Loyola Schools’ Paghahandog 2021 celebrates Student Leadership and Service

The Loyola Schools honored students and student groups who have exemplified excellence in sports, socio-civic engagement, leadership, and service through Paghahandog 2021 . Held on 14 June, the awards ceremony was presented in three segments: The Loyola Schools Awards for Sports, The Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (ASCEND) Awards, and the Loyola Schools Awards for Leadership and Service.
 

This year, the Loyola Schools Awards for Sports honored student-athletes and sports teams who redirected their energies from playing their respective sports to living out the school's ideals in the form of civic engagement this past year. Special Citation for Civic Engagement was presented to the Ateneo Men's and Women's Football teams for Play Your Part, a donation drive for coaching staff affected by the pandemic as well as the recent typhoons. The Ateneo Men's and Women's Swimming Teams were also cited for their relief efforts during Typhoon Ulysses.

Student-athletes Maxine Isabel T. Esteban (3 BS Management Engineering) of the Women's Fencing Team, Jian Miguel B. Bautista of the Men's Fencing Team (2 BS Legal Management), and Marjorie Denise F. Manguiat (2 AB Communication) of the Women's Swimming Team were also recognized for their fundraising and relief efforts for COVID-19 patients, displaced JSEC workers, and frontliners.

The ASCEND Awards recognizes undergraduate, senior, and graduate students for projects and research work output that demonstrate mastery of subject matter and the capacity for synthetic thinking while also engaging the larger community in contributing to national development. Excellence and citation awards and special recognition for Group/IIndividual Projects and Group/Individual Research were also given.

 The Loyola Schools Awards for Leadership and Service seeks to recognize individuals and groups of service to others, especially those from marginalized sectors and communities. This component presents awards in three categories: Most Outstanding Student Group, Most Outstanding Individual, and Most Outstanding Project.

The Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo De Manila (Sanggu) was recognized as the Most Outstanding Student Group for their impact and services for the LS student body, community, and nation at large through their focus on five main thrusts: student engagement, community collaboration, transparency, member growth and development, and nation-building. 
 

Cristina S. Batalla (4 AB Development Studies) was recognized as the Most Outstanding Individual for her work on leadership training and organizational development for high school and college students and her efforts directed towards civic engagement and youth participation in local governance. 

Charisse Maxine O. Parchamento (1 AB Development Studies) and Erika Jean R. Ente (MA History) were presented with the Most Outstanding Project for their initiative May Twenty Ako- a youth led project that encourages benefactors to donate as low as twenty pesos for grocery packs and hygiene kits for the homeless, informal workers and other different causes. Parchamento explains the rationale behind their project: "I think our biggest impact is that we encourage the youth in volunteerism and community work. We are not required to give beyond our means. You can help in your own little ways, and these small acts of kindness create a big difference."

University President Fr. Roberto Yap, S.J. capped off the awards ceremony with the message of hope that resonated with Paghahandog 2021 : "Through your achievements, leadership, and acts of service during one of the most challenging years of our lifetime, all of you shortlisted candidates and awardees alike give us hope for the future." 

Paghahandog 2021 is organized by the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Formation in coordination with the College Athletics Office, and the GUIDON.