The Priming Leaders for Active Networking and Synergy (PLANS) 2026, held on Oct. 16 at the Taft Campus and hosted by the Student Trainers (STRAINS), equipped student leaders with inclusive leadership practices through various discussions and activities, in partnership with the Center for Inclusive Education (CIE) and the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS).
Under the theme “Rhythm of Many: Where Every Star Belongs,” the event featured sessions on inclusion, accessibility, and leadership, held at the 5/F Duerr Hall Auditorium, followed by team building activities at the 6/F Gymnasium
Mr. Jeremiah Adriano, CIW Inclusion Advocacy Unit Head, opened the program with interactive exercises, including “5 Things About You” and “This or That,” which encouraged participants to reflect on the factors that unite and divide communities.
“We are included or excluded because of the things we have no control over,” Adriano said. He also differentiated equality, equity, and inclusion, stressing the need to address individual needs and dismantle barriers to participation.
CIE Director Mr. Martin Romero followed suit with an empathy-mapping exercise that guided student leaders in examining their leadership identities through persona creation.
He also discussed the fundamentals of inclusive leadership, using situational scenarios to help participants identify practices that promote inclusion within organizations. He concluded by examining four leadership styles and their effects on team dynamics.
Returning to the floor, Mr. Adriano placed inclusion into both social and medical contexts. He emphasized the importance of proper terminology, explaining that individuals should be recognized and defined as persons rather than by their disabilities.
"Social context is more important than medical context," Adriano stated. He explained that while medical perspective views disability as a condition to be treated, the social perspective highlights how societal barriers and attitudes actively disable individuals.
Meanwhile, Ms. Myra Medrana, a Deaf director and SDEAS choreographer, introduced Benilde's Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies (BAPDST) and Bachelor in Sign Language Interpretation (BSLI) programs.
Addressing inclusive communication, Ms. Medrana differentiated between appropriate and outdated terms for the Deaf community, stressing that language should recognize individuals before their disabilities.
Ms. Medrana demonstrated basic nonverbal communication practices, including gestures for gaining attention, clapping, and greeting Deaf individuals. Participants then engaged in a hands-on activity, simultaneously learning and practicing the FSL alphabet.
“Inclusion is not a one-time activity. It is a continuous practice,” she emphasized, encouraging student organizations to adopt accessible communication formats, provide FSL accommodations, and involve Deaf members in everyday decision-making.
Following the learning sessions, Ms. Karen Barby Asuncion, Head of the Student Involvement Unit (SIU), took the floor to prepare student leaders for their team building activities.
Reminding participants of the core purpose behind PLANS, she urged leaders across all campus organizations to connect and apply the day's lessons on inclusion to their collaborative exercises. She emphasized that understanding inclusive practices from the CIE and SDEAS is essential to effective, unified student governance.
Student leaders then proceeded to the 6/F Gymnasium for the team building program, where participants were divided into teams led by STRAINS student coaches. Each team rotated through activity stations designed to test their communication, problem-solving, and collaborative skills.
The program continued with a guided reflection on their experiences and a commitment rite, during which organizational leaders pledged to promote inclusive and collaborative leadership within the Benilde community.
An awarding ceremony was then held to recognize and award the winning teams from the team building activities. Following this, a video message prepared by student leaders from PLANS 2025 was presented, featuring encouraging advice and messages of support for the current cohort of student leaders in the current iteration.
Delivering the closing remarks, Project Head Excel Sabesaje urged student leaders to remain anchored in empathy despite the relentless demands of student organization management. Centering her address on the event theme, Sabesaje challenged participants to look beyond task completion, meetings, and project milestones to focus on the people they serve.
"Inclusion isn't just about making people feel welcome. It's about making them feel that they belong," Sabesaje emphasized. "We don't have to be the same to work together. We just have to be willing to understand one another and make space for each other's differences."
Reminding student leaders of their core purpose, she concluded with a call to lead with empathy and selflessness. "As you continue your leadership journeys, I hope you become the kind of leaders who don't just find their own place to shine, but also help others discover theirs."
