The 2025 Ateneo Service-Learning Conference (ASLC) and Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (ASCEND) Awards

The University recognizes students whose work makes a significant impact through the Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (ASCEND). This year, ASCEND honored senior high school, undergraduate, and graduate students based at the Loyola campus and the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health whose projects and research outputs demonstrated subject mastery and the capacity for synthetic thinking while meaningfully engaging communities beyond Ateneo in contributing to national development.

Nominations for the ASCEND Awards underwent careful review and evaluation by the ASCEND Awards Committee, composed of faculty and student representatives.

The ASCEND Excellence Award is given to outstanding individuals and groups of students whose project or research work demonstrates, in an extraordinary manner, all three of the following:

1. Extraordinary mastery of subject matter and application of synthetic thinking.
2. Deep and extensive engagement with partner communities and/or institutions.
3. Addresses a national development concern in a strongly strategic and/or creative manner with very significant short-term impact on target beneficiaries and/or the potential for significant longer-term impact in promoting the well-being of the greatest number.

On June 13, 2025, the first Ateneo Service-Learning Conference (ASLC) served as an occasion for the 27 finalists to share their excellent work. On the same day, all finalists and excellence awardees were recognized at a ceremony.

Below are the Awardees per category:

Senior High School Coursework - Group Research

Assessing Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge and Practices
 Among the Ibaloi Indigenous People in Benguet
Raymond Joseph Benedict B De los Reyes, Breanna Yzielle A Andres, 
Renee Gabriela N Balgos, Jacob M Regala (Grade 11–STEM)
Faculty Adviser: Gabriel Danielle Luiz G Eslava
Partner Community: The Ibaloi of La Trinidad, Benguet

College Coursework - Senior Group Project

StaROps: A Standardized Relief Operations Database for Tanging Yaman Foundation
Beatrice Nicole Almazan, Myka Angela Candelaria, Louise Martina Estevez,
Trisha Gabriel Lemoncito, Don Ferdinand Santiago, Caitin Beatriz Tan, Mariel Aurea Villafranca
(4 BS Health Sciences)
Faculty Advisers: Norman Dennis E Marquez MD, and Vanessa T Siy Van
Partner Community: Tanging Yaman Foundation

 College Coursework - Junior Group Project

Rise Up for Catch-Up: Building a Self-Sustaining Tutoring Community of the ERDA-SaBaNa Youth in Tondo
Reynelle Herence Ma-ao, Johanna Templo, Christiana Jasmine Medrana, Ma Kinah Zildjian Montesa, Jeanette Elaine Tolosa, Gabriel Joseph Verona, 
Erika Celine Villanueva (3 AB Development Studies, 4 AB Development Studies)
Faculty Adviser: Mark Anthony D Abenir DSD
Formator: Jose Emmanuel O Patrimonio
Partner Community: ERDA Foundation, Inc. (SaBaNa Center, Tondo, Manila City)

College Coursework - Group Research

Salo-SaLutuanan: A Participatory Action Research on Mobilizing
GK Pangarap Village Towards Community-Driven Innovation
Christine Noelle Choo, Glenn Derwin Dela Torre, Emirozz Czarlene Labaria, Chae Eun Lee, Pio Francisco Ramirez, Maria Fiona Marguerite Salazar, Loraine Gabriel A. Sumaylo,
Erika Celine Villanueva
(3 AB Development Studies, 4 AB Development Studies)
Faculty Advisers: Mark Anthony D. Abenir, DSD,  
Maria Victoria F Punay, Nota F Magno
Partner Community: Gawad Kalinga Pangarap Village, Barangay Lobogon, Del Carmen, Siargao

College Thesis - Project

The Acquisition and Implementation of an Electronic Medical Record System with Process Re-engineering for the Health and Nutrition Unit of DepEd Schools Division Office, Sto Tomas City
Nicole Therese L. Arcenas, Cuitlauzina Brianna Cerbito, Leopoldo A De Castro III, Darrel Ethan C Ong, Kamille Claire Y Tiu, Michelle Simone T Yu
(4 BS Management Information Systems)
Faculty Adviser: Sandra Francesca A Lovenia
Partner Community: Department of Education – 
Health and Nutrition Unit, Sto. Tomas City, Schools Division Office 

College Thesis - Group Research

Factors Influencing Participation in the Schistosomiasis Mass Drug Administration: A Case-Control Study in Barangay Laguna, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro
Ericka Patrice B. Abaño, Jana Therize G Barrientos, Justin Antonio Lagman, Trisha Gabriele B Lemoncito, Caitin Beatriz D Tan, Chiara Marie Fe M Tolentino, Ysabela Marie C. Ulanday
(4 BS Health Sciences)
Faculty Adviser: John Q Wong MD
Partner Community: Barangay Laguna, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro

 College Thesis - Individual Research

Justice Lived and Negotiated: Examining the Perceptions and Landscape of Justice in Three Barangay Violence Against Women (VAW) Desks
Yuki Patricia A Abion
(4 AB Interdisciplinary Studies)
Faculty Adviser: Skilty C Labastilla
Partner Community: Violence Against Women Desk Officers and survivors in three barangays -two in Makati City and one in Marikina City

Postgraduate Coursework - Group Project

Kwentong Kalusugan: Pag-unawa sa Karaniwang Karamdaman sa Komunidad
Jericho Dugenia, Alexandra Marcelo, Alyssa San Felipe, Martin Tan, Sophia Vivar
(YL8 - MD-MBA)
Faculty Adviser: Ingrid Mejia Paneda MD
Partner Community: Barangays West Crame and Corazon de Jesus

Postgraduate Coursework - Group Research

Understanding the Patterns of Primary Health Care Practices of the
 Indigenous Ayta tribe in Pampanga
Angelica Mae Agatep, Paul Daenniell Cuanang, Immanuel Zach Pacis, Erika Allanis Rafael, Jyllian Rei Yap
(YL7 - MD-MBA)
Faculty Advisers: Aileen B Pascual MD; 
Ma;. Rosario Bernardo-Lazaro MD
Partner Community: Ayta tribe in Barangay Inararo, Porac, Pampanga 

Postgraduate Thesis - Individual Research

 A Needs Assessment for the Development of the Masayang Pamilya Program for Teenage Parents Using Photovoice
Nina Linly D Capulong
(Master in Counseling Psychology)
Faculty Adviser: Edith Liane P Alampay PhD
Partner Community: Masayang Pamilya Organization Inc 

You may access the Book of Abstracts here: https://go.ateneo.edu/2025ASLCASCENDBookofAbstracts

Photo courtesy of ASCEND 2025