ASEP 2014 Tarp (3x5ft)          The Student Servant Leadership Program (SSLP) of the Arrupe Office of Social Formation (formerly the Social Involvement Coordinating Office [SICO]) announces the participation of forty (40) students who are definitely joining the Ateneo Student Exposure Program (ASEP) to be held in Compostela, in the Province of Compostela Valley (ComVal), between the dates of 31st March until 8th April 2014.  The participants comprise of the corps of Arrupe Volunteers (Batch 41, 42 and 43), the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Volunteers, the incoming officers of the SAMAHAN Central Board, and the representative of the Ateneo Religious Organization (ARO).  This summer exposure program will be conducted in Brgy. Ngan, where the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) recently constructed and inaugurated a two-classroom building (“Malasmas Building”) in Consuelo M. Valderrama High School (CMVHS) this early March.

The participants who are given the final clearance (including medical) are the following: for Arrupe Volunteers, Batch 41 – Sigrid Cubil (BSA 4); for Arrupe Volunteers, Batch 42 – Khalil Denise Alcomendras (ABIS 3), Trixy Amor Balansag (BSA 3), Kyle Elvin Calica (ABMC 3), Erika Aira De Peralta (AB Eng 3), Lyneth Egonio (ABIS–ASST 3), Jazzmin Enfectana (AB Philo 3), Jhana Lynne Ligue (ABIS–ASST 3), Jennilyn Nacorda (BSA 3), Christylbert Neri (BSA 4), Kristina Vade Santos (BS Bio 3), Christine Grace Ruta (BSHRM 3) and Michelle Marie Ungab (ABIS-AMST 3); and for Arrupe Volunteers, Batch 43 – Elizah Adalin (BSIE 2), Rexor Amancio (ABMC 2), Rina Ampoloquio (ABMC 2), Lorraine Joyce Ang (BS Bio 2), Herz Ann Apostol (BSA 2), Eunice Sweet Vinn Barro (AB PolSci 2), John Chin (BSIE 2), Leorelee Anne Dahan (BSA 2), Mary Joy De Castro (ABMC 2), Jecon Vance Fabila (BSIE 2), Julie Ann Gawat (BSIE 2), Cyra Iris Gentindatu (BS Bio 2), Regina Guino (BSA 2), Darlene Joy Jayectin (BSHRM 2), Erika Pearl Java (BSA 2), Mary Antoinette Limen (BS EnviSci 2), Lawrence Marañon (BSIE 2), Johnmar Monato (BSA 2), Shaira Lynn Morales (BSM 2), Princess Claire Palitoc (BSA 2), Reevens Aster Rizada (BSIE 2), and Ashreabai Sinarimbo (BSA 2).

Similar to last year’s ASEP, the Arrupe Office also extended its invitation to other student volunteers and student leaders.  Those who made the final cut are the following: Representing the NSTP Volunteers are Regina Alyssa Regidor (ABIS-ASST 3) and Zinia Rafaelle Estores (ABIS-ASST 3); representing the SAMAHAN Central Board are Regel Kent Asuero (AB PolSci 3), the incoming SAMAHAN President, and Troy Stephen Vergara (ABMC 2), the incoming representative of the Humanities and Letters Cluster; and finally, representing ARO is Razel Pencerga (BS Bio 2) of the Campus Lay Ministers (CLM).

The participants will have their pre-exposure orientation seminar in Manresa-by-the-Sea (MBS) in Talomo on 31st March, and will leave early on 1st April for Compostela. They will be divided into small clusters (comprising of two to three members) and will live with their foster families until 6th April.  They are expected to arrive back in Davao for a debriefing and post-exposure reflection/processing on 7th-8th April. 

The design of this year’s ASEP is “structured,” a departure from previous years’ exposure.  The Arrupe team will establish a home base in Brgy. Ngan for the duration of the exposure/immersion, and will monitor the participants for security purposes.  The participants are expected not just to immerse and integrate with the families where they will be assigned to, but will also conduct service to the community and the barangay.  It may well be remembered that Brgy. Ngan in Compostela, as in most parts of Davao Oriental (DavOr), ComVal and certain parts of Agusan del Sur, took a heavy pounding from Typhoon Pablo in late 2012.  Due to the impact of this natural disaster which struck eastern Mindanao, and precisely due to the university’s massive relief operation in response to the said calamity, the Arrupe Office redesigned ASEP 2013 and 2014 to meet the challenge of post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction needs of some communities in these areas. In the summer of 2013, ASEP found its niche in the Municipality of Baganga in DavOr, where the university conducted not just relief operations, as well as psycho-social and post-disaster emergency relief services, but also left behind infrastructure projects through its partnership with the local communities.

For this year’s implementation of ASEP, ADDU partnered and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the local community of Brgy. Ngan through the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of CMVHS. The Arrupe Office coordinated with the officials of the PTA in providing areas of exposure/immersion in Brgy. Ngan, as well as in looking for willing families who will host the student participants for the duration of the program.  (By M. Isabel S. Actub, Arrupe Communications & Advocacy)