Mary is “a bundle of contradictions” including these opposing poles: that she was conceived without sin but that she, too, needed to be saved just like us; that she was a virgin but a child took shape in her womb; the reference in the Bible that Jesus was her first-born but this gives rise to the question that Mary had other children; that a simple village maiden could become Queen of Heaven; and that people’s devotion to her expressed in reverence for icons and statues violate the Ten Commandments’ exhortation that there be no other gods.

One of the essays in this book is “Mary’s Fifteen Minutes of Fame”. Indeed, the Warholian fifteen minutes of fame could also be appropriated for Mary as her appearances in the biblical texts are quite limited. However, despite this, Mary casts a long shadow in the minds of the believers. In the author’s words: “Mary, after her fifteen minutes, moved into a hidden life of care and service. For years, she quietly nurtured Jesus, taught him, buried her husband, and finally, let her son go as all mothers must. Then she stayed home to help others, going about unrecognized, growing deep into prayer and, most of all, being a special help to the has-beens… Mary’s fiteen minutes of fame, then her long obscurity, gained for her the position of the patron saint of the has-been’s — the lost, those who have strayed, the hopeless sinners, anyone striving to reinvent ways of loving and living again after their fifteen minutes of fame are over. Through her long apprenticeship, Mary became for them the mother of hope, renewal and compassion.”

This is where Ino Cueto’s missiological discourse of debo-misyon comes in. The challenge for Marian devotees today is to resolve another contradiction, namely, the tendency for devotees to remain only at the level of devotion/hat tends to take on only a personal and privatized aspect of Christian faith one one hand/and the challenge of Mary’s Magnificat on the other hand. Today ,.. we Christians need to find a way to bridge these two poles, otherwise, Mary will be fetishized, only as a religious item and not allow to challenge us to take up our missionary role of helping to build a Reign of God there we all enjoy the fullness of life!

Lastly, just a comment on the book’s look. The size, layout and overall design are quite inspired choices as the reader finds reading the text quite easy on the eyes. So also the decision to interface the text with illustrations of art works. A collection of the artworks of four artists find their way to the book’s pages. But the better option would have been to include only those of the accomplished Mindanawon visual artist – Mark Tolentino. His depiction of Mary in the context of the aesthetics of Muslim art (as Gabriel appears to her, in the Nativity scene, the Assumption, as Queen and Mother of God) and many others that do not appear in this book would have suffice.

Thank you.

Ateneans who evacuated in Roxas Avenue seek for higher ground. The evacuation area of the Ateneo de Davao Jacinto campus is located at RMC gym near Madapo Hills Photo by Eanna Fernandez.

By Patricia Suarez

The Ateneo de Davao University and all other institutions and business establishments in the city participated in the first Davao City Shake out Drill last 14 July 2017.  

The drill started exactly 9:00 AM.  The students flooded out of the building in a swift and orderly fashion as they evacuated to their designated areas in Roxas Avenue, Claveria, and Jacinto streets.

“We’re getting better. We were able to evacuate within five to eight minutes, the whole campus,” Jeremy “Bong” Eliab, Ateneo de Davao Executive Vice President said.

He added that Ateneo College and Senior High School Units were able to evacuate within 12 minutes in the last year’s drill.

“This year, we only have the college students. We were expecting yesterday that we will be evacuating around 8500 students and that is really a challenge for us. But right now, the emergency team of the University is improving and we are making necessary drills in order to face the challenges,” he stated.

This drill was a request from the city government. It is a citywide earthquake and tsunami drill that aims to test the capacity of the city to respond in case of an emergency situation of 8.5 magnitude earthquake.

“We are are participating together with them so we are in constant contact. There were two ambulances that passed by the University after. They were supposed to coordinate with us if we have injuries and then they will bring the injured to the medical facility which is located at Crocodile Park,” Eliab said.

Ateneo community prepares to go to the evacuation site after the Tsunami Alert.

In the drill, several scenarios were simulated simultaneously. There was a fire on the roof deck of Finster Hall, so the firefighting team had to respond. Hence, the students staying outside of the university longer because they were trying to put out the fire.

There were also four people “injured” in different areas of the building as injuries are expected during an 8.5 magnitude earthquake. The first aid medical team had to pull out and rescue people which also took them a significant amount of time.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) evaluated the drill. “By our standards, this is okay already. We passed [the drill],” Eliab said.

Suppose there were a tsunami, the evacuation area of the Jacinto campus is located at RMC gym near Madapo Hills. While the evacuation area for the Ateneo Matina campus is located at GSIS Matina. All injured people will have to be brought to Crocodile Park because the city will set up a large medical facility and command center post in that area.

For more photos during the Citywide Shake out drill last 14 July 2017, visit the Ateneo de Davao University Gallery.