De La Salle University-Dasmarinas’ Religious Education Department (REED) recently held the National Conference on Values and Religious Education via Zoom and Facebook Live.
With the theme, “Gifted to Give: 500 Years of Christianity and the Gifts and Challenges to Values and Religious Education in the Philippines, REED participates in the commemoration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The key speakers of the conference include, Rev. Bishop Virgilio S. David, D.D., Rev. Fr. Alain P. Manalo, and Dr. Benito L. Teehankee.
In his talk, Rev. Bishop David, invited the attendees to reflect with him on two objectives: (1) To reflect on what it means to celebrate 500 years of a Christian faith that came packaged with more than 350 years of colonial rule, and (2) To articulate what Religious and Values Education teachers might be able to glean as gifts and challenges from this historically nuanced understanding of the kind of Filipino Catholicism that has emerged in these past 500 years of our history.
Meanwhile, Fr. Manalo, presented his talk on “The Filipino Christians Today: Challenges and Opportunities to Religious Education.” Fr. Manalo offered three proposals to religious (and values) educators and to school administrators, focusing on religious education curriculum, the strategies of religious instruction or formation, and the approach to school administration.
On the other hand, Dr. Teehankee, from De La Salle University discussed the “Challenges and Opportunities in Values Education for Filipino Christians Today.” In which Dr. Teehankee highlighted the role of values educators in engagement and accompaniment such as more listening and understanding (less judgment), engage in social media through dialogue and advocacy, advocate decent work and integral human development, encourage civic mindedness among others.
Other speakers who shared insights during the event were Brother Agustine “Gus” L. Boquer, FSC, DLSU-D President who delivered the opening remarks and REED Faculty Members Dr. Gil Ellema and Dr. Jose Arvin Gacelo.