It has been eight years since Pope Francis published Laudato sí, sharing his concerns about the care for our common home. In his latest apostolic exhortation, Laudate Deum (Praise God), Pope Francis laments our inadequate responses to the climate crisis and warns of a breaking point for our planet unless we act decisively. (LD2)

Pope Francis, in the same document encourages everyone that “every little bit helps.” A small act can really go a long way when done consistently and conscientiously. “Yet,” he continues, “what is important is something less quantitative: the need to realize that there are no lasting changes without cultural changes, without a maturing of lifestyles and convictions within societies, and there are no cultural changes without personal changes. (LD70)

The youth have an important role in driving cultural change. Their concern about the climate crisis and the vulnerable people who are most impacted by it has spurred growing interest in biodiversity, jobs in sustainability, and advocacy.

Recognizing the important role of the youth and the drastic changes, both communal and personal,  that must be inculcated in their culture now, LCC adapts the following ecological policies. It is our hope that with these policies, it will have significant changes in their lifestyle to combat the deteriorating situation of our common home.

The following policies will be adapted after one week of the publication of this circular.

1.    BAN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ON CAMPUS

Plastic products break down over hundreds of years into microplastic particles that persist and accumulate in the environment. The following items are banned on campus:

a.     Soft drink, juice, and water plastic (PET) bottles

b.     Plastic cups and lids

c.     Disposable or single-use utensils (spoons, forks, and knives) and straws

d.     Single-use plastic containers and bags

e.     Styrofoam or Polystyrene products (e.g. food packs) and tetra-pack cartons

f.      Sachets (including chips and junk food bags)

g.     Balloons

h.     Other non-recyclable items

We would like to advocate the use of sustainable and earth-friendly reuseable alternatives, such as:

a.     Reuseable (hard plastics, steel, wood) water bottles or tumblers

b.     Reuseable (steel or wood) spoon and fork

c.     Reuseable (steel or wood) straws

d.     Paper or biodegradable food packs

e.     Ecobags

We also discourage the use of tarpaulins for announcements or for one-time use only.

2.    SEGREGATION OF WASTE AT THE SOURCE

Different colored trash cans have been provided in every classroom and common areas of the school. However, different types of trash are lumped inside these cans. Everyone is asked to be mindful of how the different types of garbage are to be segregated.

Reuseable papers (papers with print only on one side) are to be separately collected to be used by offices.

Organic wastes are collected by the barangay and are deposited in the compost pit in our property in Gitna.

3.    ON THE USE OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER

Aside from material resources, electricity and fresh water are resources that need to be conserved. Since last year, the school has been replacing our old lighting fixtures with energy-efficient lights and equipment. We have also bought additional solar lights to supplement our current lighting fixtures. We will continue to add more in other areas.

Each office or classroom is to adopt energy conserving measures, such as turning off aircons, electric fans, and lights when no one is around. Ensure that appliances are unplugged at the end of the day and especially on long weekends, report leakages in water lines and faucets, among others. Soon, we will also install rain-water collection tanks around the campus.

4.    DEPUTIZATION OF THE ECOLOGY OFFICER AND OTHER OFFICES

Our point person on Ecology, Mr. Domingo Labios, is deputized to call out or issue a warning to personnel or office who continually violate or ignore these policies. A report will be sent to my office and upon determining the severity of the complaint, a certain penalty will be imposed. The Physical Plant Officer, together with our security guards and maintenance staff, are also deputized to call out or issue a warning to a personnel or office who violate or ignore these policies.

Our Junior High (LSG) and Senior High (ISLA) student-body governments are also enjoined to include the criteria of adherence to the policy on ecology in their daily evaluation of determining the cleanest classroom. I leave it to the student governments and their moderators the determination of demerit points for every violation.

The JHS Diner and SHS Cafeteria concessionaires have also been informed of the details of these policies and will adapt their practices accordingly.

We enjoin our outside suppliers, parents, alumni, and other stakeholders to join us in this campaign.

We launch this new policy at the beginning of this year’s Season of Creation, with the theme “Hope and Act with Creation.” The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration that calls us together each year to pray and respond jointly to the cry of Creation: the ecumenical family from around the world comes together to listen to and care for our common home.

Fortes in Fide!

(SGD) Fr. Neupito J. Saicon, Jr., S.J.

President

For school year 2024-2025, the following are reaffirmed in their following posts:

COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATORS

Fr. Joseph Patrick Echevarria, S.J. - Director for Formation, School Treasurer, Chaplain

Erlinda Torion - Executive Assistant & Secretary to the President, External and Alumni Affairs, HR Officer

Noel Lagrada - Assistant to the President for Operations

Emelyn Umpad - Registrar

Ma. Perseville Pitogo - JHS Principal

Erika Therese Nuñez - SHS Teacher In-Charge

Upon the recommendation of the JHS Principal and SHS Teacher In-Charge, I appoint the following faculty members to these posts:

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL UNIT 

Renzy Fria Blancia-Chavez - Grade 7 – St. John Ogilvie Adviser

Shanly Ann Cañete - Grade 7 – St. Peter Claver Adviser, Computer Lab -in-charge

Catherine Abanggan - Grade 8 – St. Robert Southwell Adviser, Clubs’ Moderator

Breza Mae Caballero - Grade 9 – St. Francis Xavier Adviser

Era Darren Naceno - Grade 10 – St. René Goupil Adviser, Communications & Publications Officer

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL UNIT

Marijoy Doldig - Grade 11 – St. John de Brebeuf (HUMMS) Adviser, JHS Student Govt Moderator

Rene Mark Pondevilla - Grade 11– St. Stanislaus Kostka (TVL)  Adviser, SHS Student Govt Moderator

Bernardine Gayle Morales - Grade 12 – St. Claude la Colombiere (TVL) Adviser

Jules Leigh Umpad - Grade 12 – St. Henry Morse (HUMMS) Adviser

Upon the recommendation of the Council of Administrators, I appoint the following faculty members to these posts:

SUBJECT AREA COORDINATORS

Erlinda Torion- English

Erika Therese Nuñez - Filipino

Raquel Chepez - TLE/TSM/Entrep

Renzy Fria Blancia-Chavez - Araling Panlipunan

Lorelei Pamela Batuigas - MAPEH

Catherine Abanggan - Mathematics

Noel Lagrada - Science

Domingo Labios - Christian Living Education (CLE)

The following school personnel are also (re)appointed/(re)affirmed in the following  offices/assignments: 

Khrizna Joie Batuigas - Executive Assistant to the Formation Director, Guidance Officer, Safeguarding Protocol Officer

Domingo Labios - Prefect of Discipline &  Ecology

Lorelei Pamela Batuigas - Porter, Health Officer, Property Custodian, Science Lab in -charge

Jomel Garcia - Music Teacher

Dominique Valloyas - Executive Assistant for Finance

Angela Zapues - Cashier

Jocelyn Sarmiento - Head Librarian

Rena Mariet Galleon - Asst Librarian

Raquel Chepez - Faculty & Staff Association President, TLE Lab in-charge, ICT & LIS Officer

Rizza Lyn Caban - Students’ Records Officer

Roel Bantog - Head Security Guard

Rommel Labuca - Security Guard

Ricky Saragoza - Security Guard

Sylvester Derla - Security Guard

Leonard Capellan - Maintenance, Carpenter

Melvin Macaraeg - Maintenance, Janitor

Kathlea Jay Roxas - St. Francis Xavier (SFX) IP Dorm Coordinator

Mark Kiamkee Norombaba - Campus Minister, Scholars’ in-charge, and SFX IP Dorm Formator, Araling Panlipunan Teacher

Cordeliz Sartagoda - Assistant to the President for Faculty Formation, CLE Teacher

Rommel Howard Iway - Volunteer School Nurse

I thank the newly appointed and re-appointed colleagues for their willingness to serve the LCC community through the ministry of leadership. Let us support our leaders with our cooperation and prayers.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam!

(SGD) Fr. Neupito J. Saicon, Jr., S.J.

President

My dear students, administrators, faculty, staff, and parents: welcome to school year 2024-2025! 

In two years, we shall celebrate the centenary of the foundation of our dear Loyola College of Culion!  Over the years, we have been called by various names: Culion Catholic Primary School, Culion Catholic School, St. Ignatius High School, St. Ignatius Academy, St. Ignatius College, and now, Loyola College of Culion.  Each change of name signaled a new chapter of the school’s life.  When our school began, we only offered early childhood education; now we teach the young until their adolescence.  Each change of name indicated LCC’s opening up to greater possibilities, and more positive influence in each Culionaire.  Now as it comes closer to its centenary, LCC heeds the call to ongoing conversion.  However, we will not aspire for another change of school name.  Rather, we will strive to become more faithful to our mission and better service to our young people today. 

It is not enough that students are able to read; we hope that they also understand and make sense of the world around them.  It is not enough that they can describe their experience; we hope that they also find why and how they can improve their context.  We do not only teach them how to count, but to ensure the truthfulness of what is given to them.  It is not enough that they know history and its effects on us now, but to also learn from history and transform the future.  We will not just inform them about the world, but also help them appreciate it through music and the arts.

In view of these aspirations, we commit to forming and equipping our teachers towards improved lesson delivery for this new (and often misunderstood!) generation.  The benchmarking activity with Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, our continuous participation in the preparations on the implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum by the Department of Education, the training seminars organized by the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), and the seminars and workshops on the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) by the network of Jesuit schools, are a few of the professional development activities to which we send our faculty and staff. We commit to further improve the quality of our teaching and even raise it above the prescribed standards. The recent recertification of PEAC which lasts until 2026-2027 is a testament to this commitment.

All these allow us to go further, to dream big, and to take bold steps, so that our students are not left behind.  Indeed, we proudly and gratefully notice that many of our graduates last year passed standardized college tests and cope well with the demands of education in higher learning institutions. This is another proof that the quality of education we offer is at par with those in the urban areas.  Also, our senior high school graduates who have chosen to work are the preferred applicants in Culion and Coron.  Employers report that they are those who can easily adapt to the different working environments and are tech-savvy.  This is our promise to our parents.  Your children, after finishing basic education with LCC, will be future-ready!

And so, this year we dream big.  We dream God’s dreams!  We take bolder steps, armed with God’s encouragement.  We soar high, like the eagle that has become the symbol of Culion, rising to new heights!

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us! Ad majorem Dei gloriam!

(SGD) Fr. Neupito Jr. J. Saicon, S.J.

President