KMBA guests in Ateneo’s TALAB

October 16, 2019

KASAGANA-KA Mutual Benefit Association was invited to a session of the Ateneo de Manila University’s TALAB or Talakayang Alay sa Bayan (“discourse for the nation” as translated by Ateneo; talab means “to penetrate, respond, or affect”). The session was held on 8 October at the Ateneo’s Loyola Heights campus and was attended by about 200 students. The session with KMBA was led by General Manager Silvida-Reyes-Antiquera, together with Enriqueta V. Navarro (Board of Trustees president), Alma D. Gilbaliga (vice president), Jenifer L. Abao (member), and Diobert Calanza (account officer). They discussed KMBA products and services and how these serve the financial risk management needs of the urban poor.

TALAB “is a once-a-year, whole day event that aims to inspire students of the Loyola Schools to contemplate on the nation’s pressing issues of today and tomorrow. Last held as ACP or Alternative Class Program in 2009, TALAB showcases a wide range of alternative classes featuring different topics from renowned speakers across the country. From topics such as Agrarian Reform to Gender Equality, Ateneans are given the freedom to attend the classes that suit their discipline and pique their interest. The first TALAB was held on February 21, 2017” (www.talab.ateneo.edu)

An excerpt from an Ateneo de Manila memorandum shared with KMBA reads: “As we celebrate the 160th foundation anniversary of Ateneo de Manila, our national and global communities face increasing and intensifying political, social, and environmental challenges. In the midst of these challenges, TALAB 2019 asks us where we can find hope. TALAB seeks to highlight initiatives, individuals, and groups that provide us with a sense of hope. These will also include our university initiatives, our personnel and graduates who serve as beacons of hope amidst the growing sense of despair.”