Story By Alexcy Muyo and Liam Dominic Sto. Domingo, CVPro
Photos By Ma. Nita V. Bolo, RGC, PhD
Pinunong Rekoleto returns for its third edition and for the first time, with student-leaders from the College Department.
The Student Affairs Services Office, in collaboration with the Student Development and Placement Center, ran the landmark Pinunong Rekoleto leadership training held on November 21, 2025, at the Colegio de Sto. Tomas–Recoletos Cultural Center. At least 50 participants from the Basic Education and College Departments joined.
With the theme “Leading with Heart: 85 Years of Recollect Education, Forever Growing in Caritas et Scientia,” college class mayors and vice-mayors attended. Some of them have experienced student leadership from their respective high school alma mater while there were some who attended a leadership training for the first time. The incumbent Supreme Student Council officers from both departments also participated.
Atty. Sedfrey Cabaluna, a lawyer, youth advocate, and former newscaster was the first speaker. Atty. Cabaluna discussed the importance of decision-making and team dynamics, emphasizing unity and collaborative leadership.
“You cannot be a leader [for others] if you do not know how to lead yourself first,” Atty. Cabaluna emphasized during his lecture.
As training output, the students wrote their struggles as leaders in a letter, with the title “Wise Leader.” The one-page missive also meand to ask for advice from their fellow student-leaders.
“It’s not easy [to lead a group], but your ability to communicate [with them] is what makes you a good leader. Keep it up!” an anonymous student advised.
Hernor M. De Asis, Education Program Supervisor of the Department of Education, led the afternoon session of the training with activities for young leaders that reinforced their leadership skills and dedication to “grow together in service.”
De Asis began the series of leadership activities by introducing a “ship” and letting the students pick from multiple roles in the ship’s crew. Each role included definitions that described the leadership attributes reflected in the students who chose them.
“Effective leadership requires cooperation, humility, shared responsibility, and purpose,” the former Thomasian teacher also stated. He further noted the importance of unity and emphasized that “a ship can never survive with missing roles, and it will not move if everyone wants to be a captain.”
The second edition of Pinunong Rekoleto was held virtually in 2021 in celebration of the 80th founding anniversary of CST-R and was led by four speaker-trainers. The second batch of leadership camp participants came from six Recollect Education centers in the Visayas.
