Through the Office of the Internal Auditor (OIA), Saint Louis University (SLU) once again brought the spirit of service to life through its flagship outreach initiative, the Bright Start Program, with the theme: Cultivating Minds, Empowering the Future. The recipients for the academic year 2025-2026 are students, parents, and teachers of the Datakan Integrated School in Kapangan, Benguet.
Responding to the school’s needs, the university conducted various activities for the school community. The first wave of activities rolled out on 22 July 2025, where university auditors distributed basic school supplies to sixteen selected learners from Kinder to Grade 12.
On 17 July 2025 and 18 September 2025, the program arranged the donation of library materials, including textbooks, manuals, and bookshelves, to enrich the school’s learning resources.
On 18 October 2025, two significant sessions addressed equally important concerns—mental health and personal safety. A learning session on “Empowering parents and teachers through mental health ” and “Teachers and Parents as first responders” was facilitated for parents and teachers. On the other hand, lectures on “How to be Safe and Smart” and “Rights and Responsibilities of Children” were provided to learners in grades 7 to 12, with separate groups for girls and boys.
The collaborative contributions of the SLU-Basic Education Schools (BEdS), University Libraries (UNL), Center for Counselling and Wellness (CCW), Sunflower Child Youth and Wellness Center (SCYWC), Campus Planning, Maintenance, and Security Department (CPMSD), and the support of the University Administration have made this year’s Bright Start program a success.
Affirming the CICM advocacy of justice, peace, and dialogue, the program promoted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 4: Quality Education, No. 3: Good Health and Well-being, No. 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, No. 17: Partnership for the Goals. (Article by Delia C. Latawan and Shyra Marie E. Leal, OIA | Photos by SLU-OIA)
