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Communal Dialogue on the Issues Raised during the Pastoral Enrichment of
Archdiocesan Catholic Educators (PEACE) Assembly
The communal dialogue happened on January 10, 2024 at the LCCT Audio
Visual Room (AVR). This was attended by the College President, Sr. Ma. Lina R.
Despojo, OSA , with Sr. Henrietta Malacad, OSA., Sr. Elvie Elomba, OSA, the faculty
and non-teaching personnel.
Mr. Nabil Marquez started the session stating the objectives of the day’s
activity which are the recapitulation of the PEACE Assembly and production of the
feedback output regarding specific issues. He briefly discussed the Pastoral
Enrichment of Archdiocesan Catholic Educators (PEACE) Assembly which took
place in Tagaytay City last December 5 to 6, 2023. He also explained the pertinent
findings from the 2019 Pastoral Visit of Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, the Light and
Dark of the Catholic schools in Batangas. After the discussion of the good
characteristics of the Catholic schools (Mabuti, Magaling, Magiting) and each of
the seen problems namely unregulated use of the Internet, bullying and absentee
parents, the new issues identified during the PEACE assembly were also
presented. Mr. Marquez explained about each of the issues namely formation of
mission partners/learning partners, mental health of students and teachers,
parish-school-community relationship and sexual orientation of students and
teachers. Included also were the other issues such as neuro-divergence and
suicidal tendencies of students.
After the presentation of the issues, Mr. Marquez gave instructions on the
communal dialogue process. The participants were grouped into ten (10) and
they were asked to discuss with their groups their answer to the question What
do you think are the other related concerns we should pay attention to (as regards
the issues?) They were given papers that contain the issues where they will write
down the outcomes of their discussion. These answers were collated and the
consolidation is hereby presented.
Old Issues:
1. Improper and Unregulated Use of the Internet
The unregulated and improper use of the Internet by the students may lead
to cybersecurity issues that may pose significant risks to them.
Uncontrolled Internet access can facilitate the rise of voyeurism, exposing
students to invasions of their privacy. The unregulated access can expose
them to explicit content, including obscenity, foul language, and other
related inappropriate materials. The unbridled expansion of online gaming
platforms, to which the students may be excessively engaged, may lead to a
surge in addiction cases, negatively impacting mental health and social
well-being. They also become prone to online gambling at such an early
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age. Meanwhile, their emotional well-being is affected by the irresponsible
use of social media through cyberbullying. Lastly, the recently increasingly
popular use of artificial intelligence or Chat GPT threatens academic
integrity and spoils students’ initiative, curiosity or creativity.
2. Bullying
Bullying can have lasting impact on students, particularly when it involves
elements of racism or discrimination based on disability. The persistent
exposure to derogatory comments, stereotyping, and feelings of exclusion
hinders the emotional well-being of those being bullied. Verbal and
cyberbullying amplify the impact, as hurtful words result to a sense of
powerlessness on the part of the victim.
But the detrimental consequences of bullying extend beyond the emotional
realm as it affects even the academic performance of the person being
bullied. Students subjected to denigration and physical intimidation may
experience a decline in academic performance and at worse, may choose to
drop-out from school.
Bullying can also be an unending cycle of physical or emotional torment
imposed upon another, as the one bullied may also do the same towards
other people in the school.
Moreover, the power-tripping dynamics within bullying situations can
create a toxic atmosphere that disrupts the learning environment, affecting
the learning opportunities of the class.
3. Absentee Parents
The absence of parents in a child’s life can lead to a number of detrimental
consequences including increased vulnerability to depression and
heightened susceptibility to sexual abuse. The lack of parental support
often leaves a void in guidance and emotional upbringing, causing the
children to be more susceptible to external influences. This void can
manifest in various ways, with poor academic performance being a
common consequence.
The absence of proper intervention and supervision can compromise the
safety of the children. The conflicting values that may arise between the
school environment and home life can make the children confused,
creating an inconsistency that affects their overall wellbeing. Their
yearning for parental presence becomes strong as children seek stability
and reassurance, often leading to rebellious behavior as a manifestation of
unmet emotional needs. Similarly, the insufficiency or lack of quality
communication between parents and children worsen these issues, leaving
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children without the necessary emotional support and guidance essential
for their healthy development.
New Issues:
1. Formation of Mission Partners/Learning Partners
The intertwining pillars of faith formation, mental health and over-all well-
being are very significant as Catholic educators fulfill their roles of teaching
and developing the students holistically. According to the personnel, both
teaching and non-teaching, the annual retreat, seasonal recollections, faith-
life sharing and other faith formation activities are helpful ways to
strengthen their Catholic faith and rekindle their relationship with God.
Other than seminars or trainings on pedagogies, the personnel want
regular and consistent faith formation activities.
Also, they underscored mental health and personal well-being that must be
part of their formation. These factors directly impact educators’ ability to
effectively teach and guide students. Maintaining positive mental health
allows teachers to handle inherent stressors of the profession, improving
resilience and preventing burnout. The personnel’s well-being also
influences the overall school atmosphere as it also enhances job
satisfaction and professional engagement.
Moreover, they appealed for greater involvement in policy-making as
personnel because it would allow them to contribute their insights and
experience. Greater involvement would encourage a sense of ownership,
better collaboration and would ensure that policies align with the practical
needs of both personnel and students.
Finally, the participants suggested on the identification of key indicators
that would assess Catholic educators and also raised the issue of the
conflict between personal beliefs and school policies.
2. Mental Health
The mental health issues of the students usually spring from academic
pressure which are either self-imposed, or are caused by high parental
expectations. There are also instances that parents do not accept that their
children do have mental conditions. Due to being in-denial, the children
are not given the proper medication or therapy. Meanwhile, there are also
parents who accept the fact that their children have ‘conditions’; but the
problem is their lack of financial means for professional treatment.
Meanwhile the terms ‘trauma’, ‘depression’, and ‘mental breakdown’ or
‘stress’ are usually misused by the students to describe their situations
without full understanding of what these conditions really mean. They
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usually ‘self-diagnose’; hence, this claim becomes their excuse for their
academic shortcomings or irresponsibility.
As for the mental health of the teachers and non-teaching personnel, they
reiterated the need to greatly consider this on the programs, policies and
overall system of the school. They also cited that one of the main stressors
of the personnel is their economic difficulties in coping with the current
inflation.
3. Parish-School- Community Relationship
There is no problem with the school’s involvement in the parish, likewise its
relationship with the community; but on the perspective of the personnel’s
individual or personal relationship with their own parishes or chapel, there
are some shortcomings. Not many are actively involved in their parish or
community. The personnel’s minimal engagement, infrequent attendance
at Holy Masses and a passive prayer life suggests a limited connection to
their own parish community. The apparent lack of initiative to serve the
church and limited involvement in social services further highlights a
diminished commitment to actively participate in the broader aspects of
their faith. This could be influenced by different factors such as time
constraints, personal priorities, or a need to redirect their spiritual focus.
This situation is also manifested by the students as there are few students
involved in their own parishes as compared to the overall population of the
students.
4. Sexual Orientation Issues
Because of the conservative nature of Catholic schools, and their high
regard to morality, the teaching and non-teaching personnel find it difficult
to address sexual orientation issues particularly same sex relationship that
gradually becomes an accepted reality by the students. Teachers do not
know how to deal with girl-to-girl relationships of their students, – whether
this will be tolerated or not, when it clearly defies religious teachings.
While the school upholds inclusivity and accommodates, recognizes and
respects the gender identity of trans-gender and non-binary students, the
extent of the recognition of their rights is only limited to accepting their
unique identity; but not yet on permitting them to cross dress, or to have
an open relationship with the same gender. Policies on this matter are not
in place, for both students and personnel.
There are students who have gender confusion or identity crisis and also
those who cannot express their sexual preference for fear of rejection
especially from their parents. On the part of the personnel who are likewise
LGBT, they also expressed confusion of how they will portray themselves
given the fact that they are inside a Catholic community.
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Another area of concern regarding sexuality is the seemingly liberated
perspectives of the students and even some personnel and issues like pre-
marital sex and public display of affection (by the students) exist.
Special Issues
1. Neuro-divergence
Students with neuro-divergence often face challenges stemming from being
perceived as different from their classmates. This distinction leads to
feelings of isolation as they struggle to fit into social norms. The social
dynamics within a classroom may pose difficulties for neuro-divergent
students, hindering their ability to form meaningful connections and
participate in collaborative activities.
The presence of neuro-divergent students in the classroom is also difficult
for the teachers as not all of them are professionally trained to deal with
students with special needs. There are neuro-divergent students who
exhibit uncontrollable anger or other disruptive behavior that if not
handled properly, lessens the learning opportunities of the class.
Additionally, some parents of neuro-divergent students face challenges in
accepting their child’s condition, leading to denial or delayed interventions.
2. Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal tendencies among students manifest in various ways including self-
harm and impulsive emotions. Dysfunctional family dynamics and strained
family relationships are a significant contributing factor since a lack of
support at home leads students feeling isolated and without a safety net.
Peer relations also play a crucial role in the emotional struggles of the
students. Fear of social isolation or bullying intensifies feeling of despair.
Academic pressure is also a factor as students may feel overwhelmed by
the expectations placed on them. Additionally, individuals with a history of
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are particularly vulnerable to suicidal
tendencies, as the psychological burden of post trauma can intensify
emotional distress.
Prepared by: Noted by:
Dr. Carina V. Marave Sr. Ma. Lina R. Despojo, OSA
Principal School President
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