MANILA, Philippines–The Ateneo Assembly hosted the Philippine Model Congress-Ateneo Chapter on campus grounds last November 22-23. The conference, patterned after the deliberations done in the legislature over new pieces of legislation, was attended by over a hundred delegates.
The participants came from Jesuit-affiliated schools across the country including Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Loyola College of Culion and Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan.
The participants were divided into five sectors, namely: business, economics, and entrepreneurship; education and culture; health; labor and agrarian reform; and science, technology and the environment.
At the end of the deliberations, each sector drafted a bill that they introduced for voting the next day in the plenary session. After more debate and statements from the delegates, the plenary then decided via majority vote to pass or repeal the motion in consideration.
The event also featured two sets of panel discussions that also served as national situationers for the many areas of development in the Philippines.
The panel on the first day comprised of the following speakers: Dr. Michael Santos (Pinoy Doctors Medical Center Inc.), Dr. Ronald U. Mendoza Ph.D. (Asian Institute of Management Policy Center) Ma. Almasara Cyd N. Tuaño-Amador (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) and Mrs. Marie Queeny Velasco (Joey Velasco Foundation).
The closing keynote address during the first day was led by Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, chairman of the Senate committee on youth.
The panel on the second day comprised of the following: Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel (Akbayan Party-list), Honorable Walden F. Bello (House of Representatives), and lawyer Antonio “Tony” La Viña (Ateneo School of Government).
The Philippine Model Congress is the flagship project of the Ateneo Assembly for school year 2014-2015. The organizing committee also thanks all the sponsors and fellow organizations that helped make the event a success.
Acknowledgements to INQUIRER.net, IPTV Ateneo, The Guidon, Café Mary Grace, Smart Telecommunications, Ateneo Debate Society, Bugkos, Health Sciences Society and the Analysis and Discourse Cluster of the Council of Organizations in Ateneo. ADVT