Signs of the Sacred, Shadows of the System: A Semiotic Analysis of De La Salle’s Meditations and the Identity of the Lasallian Educator in the Philippine Context

Marco Saez, Ph.D. & Maria Gracia Olorga, Ph.D.

Abstract

Filipino teachers face systemic challenges of low pay, overwork, and spiritual fatigue, often sustaining families through loans and side businesses—a reality captured in the phrase “Taga-London” (“loan here, loan there”). Against this backdrop, this study examines how Meditations by John Baptist de La Salle constructs teacher identity through sacred metaphors—shepherd, guide, minister, father—still influential in Lasallian schools. Using Saussure’s semiotic model and Barthes’ theory of myth, their research analyzes these metaphors as symbolic systems and their cultural re-signification in the Philippine context. Findings reveal a tension between symbolic elevation and institutional neglect, underscoring the need for formation programs and policies that align ideals with systemic support.

Full Text

Signs of the Sacred, Shadows of the System: A Semiotic Analysis of De La Salle’s Meditations and the Identity of the Lasallian Educator in the Philippine Context

Keywords

Lasallian education, teacher identity, semiotics, edusemiotics