23 February 2018, Ateneo de Naga University – Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo spoke to more than 400 ADNU students and employees about the country’s important socio-political and economic issues.
VP Robredo shared her amusement that ten years ago, in July 2008, his late husband Jesse Robredo also served as speaker for the same program.
She also pointed out the timing of the event, being two days before the 32nd anniversary of People Power Revolution. In line with this, she urged the students to reflect on the lessons of the bloodless revolution and the celebration’s relevance to the youth today. She asked, “Where is our nation now? What have we done with the freedom we have won so remarkably? And where do we go from here?”
She went on to present data from different sources, and shared her stands, questions national issues like the prevalence of political dynasties, the bid to shift to a federal system of government, the country’s relations with China, and proliferation of fake news, among others.
Finally, VP Robredo challenged the Ateneo students and organizations to do their share in serving the country’s “poor” and “powerless”. She asked them to keep the spirit of People Power alive by helping defend the democracy that was restored 32 years ago.
Organized by the Office of Student Affairs, NatSit is a regular offering of the Ateneo Leadership Development Program. It hopes to help facilitate the student leaders’ social responsibility by raising their awareness of the national social issues affecting them, the life of their families, and the state of the nation. It is a formative opportunity for them to better appreciate the Profile of the Ateneo Graduate or the 4Cs, especially conscience and compassionate commitment to change.
Upon awareness, the NatSit, along with other similar structures and program in the university, seeks to motivate the students to discern on their role as leaders and citizens of this country, with hope that they would actuate their gift of Ateneo education as an instrument to respond to urgent and universal human dilemmas that social issues present.
