35 years of the AHRC Internship Program: Learning with communities

The Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) Internship Program held its onsite Semestral Break Internship Program (SBIP) last 9-15 January 2023 at an Aeta community in Bagac, Bataan.

Fourteen law students (Batch Panaykin) from the Ateneo de Manila Law School and one AHRC staff were immersed in the day-to-day lives of Aetas in Bagac, Bataan. The participants were facilitated by four resident interns (Batch Namnama) and three AHRC staff including the AHRC Internship Director, Atty. Marianne Carmel Agunoy. Around 20 Aeta families warmly welcomed the delegation.

Prior to the immersion proper, a Basic Orientation Seminar (BOS) was held at Manresa Retreat House in Banawe, Quezon City from 5-8 January 2023. The BOS is traditionally done before immersion to orient interns on AHRC’s basic legal advocacies and provide basic paralegal training which they may eventually practice in their respective immersion sites. Among the topics discussed during the BOS included Introduction to Human Rights, Labor Law, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, and Business and Human Rights.

For the interns, the seven-day immersion opportunity was a life-changing experience. Apart from being able to get a glimpse of how the indigenous community strives to live every single day, they were also able to identify some socioeconomic and legal issues in the community that need to be addressed.

Andre Arellano, elected batch head intern of Batch Panaykin, shared the valuable experience he got from living with the Aetas for seven days. Arellano said the locals were very warm, generous and accommodating despite their difficult economic situation.

“Sa saglit naming pananatili kasama ang mga Aeta, hindi matatawaran ang init ng pagtanggap at kabutihang ipinakita ng komunidad sa amin. Kaya bitbit namin hanggang ngayon ang mga aral at karanasang nagpatibay sa amin bilang mga susunod na abogadong ipagtatanggol ang karapatang pantao saan man kakailanganin,” he said.

Arellano sees AHRC’s internship program as a substantial starting point for his future endeavors in the legal profession. For him, the program is an accurate lens to see the intersectionalities of the vicious cycle of societal problems that marginalized communities, including the indigenous peoples, face.

“Ang buong programa ng AHRC ay pagninilay rin sa hinaharap. Isa itong magandang pagkakataon upang makita ang realidad ng ating lipunan at ang maraming problemang matagal nang umiiral sa bansa. Pinanday din lalo ng programa ang kagustuhan naming mga interns na mag-aral ng batas upang makibaka sa mas malaking laban labas sa apat na sulok ng pamantasan,” Arellano added.

Atty. Marianne Carmel B. Agunoy, AHRC internship director and officer-in-charge of the SBIP expressed her gratitude to everyone who made the onsite immersion possible after more than two years of hiatus due to stricter pandemic protocols. Atty. Agunoy is also hyped by the energy manifested by the interns all throughout the program.

“I am energized by the enthusiasm shown by both the students and our host communities. Nothing beats learning face-to-face, having meals together, and being in the company of our newfound families. Of course, we had to make sure that we took the necessary precautions and extra layers of care due to the pandemic. I am thankful for everyone's cooperation and patience in making sure that we make it a meaningful and safe experience,” she stressed.

As an alumna of AHRC herself (SBIP 2016, Batch Samahang Spot), Atty. Agunoy understands the great impact of the internship program to the lives of interns even beyond their law school journey. She echoed the advantage that comes with the privilege of being an AHRC intern:

“I hope you let this experience guide your lives not just as law students now, but more so as future lawyers. Hang on to the joy but also to the struggles, and let it light your path as the future leaders and decision-makers of this country.”

In the last 35 years, AHRC has produced countless interns. Most of them, if not all, are now in the legal profession, while some have become leaders and public servants. They may have taken different paths after law school, but they have something in common: their fair share of internship immersion stories—inspirational stories to which they would often attribute their present endeavors.

Photos courtesy of the Ateneo Human Rights Center. Consent for the posting of images was obtained by AHRC from the participants and the parents of child participants.