𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗲 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝘆

The task of teaching ethics begins long before a lesson reaches the classroom. It requires educators to question critically, reason carefully, and guide learners toward thoughtful judgment. For the graduating Philosophy (Applied Ethics) majors of Batch Eigenzin, this responsibility took center stage on Monday, October 12, as the Department of Philosophy and Humanities (DPH) of the MSU-IIT College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) held The Philosophical Flame Investiture: A Ceremony of Entering the Practice of Teaching Ethics at the CED Amphitheater. Through the investiture, Batch Eigenzin received the philosophical flame, symbolizing their entry into the practice of teaching ethics and their responsibility to carry philosophical inquiry beyond academic study and into the lives of future learners. In his welcome remarks, DPH Chairperson Assoc. Prof. Fernando Garingo emphasized that teaching philosophy extends beyond providing answers. It involves cultivating minds capable of questioning assumptions, examining beliefs, and pursuing truth through reasoned inquiry. The ceremony also brought together alumni and representatives of previous batches, affirming the department’s continuing philosophical tradition. Mx. Queenie Joy Cabatingan of Batch Vivant, Class of 2025, led the Alumni Invocation of the Philosophical Flame, followed by exhortations from representatives of Batches Eudemia, Scion, Aurelian, Vivant, and Handuraw. Guest speaker, Jonathan Asibal, a philosophy graduate and educator, discussed the responsibilities that accompany teaching ethics. Reflecting on the tradition embodied by the ceremony, he remarked, “A flame is never owned. It is received and it is passed on.” Describing the present as a time of “abundant information and scarce wisdom,” Asibal stressed the need for educators who can help students discern what is worth knowing, what is worth doing, and who they ought to become. While artificial intelligence can summarize philosophical concepts, he noted, it cannot replace a teacher’s role in guiding learners to reflect on how to live. Asibal outlined three lessons for the incoming student teachers: lead by example, teach students to question responsibly, and remain lifelong learners. On the first, he emphasized that ethical teaching begins with the educator’s own conduct. “Your life is, I can say, the syllabus. And the first lesson plan that you must prepare, of course, is yourself,” he told the graduating majors. He also urged them to create classrooms where students can reason, disagree respectfully, and reconsider their views without shame. Rather than treating the classroom as a courtroom for delivering verdicts, he described it as “a workshop where students learn to reason, to disagree with respect, and to change their minds without shame.” On lifelong learning, Asibal cautioned, “A teacher who stops learning becomes a keeper of ashes.” He encouraged the student teachers to welcome corrections, seek mentors, and support one another, reminding them that “a flame burns longer when it is shared among many hands.” Acknowledging the challenges facing philosophical education, including the possibility of ethics being treated as a minor subject, Asibal underscored philosophy’s role in cultivating conscience and integrity. “Every society that has tried to survive without its philosophy has paid for it,” he said, emphasizing the continuing need to examine questions of justice, goodness, and human responsibility. He concluded by urging the graduating majors to teach with integrity, courage, humility, and love. “Teach with love because without it, ethics is only an argument,” he declared. Following the address, Lecturer Graciel Apolo administered the Practice Teaching Oath, affirming the graduating majors’ commitment to their responsibilities as future educators. In her student response, Mx. Hannah Valerie Acama emphasized that the investiture entrusted the graduating majors with more than a symbol; it called them to uphold patience, fairness, openness, humility, and integrity. She affirmed their commitment to becoming educators who encourage learners to “think carefully, question responsibly, listen respectfully, and live thoughtfully.” “We accept the philosophical flame. We will keep it alive,” Acama declared, reaffirming the batch’s commitment to carrying the philosophical tradition forward. Garingo then led the closing declaration and the Symbolic Raising of the Philosophical Flame, formally concluding the ceremony. As Batch Eigenzin prepares to enter the practice of teaching ethics, the investiture marks a transition from philosophical study to educational responsibility. Their task is not simply to pass on ideas, but to help future learners examine their beliefs, reason through moral dilemmas, and reflect on how they ought to live. Written by Tresha De Villa Proofread by Fame Orong Layout by Martina Real