Ateneans for Accountability and Action (ACT)

Ateneans Act! (Ateneans for Accountability and Truth)

We, members of the Ateneo community, address this
statement to our Jesuit mentors, faculty members,
fellow alumni/ae and, most specially, our countrymen,
to express our resolve to live up to the ideals of our
beloved alma mater in serving country and people.

Formed to become men and women for others, alas, some
of our brothers and sisters who have held and/or are
still holding positions of influence in government and
private business have allowed themselves to become
tools of oppression and exploitation by those who only
choose to serve themselves. Indeed, some of these
fellow alumni/ae are themselves the initiators and
perpetrators of these iniquities.

Where fraternal conscientization and correction in
true Ignatian-Jesuit tradition should have washed
away not moderated the spirit of greed in the
hearts of these vulture-ized members of the eagles
nest, we, their brothers and sisters, can no longer
observe at the sidelines. It is time for us to take
action.

The nation suffers; institutions of democracy are as
carcasses savaged by such vulture greed.

Today we can only look back to Ateneos storied,
nearly 150-year, past where a Dr. Jose Rizal once
attended its classrooms, imbibed valued lessons in the
humanities, thence epitomized genuine humanity by
living the life of a man for others, and by it and
for it, dying a martyr for country and people. And we
feel proud and blessed by his heroism. Whereas today,
too, looking at present events, we, Ateneans, are
associated with an aberration of humanity called Jose
Pidal! And we are shamed by that names ignominy!

LUX IN DOMINO: Light in the Lord. This is our schools
motto. We grant that some of our fellow Ateneans
holding office in government, according to their best
lights, continue to serve in the belief that the light
they hold might help mitigate the darkness cast by the
incorrigibly greedy few. Alas, wittingly or
unwittingly, their illumination merely acts as
sporadic blinding glare for others not yet aware of
the darkness that has swallowed the body politic.
Theirs is the glint of fools gold.

To these we quote from Mt. 6:23: If your eyes are
diseased your whole body will be in darkness. Then,
if your light has become darkness, how dark will be
the darkest part of you!

To these fellow Ateneans in government, particularly
in the executive branch which holds the helm of
governance, we implore you: HARK BACK TO YOUR ROOTS:
LUX IN DOMINO. Be one with us in humbly asking for the
forgiveness of our countrymen for letting them down
during their time of need in these trying times when
many of you and us could have been instruments of
the Light, inspiring hope and serving our fellowmenAD
MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM!

Therefore, by way of fraternal correction and
restitution for our collective acts of omission and
commission, we humbly ask you, fellow Ateneans who
continue to help prop up this administration that is
collapsing by the sheer weight of its iniquities, to
resign your posts and join the ranks of the majority
of our countrymen who are SEEKING TRUTH,
ACCOUNTABILITY, JUSTICE AND DECENCY in government.

RESIGN NOW AND BE THE LIGHT IN THE LORD!