Pinunong Recoletos Wave 2 virtually gathers Recollect Student-Leaders

Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga•December 1, 2021

Virtual Camping. Pinunong Recoleto began as a leadership camp giving young leaders and students </br> with potential leadership skills an opportunity to acquire techniques in managing student organizations. </br> In the middle of remote learning, the camp becomes a virtual gathering and learning experience.

Virtual Camping. Pinunong Recoleto began as a leadership camp giving young leaders and students
with potential leadership skills an opportunity to acquire techniques in managing student organizations.
In the middle of remote learning, the camp becomes a virtual gathering and learning experience.

San Carlos City, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL—Five years after its first edition, the Pinunong Recoletos Leadership Camp is back!

The second edition of the leadership training centered on inculcating Augustinian Values among student-leaders happened via Zoom Meeting last November 26 and 27, 2021 with 66 participants from six Recollect education centers in the Visayas.

Fray Rommel L. Rubia, OAR, led the line-up of speaker-trainers. Fray Rubia, who is now the Vice-President for Administration at San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite, discussed “Augustinian Values in Leadership” and emphasized that Recollect student-leaders are unique because of their charism of being “contemplative, communitarian and apostolic.”

**True Pinunong Recoletos.** Fray Rommel L. Rubia, OAR promotes the charism of being “Contemplative, Communitarian, and Apostolic” to Augustinian Recollect student-leaders. Fr. Rubia reminds the participants to become examples other than dominate the flock.

A Good Leader. Jamie Natalie Carmona, CST-R facilitator, opens up the discussion about perceptions and views of a “good leader.”

Student-leaders who joined the leadership camp were from the student councils of the abovementioned schools. As workshop output, participants made info-graphics that highlighted the four topics by the four different speakers.

“I [learned] that as a leader, it doesn’t matter what your title or position is; what matters is your enthusiasm and dedication,” wrote El Jay Monton, student-leader from San Pedro Academy, in response to the speakers of Pinunong Recoletos.

Well-being for Leaders. Guidance Service Specialist and UNO-R alumnus Chris John Bedoria identify reasons that cause burn-out among student-leaders during the distance learning set-up and share key points to maintain well-being.

Chris John Bedoria, a guidance and counselling specialist for the University of the Philippines-Diliman, delivered a talk on “Redefining Leadership and Well-Being.” Bedoria highlighted ten Stephanie Anne Maridable, an experienced youth leader and social sciences teacher at CST-R, discussed about “Encouraging Diversity through Student Leadership,” while CST-R Communications Officer Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga gave the participants key points on “Communicating the Truth vs Fake News.” The first edition of Pinunong Recoletos was in 2016 when CST-R hosted a series of seminars and trainings to mark its 75th founding anniversary. Ma. Nita V. Bolo, the head of CST-R’s Student Activity Center and school guidance counsellor, established this leadership camp. The first batch of participants were student council officers of the public elementary schools in San Carlos City.

**Truth vs Fake News.** In the virtual set-up, filtering the truth from what is fake and fabricated is a challenge especially for student-leaders whose influence is crucial for the upcoming national and local elections. This is the theme of Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga’s discussion during the first day of the virtual leadership camp.

Nothing Stops the Youth. Student-leaders from San Pedro Academy-Recoletos, Caidiocan, Valencia, Negros Oriental break barriers by joining the virtual leadership camp despite technical challenges.

Participating schools to the virtual leadership camp included University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental), Colegio San Nicolas de Tolentino (Talisay, Negros Occidental), Colegio de San Pedro-Recoletos (Valencia, Negros Oriental), San Pedro Academy-Recoletos (Caidiocan, Valencia, Negros Oriental), University of San Jose-Recoletos, Balamban (Balamban, Cebu) and Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos (San Carlos City, Negros Occidental). CST-R is the organizer and host of Pinunong Recoletos.

Responding to the Call to Leadership. Recollect student-leaders respond to speakers during the Pinunong Recoletos Wave 2: Virtual Leadership Camp.

Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga