University of Saint Louis: CICM-Philippines Missionary Priorities

UNIVERSITY of SAINT LOUIS
Tuguegarao City
NSTP 1023: National Service Training Program 2
Literacy Training Service and Civic Welfare Training Service
THE CICM-PHILIPPINES AND ITS MISSIONARY PRIORITIES

The Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae (CICM) or Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
was established in 1862 by Rev Fr. Theophile Verbist in Scheut, Anderlecht, a suburb of Brussels,
Belgium. It is an international religious missionary congregation, dedicated to the Incarnate Word
under the name and patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The CICM charism is ad-gentes (to the nations), ad-extra (towards the outside). At the core of the
CICM missionary, the character is a CHRIST-CENTERED SPIRITUALITY for the mission; a
missionary activity integrated into the whole pastoral work of the Church; the evangelization of cultures
through quality education; a proactive stance in support for people’s natural and cultural heritage; and,
solidarity with the poor through the establishment of an inclusive society.
CICM-Philippines Missionary Priorities

During the July 2015 Provincial Assembly, all those present unanimously CONFIRMED TEN (10)
commitments or areas of concern as priority commitments. From these ten priority commitments, the
different LOCAL MISSIONARY PROJECTS will eventually be formulated. These ten priority
commitments are the following (CICM Philippines, 2015):
Indigenous People
To promote the dignity of indigenous people and inculturate the Gospel, in terms of an integral
involvement of the indigenous people themselves in the CICM work of solidarity with the poor.
Parishes
To give a prophetic witnessing and dynamic presence among the poor, by forming an animated
CICM parish through active participation in liturgy and social action, organized in basic
ecclesial communities.
Educational Apostolate
To develop CICM schools as important institutions of higher learning in the service of the local
Church and of society, in the light of Christian vision and CICM mission.
Campus Ministry
To promote the potentials of people especially the youth through Christian formation and other
pastoral programs in the CICM way.
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation
To promote social justice in the world and respect for the environment.
Special and Sectorial Ministries – The Abandoned

To care for the marginalized members of society, in terms of CICM-inspired social justice.
Interreligious Dialogue
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To promote respect and collaboration with persons of other faiths in the spirit of open and
peaceful dialogue.
Initial Formation
To form and train young CICM candidates in the spirit of mission ad extra, inspired by
Théophile Verbist and Companions.
Ongoing Formation
To deepen our spiritual life and update our missionary attitudes, in order to reach the harmony
of four essential dimensions: human, spiritual, intellectual, and missionary.
Vocation Animation
To recruit and welcome candidates, and also to present to all the faithful the charism,
spirituality, and missionary vision of CICM, thus allowing possible candidates to discern the
call of the Lord.
THE USL-CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CICM ADVOCACIES

The University of Saint Louis foresees itself as a CICM Catholic educational institution that offers
quality relevant education that aims for the holistic development of the human person. As an institution
of higher learning, the university aligns itself with its three (3) basic components of Outreach, Service-
learning and Extension. Believing that community involvement is a basic and pervasive aspect of
university education, the University through the Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies
initiates and implements Outreach, Service Learning and Extension activities that allow students,
faculty, and personnel to apply new knowledge they generate to address specific social development
problems. However, unlike state universities and colleges (SUCs) which are mandated specifically to
align their programs in support of national, regional, or local development plans (RA 7722 or Higher
Education Act of 1994, Sec. 2, Par. 2), the university assumes a more liberal thrust for its extension
programs. As a CICM educational institution, it pursues it programs within the broader frame of the
CICM missionary focus on the transformation of the world and the coming of the reign of God (CICM
Constitutions Commentary, 1999).
The holistic development of peoples and communities as the University envisions suggests that it
commits itself to the educational, spiritual, socio- cultural, economic, and political, health, and
environmental development needs of its partner communities and the nation as a whole. However, as
there are also other institutions working in each of these areas, the university may collaborate with
them or endeavors to focus on specific needs that are least attended to most importantly those that
are in line with CICM mission priorities and insofar as its capacities can reasonably permit.
As a higher education institution, the university brings to bear in its Outreach, Service-learning and
Extension programs its expertise in instruction and research. These programs, however, are not a
one-way traffic. They are implemented as a result of researches conducted and concepts taught in
the classroom. As the university extends its expertise with the partner communities, feedbacks are
generated from the stakeholders. These feedbacks will eventually be used to assess and improve the

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programs. Hence, the university contributes to the development of the partner communities and at the
same time the values and valuable learning through university's exposure to partner communities play
a vital role in the significant development of the Louisian Community.
VISION-MISSION
Vision
The University’s Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies (CECA) Office envisions developing
socially aware, sensitive and responsive members of the Louisian Community through active
involvement in community extension, service learning, and outreach activities towards community
development.
Mission
As the overall coordinating body of the various community engagement activities that are initiated by
the different sectors of the Louisian Community, the CECA Office shall:
1. Participate in constructive and relevant social activities for the promotion of CICM advocacies;
2. Sustain holistic development of communities that are humane, self-reliant, sustainable, and
dynamic;
3. Encourage volunteerism among the sectors of the Louisian Community for the noble and
worthwhile community engagement activities thereby cultivating the same spirit in the client–
partner communities.
Goals and Objectives

Guided by the CICM thrust on Missio et Excellentia and anchored on the CICM advocacies, the
Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies Office seeks to:
1. Integrate in-depth community Outreach, Service-learning and Extension activities in the
curricular programs of the school;
2. Conduct research-based community development programs for the marginalized sectors of the
society;
3. Intensify linkages and networking with educational institutions, government and non-
government agencies, international partners, alumni, and private individuals; and
4. Instill to the Louisian’s and the community the value of eagerness to help at all times.

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One of the major thrusts of CICM is to respond to the needs of the community and society for
transformation and development. As Louisian missionaries, it is an integral and essential part of our
life to be actively involved in finding solutions to the problems of our society such as poverty,
oppression, discrimination, graft and corruption, criminality, environmental destruction, and many
other societal problems (Living A Christian Moral Life, 2018, 2 nd Edition).

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Anchored in this particular thrust, the University of Saint Louis as a higher learning institution brings
to bear in its community engagement programs its expertise in instruction and research. The
Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies Office was created to spearhead extension activities
and advocacies of the University. It envisions developing socially aware, sensitive and responsive
members of the Louisian Community towards community development and social transformation.
Therefore, the Office of the Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies directs its activities with
nine (9) advocacies. Each advocacy is assigned to a certain school/department of the University and
is tasked to strengthen and develop important and responsive programs per advocacy.
For School of Accountancy, Business and Hospitality (SABH), the advocacy assigned to them is
Poverty Alleviation. For Senior High School (SHS), the advocacy assigned to them is Youth
Empowerment and Responsible Citizenship. For School of Engineering, Architecture and Information
Technology Education (SEAITE), the advocacy assigned to them is Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management. For School of Education, Arts, and Sciences (SEAS), the advocacy assigned to them
is Indigenous Peoples and Interreligious Dialogue. For School of Health and Allied Sciences (SHAS),
the advocacy assigned to them is Nutrition and Health Development. For Junior High School (JHS),
the advocacy assigned to them is Integrity of Creation. For Elementary Department, the advocacy
assigned to them is Peace and Life Education. For School of Graduate Studies (SGS), the advocacy
assigned to them is Justice and Human Rights. And for Non-Teaching Personnel (NTP), the advocacy
assigned to them is Adult Education and Gender and Development.
The Community Engagement and CICM Advocacies Office aligns its programs to the themes of the
Catholic Social Teachings of the Church. The theme on life and dignity of the human person is aligned
with the Peace and Life Promotion which is called to protect human life and respect for life at all
stages. The theme on Call to Family, Community, and Participation is aligned is aligned with Nutrition
and Health Development, Justice and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation and Adult Education and
Gender Development which acknowledges our social nature, allows for more participation, calls for
collaboration among people, and supports family. The theme on the Rights and Responsibilities that
flows from the dignity of human life is aligned with Justice and Human Rights, Nutrition and Health
Development, Adult Education and Gender and Development which sees satisfaction on the rights of
people, makes human life equally treated, considers the fundamental right of every people to life,
freedom, and the necessities of life, and aims to promote a decent life in terms of education,
employment, and health care. The theme on Option for the Poor is aligned with Poverty Alleviation,
Indigenous Peoples, and Nutrition and Health Development which is the basic moral test of a society,
rejects the idea of class struggle, and supports the economic and basic needs of the community
through livelihood programs. The themes on the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers are aligned
with Justice and Human Rights and Poverty Alleviation which emphasizes the dignity in work, the
presence of God in human labor, the participation of humanity in creation and help realize God’s plan
on Earth. In the Laborem Exercens of Saint John Paul II, On Human work, he claimed that work is a
good thing, it does not only transform nature but achieves fulfillment as human being- to become more
a human being. The theme on solidarity is aligned with Indigenous Peoples and Interreligious
Dialogue, and Peace and Life Education which settles indifferences and recognizes oneness in
humanity despite diversity of races, ethnicity, religion, gender, economic and political status. The

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theme on Care for God’s Creation is aligned with Integrity of Creation which empowers stewardship
rather than ownership, and states the moral obligation regarding the environment.
CECA advocacies align its programs and activities to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. University of Saint Louis, through CECA advocacies, gives its support to the (17)
seventeen Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) by providing possible programs that aim for
peaceful and prosperous human world necessary at present and towards the future. Through this
aim, each advocacy per department encourages their members to instill their missionary character as
Louisians to be part of solving global issues and concerns regarding the planet, people and society. As
one Louisian community, we can truly achieve a possible sustainable outcome.
The University of Saint Louis as a higher educational institution brings to bear in its extension programs
its expertise in instruction and research. The University through the Community Engagement and
CICM Advocacies envisions developing socially aware, sensitive and responsive members of the
Louisian Community through active involvement in community engagement activities towards
community development.
BASICS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Concepts of a Community
The term community is derived from the old French word communite which means the same, and
which in turn, is derived from the Latin word communitas which means common, public, shared by
all or many. While we think of it as a people in a certain geographic location, the word can also refer
to any group sharing something in common. It also covers differences and shared interests that
transcend the boundaries of a place and unite people together (Bhattacharya, 2011).
Ross and Lappin (1967) refer to a community as an aggregation of families and individuals, settled
in a compact and contiguous geograp hical area, with significant elements of common life, as shown
by manners, customs, traditions, and mode of speech. Further, Minkler and Wallerstein (1997)
define community by describing the social and political networks that link individuals, community
organizations, and leaders.
Types of Communities:
Formal Communities- engage in joint activities and discussion, help each other, and share
information with each other; they care about their standing with each other.
Examples: Ecovillages, Co-housing communities, Co-ops communities, and Religious communities
Informal Communities- consists of a set of personal relations, social networks, common interest and
emotional sources of motivation.
Examples: Academic communities, Recreation communities and Retirement communities

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Urban Communities- large in terms of land area & population, advanced in science & technology,
with favorable physical environment and & diverse cultures, and the people are engaged in various
occupations.
Characteristics of urban communities:

1. Advancement in science and technology, many business establishments, recreational centers,
educational and religious institutions, people are crowded, social heterogeneity, class extremes
and greater pollution;
2. Many crimes are committed, Family ties tend to be weak, Limited space, Greater impersonality
among neighbors, Higher standard of living, Shortage of employment, Informal settlers are
rampant;
3. A lot of hazards and dangers, Greater number of separation of spouses and live- in
arrangements, Major occupations are industrial, administrative and professional, Divisions of
labor and occupational specialization are very much common
Rural Communities- usually produce their own food for subsistence

Characteristics of rural communities:
1. Greater personal interaction, Deep, long-term relationships , Generally, peace and order exists,
Mutual give and take affairs, Emphasis of shared values, Vernacular is usually spoken, Wider
area;
2. Influence of blood relationships in decision making, Homogenous type of culture, Belief in
supernatural and superstitious beliefs, Relationship is more personal and informal, Less
pollution, Few establishments and institutions, Few goods and services
Global Communities- it is the international aggregate of nation-states. Global communities or what
we refer to as the “World Community” they have common point of view towards issues of human rights,
global warming and climate change, peace and order, socio-economic conditions as well as disputed
issues such as territorial conflict.
Sectoral Communities- this include the voluntary sector or non-profit sector. The Voluntary, non-
profit and non-governmental sectors, also called third sector (in contrast to public and private sector),
NGOs: Non-governmental organizations
Social Space Communities- based on social spaces:
1. A social space is a physical or virtual space:
2. Physical: social center, gathering place, town squares, parks, pubs, shopping malls;
3. Virtual: online social media, websites.

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4. Characteristics of social spaces- People gather at information grounds for a primary purpose
other than information sharing, Attended by different social types, Social interaction is a primary
activity, Information occurs in many directions, Information is used in alternative ways, many
sub-contexts exist; together they form grand context.
Jones (1979) provides a summary of the elements that make up a community:
1. Physical Aspects – the physical presence of the community such as its topography, size,
location, and climate
2. Infrastructure – road, transportation, landline or mobile connection, internet availability

3. Institutions – different establishments that influence and are utilized by the members of the
community (e.g. church, schools, hospitals, etc.)
4. Demographics – age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, educational background, number of
people in the household, marital status, income
5. Source of Living – industries that exist in the community; thus, serve as the basis of
sustenance of the people therein
6. Patterns of Settlement – depends on which types the community belongs in: (a) urban
community or that in which space is used to build infrastructures rather than for vegetation; (b)
rural community or those areas used for agriculture and domestication of animals; (c) suburban
community or those mix-used or residential spaces located at the borders of the city or within
a few distances from the city; and (d) rurban community or housing settlements where most
marginalized people live
7. History – defined in two ways: (a) long term, which speaks about community traditions,
practices, traits; (b) recent history provides us with valuable information or conflicts and
factions, as well as past and current relationships among key people and groups
8. Leadership and Management – consists of those who are elected or appointed and those
who are recognized and trusted for their proven integrity, courage, and/or concern for others
and the good of the community
9. Culture – refers to the spoken and unspoken rules and traditions being implemented in the
community; this could also pertain to the attitudes and values displayed by the people.
10. Organizations – refers to the array of groups and organizations in which the people in the
community find themselves a part of.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Community engagement veers away from the one-way transfer of knowledge, expertise, and service
towards the collaboration between or among institutions of higher education and their larger

Tuguegarao City
communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge
and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity (Driscoll, 2009)
Four Elements of Community Engagement:

1. Collaboration means that HEIs and communities are expected to work together in order to
achieve or do something on what they have agreed upon.
2. Mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources means that HEIs are not the only
entities that transmit knowledge and resources for the benefit of communities, but communities
also transmit their local knowledge and resources for the benefit of HEIs.
3. Partnership is the collaboration between HEIs and communities require a formal agreement
solidifying their commitment to work together on equal footing with each other.
4. Reciprocity refers to the recognition, respect, and valuing of the knowledge, perspective, and
resources that each partner contributes to the collaboration.
Three Basic Components:
Service-Learning Program. This is a teaching-learning strategy that integrates meaningful
community service with instruction and reflection to boost learners’ learning experience, teach active
citizenship, and empower individuals and communities. This is a credit community development
program integrated in the course syllabi that permits students build character and become active
participants and they work with others in their school and community to create service projects in areas
related to their course/field of specialization.
Outreach Program. Activities falling under these are theoretically unconsidered as extension
programs, as they generally involve one-time and immediate need assistance to victims of disasters,
calamities and other insistent needs in the community. Nonetheless, the University considers it as its
civic duty to mobilize its stakeholders to respond to such emergency cases when they arise. Towards
this, it shall implement well-coordinated and systematic initiatives that are well within the means of the
University and its stakeholders. Outreach initiatives come in broad form:
• Regular Outreach. This type of outreach falls outside disaster preparedness, response,
rehabilitation, and mitigation services. Instead, it caters to other pressing needs of the
community. This type shall be organized only if the specialization of the
school/department/student organization does not in any way relate to disaster risk reduction
and emergency management.
Extension Program. Higher education institutions are mandated to render extension service hand in
hand with instruction, research, and production. This is in recognition of the vital role colleges and
universities play in the development of communities, especially the underserved and the depressed.
It is envisioned that the people of the community, the main focus of the University’s extension services
program, can be uplifted from helplessness to self–reliance, from ignorance to increased awareness,
from indifference to positive involvement, and from aimlessness to commitment.

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Principles of Community Engagement:

Community engagement is fundamentally anchored on the principles of Community Development and
Community Organizing. The International Association for Community Development (IACD) (2016)
defines Community Development as a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that
promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality,
and social justice, through the organization, education and empowerment of people within their
communities, whether these be of locality, identity or interest, in urban and rural settings. As shown in
the figure below, the principles of Community Development are divided into four levels (Abenir, 2011):
Core Level: this includes the principles of empowerment, participation, and collective action.
• Empowerment: enabling communities to increase control over their lives.
• Participation: involvement of people in a community in projects to solve their own problems.
• Collective Action: involving the community to voluntarily engage in a common action to pursue
a shared interest.

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Meso Level: this includes the principles of local governance, gender awareness, and sustainability.
• Local Governance: public management of community affairs by the people belonging in the
concerned locality through taking part in decision making that would ultimately respond more
proactively to their concerns.
• Gender Awareness: enabling the community to understand the traditional gender roles of men
and women and how this has affected women’s needs in comparison to the needs of men.
• Sustainability: communities are empowered to promote sustainable living, that is, the practice
of reducing demand for natural resources by making sure that people replace what they use to
the best of their ability.
Macro Level: this includes the principles of state and society synergy, gender responsiveness, and
disaster risk resilience.
• State and Society Synergy: communities and state agencies need each other – strong
government bureaucracies are beneficial to communities, while organized communities with
high levels of social capital is an advantage for government bureaucracies.
• Gender Responsiveness: enhancing the abilities of women and men in the community to
contribute to and benefit from development by ending violence and discrimination to women
and girls.
• Disaster Risk Resilience: the sustained ability of communities to withstand, adapt to, and
recover from hazards, shocks, or stresses without compromising long-term prospects for
development.
Transcendental Level: this includes the principle of spirituality.
• Spirituality: refers to enhancing the qualities that inspire people in the community to do what
is right and good – for themselves and for others – by drawing on the resources of their religious
faith and on an idea of being fully human.
SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Definitions:
- Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service
with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and
strengthen communities (Billig & Eyler, 2003).
- a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as
students. Seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for
themselves. In the process, students link personal and social development with academic and
cognitive development . . . experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to more effective
action (Giles Jr., 1999).

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Types of Service-Learning (Pattaguan, 2021):

Direct Service Learning: person-to-person, face-to-face service projects in which the students’
service directly impacts individuals who receive the service from the students.
Examples:
• Tutoring other students and adults
• Conducting art/music/dance lessons for youth
• Giving presentations on violence and drugn prevention, COVID 19 updates

• Helping in a homeless shelter, jail, barangay halls
• Creating life reviews for patients.

Indirect Service Learning: working on broad issues, environments projects or community
development-projects that have clear benefit to the community or environment, but not necessarily to
individually identified people with whom students are working:
Examples:
• Compiling a town history
• Restoring historic structures or building low-income housing

• Removing invasive plants and restoring ecosystems in preserve areas for public use.
Research-based Service Learning: gathering and presenting information on areas of interest and
need-projects that find, gather and report information that is needed.
Examples:
• Writing a guide on available community services and translating it into Spanish and other
languages of new residents.
• Conducting longitudinal studies of local bodies of water; water testing for local residents;
• Gathering information and creating brochures or videos for non-profit or government agencies
• Mapping state lands and monitoring flora and fauna

Advocacy Service Learning: educating others about topics of interest-projects that aims to create
awareness and action on some issue that impacts the community.
Examples:
• Planning and putting on public forums on topics of interest in the community
• Conducting public information campaigns on topics of interest or local needs

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• Working with elected officials to draft legislation to improve communities
Why should students be engaged in service-learning?
• Service-learning, when connected to a learning objective, designed, carried out, and

reflected upon meets a few really awesome goals.
• Students get practice in applying and experiencing concepts to real-life situations through a
creative process
• A Community need is met or effort is made towards a service or solution that makes life better
in some way
• Service develops character
• Practice helps students gain natural curiosity to know and do more,
• It strengthens relationships within a community.
Benefits of Service-Learning to Students

Learning Outcomes
-Positive impact on student's academic learning

-Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”
- Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem
analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development
- Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes
- Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development
- Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build
leadership and communication skills
Social Outcomes
- Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding
- Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills
- Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development
- Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities

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- Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity
Relationship with the Institution
- Stronger relationships with faculty
- Greater satisfaction with college

- Improved graduation rates

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MODULE 2: COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM

Topics: a. Community Service
b. Strategies in Working with communities
c. Service Learning
Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. Explain the importance of community service;

2. Identify the challenges in working with the communities;
3. Identify the characteristics and ways of doing service learning;
4. Formulate a strategy to be implemented while working with the community/locality;
LEARNING CONTENT
Community pantry: ‘Not charity,

but mutual aid’
By: Nikka G. Valenzuela - Reporter / @NikkaINQ Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:00 AM April 18, 2021

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People line up to get free food supplies at the Maginhawa community pantry in Quezon City on Saturday,
April 17, 2021, after the project went viral this week as more people donate food stock on a small shelf
where underprivileged people can access it but are told to only get what they need.
INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The Maginhawa Community Pantry is not just a small bamboo cart
containing fresh produce and other food, but a powerful idea that has come out during this time
of sweeping pandemic when many Filipinos don’t have the means to feed themselves and their
families.
It is no wonder that in just four days, the idea had spread far and wide. From Maginhawa Street
in Teachers Village in Quezon City, the community pantry has been replicated in Sikatuna Village
also in Quezon City and all the way to Sampaloc, Manila, to as far as Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
The community pantries that had sprung up in various neighborhoods all go by the original
Maginhawa tenet of “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan,” or
“Give whatever you can, take only what you need.”
The idea is simple enough. People drop off whatever food they could donate — fresh
vegetables, sweet potatoes, canned goods, etc. — at a central location in the community and
those who can’t afford to buy their own only have to line up to get what they need for free.
The community effort works as simply as its core principle: Everyone is free to donate as much
as he can, but no one should get more than what he needs.

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The Maginhawa pantry is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is restocked throughout the day, either
by donors or by Ana Patricia Non, the young entrepreneur who started it.
Around 3,000 served

In less than a week, the pantry served around 3,000 individuals. Ordinary folks have gone to
Maginhawa, a street famous for its holes-in-the wall, to help sustain the cart. In other parts of
the metro, as well as in the provinces, ordinary citizens have set up similar pantries on tables or
just plain cardboard boxes.
“This is not a charity. This is like a mutual aid. We’re all helping each other,” Non told the
Inquirer in an interview on Saturday.
Shortly after the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was “modified” in Metro
Manila and surrounding provinces, Non scouted for a place where she could set up a pantry
where people were free to give and take food.
The 26-year-old furniture business owner said she was concerned for the poor like the jeepney
drivers and vendors who were struggling under quarantine restrictions and finding it hard to feed
their families during the two-week ECQ.
Her own small shop that makes chairs had suffered a two-month slump due to a localized
lockdown and the recent ECQ.
When she got permission to use the sidewalk in front of 96 Maginhawa Street, she brought a
bamboo cart with some grocery items she had bought, plus the “ayuda” she had received and
opened the pantry on April 14.
She posted what she did on social media and immediately received remarkable responses and
praises.
‘Acts of resistance’
According to sociologist Athena Charanne Presto, a community pantry is the ordinary citizen’s
way of taking action in the face of a crisis.
“Community pantries can be seen as acts of resistance against three things: first, against a
government that fails to adequately address citizens’ needs; second, against a biased and
discriminatory view of the poor as selfish and greedy; and third, against aid initiatives from
institutions that are difficult to trust,” said Presto, who teaches at the University of the
Philippines.
Presto said the community pantry is also another form of collective response by the people
when institutions fall short in providing aid.

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But what is important to point out in the Maginhawa community effort is that many of its
supporters are not from rich households, she said.
There were farmers who donated a sack of sweet potatoes all the way from Paniqui, Tarlac, and
tricycle drivers who volunteered to repack donated rice.
“It goes beyond the mainstream and elitist notion that in donation drives, only the rich provide for
the poor,” she said.
Built on trust
The pantry system is built on trust, and Non believes that people will only take what they need
and will be patient enough to stand in line to get it.
“I think that we should integrate with basic masses so that we can get to know them, so it can
dispel our preconception that they are greedy (let’s focus on those who are truly self-serving and
those who owe the citizenry),” Non said on Facebook in response to concerns that some of the
poor would take advantage of the free food and get more than what they need.
She said she saw a homeless man who took only two oranges from the cart despite
encouragement from other people to get more. The man told them: “This is all I’m going to eat.”
Two street sweepers who each got one head of cabbage said that was just enough for a sauté
for their families.
Non observed that some had taken more than what they appear to need, but she withheld
judgment.
Temporary solution
“Maybe we are not in the right position to judge others when we can afford to eat three times a
day. Our struggles and privileges may be different. It’s possible that [the person taking more
goods] has a big family, or he lost his job, or he doesn’t know where to get their next meal,” she
said.
Non said that she’s happy with how her efforts had been appreciated and adopted, and with
how people in communities were uniting to help each other.
At the same time, she was sad that such community pantries had to be established in the first
place. They are sprouting in other areas because many people are going hungry and need help
to get food, she said.
“This community pantry is only a temporary solution for empty stomachs. Food security,
services, those are different things and normal citizens do not have the budget to initiate those
big projects,” Non said.

Tuguegarao City
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the community pantry was “laudable” and showed
that Filipinos could band together during a crisis.
“It exemplifies the Filipino ‘bayanihan’ spirit during this challenging time of COVID-19,” Roque
said in a statement.
“As we have said in numerous occasions, we cannot defeat the COVID-19 pandemic alone. We
need the support and cooperation of everyone,” he said.
Roque said the government was giving P1,000 cash assistance each to 22.9 million low-income
earners affected by the ECQ in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
Some government critics see the emergence of community pantries as an indication of

inadequate government assistance during the pandemic.
Non noted that some cities and villages have set up community pantries and asked for
donations. She discourages that as local governments have money to allocate for the food
security of their constituents.
“If people shoulder [the cost of] these projects, that would be redundant because we already
shoulder the taxes,” she said.
‘Wake-up call’
Non said that the growing number of community pantries was a “wake-up call” that is telling the
government about the people’s great need for aid.
The community pantry has been open for less than a week, and Non said that the bamboo cart
on Maginhawa Street would stay there as long as there was some food to spare, and someone
was in need.
“It can be there every day. Maybe it won’t contain anything for a day, but on the next day, it may
have a lot. As long as we have extra food in our homes, I know where I can place that extra food
and I know someone who needs it can take it,” she said.
—WITH A REPORT FROM LEILA B. SALAVERRIA
Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1420463/community-pantry-not-charity-but-mutual-

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Tuguegarao City
WHAT IS COMMUNITY SERVICE?

Community service is any kind of work done either by a person or a group of people with the
objective to benefit others. Typically, this kind of work is done on a volunteer basis, which means there
is no monetary outcome. You are basically volunteering your time and effort to help. There are many
different ways to help your community, focusing on a various area — children, animals, senior citizens,
people with disabilities and the environment are a few examples. Usually, such work is organized by
a local group, like a school or non-profit. However, you may start your own community service group
and take on projects of your choice.
The Need for Participation in Community Service
There are number of reasons as to why one should engage in activities that positively benefit
the community. Most students are required to put in a few hours of community service organized by
their school or college as a graduation requirement. In some countries, community service is court
mandated — you have to complete a certain number of hours ordered by a judge.
There are other reasons to participate in community service other than being required, or
forced, to do so. Indeed, volunteering does have numerous personal benefits too. Here are some of
the reasons, apart from benefiting the community, why one should consider engaging in community
service:
1. Helps you develop a richer perspective of the world

2. Develop an increased sense of social responsibility
3. Often results in psychological and emotional growth
4. Improves lifelong communication, interpersonal and critical thinking skills
5. Helps students find their passion and interests that could potentially lead career choices they
may have failed to consider otherwise
6. Can help strengthen college applications and resume
7. Can be a great way to meet new people and make friends
8. Provides you with an opportunity to gain work experience
9. Allows you to quickly step up to leadership positions within organizations
10. Provides an opportunity to apply academic learning to real life events
The opportunity to see, first-hand, how your work can benefit someone is very important.
Moreover, expanding our worldview by looking beyond what most us of frequently taken for granted
leaves a lasting mark on an individual. Finally, interacting with people who have vastly different
backgrounds teaches us patience and empathy as you develop a global perspective.

Tuguegarao City
The following elements have been identified as important aspects of programs that aim to build
stronger communities:
1. Connecting the social, cultural, environmental and economics spheres in the community.
2. Improving the quality of life of community populations and gaining mutual benefit among
community members.
3. Creating opportunities and encouraging community members to participate in community
activities, from employment to social events to civic duties.
4. Empowering communities, helping them to take advantage of opportunities and to take
shared responsibility for their wellbeing.
5. Recognizing the diversity of interests within a community and how that may affect capacity
building.
6. Engaging people from the community, government, and private sectors to work together to
address community issues, solve problems in their community and achieve common goals.
Tips for working together and increasing productivity
1. Set goals and monitor your performance. Make sure you define realistic goals and
decide how you will measure the outcome and your success.
2. Create effective plans for reaching those goals. Now that you know what to accomplish,
you need to identify the steps you need to take to achieve the goal, dedicate tasks
according to skills, and manage time wisely.
3. Communicate clearly. Every team member should keep others updated on their
progress. Clear and straightforward communication leads to more productivity.

Tuguegarao City
4. Solve problems together. The team

needs to work together
to solve unexpected problems.
Addressing conflict before it becomes a
more significant problem is also important.
5. Be open. Teams need to be honest with
each other. There is a willingness to listen
to others and to work through stressful
situations constructively.
6. Respect individuality. Remember that
each group is composed of different skills
and personalities. Understanding what
each person can bring to the table is critical to success.
How to Positively Benefit Your Community as a Student
One very effective way for you to benefit and improve your community greatly is through
community service. In the process, community service will also help you acquire skills and knowledge,
and gain essential experience that you can include on your resume. Although the sole purpose of
benefiting your community positively shouldn’t be an updated resume. Engaging in community service
as a student helps you become an active part of your community, which will certainly serve to make a
positive impact. Some of the skills you are likely to gain through social work include:
1. Leadership
What is leadership, anyway? Can you see yourself more of a leader or as a follower? The
following are definitions of the three well known personalities on leadership.
Warren Bennis: "Leadership is the capacity to

translate vision into reality.”
Bill Gates: "As we look ahead into the next century,

leaders will be those who empower others."
John Maxwell: "Leadership is influence - nothing

more, nothing less."
Leadership is a process of social influence, which

maximizes the efforts of others, towards the
achievement of a goal (Kruse, 2013)

Tuguegarao City
2. Problem-solving
Are you a problem solver or the problem itself?

It is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing,
and solving problems. A problem solver focuses on the
possible solutions and strategies on how to handle such,
that eventually leads to personal growth and maturation.
3. Collaboration with others
Collaboration means to work with another person or group

in order to achieve or do something. It means application
of what was conceived in the mind during the planning
stage and performing the expected outputs.
4. Time management
Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between
specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that
you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Failing to manage
your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.
Below is a good reminder on how to manage your time wisely.

Tuguegarao City
5. Communication
Communication is the act of giving, receiving, and sharing information -- in other words, talking or
writing, and listening or reading. Good communicators listen carefully, speak or write clearly, and
respect different opinions.
THINGS TO PONDER
If you want to be more relevant to a community you already engage, there are a few questions
you should ask yourself. Answering these questions will help you figure out what you feel most
passionate towards. It is important to compare tasks based on their perceived importance. Recall the
quote above, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
1. What do you already know about the people within it?

Tuguegarao City
2. Do you know how connected people feel to each other?

3. Are there identifiable leaders or representatives you can talk with about their shared
issues, goals, and dreams?
4. Who and/or what are you passionate about?
5. Is there a particular activity you enjoy doing that you could do to help in some way? Like,
baking or drawing.
6. Do you want a long-term activity, something that you can do
for short amount of time or a one-time activity?
7. Why do you want to do this?
8. What is the impact you would like to have?
9. If your impact is quantifiable — an “amount raised” for
instance — what is your goal?
10. What do you wish to learn?
After assessing, then you may start tapping people to help you materialized your goal. Present
to them the objectives of your project, involve them in the planning up to the decision making
processes, so they may feel that they are really into it.
Ideas on How to Benefit the Community:
1. Pick up some trash. Head out and spend a few hours beautifying your surroundings.
Start small in your own neighborhood
2. Start a violence protection group in your community
3. Participate in a charity walk or run
4. Host an Earth Day event
5. Create and distribute a list of hotlines for people who might need help
6. Teach a home-alone safety class for children
7. Gather a group of friends or talk to one of the on-campus clubs to package meals for the
homeless in the surrounding city
8. At the end of the semester, create a textbook donation drive so students can donate
used textbooks to redistribute to low-income students for free
9. Create a summer reading program
10. Teach classes for a skill you have

Tuguegarao City
Challenges of community engagement
1. Attitudes and expectations: There may be a feeling in the community that they cannot
provide constructive input, won’t be taken seriously or cannot influence the decisionmaking
process. It may be difficult for them to contribute skills, resources and time because of
geographic or cultural barriers.
2. Characteristics of urban communities: Close communities are common in rural areas.

In urban areas, the members of the community may not know each other, so communities
may be more fragmented. Urban communities are very mixed, with diverse backgrounds
and needs that can make it difficult to accommodate different people’s interests.
Communicating technical information in an understandable manner is also made more
difficult if local residents speak different languages or have conflicting priorities.
3. Commitment to the future: Higher levels of community engagement continue beyond the
initial planning stage to project management and maintenance. This requires a continuing
commitment from all stakeholders. Preparing plans for the future and identifying possible
challenges that may arise can help with preparations to avoid them and should improve
sustainability of the project.

Tuguegarao City
SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM
Students “serve to learn” and “learn to serve”

Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community
service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and
strengthen communities (Billig & Eyler, 2003). It is a form of experiential education where learning
occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students. It seeks to achieve real objectives for the
community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. In the process, students link personal
and social development with academic and cognitive development experience enhances
understanding; understanding leads to more effective action (Giles Jr., 1999).
How is service-learning different from community engagement?

Community engagement is a process by which an individual or an organization participates
in meaningful and collaborative relationships with a community to address socio-political-
economiccultural issues to develop awareness and critical consciousness towards contributing to
social and structural transformation. Service-learning is just one form of community engagement.
Servicelearning is a course requirement for students while community engagement is for faculty or
group of faculty participating in community activity. Below matrix is an illustration of its similarities and
differences.
Service-Learning Community Engagement
Main Participant Students Faculty or Organization

Type of Program Curricular Co-curricular
Nature Course Requirement & Credit-bearing extension of Academic
Functions
Focus Service & Learning Service
Purpose Address community needs utilizing Address community needs
students' talents and skills using the faculty's talents,
skills, and expertise
What is the goal of service-learning?

The primary goal of service-learning is to provide service to the less privileged community
and, equally, enhance student learning through rendering service.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-LEARNING
Students can learn about environmental and social issues in a real-world setting by
incorporating service-learning into the curriculum. A successful service-learning project entails

Tuguegarao City
students applying their knowledge and talents to create a positive impact in their communities. There
are six crucial characteristics that contribute to successful service-learning (SL):
1. Meaningful Service- Make sure your idea meets a real-world need in the community.
2. Curriculum Connections- Connecting academic information to practical tasks allows
students to learn by doing.
3. Student Leadership- Assist students in taking ownership of the project through student
leadership.
4. Reflection- Make sense of SL experience through reflection.
5. Community Involvement- Involve people from all walks of life.
6. Demonstration and Celebration: Tell people about the SL experience.
Meaningful Service
Meaningful service fills a void in the community. Devising a strategy to plant trees and other
native flora in order to counteract soil erosion, construct wind barriers, give wildlife habitat, and provide
shade for residents is an example of a service of importance. SL is meaningful when- 1. The service
responds to an actual community need that is recognized by the community.
2. The service is age-appropriate and well organized.
3. The service is designed to achieve significant benefits for students and the community.
Curriculum Connections
Educators must make a clear distinction between community involvement and service-
learning. When young people participate in service-learning, they do more than just show up at a soup
kitchen or a park and serve food or clean up. It all starts with research and preparation for the specific
problem or situation that the service experience will address, which should ideally be related to the
academic subject matter being studied. This promotes integrated learning; hence, the following.
1. The service-learning project substantiates the course content.
2. The course content guides the service-learning program.
3. The course objectives and competencies were met by the service-learning program.
4. The service-learning project provides an avenue for the development of life skills.
5. Life skills learned outside the classroom are integrated back into classroom learning.
Student Leadership
Allow students to take on leadership roles from the start and engage in (nearly) every aspect
of the project. For instance, students will look for funding to support their SL. Students will work
together to create a difference in their neighborhood, alongside school leaders and community
partners. They will communicate effectively, have a strong work ethic, and make good use of their
resources. SL intensifies students' voice; thus-
1. Students take roles and tasks that are appropriate to their age, subject, and course.
2. Students participate actively in planning the service-learning activity.
3. Students are involved actively in planning and implementing the reflection sessions,
evaluation, and success of the activity.
Reflection
Reflection is commonly acknowledged as a hallmark of high-quality service-learning.

Tuguegarao City
Reflection is guided, can occur in a variety of modalities, is often shared, and entails recalling
components of the service experience. It should also connect those experiences to previous events,
beliefs, and learning, as well as ask questions and solve issues, as well as examine the meaning of
involvement. Students who take the time to reflect on their service-learning activities will gain a greater
benefit from them. Below are the two key characteristics of SL reflection.
1. Reflection establishes connections between students' service experiences and the
academic curriculum.
2. Reflection occurs before, during, and after the service-learning project.
Community Involvement
Involving and partnering with the local community directly not only encourages community
members to help with the project but also guarantees that the ultimate result meets actual community
requirements. There has to be collaboration among stakeholders for a successful SL.
The following are key features of SL where the community is involved.
1. The service-learning program is a collaboration of potential partners which may include
students, parents, community-based organizations, local businesses, public libraries,
school administrators, teachers, and recipients of service.
2. All partners benefit from the project and contribute to its planning and implementation.
3. All partners contribute to the planning and implementation of the project.
Demonstration & Celebration

Demonstrations and celebrations should always be included in service learning so that
participants can share their experiences with others. Students' learning is deepened as they prepare
to share with others. The following are learnings deepened through SL.
1. Adapting varied roles and responsibilities.
2. Working effectively in a climate of doubt and changing priorities.
3. Monitoring one’s understanding and learning needs.
4. Defining, prioritizing, and completing tasks without direct oversight.
5. Utilizing the time for the service-learning activity efficiently.
6. Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process.
7. Working appropriately and productively with others.
8. Using different perspectives to increase innovation and quality of work.
9. Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time.
10. Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g. being punctual and reliable).
11. Using one’s interpersonal and problem- solving skills to influence and guide others in
attainment of the goals of Service-Learning Activity.
12. Learning to care for others and contribute to the community.
13. Understanding how one’s actions could impact the community.

Tuguegarao City
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what

we give.”
~Winston Churchill


University of Saint Louis: CICM-Philippines Missionary Priorities

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UNIVERSITY of SAINT LOUIS

THE CICM-PHILIPPINES AND ITS MISSIONARY PRIORITIES

CICM-Philippines Missionary Priorities

Special and Sectorial Ministries – The Abandoned

National Service Training Program | 1

THE USL-CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CICM ADVOCACIES

National Service Training Program | 2

Goals and Objectives

National Service Training Program | 3

National Service Training Program | 4

National Service Training Program | 5

BASICS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Examples: Academic communities, Recreation communities and Retirement communities

National Service Training Program | 6

Characteristics of urban communities:

Rural Communities- usually produce their own food for subsistence

3. Virtual: online social media, websites.

National Service Training Program | 7

2. Infrastructure – road, transportation, landline or mobile connection, internet availability

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

National Service Training Program | 8

Four Elements of Community Engagement:

National Service Training Program | 9

Principles of Community Engagement:

• Empowerment: enabling communities to increase control over their lives.

• Participation: involvement of people in a community in projects to solve their own problems.

National Service Training Program | 10

SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

National Service Training Program | 11

Types of Service-Learning (Pattaguan, 2021):

• Tutoring other students and adults

• Conducting art/music/dance lessons for youth

• Giving presentations on violence and drugn prevention, COVID 19 updates

• Creating life reviews for patients.

• Restoring historic structures or building low-income housing

• Mapping state lands and monitoring flora and fauna

• Planning and putting on public forums on topics of interest in the community

• Conducting public information campaigns on topics of interest or local needs

National Service Training Program | 12

• Working with elected officials to draft legislation to improve communities

Why should students be engaged in service-learning?

• Service-learning, when connected to a learning objective, designed, carried out, and

• Practice helps students gain natural curiosity to know and do more,

• It strengthens relationships within a community.

Benefits of Service-Learning to Students

-Positive impact on student's academic learning

- Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

- Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills

- Greater involvement in community service after graduation

National Service Training Program | 13

- Stronger relationships with faculty

- Greater satisfaction with college

National Service Training Program | 14

MODULE 2: COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM

1. Explain the importance of community service;

Community pantry: ‘Not charity,

National Service Training Program | 15

National Service Training Program | 16

Around 3,000 served

National Service Training Program | 17

National Service Training Program | 18

Some government critics see the emergence of community pantries as an indication of

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1420463/community-pantry-not-charity-but-mutual-