ALSE OF-LIFE in 2022: Transforming Lives, Changing Mindsets

The power of being a change-maker has been professed in the year where all are starting to rise from the ashes of the pandemic. The Ateneo Overseas Filipinos’ Leadership, Innovation, Financial Literacy, and Social Entrepreneurship (ALSE OF-LIFE) Program has yet outdone itself from having to double its number of batches from the previous year, 2021. Founded in 2008 by Edgardo T. Valenzuela and Cristina M. Liamzon, PhD. launching its first batch in Rome, Italy and spanned it to 26 countries globally, it now has 4500 alumni to cater to every Overseas Filipino (OFs).

With the onslaught of the pandemic, the program evolved and took advantage of the online platform reaching the most far-flung areas having internet connection. New countries have emerged and have been added to the growing reach of the various programs which combines leadership, financial literacy and social entrepreneurship anchored with the Ignatian values administered by the Ateneo School of Government with OFSPES, SEDPI and UGAT Foundation. Ending the year 2022 with a series of momentous graduations of the remaining eight (8) batches, all memorable, all emotionally charged, priceless milestones, to the graduates who are now part of the Ateneo LSE OF-LIFE Global Alumni.

The following batches had their graduation ceremonies in 2022:

• ALSE 106 Doha/ ALSE 109 Sri Lanka last June 17;
• ALSE 98 Bangkok/ ALSE 99 Seoul/ ALSE 100 Singapore/ ALSE 101 Switzerland/ ALSE 102 Milan/ ALSE 103 Paris/ ALSE 104 Rome/ ALSE 105 Netherlands last June 19;
• ALSE 110 Macau last November 27;
• ALSE 107 Dubai/ ALSE 108 Abu Dhabi/ AFLSE 13/ AFLSE 14 Coops last December 3;
• ALSE 111 Russia/ ALSE 112 Madrid and Germany last December 11;
• ALSE 113 USA, Canada, Caribbean, and Latin America last December 18.

In the December 11 graduation, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople, gave an inspirational message that centered the value of bettering oneself through education and that everyone should emulate what our OFs accomplished, that despite the circumstances they are in, they found a way to learn, decided to take control of their lives by equipping themselves with wisdom and knowledge that the ALSE OF-LIFE program offered, added to that, their lives were transformed and mindsets changed because of the values they have learned and applied in their lives. She commended the graduates in not giving up on improving themselves through learning and she hoped that the whole world will know the stories of each and every one who graduated.

The ALSE OF-LIFE program sends its congratulations to everyone who graduated. You are now men and women for others, companions in the journey, with a sense of mission and discernment, being more and doing more, all, for the greater glory of God. As St. Ignatius of Loyola said, go forth and set the world on fire. AMDG+