The Big Picture Ahead

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For over a decade, our faculty and personnel newsletter Perspective tried to present the relevant aspects of the College to its members. It became a venue for communicating the vision of the people within it. It also chronicled events in DLS-CSB. Now as the College nears its 25th year, it is high time for a publication that mirrors the bigger and more diverse Benilde.

From

Perspective

to

Vantage Vantage describes a location where a comprehensive view of the horizon ahead is in sight. Depending on how strategic the location is, it can also present a good view of what is behind.

Vantage, as an official faculty and personnel magazine of DLS-CSB, aims to share articles that provide information on the directions, new policies and programs of the College. It hopes to help faculty and personnel see the bigger picture and how units can work together in achieving the College’s goals. Vantage will be filled with formative and informative write-ups, stories, and even tips, straight from the staff themselves.

Forums are also put up to inspire readers to exchange ideas, reach out to each other and discover their full potential as leaders and members of the Benildean-Lasallian family. V

Photos by Romeo Catap, CIC

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Dear Friends,

Message to the

Community

It is with much pleasure that I introduce you to Vantage, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s newest faculty and personnel publication.

Webster’s Dictionary’s definition of “vantage” as “a favorable position” or “a position allowing a clear view or understanding” provides the clue to what we hope our magazine will be: a publication that ushers us into a “favorable position,” enabling us to look ahead, to anticipate the future, and to get a clearer insight into what lies ahead. In other words, it should promote Benilde’s goal to be “at the forefront of innovative learning institutions serving diversely-gifted students and our neighboring communities.”

Allow me to use an image to describe what Vantage hopes to be. Remember the galleons of old that sailed from Acapulco to Manila and back? Perched on the mast high above those vessels was what was called a crow’s nest, where sailors could look far into the horizon and call out the joyful news that land was within reach. Well, if you picture DLS-CSB as a galleon, Vantage wants to function as its crow’s nest, looking joyfully towards the horizon of innovative service in search of ever-greater land for diversely-gifted students and our neighboring communities.

Let me carry the parallelism a bit further. Since galleons were already plying the seas when St. La Salle and the first Brothers began their educational mission, we could say that the “galleon” that is De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is determined to be lashed firmly to our Lasallian past, to our precious heritage, while looking with the creative eyes in the direction of a better future for our students, and through them, for our country.

In this maiden issue we explore a sampling of the community’s understanding of what that heritage means.

What, indeed, does it mean to be a Benildean-Lasallian today? It is a central topic that we will keep exploring in subsequent issues as well.

This first issue also features some of the key projects in support of the directions set for the coming school year.

The major directions for our academic programs are outlined in the article contributed by the unit headed by the ViceChancellor for Academics. For its part, our Lasallian Mission and Student Life unit describes the adult formation program that it has been developing. We also look forward to the College’s move from Microsoft Outlook to benilde.edu.ph as explained by the Finance and Administration unit.

After reading Vantage I hope that you will feel yourself standing at the crow’s nest, joyful in the knowledge of what lies ahead.

In Saints La Salle and Benilde, Br. Victor A. Franco FSC President and Chancellor

Photo by EverywhereWeShoot.com

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contents 5 Contributor’s Page

6 Viewpoints 8

14

The Inspiration for Easter

11 Photo Essay:

An Intense Benilde Week

Cover Illustration by Romeo Catap, CIC

12 Health & Wellness:

Survival in the Workplace

13 Practical Office Exercises

22 24

16 New Personnel 17 the

Change

New Meaning to PMS Of Domain Names, Riding Hoods and Wolves

Agent

the 26 Passing Password Standards

18

Twenty years of Deaf Education

20

Formation of Formators

vantage

27 Extraordinary: Rowena “Weng” Antonio

October-November 2011

STAFF BOX

Editor-at-Large: Br Victor A. Franco FSC Editor-in-Chief: Lormi L. Rio Executive Editor: Ayvi N. Cruz Managing Editor: Carrie M. de Guzman Associate Editor: Albert RJ O. Miranda

Art Director: Romeo M. Catap, Jr. Chief Photographer: Mike Ongchua Layout Artist: Arrianne Lea B. Caringal Section Editors: Ed Lorenzo Q. Valenciano, Giselle M. Montero

Staff Writers: Deirdre Joyce C. Dalawampu, Leo C. Cortes, Mateo R. Borbon, Jr., Maurice D. Cordero, Lori T. Capuno, Annelvie A. Pabitu Consultant: Adie C. Peña

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July 2011

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Photo by Mike Ongchua, ITD

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During the very first meeting of the Center for Institutional Communications with some faculty and personnel from the College who were being eyed as potential magazine staff writers, the group started with a very unusual prayer activity. Creative Services Office Head Ayvi Cruz read a passage about a woman describing the wonderment in seeing a bird take a seemingly fatal plunge, and at the last second, spreading its wings to take flight. She then asked us to write about a breath-taking experience that we might want to share with the group. And that time, in a case room in the Taft Campus, while we were sharing our experiences of amazement, we were praying.

When was the last time something took your breath away?

5:58 am Sunshine over treetops, over rooftops, over me A ray of light touches to greet the earth and a rainbow of colors bursts forth Cool morning air crisp and clean The quiet air hangs waiting for a breeze Such mornings are blessed to me Another day to be the Lord’s servant A beautiful day to face the world again.

Giselle Montero Center for Partnership and Development, SDEAS In the seminary that I assist in, there is a ledge with a vine that had been left unattended. Through the months, its growth had become so thick that the recreation room it was attached to had started to dim until it was accidentally cut down. Stems and leaves slowly withered and died turning from various shades of green to yellow to a crisp brown. In its wake was left glorious light and on the ledge, wonderful ornate designs of leaves and patterns of stems.

The contrast of sun bleached cement and a shadowed vine part was marvelous to behold. What beauty in nature’s art.

Thea Quintos Center for Lasallian Mission

As a preschooler at St. Theresa’s College-Manila, I had only half-day classes. After picking me up, my Dad and I sat at our dining table when there was a knock on the front door. The courier was looking for Maria Loretto M. Tagorio: me! He handed me a package containing a very special Valentine’s Day gift -- from my Dad! It was an ice cream cake, packed in dry ice.

That gift from my Dad has stayed etched in my heart through the years. But back then, it was the dry ice steaming in the basin that simply took my breath away.

Lori Capuno School of Multidisciplinary Studies Faculty On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, I was aghast to see on live TV the giant waves of the tsunami rushing through the shores of Natori, Miyagi prefecture in Japan. I watched with bated breath as the tsunami washed out everything in its path, including trees, buses and houses. I felt sad for all the people who were swamped by the rushing sea water. The brutality and the extensive damage the tsunami caused were horrifying. But I could not also help but feel awe and amazement at the sheer power of nature. This really made me pause and think of how puny we humans and our structures are in the face of nature’s wrath.

Leo Cortes Center for Social Action

Oct-Nov 2011

7 We’ve lost a child due to miscarriage. I try to understand and comprehend life and its enigma by being still and quiet, hoping to find a pattern, an answer, a clue.

Then a close friend lost their third baby. Stillbirth. It was devastating, my bosom buddy informed me. So I went to the hospital, to comfort, to console. The blind leading the blind.

What can you say to a man who has to bury his child? So I stood there silent.

A month later, he informed me that our childhood friend had also lost his child. His daughter was seven years old when she was hit by a tricycle, died a week later. We went to his child’s wake, to comfort, to console. The blind leading the blind. What can you say to a man who has to bury his child? So we stood there silent.

So there we were; three grown men, three strong men, three wise men, three enlightened men, silent as a rock.

Mateo Borbon, Jr. Information Technology Department What I saw that early morning was simple yet clear: in a split-second, the sun, rising in between buildings along Roxas Boulevard as seen a thousand meters or so inshore.

I know that this may be considered not so unusual since it’s probably seen everyday by many folks who get up before the sun rises, but I admit that it does not fail to remind me about the supreme intelligence behind our being. I can never seem to overuse the fact that our Creator, God, Himself would reveal tiny bits and pieces of his signature in -- where else, but in His creation!

While writing my piece, I was reminded of the realization that I can never deny Him being the source of breathtaking experiences even if I’m many times incapable of fully describing His greatness. In that particular time as my teammates and I continued in the cadence of our “power-longs” (a paddling term), a glimpse of God’s sovereignty was seen in that prompt yet majestic moment.

Michael Ongchua Information Technology Department Sometime early this year, I had the good fortune of visiting the shrine of the Regina Rosary in Tanay, Rizal. I was referred to a website and looking at the pictures, I was awed by the image of the Regina standing on a hill in all seventy feet of majesty.

Being a Marian devotee, I lost no time traveling to Tanay.

Arriving at the site after almost three hours of travel, it did not take long before I saw the back of the statue – and it confirmed my earlier expectation: it is really gigantic – the first statue (or monument) of this magnitude that I have encountered.

Against a setting sun, the silhouette of the Regina struck a regal and commanding presence. Gazing at its beautiful countenance, I quickly remembered a line I read that quoted a conversation between an Irish visionary and Mary: The visionary told Mother Mary that she should not be appearing to her because she is not a Catholic – and that she should appear to her sister, a Catholic, instead. To which Mary answered: “You must know that I am not Catholic either. I am a Jew. And I chose to appear to you because you are pure of heart. Remember this: I am the mother of all mankind.” That left a lump in my throat!

Ed Valenciano School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management Faculty

I worked in Australia as a dessert chef. The couple next to where I lived were in their 70’s or 80’s. Their names were Fred and Margaret. Margaret was too old to walk so she was bound to her wheelchair. I never heard her talk but she tried to smile whenever she’d see me. It was always Fred who greeted me when I got home early or when it was my day off when I’d see them leaving or just arriving at their villa.

Everyday, Fred took out Margaret at around 2:00 pm and would push her wheelchair to the river walk, the park, or to the grocery. He did this so that Margaret could get fresh air and some sunlight. But going to any of those places, you’d have to pass a small hill. For us, it would be an easy climb or a fun walk down. But for Fred, controlling his weight and strength as to not let go of Margaret going down that hill amazed me. He walked ever so slowly to make sure both of them were safe. He showed this unconditional love even more on the way back up where he has to push Margaret back to the top of the hill to get home. They did this routine every single day.

This is love at its purest.

Almost everyday, I was reminded of how love is so great.

Knowing that there is a love like Fred’s to his Margaret is simply amazing. He never forgot to kiss her forehead before saying, “Let’s go for a walk, dear,” even though he knew he wouldn’t be getting a response.

Chef Luzee Liban School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management Faculty “Ma, tumayo na po kayo, may award si Aizel,” I told her.

The exact moment when my mother realized she was going up the stage with my sister to receive the medal together with her and proudly put it ‘round the dear graduate’s neck is one I will fondly remember for many years to come.

I was holding the video camera and was the only one who saw the mixed emotions on her face as she made her way to the AB Communications Arts, UST Quadricentennial Batch line. She lovingly jostled my sister’s shoulder after the beaming honor student giddily said “Surprise, Ma!” My mom loudly exclaimed, “Bakit mo naman hindi sinabi na cum laude ka pala!?” My sister simply smiled. Then Mama hugged her quietly and started crying.

These are moments worth living for, believing for and preserving.

I thank God I was there to witness His faithfulness and love.

Deirdre Joyce Dalawampu Center for Partnership and Development, SDEAS

Share your viewpoints Tell us WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? The most interesting essays will be printed in the next issue of Vantage.

Essays must be less than 500 words. Send them to vantage@benilde. edu.ph. Don’t forget to indicate your name and the department or unit you belong to.

View Points is the forum section of Vantage where members of the Benildean community can voice out their opinions, thoughts and ideas on a particular topic chosen by Vantage staffers.

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In its 23 years of existence, Benilde has borne witness to numerous success stories. More recently, it was CDA Summa Cum Laude and Benildean Excellence in Scholastics and Talents (BEST) scholar Easter Villanueva who reminded the College yet again of the true value of education.

The Inspiration for

Easter

By Annelvie Pabitu, CIC

Easter could have easily skipped school, as her family is not well-off and would have had a difficult time sending her to college. Instead, she worked fervently to secure herself a scholarship and finish college. Eventually, she graduated at the top of her class. And as she addressed her fellow graduates in front of her peers, parents, and professors, some names she mentioned stood out more than others.

One of them is her CDA mentor Eula Bianca Villar.

Eula remembers Easter as a student who owned her views. She says that in a class full of bright, articulate and outspoken students, Easter stood out because she looked at the lessons through her own looking glass and built her knowledge from there. Easter analyzed instead of merely memorized. So impressed was she with Easter that she took the fresh graduate under her wings in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). In turn, Easter couldn’t be more grateful for Eula’s continuing guidance and support.

But who really is the person behind this esteemed teacher?

When Eula graduated at the age of 19, an opportunity came her way. What was meant to be a vacation in Europe turned out to be the push which opened the doors for her personal and professional growth. While abroad, she applied for scholarships and got accepted. Four years later, she was not only a proficient German speaker, but also a master’s degree holder in Advanced International Studies.

At 25, Eula may be one of the younger faculty members in the School of Multidisciplinary Studies where she began teaching last year, but that is not to say she is lacking in industry practice. She is a full-time Trade and Industry Development Specialist for DTI, a job which seems tailorfit for the courses she teaches which include International Relations, Philippine International Trade Relations and Treaty Formulation. For her, the industry validates the theories she teaches in class.

Photo by Rodolfo Iligan, BAPDST

Although Eula would be first to admit that she never dreamt of becoming a teacher, it does not mean that she loves teaching any less. In fact, she prides herself in having the passion to share whatever knowledge she has with the world in hopes of taking part in the ultimate goal of creating an intelligent, thinking society.

“I am the kind of teacher who tells my students that the best answer in life is ‘it depends,’ as long as they can justify,” Eula muses. She expects a high level of maturity and sense of responsibility from them when it comes to defending their position and making sensible decisions. She does not impose a certain kind of belief. Rather, she shows them different ways of perceiving an issue until they can finally choose what they think will work for them.

However, as grateful as she is for her profession, Eula is not without anxiety.

“You hope that you would leave something with your students. You throw it out and you say, please pick this knowledge up.

But you don’t really know if they will pick it up. And that’s something that scares me,” she says.

Eula acknowledges that each and every one of the students possesses different strengths. “There are those who might not excel in the academe, but pick their brain and you would see that it’s beautiful. What I appreciate about my students is that they use their position as well-off persons to help and make sure that that translates to something good,” she remarks. “They do things not to help themselves, but to help others.”

The same can be said about the College. Aside from its student-centered learning approach, it is also known to employ industry-based experts as instructors to ensure the relevance of its curriculum. Eula believes that education is a choice. If you really want it, then you find ways to achieve it. Fortunately, Benilde, with its welcoming atmosphere and vast selection of scholarship programs, helps thousands of students to pursue that choice. V

[ ] “There are those who might not excel in the academe, but pick their brain and you would see that it’s beautiful.”

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Photo Essay by the Benilde Camera Club (Jobelle Lumanglas, Gerry Cabangunay, Mike Ongchua), Ana Kristina Arce, Gerard Tea単o, Lynn Cappal and Rodolfo Iligan.

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[

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If so, then scenes from this year’s Benilde Week speak volumes about camaraderie, harmony and team spirit. From August 8 to 12, the Benildean Community celebrated Benilde Week through various activities and events such as LugaWow/GoToVic, picture-taking with administrators in costumes, free ice cream-giving in all campuses, film showings, and the 20th Gawad Sinag Tala. V

]

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Oct-Nov 2011

Photo by Ayvi Cruz, CIC

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What nourishes you professionally and financially might also be the one that destroys you.

Survival in the

Workplace

By Maurice D. Cordero and Dr. Margarita C. Villanueva

A catchy Latin phrase goes “Quod me nutrit, me destruit (What nourishes me destroys me), and this may be true to your life at work. As you spend most of your day in the office, the workplace turns out to be inconspicuously not safe at all.

Many deadlines and rushed reports may result to skipped meals and less water intake. Sometimes, instead of being able to rest after a day’s work, you bring home some of your work assignments which can be countereffective as you end up with lack of sleep. This may cause stress and tension to surface the next day. Staying at your office desk all day long with paper works may seem harmless. These routines can develop into office-related injuries that one is only made aware of when pains and anxieties are felt.

and muscle spasm. Other causes of headache also include late meals associated with hyperacidity, not enough sleep and drastic temperature changes. Some suffer from migraine, which is often triggered by poor lighting, choices of food and drinks and sometimes, even anxiety.

Some people find comfort in drinking coffee because caffeine constricts blood vessels and may lessen the pain.

Also, if coffee is taken in conjunction with a painkiller, caffeine hastens the effect of the medicine. However, excessive caffeine intake may trigger migraine. Taking a nap, drinking water and massaging your temples can help relieve headache. A 20-minute warm bath softens the grips of clenched muscles around the aching area and can help ease the pain.

It gets rusty over time Muscle pain or spasm develops when a certain physical position is stationary for a certain period of time or when there is repetitive motion for some body parts. This causes blood to flow improperly to and from certain muscle areas.

Computer work may cause stress on the muscles of the fingers, hands and forearms, as well as the eye muscles.

Prolonged sitting, on the other hand, may affect muscles on the neck, shoulders and lower back, while prolonged standing affects muscles of the legs and thighs.

To avoid muscle pain, there are various proper stretching techniques you can do while at work. It should be complemented by maintaining proper posture and range of motion to improve blood circulation in your body.

Full defense and victory Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise not only keeps you healthy. It is also one of the best keys in being productive in the workplace resulting from a nonproblematic physiology. It is therefore important that we give time for physical activities. For instance, engaging in sports will mobilize other parts of the body to improve blood circulation and maintain physical stamina. It is recommended that we maintain 150 minutes of physical activity each week and, ideally, this should be combined with a well-balanced nutrition.

Exercise does not mean compromising other schedules.

Simple activities serve as exercise such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, taking a 20-minutes brisk walk a day, and regularly observing proper sitting posture.

The College values the health of its Community members by providing wellness programs. But at the end of the day, being in good shape is still up to ourselves in order to perform our functions at work. V

Disco in your head Headache is usually described as throbbing, pricking, or a heavy kind of pain. The more common causes of headache among office personnel are eye strain, tension

For further information on workplace illnesses, please visit your local Campus Clinic or call at 526-7441 loc. 245 (Taft Campus), 523-8888 loc. 253 (AKIC Campus), or at 536-6752 loc. 301 (SDA Campus).

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You’ve been sitting in front of your computer in the office all day, and when it’s finally quitting time, you stand up and feel a painful cramp in your legs. This loss of muscle tone may be due to prolonged inactivity and can be prevented by occasional stretching and exercises between shifts or during breaks.

Practical Office Exercises

By Vincent Santos-Viola, ABANI

Regular push-ups are advisable for an office setting. A proper push-up is done by keeping your body rigid and straight as you push yourself up from the floor, and your head facing forward rather than downward. This may also be done by leaning on your desk and assuming an inclined position, if you prefer not to lie down on the floor. Exhale as you push up and hold for a split-second before setting yourself back down.

Stand up and walk in front of your office chair and spread your feet shoulder-width apart, your toes pointing forward or to an angle of about 30 degrees. Squat by bending your knees while maintaining your back in an arched position until your upper legs are parallel to the floor. Then rise back to a standing position. You may hold on to your chair as support while standing up. Repeat as you deem necessary, but don’t strain yourself.

Alternatively, you can find an unobstructed wall around your office and do some wall-sits. Lean your back against the wall and move your feet away from the floor so that the wall is supporting your weight, and gradually drop to a 90-degree angle with your upper legs parallel and lower legs perpendicular to the floor. Hold this position for 20 to 60 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, then repeat three times.

Sources: -Burchell, Andrew “5 Office Exercises” AskMen.com -Tinley, Scott. Winning Guide to Sports Endurance. New York: Rodale Books, 1994.

-Riddle, Joshua “5 Desk Exercises for Your Busy Office Life” WorkAwesome.com January 16, 2011

Lean on a wall with your arms stretched, similar to the position when a police officer frisks you.

Again, use the wall to support your weight and stretch as much as you can. You can add to this exercise by raising yourself up with your toes and repeating.

If you would rather not go through the hassle of getting out of your seat, then simply raise your arms until your shoulders or deltoid muscles touch your ears. Hold for a second or two, and then relax. This will release tension built up in the upper body. Combine this while stretching your feet straight out, but don’t maintain a rigid position for too long.

A sedentary lifestyle can be the cause of or may aggravate a wide range of health problems. Regular exercise has proven over time to be beneficial to health, so take the time to exercise whether or not you are in the office.

Photos by Annelvie Pabitu, CIC

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Lasallian Centennial: Remembering the Past, Living the Present, Creating the Future. So goes the theme for the school year 20112012 now being ushered in by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). As members of the Benildean community, we encounter this slogan almost everyday – in collaterals, email announcements and memos. Chances are you are already familiar with the College’s “past” and “present” but do you know where Benilde is headed to? How do we create the future?

The Big

Picture Ahead

By Lori Capuno, SMS Faculty

Photo by Ana Kristina Arce, CIC

Oct-Nov 2011

15 Now on the second year of the fiveyear development plan, the College positions itself in terms of the ten strategic directions anchored on our President Br. Victor Franco FSC’s ten-point agenda.

These strategic directions are to be undertaken by the College’s five major divisions, namely the Academics, Finance, Administration, Lasallian Mission and Student Life (LMSL), and Development and Institutional Relations (DIR) -meaning all of us.

Excellence and Innovation As Benilde continues to strive for academic excellence, the schools are gearing up for numerous activities that will put Benilde on the map among the country’s finest tertiary educational institutions. The School for Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM) will offer the College’s first master’s degree program, the MS in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management.

SHRIM is also considering the replication of the Vatel model in offering international double-degrees. The School for Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) will have their Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) self-survey while a formal PAASCU visit is scheduled for the School for Multidisciplinary Studies’ (SMS) Consular and Diplomatic Affairs program.

To go with these accreditations, physical infrastructure will be expanded and enhanced. Like for instance, plans for the replacement of two computer and multimedia laboratories every year are considered. An IT contingency plan is in the works which is to create more learnercentered classrooms, hence improving accessibility of information.

Innovative programs are also being pursued like SMS’s plans to create a student exchange program with Seton University in New Jersey, USA. The College is also aiming to have 40% of its faculty members to complete their master’s degrees. In addition, the Benildean Envoys, a student group dedicated to serving the College’s needs in special events and linkage programs, are being honed as ideal Benildeans.

Community Enrichment Professional and Lasallian formation programs for the Benildean community are a priority. For SDEAS, this means to promote Deaf awareness, identity and culture. This will require creation of modules based on training needs.

To enhance relationships and foster positive culture in the community, team

Ten-Point Agenda

1. Ensure academic excellence through accreditation 2. Develop innovative programs 3. Provide professional & Lasallian formation programs for the Benildean Community 4. Enhance relationships by fostering a positive culture in the community 5. Facilitate development of human resources to attain the Lasallian Mission 6. Reinforce faculty & institutional research in alignment with Generalate and College directions 7. Expand DLS-CSB’s projects for the local Church & community 8. Participate in the global initiatives to address environmental concerns and other threats to integrity of creation 9. Expand the College’s network of linkages, locally & internationally 10. Celebrate & draw inspiration from all good things Filipino Photo by Gerard Teaño, ABMMA

building activities and Kapihans will be continued. Some divisions will launch or relaunch programs to support this endeavor. LMSL will disseminate materials on the Lasallian Saints and Blesseds.

They will also carry out DLS-CSB Jubilee Year preparations and initiate the first Benildean Peace Camp. For the DIR division, they will develop donor gift clubs and the President’s Circle of Excellence to recognize and appreciate College support from external publics.

Benilde’s endeavors will not be possible without the help of its partners. Essentially the development of the College’s human resources will be crucial in the attainment of the Lasallian Mission. The Academics division will continue to establish faculty and personnel development programs.

These programs will emphasize the importance of understanding learnercentered approach, and one of the focuses will be the Deaf learner. Parallel to this, the Center for Learner-Centered Instruction and Research (CLCIR) will encourage the conduct of multi-discipline researches on formation topics such as spirituality, volunteerism, community engagement, Lasallian identity and culture, among others.

Beyond Benilde While institutional development is a priority, Benilde will also delve into projects for the local church and community. To manage the rising number of outreach activities, LMSL plans to design a scheme for a College-wide standard for community involvement. DIR, meanwhile, will develop a responsive management program to sustain linkages with external stakeholders.

The College also celebrates inspiration from all good things Filipino through religiosity, ingenuity and creativity among others. The College will propose to offer Filipino Sign Language (FSL) as a foreign language to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED’s) Academic Council.

DLS-CSB will be actively involved in global initiatives that address environmental concerns and other threats to the integrity of creation. One major plan for Project Carbon Neutral (PCN) is to improve the waste segragation system in the whole College. Banning the use of styrofoam as food containers inside all campuses is another plan. PCN is also going beyond the College campuses with its partnership with the nearby Santissima Trinidad Parish. The College is collecting recycled plastic bags which are forwarded to the parish for their plastic recycling project called the Kapitbahayan Eco-Livelihood Project.

With the success of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) with our neighboring communities, the College is planning to expand the ALS program to other barangays. We are also shifting our partnership with our kapitbahays to the mutuality perspective in community relations, which encourages more collaboration and active participation from the barangays.

These projects may be overwhelming at first, but by doing our jobs the best way we can and by keeping in mind that we contribute to a bigger picture, we are assured of a promising future, 100 years more and so. V

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* as of April 2011

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New HRD Manager is a

Change

[

Agent

]

by Albert RJ Miranda, CIC

Carlos “Charlie” Leonor jokingly describes his transition from OIC Dean of the School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE) to manager of Benilde’s Human Resources Department in merely one term -- a blur.

So what made him decide to take on the job? Charlie shares that he accepted it because of the College’s uniqueness and unprecedented growth. This growth, he says, brings in challenges, which are what always interest him. If in the past Benilde was serving a smaller student population, the number not only of students but of personnel as well has now greatly multiplied. “In growing institutions, the changing of the mindset of some guys... that may be difficult to do.” With the expansion, concerns are magnified, yet College personnel are required to be more attuned to the needs of the students. How does he see that being achieved? By helping the community adjust to changes and letting members realize that Benilde has grown and that the processes they have been used to, may not be applicable anymore.

He acknowledges that Benilde has already taken the steps to the right path. With the ongoing Human Resources Project, the College has now clearly identified the responsibilities of each personnel. Other than listing down personnel’s job descriptions, the project has defined what one is accountable for, and each role’s value to the institution is clarified. His role in the HR Project will be more felt though the Performance Management System as its Project Manager.

Charlie admits that the College has a long way to go in helping the community adjust. However, he is positive that it is possible. “Hindi yan minamadali.” He cites one

Photo courtesy of SPACE

In growing institutions, the changing of the mindset of some guys...that may be difficult to do.

of his favorite Latin quotes to stress his point: “Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo (A drop of water hollows a stone not by force, but by continuously dripping on it).” In the same vein, he also sees the HRD gradually taking a strategic stance in developing the College’s present and future human resource needs.

He would like to train the community, particularly administrators, to become HR managers as well, since they are the ones directly in touch with other members of the Benildean community. V

Charlie’s MANY HATS Businessman - Charlie owns a consultancy firm rendering professional advice on business and human resource management.

Consultant - From time to time, SPaCE still seeks for his advice, and he continues to sit in the DLS-CSB’s operational and academic councils.

Professor - He teaches in DLS-CSB and another university. He also trains some of our administrators by teaching two to three modules of Management Leadership Development Program.

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START

1991

1993

DLS-CSB starts working with the Deaf by offering a fully-subsidized certificate program in Bookkeeping /Accounting for the Hearing Impaired under the Educational Development Department (EDD), headed by Virginia Apodaca.

The Sign Language Learning Module (SLLM) is created with Deaf students as teachers under then Dean Presentacion Gabriel.

2000

1999 Perlie Talens is appointed Director of the School for Special Studies. The School’s core faculty also increased. Students involvement in various activities and organizations is enhanced.

Dela Torre is appointed as SSS Director.

After rigorous evaluation and assessment of programs and services, SSS is transformed into the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) by the end of the school year.

2005

1994 The idea of a Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies (BAPDST) is conceptualized. It is envisioned to be a program that trains Deaf students into educators, and one that would give them options for specialization.

2001 Deaf students start to become more involved in institutional and student activities through participation in leadership formation programs.

They are also given representation in the Student Council a year later.

2006

The third year of the partnership with PEN International is focused on improving career opportunities for the Deaf, improved learning and teaching for students and increased application of innovative technology in teaching students. CEPP is transformed to become the Office for Partnership and Development.

The PEN Learning Center is inaugurated. SDEAS receives a Php1 million grant from the Australian Embassy-AusAid to fund the Youth Entreployment Support for the Deaf (YES-Deaf).

Years of

Deaf Education As we celebrate the Lasallian Centennial year, DLS-CSB has reasons to add to the jubilation: 20 years of being a trailblazer in Deaf education in the Philippines. SDEAS has produced more than 250 graduates by offering holistic, innovative, learner-entered and accessible education to the Deaf.

By Giselle Montero, CPD

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1998

1995 • The College undergoes re-structuring, part of which is the birth of the School for Special Studies where the Deaf program is included. SSS was initially intended to include different disability groups in the program. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) subsequently grants DLS-CSB to offer the BAPDST program. Dr. Liza Martinez is appointed as Director of the new School.

• Dr. Martinez urges the College administration to change the Certificate Course in Bookkeeping/ Accounting for the Hearing Impaired to Certificate Course in Bookkeeping/Accounting for the Deaf.

This is approved and supported.

• Upon Theresa Christine De La Torre’s recommendation, SLLM was changed to Sign Language Learning Program (SLLP) and is transferred under the SSS.

2002 A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SDEAS with the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID-RIT) is signed to implement Postsecondary Education Network-International (PEN-International), a worldwide university network funded by Nippon Foundation of Japan.

2007 • A new Vision-Mission is crafted by SDEAS. Br. Victor Franco FSC, during his investiture, said that SDEAS “must continue to speak a vibrant message of hope to the Deaf and strive to serve as the lead institution in Deaf education for Lasallian schools.”

• The policy on Sign Language Interpreting is approved by the Academic Council.

2003

The College organizes the Counseling and Resource Unit for Deaf Esteem and Formation (CRU-DEAF) as proposed by Dela Torre. The unit hopes to produce Deaf para-counselors and serve as a unit of the guidance office in the school for the Deaf.

2004

The MOU leads to the creation of a PENMultimedia Laboratory Center in the Taft Campus, student exchanges, teacher exchanges and exposure and teacher trainings and improvement of on-the-job training program with the assistance of visiting professor Sid MacQuay.

2009

• Teacher exchanges with NTID-RIT continue. The Center for Employment, Placement and Partnership (CEPP) is created, leading to Memorandums of Agreement with three major companies as grounds for on-the-job training for Deaf students.

• A training module on Leaner-Centered Education for the Deaf (TM-LED) is developed. The module is implemented to gain more understanding of the Deaf learner.

2010

• Ma. Veronica Templo-Perez takes the helm as SDEAS dean, while Dela Torre becomes director of the Center for Education Access and Development (CEAD).

• Representatives from the Academic Council visit NTID-RIT to observe the possibilities of inclusive, mainstream or self-contained arrangements for Deaf students in the NTID-RIT campuses.

• Enrollment to SDEAS is increased from 30 frosh students to 60.

• Deaf magna cum laude, Ana Kristina Arce delivers the message of appreciation on behalf of the graduating batch in October.

FUTURE

• The School for Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management prepares to accept Deaf students. SHRIM faculty enrolls in the Filipino Sign Language program and conducts workshops for Deaf students.

• SDEAS fields sign language interpreters to three major TV networks to make the speech of President Benigno Aquino, Jr. during the State of the Nation Address accessible to Deaf people.

Twenty years of Deaf advocacy has set DLS-CSB to become one of the leaders in higher Deaf education in the country. And as we go forward and step beyond 20, plans for the improvement of the quality of education for the Deaf are implemented.

The School for Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM) will slowly start the mainstreaming of Deaf students to the School. SHRIM will begin accepting Deaf students in their diploma courses such as culinary arts, food and beverage service with bar management, and certificate in housekeeping.

SDEAS will start offering a sign language interpreting program apart from its present Filipino Sign Language Program. This move hopes to increase the number of capable interpreters in the country to assist the Deaf in areas such as integration in the workplace, professional development, access to information and in formal gatherings.

SDEAS also plans to offer a second degree program in Deaf Education. This program will focus on a field different from Special Education. The school will also actively seek out Deaf alumni who have the potential to become educators for the Deaf and provide them with assistance in their professional development. We will also work towards producing more researches in the area of Deaf education. V Reference: Dela Torre, et al., SDEAS-PEN International Philippines Report to the Brothers 2004.

Various Articles in Bridge With comments from Dean Nicky Templo-Perez

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There are various perspectives on formation. These perspectives also shape the attitude of people towards formation. Some are reluctant, even averse to the idea because of a perception that formation is a form of rehabilitation. Such perspective derives from a pessimistic view of the person as being inadequate. It implies that something is wrong or lacking in us, thus, we should change by going through formation.

Formation of

Formators

By Leo Cortes, CSA

Oct-Nov 2011

21 This should, however, not be the case. Formation can be empowering, as Br. Mike Valenzuela FSC says in the April-July 2009 issue of FAMiLi. He believes that formation allows people to draw meaning and inspiration from their work. Formation involves getting in touch with the deepest values and convictions of people in order to discover the convergence between their personal dreams, the dream of the school community, and the dream of God for His people. It is about giving people the time and space to become more conscious of their own human spiritual journey and, thereby, enabling them to be more responsible for their own human spiritual growth.

Benildean Formation Here in Benilde, formation programs are also offered to faculty and personnel. There is also much room for improvement, one of which is the need to integrate these formation programs through a common Lasallian framework of formation.

During the past months, representatives from several offices that offer formation programs to personnel have been coming together to craft a common Lasallian framework for an integrated formation program. The formation framework that the group came up with is designed to mirror the journey of every personnel here in Benilde, from the moment they join the community until they retire from the College.

The modules for this integrated formation program may What makes a Filipino Lasallian be classified into three: the interactive orientation modules for For the past years, the Philippine Lasallian Family those who are new to the Benildean community, the emergent has been going through a period of renewal and rebirth modules for those who have been with us for some time and to define and clarify its mission and presence in the are still actively engaged in the Mission, and the life transition context of contemporary Philippine society. This has modules for those who are retiring from an active ministry in been manifested in the various gatherings that brought the College. together representatives of the different Lasallian The interactive orientation module focuses on the institutions in the country.

Benildean-Lasallian identity and Some Benildeans might remember history. The second module has to For the past years, the the First Lasallian District Synod of do with our social context and the May 1999 and the very first Philippine challenges that it presents to us. The Philippine Lasallian Family Lasallian Family Convocation of 2003, third module is about getting in touch has been going through which gave us the Guiding Principles with our personhood and recognizing of the Philippine Lasallian Family. our giftedness as something that we a period of renewal and Building on the foundations laid may offer to the Benildean community rebirth to define and clarify out by the 1999 Synod and the first and society. Several test runs are being its mission and presence in Convocation, the second Philippine conducted to further polish these Lasallian Family Convocation took modules. the context of contemporary place in 2008. This gathering further The shift in our role as lay partners Philippine society. affirmed the product of the previous has put us at the forefront of the Convocation by identifying six Lasallian Mission together with the strategic intents that all Lasallian schools in the country Brothers. It is uplifting that we realize that we are key players would aim to achieve. Capability-building measures that in the Lasallian Mission. In the same manner, we are also will help embody the guiding principles were also laid challenged to claim a bigger role and the responsibilities down. The Lasallian values of Faith, Zeal in Service and that these entail. It is helpful to remember that we are all in Communion in Mission have always been the heart of this together and that we accomplish our common Mission in these discussions. communion and by association. Hopefully, the new formation In the course of these collective reflections, a program will enable us to meet that challenge and empower fundamental and profound paradigm shift happened also us to fully embrace our role as partners in the mission. V in terms of the relationship between the Brothers and lay partners – faculty, personnel and administrators – in view of the Mission. It used to be that the Brothers owned the Lasallian Mission and lay partners were there as a support to achieve the Mission. That has since changed because now, both Brothers and lay partners actively share in one Lasallian Mission. With the lay partners having as much stake as the Brothers in accomplishing the Mission, they can in turn have full ownership of it.

Consequently, several formation opportunities are provided to lay partners to provide them with the necessary skills to be better formators and effectively affect the lives of the students that they serve. Some of the national formation programs are the Lasallian Leadership Formation Program (LLFP), the Lasallian Studies Summer Institute (LSSI) and the Return to Vaugirard (RTV) to name a few.

[ ]

Photos by Albert RJ Miranda, CIC

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PMS New Meaning to

It is a management system and practice that will enable Benilde to align employees to achieve key goals; monitor, measure and evaluate whether goals are achieved to determine growth and progress; identify and address performance gaps; recognize and reward achievements; and properly assist employees in accomplishing objectives.

By Ayvi Cruz, CIC

More than just the predictable preconception as a reference to a lady’s lunar calendar and its allegedly accompanying volatile moods, the letters P, M and S have begun to assume a new meaning to the Benildean community. It now means Performance Management System.

With the exponential growth of Benilde, there is a need more than ever to ensure that the College’s resources are allotted where they matter and for the personnel and faculty to improve capabilities and competencies individually and as a group.

The PMS is a component of the HR Study and it involves putting each employee’s job description within the perspective of a bigger picture. And that big picture is mainly comprised of the Brother President’s Strategic Principles as cascaded down to all personnel and faculty levels. The Strategic Principles are the cornerstones on which each division will lay down its Key Result Areas. As we build the new human resource structure and philosophy layer by layer, employees would discover that all tasks, no matter how common, are vital building blocks to the completion of the entire College’s Five-Year Development Plan.

The Personnel Appraisal Form allows employees to write their own objectives and targets based on the Key Result Areas set by superiors. Through this stage, goals and tasks are delineated, expectations are clarified and a greater sense of ownership of one’s responsibilities is gained. With tasks not only aligned to the KRA’s but also prioritized, there are more definite parameters for the evaluation of an employee’s

performance resulting to an equitable determination of recognition and/or rewards.

Setting sights on the tasks that fall under KRA’s is not mistaking the tree for the forest. It is knowing that a forest is made up of leaves and twigs, stones and moss. And that a tree is grown leaf by leaf, twig by twig.

The value that the Vice Chancellors hope to instill in everyone through the context of the PMS is that even the smallest task done in the performance of one’s job contributes to the College’s mission.

HRD and PMS Project Manager Charlie Leonor relates the anecdote of a NASA maintenance crew who while mopping floors was asked what he does in the space agency. His reply was, “I put men on the moon.” In the same vein, VC Carmelita Lazatin enjoins everyone to look at one’s work with fresh eyes and seek novel approaches to doing one’s duties.

When you as a member of the Benildean community are asked about what you do for the College, VC Merlinda Bucad encourages every employee, no matter what level or job description, to answer not by enumerating daily tasks and job descriptions but by saying that “I am helping a child get a college education.”

Every task done in the performance of one’s job description or for the accomplishment of a Key Result Area is a tiny pixel that makes up Br. Vic’s big picture.

Though every pixel is unique, up close it may not appear much. But as one steps back and surveys the grand design, the entire image comes into focus. That image is of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde being at the cutting edge of innovative learning institutions serving diversely-gifted learners and neighboring communities. V

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WDTAM?

What Does This Acronym Mean?

KRA

JD

Lately, the College has been abuzz with the HR Project’s PMS orientation.

PMS stands for Performance Management System. It is a way of objectively monitoring, measuring and evaluating the performance of personnel based on set expected targets. Ultimately, it aims to improve performance in the organization. If you have attended the PMS orientation, surely you have encountered new acronyms other than PMS. Let us review some of them.

means Job Description. It provides a list of functions and responsibilities that come with any job. Among others, performance is rated based on the outline of the JD.

means Key Result Areas. These are the high priority objectives that need to be achieved by a team or office over a given time period. All members of an office are expected to contribute to the identified KRAs and are held accountable for its achievement.

PAF

are Personnel Appraisal Forms. These are documents used as evaluation tools. Currently there are two types used by the College for PMS. PAF A assesses whether a personnel’s work is in line with the College’s long-term goals and strategic plans. It reviews if an employee was able to live up to the key areas and targets he/she identified. PAF B rates a personnel based on his/ her job performance and knowledge, functional and core competencies.

kpi

stands for Key Performance Indicators. These give the details, standards and expectations on how to achieve a certain KRA through one’s work.

SMART

stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented and Time-bound. This is the criteria for whatever KRAs every office will be setting. SMART KRAs indicate exactly what the goals to be achieved, how it will be achieved and when it is expected to be achieved, among others.

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Of Domain N Hoods an Before the Riding Hood Once upon a time, there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone especially by her grandmother. There was nothing that she would not give to the child.

On the occasion of the child’s seventh birthday, her grandmother muses on what gift to give to her lovely grandchild, so she fires up her trusted search engine, keys in “gift+special+girl+7-yearold-child” and presses the enter key. Imagine her horror when she clicks one of the resulting links her web browser spewed based on her search criteria.

Somewhere in the city, Woody Cutter is in a meeting with his firm’s marketing team. The agenda for the day is the declining online sales of their Axe 2000 product line. Axe 2000 is particularly intended as a special gift for girls turning seven and is bundled in red velvet. It is marketed exclusively on their e-commerce site found at http://www.axe-girl.com.ph. The marketing guru reassures Woody Cutter that although their competitor is on an aggressive online marketing campaign, it will soon reach its peak and eventually, die down.

Unbeknownst to Woody Cutter and his team, evil internet mogul wannabe Bud Wolf has purchased the domain name for www.ridinghood. com, ridinghood.com, axe.com, girl.com, gift. com , special.com and 7.com and directed traffic landing on these sites to his sleazy site ieatgrandma.com and its sister site ilovetodressup.

com. And like Cutter and his team, Wolf uses search engine optimization (SEO) techniques which literally gobbled up Cutter’s internet traffic to benefit his selfish, seedy, and twisted business model. In addition, Bud Wolf researched and scoured humancomputer interaction journals and materials and became aware of the importance of name recall of products and their online presentation. So when the grandmas of the world are online looking for special birthday gifts for their grandchildren, they are inadvertently directed to Bud Wolf’s sites and get the shock of their lives.

A Story Break…

The Internet market has become the boon and bane for most corporation and institutions. The institution’s web presence correlates to their actual image as perceived by its online customers. As such, pundits suggest that institutions should protect their online presence by all means possible from unscrupulous individuals and entities. Toughening up an institution’s online presence does not only require an updated anti-virus or strong security measure, but also a plethora of market studies, company policies, and technological changes which usually equate to financial value and procedural changes within the organization.

As for De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, recent changes within its core applications show how technological advances dictate an organizational behavior. From the familiar proprietary MS Outlook of the old, the institution is currently in

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ames, Riding d Wolves

By Mateo R. Borbon, Jr., ITD

the trial period with the Gmail-powered Benilde email account. While Benildean students and personnel are getting used to the new mail system where collaboration, functionality, and accessibility are the norm, another minor change might be noticed by some with a keen eye for details.

Ask any Benildean for the website of DLS-CSB and they will probably give you the familiar http:// www.dls-csb.edu.ph address which is the gateway for most student-centric applications and information of the College. Until recently however, you might notice that the address is interchanged with www. benilde.edu.ph which is quite different from the one you’re used to. There is no cause for alarm, no need to transfer your files to your USB, back your files up in some off-shore location or head for the hills; it is just one of the protracted strategies our leaders in DLS-CSB is preparing as reaction to the online environment where the College is playing.

Remember the fairy tale above? That scenario is one of the reasons for acquiring the www.benilde. edu.ph domain name since the implication of it being obtained by a questionable entity outweighs the cost of maintaining it. In the industry, a domain name is a strategic investment which could make or break one’s standing in the business realm.

No, the college did not pay a fortune for the www. benilde.edu.ph domain since edu.ph prefixes are much cheaper than the .com prefix. The former specifically locates an educational site in the Philippines while the latter is commercial which could be located practically anywhere.

Back to our story When grandma comes to and the shock of what she has seen starts to wear off, she diligently blocks the sites in her search engine. She calls up the Department of Trade and Industry to file formal complaints against the owner of the sites that showed her graphic and revolting visuals (that should not be mentioned here). In response, she is informed that the government cannot do anything without violating the 5th amendment, unless, she has a senator for a relative and the media is out for someone controversial to blame. Mindful of the dangerous effect of what she has seen, she signs up to a free blogging site and starts to blog about the domain Bud Wolf owns. It is picked up by other grandmothers (who have been redirected to the Wolf’s site too) who begin a tweeting brigade about their experience. Soon, the web is charged with collective hate for Bud Wolf’s sites that its traffic starts to wane and eventually, had only psychotic customers for visitors.

Eventually, Axe 2000 sales increase once again and Woody Cutter’s firm sales increase; it now enjoys a hefty profit margin and provided salary increase and performance bonuses for its personnel. Grandmother was able to purchase Axe 2000 for her granddaughter, who seems to prefer the red velvet cloth which she would always wear as a riding hood. And everyone lives happily ever after, except Bud Wolf whose fate starts to take the turn for the worse. But that is an entirely different story.

The end. V Illustration by Romeo Catap, Jr., CIC Background image from flickr.com/summerspot

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Nowadays, anyone can easily access a computer. With the onset of the Internet, more and more people are making use of this technology not just at home, but also at work and in school. In the College, we use computers to mitigate processes and store information which are, more often than not, private and confidential.

Photo from www.sxc.hu

Passing the Password Standards

By Annelvie Pabitu, CIC

This brings us to the importance of using passwords.

Passwords are a critical component of a system security.

However, we would often settle for a simple, predictable combination of characters. But this is at the expense of a major security threat to our network.

To ensure the efficiency and reliability of all IT resources of the College, let’s take a look at the approved standards and policy for password creation and protection.

User Responsibilities When ITD gives you your official College account, they will provide a temporary password. Though secure, this password has to be changed the first time you log on.

Keeping unsecured written or electronic records of passwords is a big no-no. If it proves necessary to do so, passwords should be encrypted using an approved encryption method.

Old passwords cannot be reused unless the users have provided at least five unique passwords prior.

Rule 1: Length A good password should contain a minimum of eight characters. Anything less should be avoided.

Rule 2: Duration User-level passwords should be changed at least every four months; system-level passwords (i.e. root, enable, Windows Administrators Group, etc) every 12 months.

Rule 3: Complexity Strong passwords must contain at least three of any of the following: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, punctuations, or special characters. They should not be found in a dictionary or based on personal

information (birthday, nick name, telephone number). Must not be trivial and predictable.

A passphrase is your hacker’s worst enemy. For instance, you might use the phrase “this may be one way to remember” to come up with a password like “Tmb1w2R!” or some other variation that you will not easily forget.

Weak passwords Names of family members, pets, friends, co-workers, fantasy characters and the like are not wise password choices. Neither are computer terms and names, commands, sites, companies, hardware, software.

Word or number patterns like “aaabbb,” “qwerty,” “123456” and passwords taken from a username are fairly easy to guess and should not be used.

Now, intruders and violators are not getting off the hook easily.

Sharing of passwords is considered a minor offense, while cracking and sniffing passwords over the information network and/or telecommunication facilities are major ones. Those who will fail to follow the policy will incur appropriate disciplinary actions, which may include revocation of Infonet access privileges, termination for College personnel, suspension or expulsion for students, termination of business relations for contractors or consultants, not to mention civil and criminal prosecution as long as deemed necessary.

All things considered, it only takes a few minutes to decide on a secure password that would send any hacker scampering away to the other direction.

Doing so would be relatively painless than facing the repercussions of a compromised information system and an angry management. V

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Rowena “WENG” Antonio

Executive Assistant, Office of the President

Some people , half empty. I see the glass half full, others ss possibilities. see it brimming with endle I have been In spite of all the challenges them off. through, I can easily laugh

I’M A CRAZY OPTIMIST. I have been a Benildean-Lasallian for five years now, and I have SHRIM Dean Leticia Delarmente to thank for this. She was my boss in a previous company and when I lost my job some years back, I sent her my résumé in the hopes that SHRIM might have an opening. After a few months, she contacted me and I got the administrative assistant position handling the Certificate in Culinary Arts (CiCA) program and Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).

Then in 2007, I became the executive assistant to the President.

I make sure to raise my standards and manage my expectations. I work hard and do what I have to do but I don’t expect to be applauded for a job well done. If someone thanks me for doing my job, I simply grin back and say “you’re welcome.”

Life at the office is never boring. While it’s true that we barely get a breather, being a crazy optimist surrounded by other people with similar dispositions helps in easing stress that a work-day could bring.

I love to laugh and have been blessed with witnessing or being a part of many comedyfilled moments. I’m an audiophile and I love to read so these little hobbies of mine add color to my day.

Regular work aside, there are still the never ending “paki” that makes me a veritable information desk. I wear many hats – colleague, teacher, counselor, sister, comic, friend. And I do everything with a little sleight of hand – two palms pressed together in prayer asking Him to bless me so that I may always be a blessing to other people. My day would not be complete if I did not thank God for my many blessings, big or small!

My work essentials can be summed up in the words of Ms. Melanie Marquez: I’m a success because I don’t “middle” in other people’s lives – I make it a point not to get involved if I’m not being asked to be involved. Although we work in a more laid back environment, it does not mean we lower our standards by being unprofessional, and gossip is by no means professional.

Don’t judge my brother, he’s not a book – I believe in second, third, and fourth chances. I believe that none of us is perfect and that the only true judge is our God. Judgment for me means you do not care enough about the person for you to get the facts straight or extend a helping hand.

As the executive assistant to Br. Victor Franco FSC, I could not be happier. Being a part of the President’s Office, I am not only an employee, but a member of a family – a loving, crazy, and faith-driven family. We rarely have any free time on our hands with the hectic schedule, day-to-day operations, and avalanche of requests. But we get by because we do not see our jobs as simply work. It’s a service, a vocation. I do not just see myself as being employed in the OP. I’m a Benildean-Lasallian who serves and helps develop our learning community. V

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