One La Salle Relief Drive (Maring) Updates

De La Salle Health Sciences Institute

The relief efforts of the school and its partners were able to reach the following barangays: Brgy Zone 1 Dasmariñas City; Barangays 2 & 4 Ligtong, Rosario; Sasahan, Naic; Tabon, Kawit; Sunny Brooke, General Trias; San Lorenzo Ruiz Pulo, Cavite City; nine different barangays of Binakayan; San Antonio, Noveleta; Guyam Munti, Indang; Kiko Rosa Creekside, General Trias; Pabahay Creekside; and Bacao 1 & 2. A total of 1,605 families received relief packs. Php 17,692.90, 28 Boxes of Water, 3 Boxes of Groceries, and 20 Boxes of clothes were also endorsed to St. Peter’s Parish for ditrubution around Cavite City. 

The Medical Mission was able serve 306 households, consisting of 654 patients. Ten medical doctors, three interns, ten nurses, four PGNT’s, eight housekeepers,

four pharmacists, and other hospital employees, teachers, students from Colleges of Medicine, Nursing & Midwifery, Rehabilitation Sciences and Medical Radiation Technology volunteered for this effort. Another 50 volunteers from Our Lady of Fatima Parish also pitched in.

Our sincerest thanks to all our donors, medical team, SPC Sisters, DLSHSI and PPVR volunteers! Special thanks to our silent and dedicated supporters, without whom our relief operation would not have materialized:

  • personnel from Admitting, Information and Cashier’s Sections who accepted and recorded donations;
  • our Security Guards who helped receive and protect the goods;
  • our house keepers who helped in the loading and unloading of goods and our drivers who made transportation of people and goods possible.

De La Salle Lipa

De La Salle Lipa Community Involvement Office, in partnership with the Student Coordinating Board and Student Government, spearheaded the relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Maring and Habagat. Served areas are as follows:

  • Evacuation Center, Brgy. 10 Lipa City
  • Brgy. Halang, Lipa City
  • Brgy. San Roque, San Pedro Laguna
  • Brgy. Cuyab, San Pedro Laguna
  • Brgy. Landayan, San Pedro Laguna
  • Evacuation Center (old municipal hall) San Pedro, Laguna
  • Cavite
  • Brgy. Pansol, Calamba Laguna
  • Brgy. Palanas, Lemery Batangas

Goods donated: 1,199 bags; 88 mats; 100 blankets; 500 pcs bottled water. Served families: 1,299.

 

Apple Inc. Invites Br. Dennis to be a Resource Speaker

Last 19 August 2013, Apple South Asia invited Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC to be their main resource person in one of their workshops. Br. Dennis is currently the president of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB) but was chosen as a resource speaker based on his work as the president of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ) and its mLearning program.

The technology-enhanced curriculum led to the development of DLSZ’s teacher training, instructional design, classroom management, home-school collaboration, cost of the mobile learning devices, research, physical facilities and networking/internet access, for today’s technology driven learner.

School administrators and teachers from over 35 schools from across South attended the Apple South Asia workshop. Br. Dennis’ talk revolved around comprehensive sharing on iPad deployment in schools. The talk included a Skype conversation with a class from DLSZ.

With Apple using DLSZ as a model in the use of tablet in classroom instruction, this marks a historic moment, not only for DLSZ but also for the entire De La Salle Philippines.

 

One La Salle Relief Drive (Maring) Updates

DLSZ

By 23 August, De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ) has distributed relief packs around Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Parañaque and helped over 3,000 families. 150 students, 70 faculty and staff, and 17 parents, friends and alumni volunteered in the relief efforts.

DLSU-D

The LCDC of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas reported that, as of 27 August, they were able to help 1,291 families in eight areas (Dasmariñas, Rosario, Naic, Noveleta, Kawit, Gen Trias, Cavite City, Indang). DLSU-D wishes to acknowledge DLSZ for their support.

DLS-CSB

As of 23 August, there were a total of 167 volunteers from the school. DLS-CSB also reached out to five of its neighboring barangays (Brgys. 43, 728, 730, 746 and 760) and delivered a total of 595 relief packs.

DLSHSI

On 21 August: Php 5000 worth of relief goods were given to the families of Barangay Zone 1, Dasmarinas City, courtesy of Dr. Charles Yu.

On 22 August, we went to Ligtong, Rosario and delivered around 500 packs of relief goods ( 2 kilos of rice, bottled water, various groceries and clothes/blankets) to 261 families in Barangays 2 & 4. Said areas were referred to by the Social Action Office of the Diocese, in coordination with the Barangay Officials who guided us along coastal lines of said barangays. Student volunteers from the four Colleges, academic staff, hospital employees, faculty members and PPRV volunteers helped prepare and distribute the goods.

As of 23 August, DLSZ has turned relief goods, approximately for more than 500 households, to be donated to calamity victims in Naic, Cavite.

On 26 August, a medical mission and relief operation was held in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite in coordination with Our Lady of Fatima Parish. A joint program of the Medical Center and Social Action Office.

 

Lasallians Join the #MillionPeopleMarch

Last 26 August, over 1,000 Lasallians joined the Million People March in Rizal Park, a mass action against the misuse of public funds particularly the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allotted to Philippine lawmakers.

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Lasallians mourn the loss of Santiago "Sonny" Alvarez Jr. [Update 2]

Photo from Sir Sonny's Facebook profile.

The Philippine Lasallian Family mourns the passing of Santiago "Sonny" Alvarez Jr. (De La Salle College High School 1964) yesterday, 2 August, sometime between 5:30-5:45pm. Papa Archer, as he was affectionately called, was the Sports Director at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

His remains lie in state at the National Shrine of the Divine Child, La Salle Green Hills.

Below are the scheduled Masses (as of 3 August, 3:42pm): 

 

3 August, Saturday

8:00pm - Sports Council (Sponsor)

4 August, Sunday

10:00am  - De La Salle Brothers (Sponsor)

4:00pm -  Alvarez Family (Sponsor)

8:00pm - Servants of the Good Shepherd Community (Sponsor)

5 August, Monday

3:00pm - De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (Sponsor)

8:00pm - De La Salle Alumni Association (Sponsor)

6 August, Tuesday

10:00am - Mass of Resurrection
 Internment: Manila Memorial, Sucat, Parañaque

 

Lasallians have taken to social media to pay their respects. Below are some tweets in honor of their Papa Archer. 

 

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Update 1:   Added schedule of Masses and corrected interment details.

Update 2: Updated Mass Scheduled as of 3 August, 3:42pm

Br. Bernard S. Oca FSC: The Eighth President of DLSZ

Br. Bernard S. Oca FSC, or Br. Bernie, was officially inducted as the eighth President of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ) during the solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist last 24 June 2013. The occasion was graced by one of the sisters of the president, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, members of the DLSZ Board of Trustees, De La Salle Brothers, alumni, parents, students, Lasallian Partners and distinguished guests. 

A Eucharistic Celebration, presided by Msgr. Rufino Suplido, preceded the Installation Rite. Br. Armin Luistro FSC, Department of Education Secretary and former DLSZ President, read the letter of appointment that was signed by the Chairman of the DLSZ Board of Trustees, Br. Jose Mari Jimenez FSC. It was followed by the Presentation of the Presidential Medal. Julia Therese P. Sabitsana (DLSZ 2025), one of DLSZ’s Brother President Scholars, carried the medal. Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC, outgoing DLSZ President, then bestowed the medal to Br. Bernie. Br. Armin administered the Oath of Office while Jay La Salle, a Br. Rafael Donato FSC Night High School student, held the Bible for Br. Bernie.

The acceptance speech of Br. Bernie highlighted President Corazon C. Aquino as his source of inspiration. He was inspired by her selfless response to God’s call to serve our country when she took on Ninoy Aquino’s fight for democracy. He stressed a correlation between being a nationalist and a Lasallian; that DLSZ, as a Catholic institution, should form saints and heroes or heroines who will contribute to the betterment of our country. 

Br. Bernie animatedly invited Br. Armin, to also impart some words. Br. Armin eagerly agreed and shared his experience during one of his school visitations around the country. He emphasized the importance of having a decent school that the youth deserves. DLSZ, as one of the premier schools in the Philippines, is blessed enough that it should continue St. John Baptist de La Salle’s mission to serve the deprived sectors of our community.

In the parting, Br. Bernie expressed his gratitude to Br. Dennis for handing him an already excellent school. With his remarkable experience as a Lasallian educator and leader, it allows him to hit the ground running and continue to lead in forming “Christian achievers for God and country”.

Distinguished Teacher, Dr. RA

Dr. Romeo P. Ariniego, FPCP, FPCC, former vice president for academics of De La Salle Health Sciences Institute and one of the most revered faculty and former dean of the College of Medicine was conferred the Distinguished Teacher Award 2013 last 29 May 2013, during the 44th Annual Convention of the Philippine Heart Association. 

For most of the College of Medicine’s alumni, the award couldn’t be more fitting for the mentor they lovingly call “Dr. RA”. As a teacher of medicine, he has left significant marks in many of past and current DLSHSI faculty and administrators; they always talk about him with respect, affection, and admiration. Known to be always ready to crack his whip during teaching rounds for students who fail to know by heart their patient’s condition, Dr. RA is also a caring and concerned mentor who does not hesitate to help students in need. For years now, his home and his extensive medicine library has been open to scholars who need a place to stay and who want to learn with the doctor. His clinic always has the longest queue of patients of all ages – and conditions – at De La Salle University Medical Center. 

Dr. RA has now donated said home to the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute to ensure that DLSHSI scholars will always have a place to stay even after he is gone. He also gave a very sizable donation for the construction of the DLSHSI library, which was named in his honor. Asked why he chose to donate for the construction of the library, Dr. RA said, “I know how important a library is especially for poor students. Throughout my years of studying, I survived because of the kind librarians who were lenient when it came to my borrowing of books because they knew I didn’t have the money to buy my own copies.”

Dr. RA is also a popular champion of the DLSHSI support staff. In 2007, he established an endowment fund to support the children of support staff who want to become doctors. This scholarship fund currently benefits a medical student who is the daughter of a DLSHSI staff. 

Despite all the accolades he has received – Distinguished Service Award from the Philippine Heart Association, National Lorenzo M. Tañada CHIMES Award from De La Salle Philippines, and the International Health Professional distinction – Dr. RA remains the same compassionate man who up to this day, receives gifts of fruits, crops, and chickens from his patients in lieu of a consultation or professional fee.  

Project FREE: Tarlac

Last 22 June, some 680 teachers from various public schools in the province of Tarlac received their doctorates and masters degrees in the field of education through the Project Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence (Project FREE). The project is an initiative of the Eduardo Cojuangco Foundation and is under the auspices of the University of St. La Salle in cooperation with the Tarlac State University and the local government of the province of Tarlac. Aimed at improving the quality of education through improvements in the education of teachers, the project previously graduated a batch of 780 public school teachers also from Tarlac in June 2013. Faculty from Tarlac State University (TSU) and the University of St. La Salle (USLS) collaborated in mentoring the public school teachers of Tarlac who graduated from this program. 

On hand to witness the graduation rites were project sponsors, Ambassador Eduardo and Mrs. Gretchen Cojuangco; members of the local government of Tarlac led by Gov. Victor Yap and Congressman Henry Cojuangco; USLS officials led by Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC, Dr. Therese Jochico, Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Dr. Elsie Coscolluela, Project FREE Director; and key officials of the Department of Education led by graduation guest speaker, DepEd Secretary, Br. Armin Luistro FSC. 

Tarlac is the second province to have benefitted from Project FREE. The fourth district of Negros Occidental was the first to have benefitted from Project FREE in 2002. The Eduardo Cojuanco Foundation, in cooperation with Br. Gus Boquer, then president of University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, launched the project in Negros Occidental where 1,340 public school teachers were able to earn doctoral and masters degrees in education. Follow-up studies have shown marked improvements in the performance of students in public schools in national exams after their teachers underwent further studies.

 

DLSU-D Grants Honoris Causa to Cardinal Tagle

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas (DLSU-D) conferred an honorary degree, Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa), to His Eminence Luis Antonio Gokim Cardinal Tagle, D.D. The solemn ceremony was held on 19 June at Ugnayang La Salle of DLSU-D. 

The conferment of the honorary degree is in recognition of his achievements and meaningful contributions to the DLSU-D community. Cardinal Tagle generously and selflessly served as one of the members of the Board of Trustees of the University from 2005 to 2012. Even after serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Imus, Cardinal Tagle continues to inspire and motivate the academic community through the excellence he constantly exhibits and the simplicity and humility that he consistently exudes. The Medal of St. John Baptist de La Salle was also awarded to Cardinal Tagle during the same academic convocation. The Medal is given as a gesture of esteem and appreciation for His Eminence’s valuable contribution as Pastoral leader, in his capacity as former Bishop of the Diocese of Imus, and as now Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila. It is also in appreciation for his commitment and support in advancing the Lasallian mission towards making a difference in the lives of countless persons. 


LSGH Recognized for LCLE

 The Grade School Department of La Salle Green Hills was featured in the 21 May edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. LSGH was cited during the Second Excellence in Educational Transformation Awards (EETA). A portion of the article is quoted below:

The LSGH Grade School Department was recognised particularly for its Learner-Centered Learning Environment (LCLE) and Technology Management Center (TMC), spearheading the use of technology and Internet in improving students’ capabilities as learners.”

Other schools given the same award are: Singapore School Manila, Statefields School Inc., Don Bosco Technology Center-Cebu, Southville International School and Colleges and Diocesan Schools of Pagadian.

They were recognised for exceptional innovations in their school systems, including curriculum design, learning materials, learning methodologies, administrative systems and processes and learning spaces and places. Each received 300,000.

This is organised by Bayan Academy, Rex Bookstore and Knowledge Channel Foundation.

You may read the full article here.