Faith in Action

During our National Museum immersion, three exhibits really stuck with me: the "Tree of Life" canopy and Philippine Eagle display in Natural History, the Manunggul Jar in Anthropology, and Carlos Valino Jr.’s Graveyard Scenery in Fine Arts, yet it was Valino’s painting that struck me the hardest. It had this heavy, dark depiction of wartime struggle that made me realize how environmental neglect and human suffering always go hand in hand. It felt like a contrast to the balance shown in the Manunggul Jar and the Philippine eagle. As I was seeing how poor environments cause real emotional and physical strain was, it had this sort of “wake-up call” for me as a STEM student since it showed me that science can't just stay in textbooks and in classrooms, but instead, how I need to use what I'm learning to solve actual problems affecting our school community, especially the students, teachers, and staff who use our campus grounds every day for PE and walking around, or for normal day-to-day activities. Right now, our open lawn at STCQC has some minor weather issues, but they need to be addressed. The issue is that it traps way too much heat when it’s dry, and it collects a muddy flood easily when it rains hard and continuously. The concrete and synthetic materials we use lack basic drainage and insulation, while we completely ignore the possibility of a smart and low-carbon material wisdom seen in things like the Manunggul Jar. Whenever heavy rains hit, the flooded lawn turns into a slippery, hazardous mess that constantly disrupts our outdoor PE/HOPE classes and sports practices, which will not have a long-term resolution if we keep on relying on a quick-fix infrastructure instead of bio-inspired solutions, showing a real neglect for our shared physical environment and overall student safety.

In Luke 4:16–21, we see how Jesus speaks about His mission to bring good news, heal the sick, and free the oppressed. Jesus was not only blatantly reading from a scroll that was handed to him, but he was also simultaneously making a promise to His people that everyone would be able to witness the Lord’s favor. On our campus, bringing that kind of "liberation" doesn't always have to be some massive gesture because it can also start just by making sure everyone feels safe and cared for in their daily environment. When our lawn turns into a slippery hazard during PE/HOPE classes, it causes us stress throughout the day and worry about the safety of everyone. Living out God's love in a practical way means fixing these physical hazards so students can move around and learn without worrying about slipping or getting soaked. Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas reminds us that human intelligence, science, and technology are gifts meant to be used for genuine service and ethical stewardship, not just quick band-aids or passive convenience.

As a STEM student, this reminds me that technical skills come with a real moral duty, and instead of settling for concrete that does not drain well, we are called by Laudato Si' to care for our common home by using bio-inspired science to bring harmony back to our campus layout. Looking at our current campus problems through these teachings showcases a gap between what we preach and what we experience, and in connection to the gospel, we must not only create solutions, but act on them, as Jesus not only stated what the Lord would do, he promised it. The historical neglect in Valino’s Graveyard Scenery shows what happens when human comfort and the environment get ignored. Even though the issues depicted in Valino’s painting are deeper compared to the issue I am trying to tackle, it can still help us realize the necessity of finding resolution without waiting for something worse to occur, which relates to my issue since we do not need to wait for the campus grounds to turn extremely unsafe when we are given the opportunity to act on it now. This is how true discernment is seen, through the means of using STEM to bridge this gap and applying smart, natural design principles to turn a hazardous lawn into a safe and sustainable space for the whole STCQC community.

To turn this theological reflection into real campus action, I came up with Project CANOPY: A Bio-Inspired Eco-Filtration and Green Shelter Design. Across the open grass near Sr. Marie Madeleine Multipurpose Gym (SMMMG), I, with the help and guidance of the admin and coordinator, plan to install modular canopy structures inspired by the "Tree of Life" to catch heavy rainfall before it drowns the lawn and makes muddy puddles, which can keep outdoor PE and HOPE classes safe and functional. Along narrower lawn sections such as the staircase from the lawn to the basement, we will use underground terracotta clay filters, which I took as an inspiration from the porous and natural material logic of the Manunggul Jar, which has the capability to absorb excess water without adding synthetic plastics in order to collect rainwater, to the ground. We shall also set up vertical planter shelters along the enctrance/exit gates in Gate 1 and Gate 3 so that the students will be able to walk through dry paths that are covered during sudden heavy downpours while the native plants cool down the area. Project CANOPY directly correlates with the global sustainability goals and our school's core values, as it supports 3 SDGS. First, it supports SDG 1, Sustainable Cities and Communities, by making our campus climate-ready. Next, it supports SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, by our swapping of plastic hardware for low-carbon earthenware clay. Lastly, it supports SDG 15, Life on Land, from our adding of native vertical gardens.

It also reflects the STCQC Core Values of servant-leadership by keeping students safe along high-traffic routes and giving them a service that would be a great comfort and help to them. This also reflects the core value of care for the environment by working with nature instead of using materials that go against it and harm nature. Overall, this project l ives out our semestral theme (Walking Joyfully the Pathways of Hope) by turning this scientific innovation into a concrete expression of Theresian care, while also ensuring that our campus remains a safe, welcoming space where we can literally walk together without barrier, as we find joy in our community even amidst adverse weather.

As a Theresian servant-leader, this whole process showed me that true discipleship isn't just something we talk about, but instead, it is something that we live out through our everyday choices in our studies and how we care for the people around us. As I went from the heavy realities of human neglect depicted in Graveyard Scenery to coming up with an actual solution like Project CANOPY, it taught me what it really means to have a heart open to the poor and sensitive to the needs of persons and community, deepening my understanding in Thersian values, because as I try to apply it, I now realize the true importance and meaning of embodying the Theresian core values. To add, I also find so much inspiration in the Three Women and their devotion in the way they spent their lives serving others, with no expectation of rewards and acknowledgements. Their examples reminded me that serving my community doesn't always take grand and heroic gestures, because sometimes, I can just serve my community by looking at small, everyday struggles, like a slippery lawn or a flooded pathway, and choosing to do something about it. Inspired by their dedication, I want to be an icon of hope in my own simple way, and I commit to using my background in STEM not just to build things, but as a genuine tool for service and healing in order to help turn our campus into a safer and more sustainable space for my fellow Theresians and fulfil my call as a faithful steward of God's creation.