Kelsey and I are doing our internships in the Student Affairs Office (SAO) of St. Scholastica’s College (SSC), or “St. Scho.” It’s a prestigious Catholic school for girls, and includes an elementary, high school, and college. It was founded in 1906 by German Benedictine nuns, and nuns still teach and reside on campus (in full habit, which is something not often seen any more in the states.) St. Scho has been a pioneer in the feminist and women’s movement in the Philippines, and is the only school in the Philippines (and quote possibly in all of Asia) that requires an introductory course in Women’s Studies to graduate. Aside from gender advocacy, St. Scho is known for its social activist and outreach work, as well as its focus on environmental concerns. In a big city of concrete jungle, the compound of St. Scholastica’s is a haven of greenery, something consciously cultivated, and with a student population cap set so as not to over-traffic the lawns and space occupied by foliage. St. Scho also owns a few farm compounds in outlying regions of Luzon as peaceful green spaces outside of Metro Manila. Many of their trainings and convocations are held on these farms (and I’m going to some of them). They also give trainings in Women’s Studies and Women’s Issues for community women not involved in academia. The Nursia Institute of Women’s Studies, where Kelsey and I are staying, was set up by St. Scholastica’s for this purpose, with rooms for women in the community to stay during extended trainings. The IWS also has a publishing arm and a radio show, as well as a TV show called “Nunsense Makes Sense” hosted by Sr. Mary John of St. Scholastica’s.
The emphasis on social activism comes out of the belief that one can’t just settle down into a career – one must be part of what’s going on in the world. So St. Scho has been the staging ground for quite a few controversial issues. During the Marcos presidency (or Ferdinand and Imelda fame), the Philippines was under martial law and human rights violations were the norm. St. Scholastica’s screened banned films undermining presidential propaganda and talked revolutionary things, risking arrest in doing so. St. Scholastica was actually where Cory Aquino, an alumnus of St. Scho herself, announced that she would be running against Marcos in the coming election. She won and became the Philippines’ first woman president. This social awareness and activism is carried on today with participation in the “One Billion Rising” and the “Free Our Girls” campaigns, the meaning of which is discussed with even the grade school girls so they understand the significance of campus action and recognition of these issues.