New Year Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees

To all Sillimanians,

The year that passed was a year of serious reflection and discernment on one’s Faith in God. A year where we felt naked and powerless; stripped and deprived of one’s influences and comfort zones. A year where economic survival seemed to be the dominant thought given the serious disruption of financial sources. These threats and challenges could have easily led those weak in Faith to depression and surrender. Fear, instilled by this pandemic, is the test to one’s Faith in God.

But for us Sillimanians, molded with Christian upbringing, we have a rock to depend on from all these tests and trials.

It is precisely through our Faith that we entrust everything to God thus, the absence of fear. Absence of fear allowed us to think clearly and gain a better perspective of this disruption. The nine-month quarantine period forced us to slow down and offered us the opportunity to take stack of our priorities in life, sharing more time with family, more time to contemplate one’s mission in life, more appreciative of one’s blessings amidst the realization that there are “less blessed” that need our Samaritan heart. More importantly, this gave us the opportunity to be nearer to GOD, through our prayers and corporal works of mercy.

In like manner, the University initially experienced the same feeling of weariness and wariness over the Institution’s survival. But we firmly believe that Silliman University, as one of the foundations of God through its missions, shall always stand strong. The resources, both human and assets, were already available and only needed calibration to shift to online teaching using online delivery media. This prompt response to the urgent need for a none face-to-face learning delivery reassured the long-term survival of the institution. The knowledge and wisdom of our faculty and staff and the Administration to get the Institution promptly responsive to the new learning modality are abundant blessings from the most High. To this we sing glory and praises to our GOD.

As we enter the new year 2021, we stand tall and proud of the strong Christian foundation of Silliman University. We look with high hopes for a better year, with people’s voices of care spreading strong, and with community sharing as a natural way of life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

Ricardo A. Balbido, Jr.
Chair
SU Board of Trustees