18 June 2009

PLM jumpstarted the two-day celebration of its 44th founding anniversary yesterday with landmark activities that involved the participation of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni, with prominent leaders of the country as guests.

Leadership Forum
Following a Thanksgiving Mass at the University Activity Center, the inaugural edition of the Adel Tamano Leadership Forum was held  at the Justo Albert Auditorium with erstwhile President Fidel V. Ramos as guest speaker. The forum gave the PLM community, especially the students, an opportunity to see and hear the former president of the country up close and personal tackle issues on good governance.

Manila City Mayor Alfredo S. Lim also joined the forum. He exchanged salutes with President FVR, which gesture brought back into memory the historic EDSA People Power Revolution.

The audience had a taste of Mr. Ramos’ characteristic wit and steely demeanor in his discussion of present-day concerns that brought the house down.  The result was a lively albeit educational fare for the audience.

A brainchild of President Tamano, the leadership forum is an interactive discussion about issues of public leadership designed to draw on the experience and expertise of the country’s respected leaders and personalities in order to develop the leaders of the future. Future fora are slated with other notable leaders such as Mayor Alfredo S. Lim and Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, among others, as guest speakers.

Tokens for FVR
Apart from the plaque of appreciation, President Ramos was also given sample products produced by the out-of-school-youth and unemployed adults who graduated from the University’s Summer Alternative Learning Program. The program provided trainings on livelihood skills for basic computer, massage therapy, mug and plate printing, production of dishwashing and laundry detergent, and fabric conditioner. The trainees come from the University’s adopted communities within Intramuros and several areas in Manila.

The program is one of President Tamano’s initiatives to step up the University’s extension program and to strengthen his advocacy of Education for the Poor.