By Aspirant Vince Joseph Pedrola

       DBFC Lawaan, Philippines South, 17 February 2022 -- Don Bosco Formation Center Lawaan held its first ever magisterial lecture on 16 February 2022, at the Shrine of St. John Bosco the Dreamer. The students – Bearers and Aspirants – together with the teaching and the non-teaching staff attended the lecture both on site and online. Rev. Fr. Fidel Ma. D. Orendain, SDB, Vice President of Academics and Dean of Don Bosco Technical College Inc. Cebu, and the Provincial Superior of the Philippine South Province (FIS) served as the speaker.

       The event began with an opening prayer that was led by Rev. Fr. Vince Michael Sabal, SDB, Vice Rector of DBFC and immediately followed by the Philippine national anthem. DBFC President and Rector, Rev. Fr. Adrian Mendoza, SDB, gave the opening remarks and Rev. Fr. Erwin Joey Cabilan, SDB, AB Religious Education and Pastoral Communications department gave the rationale of the occasion.

       Speaking with the future Salesian Educators, the lecture was entitled ‘Salesian Educators in the 21st Century Keeping Our Identity, Brand, and Mission’. The core of the talk is on how to keep our identity as Salesians in the field of education despite the current situations wherein the tradition is set aside and the new normal is introduced; not to mention the rapid changes in technology and the generational culture that creates a huge gap between the educator-learner relationship.

       In keeping the essence of being a Salesian educator amidst the inevitable changes in the learning environment, Fr. Fidel proposed to keep the educational balance that was suggested by St. John Bosco long before modern educational theories were formulated. He said, “Every Don Bosco school and classroom must be a home where emotions are nurtured, a school that encourages mental growth and learning, a church that develops the spiritual and moral values of the young, and a playground that promotes relationships and stimulates challenges to the young.”

       Stimulated by the inputs of the speaker, the participants prepared their questions and queries for an open forum while Asp. Anjoe Dayday rendered his version of Ryan Cayabyab’s classical Marian prayer – the Memorare. The open forum became an enriching interaction between the participants and the speaker.

       The event concluded with a closing remark by Fr. Erwin and the singing of DBFC’s alma mater song – Ecce Ego Mitte Me (Here I am, Send Me).

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