Mula kanina sa simbahan hanggang dito ngayon, naaaninag natin ang magandang tanawin. Ang ganda po nating lahat. Kahit minsan man lang sa isang taon, nagmumukhang-tao tayong lahat.
Pero hindi lang yan. Ang gandang tingnan, na walang tinatangi. Ang mga professor ay nakaupo kasama ng mga security guard. Ang mga housekeeping group ay kasama ng lahat ng staff. Kung hindi man tayong lahat ang kasya dito sa maliit na theater ngayon, gagawa tayo ng mas malaki pa. Para lahat ay kasya. Walang maiiwan, lahat kasama.
Tulad ng ating nakagawian, sinisimulan natin ang taon sa pamamagitan ng paghingi ng lakas sa Espiritu Santo upang gabayan ang ating mga gawain sa buong taon. Pero mas ramdam natin ang ating panalangin kung ito ginawa sa ating sariling wika, sa saliw ng ating mga awit, at sa indayog ng mga sayaw ng ating bayan. Sa pamamaraan lamang ng ating kultura ay mas nararamdaman ang ating pagsamba. Parang ang lapit ng kanyang Espiritu. Siya ang umaawit at sumasamba sa ating mga kalamnan at kaluluwa. Siguro dalas-dalasan natin ang ganitong klaseng pagdiriwang ng Misa.
Naririto tayo ngayon sa ikalawang bahagi: ang pagtatalaga. Babala: medyo mahaba.
Mula noong December 2023, ang daming nagtatanong sa akin kung kailan daw ang aking “investiture”. Ang sagot ko palagi, “wala pong ganon.” Kung ang layunin ng investitute ay upang ipaalam sa karatig Universidad na may bagong Presidente ang Adamson, alam na po nila sa araw ng turnover ceremony. Pinick-up pa nga ng Rappler: “Tag mo prof mo klasmeyts. The days of terror professors are over.” Parang nag-viral pa nga; As of now, 4.7K likes, 2.1K shares. So, the world knows.
I think investitures are a remnant of the medieval period when news did not come easily except through proclamations, blowing of horns, or inviting royalties and dignitaries. This is no longer necessary in our digital age.
Investiture, the dictionary says, is ‘to be formally conferred with or invested with power”. Ang mga hari noong araw ay kinokoronahan ng Santo Papa upang igawad sa kanila ang kapangyarihan. Sa ganon lang paraan siya ay makapamuno. Kaya ang kapa na isusuot sa kanya (sa Universidad ay “toga” na may distinction pa kung dalawa, tatlo o apat na guhit at ang mace ibinigay sa akin kanina) or scepter sa mga hari at Rayna, ay ang mga simbolo ng kapangyarihan na ibinigay sa kanila. Kaya inimbitahan ang ibang mga hari sa karatig pook upang pumalakpak at gawing lehitimo ang kapangyarihang ito.
If this is the meaning of investiture, there is no investiture. I refuse to be invested. Because there is no such power that is granted unto me. Sa Kristyanong pamayanan, walang karapatang iginagawad maliban sa karapatang maglingkod. Walang kapangyarihan maliban sa kapangyarihan ng krus.
Sa lugar na ito, dapat walang maghahari-harian. Lahat tayo ay mga alagad — mula sa Presidente hanggang sa mga deans at director, mula sa mga guro hanggang sa mga karpentero. Nahihiya nga ako minsan.
Yumuyuko o sumasaludo pa ang mga security guards at mga housekeeping personnel sa akin habang ako’y dumadaan. Sa kanila dapat ako yuyuko dahil sila ang huwaran ng paglilingkod sa ating harapan.
The mace is still in front of us. But now it resembles a shepherd’s staff protecting the sheep and warding off wolves that harm the flock. Today, we do not invite kings and Presidents or dignitaries and nobilities. We invite all of us — students and teachers, staff and alumni — and for once, at the beginning of our year of service, to dress well and look beautiful with all the dignity we have as persons. Tayo’y magdiwang bago sumabak sa ating gawain.
Kaya walang investiture. Araw ito ng pagtatalaga. Pagtatalaga nating lahat. Pagtatalaga upang maglingkod. Yan ang sasabihin ng mga manunumpa mamaya simula sa akin, hanggang sa mga kinatawan ng ating komunidad. Yan din ang sasabihin ninyo bago natin itatali ang mga sinulid sa ating kapwa. We wish each other well in the next year of service.
Just last month, I was invited by the CBCP to facilitate their retreat in Bukidnon. In those sessions, I shared with them how it is to be a synodal church in the Philippines today. I shared about three things: listening, leadership and mission. Dahil ang Adamson University ay bahagi ng simbahang Pilipino, maari nating i-apply ang mga tatlong katagang ito sa atin dito — pakikinig, pamumuno at misyon — so that Adamson University can become a synodal community.
1. Listening
According to one Protestant theologian, Paul Tillich, “The first act of love is to listen.” This phrase has two sides: First, to be synodal is to listen. Second, to be synodal means to empower people to speak.
First, to listen. We are mostly teachers, deans, and directors. We were taught how to speak, not to listen. Some of us are priests or sisters. We were launched into the world to preach, to teach, not to listen. Listening is actually our main handicap as teachers or educators.
Kaya nitong nakaraang anim na buwan, ang ginawa ko lang ay makinig. I have already done the rounds in all the co-academic units of this university. In the following months, I will start with the academic groups. I think that the other VPs are also doing the same. I, therefore, ask all unit heads — deans and chairs, directors and heads of different units — to structure our meetings in such a way that they are listening sessions, not just to cascade information or impose policies but to get to know each person and their stories, hopes, and dreams for the Adamson community.
The other side is to empower people to speak. Hindi po automatic ng marami sa atin ang magsalita, ang magpahayag ng opinion, lalo na ang magtanong. Natatakot tayo. Baka magkamali. Baka ako ay balikan. Baka hindi pwedeng itanong. One sociologist calls this the effects of our dominated habitus. In our cultures, people need to know that when they speak out, they are not judged. People need to know that it is okay to argue, disagree or ask difficult questions.
The retreat facilitator of the Vatican synod, Fr. Timothy Radcliff, said in one of his conferences that in one of their schools in Baghdad, there is a poster hanging on their wall that says, “Here, no questions are forbidden.” In another instance, I know of one professor who, on the first day of class, said, “I only entertain intelligent questions.” The rest of the semester was as quiet as the cemetery in that classroom. I believe that intelligent professors are those who can turn senseless questions into intelligent ones through their answers.
I want to say today that no questions are forbidden here at Adamson—in our classrooms and offices, in our meetings and gatherings—in the whole of Adamson University. Sometimes, there are no answers yet. Or we disagree with the answer. But at least we know we can ask, we can talk, and we can dialogue.
2. Leadership and Authority
What touched me about the Synod in Rome was the way they arranged their seats. The physical space is not only symbolic; it effectively turns the symbol into reality. In previous assemblies, the Pope and his cardinals were at the presidential tables. In this Synod, he is seated with the other participants—bishop, sister, layperson, and Pope. Everyone is equal in the church. Even Popes or bishops are, first of all, laypersons!
Pope Francis said, “In the church, no one can be raised higher than others,” not even the Pope. “On the contrary, in the Church, it is necessary that each person ‘lowers’ himself or herself so as to serve our brothers and sisters along the way.”
I have been a long-time member of the consultants of the CBCP Commission on Basic Ecclesial Communities. I go around the parishes in the country to consult how parishes can become better communities. I usually ask our ordinary parishioners one question, “Do you feel everyone is equal in the church?” The usual answer is a resounding “No”. And as an example, they point to the fiesta presidential tables in parishes. Sino ba ang nandoon? This scene is replicated in all our schools, seminaries, and religious houses. We might as well check what our department meeting spaces look like. For all you know, even our organizational charts look like feudal castles!
If I may suggest, let us try to eliminate presidential tables in our gatherings unless it is necessary in few formal occasions like graduations or some few events like that. The sick and the elderly among us can be given special seats and taken care of. But the rest have to line up, no preferences, no partiality, no favoritism. Hindi dahil pari kami, kaya kami’s mauuna sa pila. Hindi dahil Presidente ako, kaya ako ay iba. Sama-sama po tayong pumila. Sabay-sabay po tayong maglingkod. Iba’t-ibang tungkulin, iisa ang ating layunin. Walang maiiwan, lahat kasali.
Sa aking pakikinig sa mga tao dito, ang daming takot. I can feel that there is a reigning climate of fear. Students are afraid of their professors, professors are afraid of their chairs, chairpersons are afraid of their deans, and employees are afraid of their directors. Hindi lahat. Pero marami. Some feel bullied, others feel insulted, and some tremble in fear as they recount their stories. Others cannot say anything and just fade in silence.
This is my personal appeal. Let us turn fear into care. Let us turn terror into compassion. In Adamson, no one has the right to terrorize others. Let our classrooms and offices be spaces of care and compassion. People are already experiencing pain and anxiety in their everyday lives. Huwag na po nating dagdagan. Maraming nagsasabi na ang Adamson ay ang kanilang ikalawang pamilya. Gawin po natin itong tunay na tahanan. Gawin po natin itong totoong kanlungan.
For those of us in positions of power, an honest self-examination of conscience might do us some good. Let us remind ourselves of what Pope Francis says: In the church, “the only authority is the authority of service, the only power is the power of the cross” (17 October 2015).
One of my favorite writers is the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. He talks about putting “a pebble in your shoes.” The word “scruple” actually means “pebble in the shoe”. Levinas says, “Be scrupulous. Put a pebble in your shoes.” With the pebble, you cannot “remain standing but are ‘moved’ or ‘prodded’ to take the next step.” Moreover, the pebble puts my every step into question. It leads me to ask, “Is this the right step? Am I not stepping on other’s shoes?” It makes me more careful not to step on other’s toes. Sociology calls it “reflexivity”. Theology calls it “humility,” and in our context, “administrative humility.” It is the sense of openness and willingness to be questioned — as teachers, administrators, deans, chairs, and department heads.
3. Mission
Ang ating pagtuturo ay isang misyon. Hindi lamang ito trabaho o hanap-buhay. Ito ay isang bokasyon. All of us in educational institutions have a crucial mission. Our work is not a neutral work. If we do well, we will give hope to a person. If we don’t, we curtail people’s lives.
Pope Francis says, “Education cannot be neutral. It is either positive or negative; either it enriches or impoverishes; it enables a person to grow, or it lessens, even corrupts him. The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth, of what is good and beautiful” (10 May 2014).
Because of this, we have to take this mission seriously. As we start this academic year, let me present our ten-point agenda. There are more in your operational plans but let me highlight some of them.
a. Finance
First, we will implement a modest salary scheme for permanent faculty members during the midyear term starting June and July 2025. This administration-initiated scheme for our college faculty also comes with corresponding responsibilities, the details of which will be announced soon.
Second, we will also give the CBA-negotiated across-the-board increase of P1,500 this school year.
Third, to help us through difficult times, the Finance Department decided to decrease the interest on cash advances from 6% to 5%.
I ask the Offices of the VP for Finance, VP Academic Affairs, and Human Resource Development to iron out the details of its implementation. We also appeal to all colleges and units, as well as each and every faculty and staff, to intensify our campaign for more students to enroll in Adamson. As they say, the more, the merrier!
b. Vincentian Spirituality
A Catholic university without serious reflection on the spirituality of its members is a school without a soul. We will rekindle an intensive study and living out of spirituality, in general, and Vincentian spirituality, in particular, in all levels of the university units. Our encounter with Jesus in the poor is crucial to this experience.
I have reinstituted the Office of the Vincentian Identity and Mission (OVIM) to lead us in this endeavor, along with our Campus Ministry Office.
c. Infrastructures and Campus Sustainability
First, we have done the groundbreaking of the new 13-storey CS-annex building. This project will house several Colleges, a state-of-the-art university library, new sports facilities, dormitories, and more student learning spaces.
Second, we will finish the construction of the 7-storey Falcon Dormitory at Teresa Street and start the 4-storey multilevel parking at the SV Compound.
Third, we are launching a comprehensive campus sustainability program that will permeate all areas of our university life—from research to infrastructure, from the use of renewable energy to passing “green building” standards, from flood controls to planting more trees on campus. This will take us several years to implement, but for this year, we will start with the greening of the SV grounds. I have established a Campus Sustainability Committee to spearhead this integral ecological program in the spirit of Laudato Si.
d. Academics
First, we have already launched the new College of Computing Studies and Information Technology, as well as new courses on Supply Chain Management and Space Engineering. In this line, each College will continue to creatively search for cutting-edge programs that respond to the needs of the digital world and the needs of our people, especially the socially excluded.
Second, we will increase the number of graduate programs, including dual degrees, with other international partners.
Third, we will launch the Adamson Center for Executive Studies (ACES) this year for the three hubs: the Academy for Digital and Innovative Studies, the Academy for Advanced Continuing Business and Management, and the Academy for Emerging Technologies.
Fourth, we will apply for accreditation at the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and Adamson University Open University. It will take some years before we are approved, but we will start the process this year.
In all these, I ask the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to take the lead in their implementation.
e. Research and Publication
To maintain our academic ranking and accreditations, we shall strengthen our research agenda by aligning it with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). The UN-SDGs are the new word for “charity” in our 3Cs. We shall also release the updated Research Policy Handbook, an effective mentoring system in research and publication, and the accreditation of Adamson Research Journal.
I ask the Center for Research and Development under the VPAA to help us achieve these objectives.
f. Data, Digitization, and AI
To respond to the needs and challenges of the digital age, we will strengthen our data analytics and utilization for our operations, develop and update our digital systems and resources, digitize our university processes, advance cybersecurity measures, and harness AI (artificial intelligence) for research and teaching. I ask the Office of the VP for Administration, especially the HRD and ITC, to spearhead the re-skilling and upskilling of our employees towards full engagement with technology.
g. Historical-Cultural Spaces
As we build our green campus, we shall also recover the rich historical and cultural spaces within the campus and its environs. We shall collaborate with the National Historical Commission and other bodies to properly acknowledge these sites for the appreciation of our students, alumni, and guests.
h. International Networking and Student Mobility
We will strengthen our existing university networks in Asia and pursue a more directed international linkage program beyond the Asian continent. We will create opportunities for faculty exchanges and student mobility programs. I ask the different colleges to collaborate proactively with the Office of University Relations in implementing this program.
i. Sports
As we strive to support and improve the engagement of our athletic teams at the UAAP games despite our modest resources, we announce two new events we will participate in the next season: judo and the maiden esports tournaments. Of course, we want our teams to win, so we wish them well. We entrust the achievement of this task to the Office for Athletic Development.
j. Alumni Relations
We will intensify our connection with alumni networks through more aggressive tracer studies, the use of digital apps, and the organizing of more alumni organizations within and outside the country. Next year, they have a quota of contacting 20,000 alumni who reply to our tracer studies.
We will rename the Office of Institutional Advancement to “Office of Alumni Relations” to concentrate on this task together with the Adamson University Alumni Association, Inc.
4. Education with a Heart
Let me end with three short stories. During the days that Carlos Yulo won two gold medals at the Olympics, many university presidents congratulated me. Some were even praising me for our gymnastics program. I told them Caloy learned those skills not from Adamson but from somewhere else. But one told me, “No, the gymnastics skills can be learned elsewhere. But the pursuit of competence, excellence, and character is learned early in life.” While listening to her, I thought at least two of those qualities mentioned are in our 3Cs.
I have also been attending alumni reunions in the past months. I noticed that most of our alumni do not belong to Classes A and B in our society. Most of their families are middle or lower middle class, some even below, and graduated as student assistants or COCOFED scholars or one or another grant. Yet they have pursued their dreams, transformed their own lives, and have become renowned and respected in their fields of endeavors. But one thing is common to all of them — their hearts have a big space for those whom society has excluded. And they are doing all they can to transform their lives, too. That is the third C we are talking about (Charity). I have been so touched by their witnessing.
The third story is about my mother. We are a family of teachers. My father was a public school teacher. My mother studied to be a teacher but did not finish. She had to take care of the twelve of us; one brother died at an early age. We were already one classroom at home. With her sari-sari store, she helped my father take care of their big family. After a long life of hard work, she suffered from severe thyroid cancer. On her last day, I was alone with her in the hospital room because my other siblings were at work. She talked to me like she was not dying. We were planning together on what to do when she goes home and what livelihood we can give to help our neighbors without work. And then, she confronted me with a difficult question, “Di ba may PhD ka? Anong bang magagawa ng PhD mo para mapakain ang mga kapitbahay nating walang makain?” That question haunts me until now, maybe to the end of my life; it is the pebble on my shoe. If I am a priest and have some education, those who have nothing should not be excluded from my radar of signification. What she said is actually about the 3Cs in Adamson University. If I need to hone “competence” and excellence in my field, if I need to shape my “character,” it is because all these are directed in acts of compassion to those who have less in life.
As I listened to her, I began reflecting: the Adamsonian motto is not our motto for nothing. It actually incarnates itself in the hearts and lives of our graduates then and now: “Education with a Heart: Catalyst of Transformation at the Margins.”
Father Daniel Franklin Pilario, C.M., is the President of Adamson University in Manila. He is a theologian, professor, and pastor of an urban poor community on the outskirts of the Philippine capital. He is also Vincentian Chair for Social Justice at St. John’s University in New York.
