Ateneo and Singapore Polytechnic participants celebrate the conclusion of the LeX program

A closing ceremony for the first batch of students from the Learning Exchange (LeX) program between Singapore Polytechnic (SPI) and Ateneo de Manila University, was hosted by the Ateneo Business Resource Center (BRC) on 26 March 2024.

The event, held at the SOM 402 at the John Gokongwei School of Management building, began with the Gallery Walk where the students presented the various proposals and solutions they had come up with following the immersion visits they conducted as part of LeX. The students set up their presentations and demos in booths set around SOM 402, wherein they had a limited amount of time to present to stakeholders from the various Gawad Kalinga communities they had visited.

The students' proposals ran the gamut from streamlined facilities, to innovative solutions such as websites to report community issues and personal alarm systems that women, children, and senior citizens could use in times of distress. The best of these would be awarded a prize during the closing ceremony proper.

The closing ceremony proper began with addresses from Ateneo and SPI administrators. Ateneo BRC Director Dr Aran Samson noted that the event was the start of something inspirational.

"This is a very good start," Dr Samson said of the first SPI and Ateneo LeX batch. "Not just for our interactions with the community, not just with our brotherhoods and sisterhoods here in Southeast Asia, but also a start in being able to create something new and something inspirational that people will see value in, that people will believe in when we say that we are developing something that is humanity centric."

Meanwhile, SPI's Dr Oliver Ong praised the work ethic of all the students participating in the LeX program. In addition, he also stated that he was hoping that the relationships fostered in this first LeX program between Ateneo and SPI would continue to grow.

"We hope that this friendship that we've developed during your time (in LeX), we hope that it will continue to foster so that we will have a very good collaboration between our Singapore Polytechnic and Ateneo de Manila University."

Dr Ong also added that he hoped that the relationships formed with the Gawad Kalinga communities would continue to grow even after they left the Philippines.

Dr Samson and Dr Ong's speeches were followed by an institutional gift exchange. Ateneo presented their SPI counterparts with copies of "John L Gokongwei, Jr: The Path of Entrepreneurship," Marites A Khanser's biography of the renowned business leader that the JGSOM is named after, as well as Blue Eagle Funko Pop toys. The SPI contingent, on the other hand, presented Ateneo with a plaque, recognizing the University's participation in the LeX program.

Following the exchange student representatives from Ateneo and SPI came forward to share some of their experiences of LeX. Representing Ateneo was Ms Princess Kate Gonzales and SPI Mr Teo Shao Heng.

Mr Teo reflected on witnessing poverty and it made him realize how privileged he was.

"This experience made me realize how privileged I am," Mr Teo said. "Every meal that I take, every time that I go home, I know that I have a lot that I take for granted."

Ms Gonzales gave her thanks to everyone involved in the program, while also hoping that the lessons they learned and the relationships they had built would remain even after the program was over.

"Here's to the beautiful chaos of cultural exchange, the joy of discovering new perspectives, and the power of collaboration to create social and economic change," Ms Gonzales stated.

After Ms Gonzales and Mr Teo's speeches, the students were presented with their certificates for being part of LeX. In addition, the winning groups from the Gallery Walk were also awarded.

The final speaker of the day was Atty Sabrina Paner-Montiel. In her role as SPI-Ateneo March 2024 LeX Coordinator, Atty Paner-Montiel's dedication and leadership were instrumental in bringing together the collaborative efforts of Ateneo, SPI, and Gawad Kalinga, which resulted in Ateneo's participation in the LeX program. Here, she took the time to thank everyone involved in the program and making the Ateneo leg of LeX possible.

She also commended all those who took a risk on the program.

"For the SP students, you took a risk, in coming here, most of you for the first time, to the Philippines, and you immersed yourselves in the GK communities," Atty Paner-Montiel stated. "For the Ateneo students, you also took a risk, nagtaya rin kayo, despite the busy schedule, you had with midterms and Holy Week break. But you gave your time to join this program."

"For the memkers of our GK communities, kayo rin ay nagtaya, you opened your hearts you opened your homes to our students," she added. "Thank you so much for that giving of yourselves."

Following this, the students and administrators from both schools proceeded to Jolibee Katipunan for a Jolibee party for one final experience of Filipino culture before the Singaporeans flew home to Singapore.