Pagsisilbing Liwanag: Pagpupugay sa ika-50 taon ng hamon ni Fr. Arrupe na maging ‘tao para sa kapwa’ at ang kahulugan nito sa pamumuno ng mga mag-aaral

This speech was delivered by Tristan Joseph Alcantara, Sanggunian President 2022-2023 and Class Valedictorian 2023 at Hinirang: The SOAR Recognition Gala and New Student Leaders Induction last 21 June 2023.

Ngayong taong to, pinalad tayo na ipagdiwang ang ika-limampung taong anibersaryo ng hamon ni Padre Pedro Arrupe na maging tao para sa kapwa. Tila sa ating pananatili sa Ateneo ay paulit-ulit na lamang nating naririnig itong panawagan na ito sa ating mga klase at sa iba’t iba pang aktibidad. At sa nagdaang taon, mas lumago ang panawagan sa atin: hindi lamang tao para sa kapwa kundi tao para sa at kasama ng kapwa (persons for and with others). It is important to remember, more than being called to serve others—the poor, marginalized and the oppressed, we are also called to be their companions. Not to save them, but to stand and walk in solidarity with them. Not to consider them as mere beneficiaries of our generosity, but as partners and collaborators in reimagining and rebuilding our world to be more just, compassionate and inclusive.

We are fortunate that in the Ateneo, we are given opportunities, in the form of our student organizations and groups, to live out this mission. Through our various advocacies and through our engagement with our partner communities, we have tried to the best of our abilities to respond to the call of our times. Kahit pa nagkaroon ng pandemya at napilitan tayong lumipat sa online, marami sa ating mga organisasyon ang nagtulong-tulong, naging malikhain, hindi nakalimutan ang kanilang mga miyembro, at patuloy na gumawa ng paraan upang makapaglingkod. Ginawa natin ito kahit mahirap, kahit alam nating tayo mismo ay may pinagdaraanang sariling mga problema. One of our formators once told me, when people who struggle continue to help you in spite of their own struggles, that is love. And yes, even when the end seems to be out of sight, and only glimpses of light are shining through the cracks in this darkness, we all still chose to love. And to love does not mean we have to be a perfect leader or organization. It does not mean we are able to transition all of our projects effectively from onsite to online and back to onsite again. To love means to continue despite our struggles. Love brings forth some hope that all of these will pass, but only when we muster the courage to confront them.

It might be bittersweet to think about it, but I believe we were made for these times. 

To my fellow outgoing student leaders, it has been an honor to serve with all of you. Hindi madali ang mga pinagdaanan nating lahat. To be an org leader itself is already difficult, what more to be an org leader tasked to reimagine how our organizations will proceed after the pandemic? But finally, we are here, and we have overcome the sleepless nights, the unending stress, and all the other problems that we faced. We have overcome because we chose to believe that when we are given a chance to serve, it is worth all the hardships. I also know that a lot of us are feeling burnt out right now, pero hindi naman ibig sabihin na dahil napapagod tayo ay tumitigil tayong magmahal. To my fellow outgoing student leaders, we can take our well-deserved rest very soon. Congratulations to us!

To the incoming organization leaders, tandaan niyo po, pwedeng mapagod at kailangang magpahinga. The call to be persons for and with others is a call rooted in an understanding that we are like others, and that our lives are interconnected. Tao rin kayo at mayroong mga limitasyon. But I trust in your commitment and determination, that despite the limitations, your hearts are all in the right places. The next school year and even the other school years to come will be more challenging but know that you are not alone. You have your fellow student leaders, your formators and moderators, and the whole Ateneo community believing in you. Your role is an important one, and yes, it is a difficult one, but you have chosen to continue the fight started by those who believed we deserve a better and more loving future.

To our parents and families, ito po ang dahilan kung bakit kami napupuyat, kung bakit minsan late nakakauwi, kung bakit kami nastrestress. But despite all of these, we hope that you are proud. You have raised children that do not only look out for themselves, but children who have dedicated their time, efforts, and talents to something greater than all of us. You have brought us into this world wanting the best for us. You protected us because you did not want us to be harmed or in danger. But please continue to support and place your trust in us. Huwag po kayong mag-alala, kakayanin po namin ito.

Finally, as we once again relive the call of Fr. Arrupe from 50 years ago to be persons for and with others, itanong muli natin sa ating mga sarili kung bakit natin patuloy na pinipiling maglingkod sa kabila ng dilim at pait ng mundo. I hope that we choose to serve because we believe that our lives and liberation are all interconnected, and that, despite our differences, we all have the same dream of a better future for us and our families. We choose to serve because we are disturbed by the status quo—by the injustices and abuse our fellow Filipinos experience from those in power. We serve because there is a need to empower people to take a stand on issues that impact all of us in order to create a world that we can be proud of, a world that we deserve. We continue to serve, despite our limitations and the hardships along the way, because we believe that somehow and somewhere, there is still some good in this world, and it is worth fighting for.

Maraming salamat po sa ating lahat at mabuhay ang mga Hinirang!