13/10/2026
𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐂 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚? 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓?
These questions guided an open dialogue between NDMC President Fr. Ramon Maria G. Bernabe, OMI, and the College and Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED) Supreme Student Government (SSG) officers on October 1, 2026, at the Primera Function Hall. The session provided a space for student leaders to share their experiences, celebrate what they value about NDMC, and voice concerns and recommendations that could contribute to a better learning environment.
𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
When asked what makes them proud or happy as Dameans, the student leaders highlighted the opportunities NDMC provides for 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝, 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. They also expressed appreciation for an environment where they can 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
For many, being a Damean also means belonging to a community that values diversity, friendship, and meaningful relationships. Their experiences in extracurricular activities, student leadership, and competitions have allowed them to 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕
Alongside their positive experiences, the student leaders identified areas where the Damean experience could be improved. Their concerns covered 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. They also emphasized the 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮,the 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙁𝙄𝘿 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢, 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡.
Moreover, demonstrating their awareness of inflation and its impact on students, the student leaders raised concerns about 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝑨 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏
The discussion also visited NDMC’s revised Vision, Mission, and Core Values, emphasizing the Notre Dame spirit of daring and compassion, lifelong learning, and the formation of individuals who lead with faith, respect, excellence, and service.
At the end of the session, Fr. Bernabe thanked and acknowledged the students’ openness in sharing their experiences and concerns. He emphasized the importance of communication and explained that several matters would require coordination with the appropriate offices and personnel.
By providing student leaders with an opportunity to express both appreciation and constructive criticism, NDMC strengthened the connection between the administration and the students it serves. The session reaffirmed the importance of student participation in shaping the life of the institution.