The presidents (and representatives) of the different campus clubs in the tertiary level underwent an anticorruption training/workshop conducted by the Arrupe Office of Social Formation on 20th September 2014 at F-705A. Close to thirty (30) student leaders representing the different student groups comprising the Campus Club Organization (CCO) responded to Arrupe’s invitation for a whole-day workshop on anticorruption. The training/workshop employed the modules of the Ehem! Anticorruption Sensitivity Manual, an anticorruption self-check manual created by the Ehem! national core team.
The Ehem! is an anticorruption cultural campaign which primarily aims to make the participants seriously bothered by corruption and be more actively involved in combatting it. The Ehem! Anticorruption Movement was started by the Society of Jesus in 2001, particularly by a group of young Jesuits and lay collaborators. Providing an impetus for the birth of the Ehem! movement was the Committee on Evangelization and Culture of the Society of Jesus, chaired by the then president of Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU), Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ. Since its inception and eventual implementation in 2001-2002, the Ehem! has been adapted as one of the social conscientization platforms of the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) in promoting the culture of integrity and good governance among its studentry.
Using the Spiral Framework of the Pastoral Cycle (Experience, Analysis, Reflection and Action), the Ehem! offers modules and exercises on experiencing and analyzing corruption in all levels and various contexts, reflecting on one’s contribution and role in it, as well as planning for personal and institutional integrity. The four modules of the Pastoral Cycle were handled by bonafide Ehem! trainors—faculty members who underwent the Ehem! training when it was first implemented by the then Social Involvement Coordinating Office (SICO, now Arrupe) in 2001. The first module (Experience phase) is intended to draw out from the student participants their perception, notion and experiences of corruption. It was facilitated by the erstwhile director of SICO, now the current chair of the Educational Leadership Department of the School of Education (SoE), Dr. Maria Teresa B. Isidor. The second module (Analysis phase) aimed at making the student participants employ critical methods (diachronic and synchronic) in analysizing experiences of corruption using the tool of social analysis. It was conducted by M. Isabel S. Actub, Communications and Advocacy Program (CAP) coordinator of Arrupe. The third module (Reflection phase), handled by Ms. Aurecel Alejandro, faculty of the English Department of the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS), ushered in exercises which enabled the participants to take a reflective look at distinctive Filipino cultural practices that have become vulnerable to corruption. For the Action/Praxis phase (fourth module), the director of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), also a former SICO director, Ms. Theresa S. Eliab, facilitated the action planning wherein the student participants presented concrete plans not only in combatting corruption but in promoting the culture of integrity and good governance in and among their own respective constituencies. Critical in assessing the success of the student participants’ internalization of the main objective of the Ehem! is how well they are able to concretize their specific plans in promoting integrity in the course of their leadership within their own organization.
The whole-day training/workshop sessions used participative learning methodology, integrating inputs on corruption with a series of workshops, learning exercises, role-playing, reporting, video presentation, among others. A select group of Arrupe Vols who have undergone the Ehem! training themselves assisted in the conduct of these sessions held at F-705A.
The Ehem! anticorruption sensitivity orientation is one of Arrupe’s flagship initiatives for good governance in its annual observance of the “Atenista Ako! Maligdong” (“I am an Atenean, a person of integrity”) lodged under Arrupe’s advocacy banner. In an effort to mainstream this anticorruption initiative, the Arrupe partners with the Theology Department (particularly in its course on Morality & Spirituality) every second semester whereby a select group of Arrupe Vols conduct the Ehem! sessions in participating Theo 131 classes. (By M. Isabel S. Actub, Arrupe Communication & Advocacy)