Written by Sophia Beatriz Reyes
Transcribed by Sophia Beatriz Reyes and Ril Arguelles
The Variations team was very honored to have Sir Martin John, the newest dorm manager at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), sit down with us for a chat where we were able to talk about where they’re coming from, their motivations, and the plans they currently have for Makiling.
Before we begin, we would like to note that Sir Martin John asks us to keep in mind that some statements over this interview may be true today, but might not be as relevant the next, and of course there are a lot of factors that decide whether or not these plans may push through. In addition, we have to remember that many things happen along the way, and the authority given is limited.
With that, we are excited to bring you our conversation and catch you up on things since we’ve been away from Makiling.
[Q1] Sophie Reyes: We would like to ask, no matter how vague, kahit incomplete, how would you describe the vision that you have for Makiling?
Sir Martin John: Hmmm, my vision, okay. Siguro, I’d like to take a step back first.
One important step for me in the visioning process is to begin by understanding the “context” --- to ask, what is life here in Makiling? in PHSA? and how is it connected to the bigger systems, to the other organizations? to the world? how is it connected to our country (needs)?
These important questions led me to engage in conversations and facilitate workshops with the different sectors and stakeholders of the institution. So, when I am at my desk, those are some of the questions I have in mind. It’s a rich set of information (for contextualization). Here we have to ensure that we are not living inside a bubble, that we are not excluded from the world, but that we are definitely part of that. How do we ensure that this connection remains? We are given the opportunity to retreat from the rest of the world and explore. However, in that exploration is the recognition and awareness to be able to discover ourselves, others, and our current environment [more]. And how will these make sense when we go out and begin to be part again of that [bigger reality].
So that’s one, taking a step back, understanding the context and seeing that the vision is not withdrawn or detached, from our world, from out there. Later on, I will show how, parang, this is now manifested in a framework that perhaps will be able to answer the other aspects of this question. But for me this [step] is really important. To know the [context], that’s how we will design the vision. It’s where I would like to begin.
Sophie Reyes: I really like what you’ve mentioned po about being part of a bigger system, a bigger picture, kasi ayun nga po, maging sa face-to-face classes dati, parang yung lagi pong naka-emphasize ay yung [fact na] isolated po tayo, tapos a lot of the time, so walang internet, [LAUGHS] I mean for a lot of students, wala pong internet, limited po yung communication with the outside world, so most of the time weekends lang po talaga kami nakakapag-integrate, nakakapaghalubilo sa ibang tao sa labas ng bubble sa Makiling. And, um, personally, I found it really, I was pleasantly surprised, nung nalaman ko pong may bagong dorm manager during this time, but it’s really nice to look at the importance of that, kasi at a time like now, ayun nga, we’re all in our own home environments, ang daming napupulot mula sa labas na mainam din pong dalhin din sa Makiling. Long overdue na changes, mga kailangang i-implement that keeps us grounded, kasi ang [daling] kalimutan na parte din ang Makiling sa isang mas malaki pang sistema. So it’s really refreshing to hear that din po, since a lot of the time the students have tried to bring that, with outreach programs, yung pag-immerse sa pagbaba sa Los Banos, pero limited pa rin nga po talaga yung abot nun.
Sir Martin John: I like what you said about systems noh. I think I shared the ecological system theory to some of the sectors. That’s one of our [anchors] as well in terms of framework, seeing that we are interconnected. Even the systems inside, and that’s the reason why I’ve been reaching out to different offices or units, I’ve been pestering your teachers –
[BOTH LAUGH]
– because I need to know, I need to write something that really makes sense. I’m not just writing anything, but something that is based in the context of the “Ibarang Dorm Life”, especially since I'm coming from a different institution. It is very important to be able to know that these things will only make sense if it is grounded in the reality or the context of the people who live here.
In crafting a vision, I hope there’s a kind of recognition of the need to always listen, and to find space for that, to begin with that kind of disposition. Syempre there will be arguments or differences in beliefs, but [there really needs to be] a space for people to be heard. Because a vision, for me, is not only an end but a process in itself.
So especially at this time, it’s now hard to really look at an ideal scenario, and find just how far and how near those scenarios are, given the pandemic. I don’t know if that affected how I do things well. There is this sense of humility, that things might be different tomorrow. The things I have prepared today may not work or be applicable the next day. I have to navigate my now with the learnings I can carry on from yesterday. And that’s where decisions will take place.
I think the last part will be for the vision to be values-driven. To go back to that, to revisit that set of values because I think, you know, it’s in our official hymn – katotohanan, kagandahan, kabutihan – how do we make these come to life in the dorm? And even pay attention to, siguro. Since we are all coming from different backgrounds, culture and upbringing, some of these values may not be the priority of the way we live before. That’s okay. Maaaring nilalakbay muna natin ‘yan, as we stay at PHSA. Pwedeng hindi 100% mabuti kaagad ‘no, 100%, pero along the way we know na mas nahuhulma tayo with this set of values.
Dorm life in high school is a very unique experience because not all students who are in their high school years are experiencing the same thing. Firstly, there is a recognition of that kind of environment, the dormitory. The space itself allows us to have that opportunity for encounter, for experience. Without that space, hindi siya magiging dorm life. Secondly, there’s a recognition of the person, the dorme. Definitely when you leave Makiling some things have changed from the time you enter. Yun din kasi yung sinasabi ko sa mga magulang when I was a Residential Life Manager before– “kung walang nagbago (sa inyong mga anak) parang kailangan niyo po ata kaming kausapin” [LAUGHS]. Lastly, there is the encounter with others, the dorm community, na sinasabayan yung development na yun. That’s something I’ve shared with some of the adults, to ask ourselves, when we see you, do we see who you were in grade 7, or am I looking at you and talking to you as you are now, a grown individual? We cannot expect the residents, the dormitory and the community to be the same as last year.
So when we look at the development of dorm life, we are considering these three components (the dormitory, the dormer, and the dorm community) and their interconnectedness. We all know that learning is not confined in the classroom, and a lot of things that you will learn is through experiential learning or encounters. The dorm, being your new home hopefully will provide for that kind of learning, that kind of opportunity for growth.
Goal 1 is to develop supportive, creative, and resilient residents;
Goal 2 is to build and foster a safe, inclusive living and learning environment; and
Goal 3 is to promote and practice a sustainable and responsible lifestyle.
[Q2] Sophie Reyes: Thank you po sa pag-share ng framework, I’m sure a lot of students would really appreciate seeing that. Ayun, medyo smooth din po yung transition [kasi] medyo napag-usapan niyo na rin po, but for this one, what are you most looking forward to when face-to-face classes resume? Especially since first time niyo po na andun na lahat ng students… [LAUGHS]
Sir Martin John: Ah, I’m trying to do away with this word, pero ‘di ko alam kung looking forward yung ano, kasi, looking forward seems to be geared towards something so positive in terms of a word. I think, ang una ko kasing naiisip is the word “tension.”
[BOTH LAUGH]
It’s gonna be tension-filled. Don’t take this in the usual way we might have associated the word tension with. I would like to borrow yung words from the two Jesuit presidents we had in Ateneo, who talked about tensions. Father Bobby Yap said, “to acknowledge and accept that there are tensions, and to be able to embrace and be comfortable with these tensions.” I think it was explained more visually by Father Jet Villarin. He’s a physicist. He said, “when we open the hood ng kotse, makikita mo yung makina, and you see all these gears diba, may friction doon, may tension. This is what beautiful tension is about. Sometimes we need that tension for us to be able to move forward, or just for us to be able to move and take the first step.
Again, my view of things might be different from the rest, pero siyempre kasi there’s gonna be no perfect thing happening when the first face-to-face happens. Maraming scenarios ang pinag-aaralan.
So that will be one. I’m not hoping for tension, but I’m just having the awareness that it can be part of the scenarios that we may see. With awareness, with listening, we would be able to resolve things better. Hindi din sana ma-stall na lang sa tension at walang nangyari o naresolve. So I think yun yung una kong nakikita, it’s gonna be action-filled, I guess?
[BOTH LAUGH]
Siguro with openness and constant communication, we would be able to bring people to that more serene ending. To quote na rin yung serenity prayer, there’s a line there that says to recognize hardships as pathways to peace. So hindi peace agad, parang may pagdadaanan (na process) muna before we get there. So I think that’s how I see reality.
[Q3] Sophie Reyes: Thank you po dun sa usapan tungkol sa tensions, I like that you acknowledged that kasi mahalaga rin pong tignan, since you know, biglaan kaming bumaba sa Makiling after years of staying there for months, siyempre may breaks in between, pero ayun, ang laking pagbabago. Tapos yung biglaang pagbalik after not being home for so long, siyempre sa individuals may pag-revert to how we are at home, meron din pong napupulot after not being at home for a long time. So I really think it’s productive to look at tension as something that doesn’t have to be necessarily scary, doesn’t have to be necessarily intimidating, and instead as something, ayun nga, natural kasi… ‘Pag akyat po at naghalubilo na ulit ang lahat, and we have different things to bring to the table, hindi po siya laging magiging smooth pero sa tingin ko sa end goal importante rin yun kasi, halimbawa yung pagdikit po sa routine dati, yung pagdikit po sa nakasanayan sa Makiling, hindi rin naman po maiiwasan na magiging stagnant din kung wala po talagang friction, wala pong tensions, so ayun, sang-ayon po ako sa inyo dun. Meron pa po ba kayong gustong idagdag?
Sir Martin John: Ah… siguro just to wrap things up.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Siguro just to wrap things up lang is to put them into three statements. Ang matitingkad na mga salitang ito ay:
- journey through the encounters,
- development, which is the core of the curriculum
- and, last would be home.
That you may be able to recognize that your dorm life is a journey filled with encounters with the self, with others and with your space. These encounters will be part of your individual and collective stories, experiences and discoveries. Next will be the development where we are not after but progress, because your dorm life is all about living and learning. And lastly, home, where there is a home to come home to. Whatever might have happened to your day — it might have been good, great or not so good, you might have the best day or you might not have the best day, to recognize there is a home to come home to. It might not be the home that you have, or used to and there might be a lot of imperfections, but those imperfections make the dorm life so real and so true (totoo), and so good (mabuti) and so beautiful (maganda).
Sophie Reyes: Maraming salamat po ‘dun, that was- that was so beautiful. To wrap things up, pagpupugay po sa inyo! I know how difficult it is to reach out to a lot of students, personally po maging para sa work for Var, org work, pati sa classwork, ang hirap pong magconsolidate ng mga bagay-bagay, mahirap pong, y’know, to settle on a decision, to settle on plans, so I really appreciate po the time and energy you’re putting into being able to have conversations with students lalo na po’t ayun nga, mas mahirap po na hindi s’ya in person, mahirap po na hindi s’ya isang buong pwedeng magpa-student assembly lang tapos andun na lahat, so as in individual majors pa, batches. Tapos ayun, alam ko rin pong mahirap ulit-ulitin pa yung mga bagay –
[BOTH LAUGH]
– sa iba’t ibang tao. Maraming salamat po talaga sa pasensya, I’m really looking forward to putting this out because I know a lot of students have been holding onto hope na makakabalik po sa Makiling hopefully soon, and this is definitely something to hold onto until then. I’m looking forward to sharing this with the rest of the Ibarang.
Sir Martin John: Salamat, salamat, Sophie. Thank you for this opportunity, as well. Nagpapasalamat ako na hindi rin kayo tumitigil sa pagbibigay ng inyong inputs kahit minsan nakakapagod, kasi minsan parang “naririnig ba’ko/kaming mga estudyante? May nakakarinig ba, may nakakapulot ba?”, ganun. I guess, again, we owe it to the people who came before us. We might not see the changes and fruits of our initiatives in our lifetime, yet, will be much relevant to the generations in the future.
It’s hard to navigate a new environment and every encounter kasi, every conversation will, one way or another, have an effect, maliit man s’ya o malaki sa design of things, so mahirap din siyang tahakin o tawirin. I’m really glad that this is an avenue for us to be able to reach out to more students and to reach out to others who might have some questions and open doors for people to give inputs. At least for the dorm, hindi man pare-pareho pananaw at maaaring [sabihin] and things might not happen exactly as how they were suggested but I guess we will have room to give you modesty. We know there is something more concrete, more expressed, more tangible to start with. So that’s why I’m really thankful to have this opportunity. [END]
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