Fr Nebres looks back on 50 years of OSCI, formation, and concrete efforts to ground students on social awareness

Fr Bienvenido Nebres SJ, former President of Ateneo de Manila University from 1993 to 2011, headlined a talk on 8 April 2025 titled, "OSCI @ 50: Remembering the Past, Reimagining the Future." He was joined by Dr Norman Dennis "Sio" Marquez, Assistant Vice President for Health, Care, and Well-Being; Helena Roxanne Indigne, Assistant Director for NSTP12-Bigkis; and Jeanne Lovelle Sañarez, Chairperson, OSCI Student Volunteer Formation Center, who served as reactors.

The talk was held at Faber Hall 101 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Also in attendance (in alphabetical order) were Ms Ophalle R Alzona-Pornela, Director, Office for Social Concern and Involvement; Dr Leland Joseph R Dela Cruz, Assistant Vice President for Social and Environmental Engagement for Development and Sustainability; Dr Marie Joy R Salita, Assistant Vice President for Student Activities and Leadership Formation; and Dr Benjamin Tolosa, Vice President for Mission Integration.

The full video of the talk can be viewed below.

Emphasizing volunteerism and being with others

Before the current format of the OSCI formation programs known by the University today, Fr Nebres talked about the foundations of social awareness, which was rooted in volunteerism. This did not come only from members of the administration who attempted to emphasize the relevance of Ateneo in the context of socio-political realities decades ago. He talked about how this push of needing to be socially aware was grounded on Ateneo students who organized Sarilikha in 1972 which “showed the way” for the rest of the community to follow. There was a massive flooding in Central Luzon during that same year which drove Ateneans to action, as they hoped to “be with the masses” and later on spent their weekends helping the affected farmer communities. “They led what we called then a ‘counterculture’, and the formation of the ‘socially-oriented activities’,” Fr Nebres shared.

As the talk ended and during the open forum, a student asked the speakers: what happens in a scenario where the views of the community are different from their own? Hilla Indigne addressed the question by stressing the need for openness to understand the contexts everyone comes from. Dr Sio Marquez added on this point stating the need to build relationships with communities further. Without such relationships, there is a possibility of always never seeing eye to eye and bridging gaps present in social and political issues.

Not done yet

As part of OSCI’s 50th anniversary, these organized talks with the theme Singkwento! Limampung Taon ng Kwentuhan at Ugnayan, center on topics of service, partnerships, and what it means to be persons for and with others in today’s day and age.

There is one more scheduled talk in line where women leaders and changemakers will share their experiences and insights on nation-building, leadership, and advocacy. Details for these will be shared on the OSCI social media platforms.