Legacy weighs upon the heart of many. There comes a moment in one’s life when one is confronted with the truth of one’s mortality, and the question of how one will be remembered becomes not merely a concern, but an invitation to consider the imprint one leaves upon the world.  

In 2016 — fifty years after our high school graduation from the Ateneo de Naga in 1966 — we found ourselves united by a shared mindset: How we wished to be remembered, and what legacy we hoped to leave for our beloved Alma Mater. From that common purpose, O’Bikoliana emerged.

Fr. James J. O’Brien and O’Bikoliana

Amplifying the advocacy of a man and making it inviting and relevant is no small task. But the task becomes doable when the man himself, because of his advocacy, has far-reaching influence in an entire region that no one can ever deny.

The man I am referring to is the late Fr. James O’Brien, SJ, who taught thousands of students at the Ateneo de Naga and pioneered the teaching of Bikol history and culture. His primary advocacy was to teach his students the supreme value of appreciating, honoring, loving, and promoting the Bikol culture.  He never wavered in his advocacy ever since he was assigned at the Ateneo de Naga University as a young Jesuit scholastic in the 1950s until his death in 1994.

New York-based Nicol Miraflores, a classmate, made this observation: “Back in my high school days, the first time I became aware of the interesting aspects of Bicol culture was through Fr. James O’Brien. It was a time when the Bicol language was not supposed to be spoken or heard on campus because of the enforced English rule. Ironically though, it was a native English speaker who encouraged us to speak our language and talk about mundane things we considered trivial and took for granted.”

O’Bikoliana, therefore, is a testament to Fr. O’B’s undying love for the Bikol Region, its culture and its people. Truly, he was a Bicolano in his full humanity and a trailblazer, a gem – though he would not probably like this characterization.

O’Bikoliana Launched

On September 20, 2016, the O’Bikoliana Section at the Ateneo de Naga University Library was officially inaugurated as one of the marquee events of our Golden Jubilee celebrations. Fr. Primitivo “Jun” Viray, SJ, AdeNU President, Dr. George Colorado, CHED Regional Director, Dr. Paz Verdades Santos, Literary Historian and Critic, and Edna San Buenaventura, Library Director, honored the occasion with their presence. Fr. Gabby Gonzales, SJ, blessed the newly refurbished O’Bikoliana Section. Our batchmates from Canada, Australia, U.S.A., Manila and Naga were present to witness this deeply significant moment in our shared legacy.

O’Bikoliana was a name coined by our late classmate and veteran media personality, Ernie Verdadero. It draws its meaning from three distinct elements: O’B, the familiar moniker of Fr. James O’Brien, SJ; Bikol, the region Fr. O’B cherished with enduring affection; and ‘aniana,’ a term whose Spanish roots denote “selected items of information.” Together, these components form a title that honors Fr. O’B and the legacy we sought to preserve.

The O’Bikoliana Section serves as a repository of newly-published Bikol books and other materials, such as newspapers, CDs, and videos that promote and preserve Bikol history, culture, language, arts, and songs, providing a scholarly space where interested individuals may engage in research on the rich heritage and traditions of the Bikol Region. It strives to reinforce the connection between the Ateneo and the community by attracting students from other colleges and universities, cultural workers, scholars, and researchers to use O’Bikoliana as an educational resource.

James J. O’Brien Memorial Lecture Series

In recognition of Fr. O’B’s enduring contributions to the advancement of cultural awareness, cultural appreciation, and social consciousness, O’Bikoliana, in coordination with the Ateneo de Naga library, launched The Annual James J. O’Brien, SJ, Memorial Lecture Series in 2017.

The lecture series is designed to scholarly examine some aspects of the Bicol culture as they relate to what Fr. O’B stood for. Through the lecturers of the highest caliber from various professions, O’Bikoliana hopes to inspire and provoke healthy discussions among Bicolanos and immortalize the advocacy of Fr. O’B.

Since its inception, the speakers who have graced the annual lecture series – and the topics they have so thoughtfully presented – are as follows:

• 2017 – Dr. Danny Gerona, Fr. O’B and the Birth of Bicol Studies.
• 2018 – Gemma Mendoza, The Role of Social Media in Social Change.
• 2019 – Jesus Federico Hernandez, The Bikol Languages – Notes on Scholarship, Variations and Descent.
• 2020 – Jaime Jesus Borlagdan and Joey Gianan Vargas, Original Bikol Music.
• 2021 – Noli Ayo, Peace Building through Sports.
• 2022 – Marne Kilates, Luis Ruben General, and Becky Torres, Martial Law Years in Bikol.
• 2023 – Ronald Rodriguez, The Bicol Rural Economy – The Challenges of Agriculture, Entrepreneurship and Social Development.
• 2024 – Bishop Joel Baylon, The Role of Religion in Promoting Nationalism.
• 2025 – Leo Paulo Imperial, Historical Revisionism and Social Memory of Martial Law.
• 2026 – Judge Raul Pangalangan, Conscience, Justice and the Ballot: How the ICC Trial of Duterte Will Shape the Faith-Driven Electorate in 2028. (Note: The lecture is scheduled on October 16 at the Ateneo de Naga main campus during the Faculty Development Day).

Looking into the Future

In this tenth year since Ateneo High School Batch ’66 conceived and offered its financial support to O’Bikoliana at its founding in 2016, our batch will formally transfer full management and stewardship of this legacy project to the Ateneo de Naga University starting in 2027.

Based on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed between the Ateneo de Naga High School Class of 1966 and the Ateneo de Naga University in 2022, the latter will allocate an institutional budget to sustain O’Bikoliana’s activities, ensuring that it continues to upgrade the O’Bikoliana section, remains the center of research on Bikol history and culture, and a source of pride for the Ateneo, the larger community, and the members of AdeN Batch ’66 whose vision, generosity and dedication first brought it to life.

To Fr. James J. O’Brien, SJ, who started it all – Dios Mabalos.

The header montage shows representatives of Ateneo de Naga High School Class of 1966 with then President Fr. Jun Viray, SJ at the inauguration of O’Bikoliana in September 2016.

About the author

GREG S. CASTILLA, one of the co-founders of Dateline Ibalon, is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University. He was a recipient of the U.S. Department of Education Bilingual Fellowship Program at the University of Washington, where he earned a Ph.D. in multicultural education. He taught multicultural studies in several colleges and universities in Seattle as an adjunct faculty and authored eight books, the last of which is Magis: Things That Matter Most in Life (2021). He is a doting grandfather to his five grandchildren, and thanks his wife and children for what he has become.