It is said that the UAAP and NCAA member schools do not need much further marketing of their respective universities and colleges as active memberships in the two mother leagues are enough. Is that true?
No. It is good to note, though, that in the very depths of aspirations of and for young people, such aspirations have to be echoed and supported by professionals and educational institutions. First off, meet the myth:
University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ Adamson, Ateneo, FEU, La Salle, NU, UE, UP, and UST, and National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Arellano, Benilde, EAC, JRU, Letran, Lyceum, Mapua, Perpetual, San Beda, and San Sebastian may be the two major leagues of Filipino student-athletes today, but what they achieve are purely athletic. It has benefited thousands of student-athletes for decades, yet they do not comprise much of the student population. In other words, they have the starring role while the ordinary students are only out to support their campus stars. These stars — some superstars and household names when they graduate – continue to shine on the ordinary students and they all wanted to be associated with the starring role and championship runs of these athletes. Period. All things considered, is university life one that is inclusive daily? Not really. But it depends on many things, especially in the culture across campuses.
The student majority opinion is that: sana all. (Sometimes it is spelled “sene el” or “China oil” but it is a mere jargon used first by the young and also later by the not-so-young in wishing that everyone get the same benefit, treatment, or luck.)
Naglalambing, and not necessarily complaining, students call for and always try to demand inclusivity. Too general. Make it EDI or equity, diversity, and inclusion. Let us study the case of the “Klasmeyt Culture.”
When one is inside or near that one campus along San Marcelino Street in Ermita, every student calls another “classmate.” Check out their SMS or social media convo, chances are they call themselves “klasmeyt.” If one correctly spells it as “classmate,” the other feels there is something that creates a barrier. If “klasmeyt” is chatted instead, a sense of belonging is instantly felt. The chat becomes a reunion (an online reunion, how is that?) and their meetings become exchanges of passion and goals. Narratives of these and other “at home” students can be heard here. Professional basketball player Rodney Brondial adds: Fans call him “klasmeyt” and he gamely responds with words like “Oh, yes.” It is his acknowledgment of their commonality (i.e., they both belong to/come from the same campus) and he gets much-needed cheers and innermost support from mga klasmeyt (classmates, even if what they only mean is they are schoolmates).
Not only the cherished greetings, that culture of klasmeyt is a “movement… (in recognition of) the inherent worth and dignity of every individual and extending a hand of friendship, support, and acceptance,” which is why they finally unveiled it on October 11. They created some space on the internet for this movement not just for inclusivity, but also for competence, character, and charity. It is because they see and feel the need to expand the effort exerted by the government and private sector meant for social transformation. This time, however, it is not just “kasama ka sa pag-unlad,” but also “klasmeyts tayong lahat.” Philippine sociology calls it the challenge of modernity (David, n.d.). It is not a mere challenge for the mass media to be of help in the inclusivity call because practically all Filipinos have a newfound culture that goes beyond communicating what needs to be communicated, especially with students from diverse backgrounds. Our day-to-day tasks and, therefore, practical accomplishments mostly taken for granted, should unite us. Maki-klasmeyt or join a key sector of young people who treat classmates, schoolmates, and the already refined (instead of “educated”) people with equity and diversity, and inspire others to study life and work inclusively.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar serves as a member of the steering committee of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He was part of National University’s community extension project that imparted the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities in a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with a master’s degree in development communication from the University of the Philippines Open University in Los Baños. He recently defended a dissertation proposal for his doctorate degree in communication at the same graduate school under a Philippine government scholarship grant. He was editor-in-chief of his high school paper Ang Ugat and the Adamson News.
