TAYO 2004: Transforming the Image of Filipino Youth
The youth may be young, still novices in the way of the world. They may not yet use the back roads or know that such shortcuts exist. They may not yet be ready to take on life, may seem to care only for the pleasures and not for the pain but occasionally they surprise us with their insights, the depth of their commitment and their courage to change what most people consider unchangeable.
This year’s Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) prove that the Filipino youth can be more than just side show performers or spectators in the task of nation building. They have more to offer than the occasional spiels or intermission numbers. They showed that they could do more than look over the sidelines and whine; they can defy the norms and revolutionize how people think and live their lives.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
Setting up an organization is one thing but making it work with such meager resources and actually touching people’s lives is an entirely different… more complex matter. But as TAYO awardees attested, it may not be easy but neither is it impossible.
“It’s hard but with the help of people in the community and our own hard work, we were able to realize our goals. I guess, when you take your God-given talents and channel them into something that would improve the lot of others, nothing is impossible for God will be there every step of the way to help you,” reveals GenRev (Generation Revival) Student Network president Lorenzo Cosio, who is currently finishing his home study program. Though primarily Internet-based, GenRev, also organizes retreats, concerts and seminars that are aimed to revive the Catholic culture among the youth. Using such “fun” media as music through their CD entitled Crazy About You and their weekly radio program, GenRev Radio on DWSS, they have gained quite a following among students.
“When you look around, there is so much spiritual poverty among the youth. We wanted to change that and instill campus revival. Little by little, we are achieving that and it fulfills us to know that we are instrumental in changing the lives of others,” shares Lorenzo, who is part of GenRev’s steering committee, adding that there are some who log on and tell them how the site helped them with their problems. Though nothing is definite yet, GenRev plans to use the money to further develop their existing service… improving the site’s bandwidth and sustaining the activities of the organization.
Another awardee, the Sugbuanong Pundok Aron Sugpuon ang Child Abuse (SUPACA) never even planned of putting up an organization, not until someone they know got abused by her father.
“It was an eye-opener. Suddenly we realized that there are a lot of thing that young students still did not know about child abuse… about enforcing their rights. We wanted to help them be informed,” explains Diana Aspiras, a secondary education student of the Cebu Normal University and president of SUPACA.
The organization, whose name is a Cebuano phrase meaning a group of young Cebuanos who eradicates child abuse, has 243 members to date. Recognizing the role of media in disseminating information on children’s rights, they have set-up a radio program aired over Angel Radio every Saturday and a Philippine Information Agency television program, Kapihan sa Kabataan, shown on SkyCable Channel 15 every Tuesday. In addition to this, they also conduct room-to-room campaign and organize street plays to step up awareness of the issue.
The Students’ Association of Management Accountants, on the other hand, provides bookkeeping and accounting assistance to cooperatives in Ilocos through their project, Volunteers for Enterprise and Cooperatives Development (VeCod). They have in fact been instrumental in the revival of a cooperative on the brink of closing down by straightening their financial records. Using their skills with numbers, these student volunteers have also served as enumerators and tabulators in several researches in their college, Mariano Marcos State University-College of Business, Economics and Accountancy (CBEA). Even Bam Aquino was impressed with their achievements saying that this is something that he himself could have done when he was still in College.
Through their Balik-Tribo project, the Tuklas Katutubo promotes community empowerment and educational exposure for indigenous people or lumad. Members conduct five-day workshops aimed at promoting the importance of peace and development, culture, environment, health and education in IP communities. This, they believe, will help these marginalized communities attain self-sufficiency.
One of the big winners, De La Salle University-Manila Student Council, not only made it to the magic 10 but also took home the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Award. The award is given for the first time this year to the organization that best embodies the ideals of the UN. Their project, H.E.L.P. (Health and Housing, Education and Environment, Livelihood and Local Governance and People’s Protection and Participation) is a five-year community development program that includes long-term and on-going projects intended to aid in the development of the community in various aspects. So far, H.E.L.P. has been established in Barangay 91 Zone 9 Libertad, Pasay City. It will be completed by SY 2005-2006.
With the intent to change prevailing stereotypes in the country on commercial sex workers, the Tingog sa Kasanag (TISAKA) in Cagayan de Oro City engages in awareness-building trainings for prostituted women to help them get out of their trade and educate themselves on how to better protect themselves.
“We wanted to show them that there is still hope. We believe that we can do something to change our communities and ourselves and that social change could be best achieved through a unified effort,” says TISAKA chairperson Marydel Gaid, adding that members of the organization include freelancers, boat climbers, dancers, GRO’s and masseurs.
According to her, they are planning to launch a gathering for all the members in October. When asked how they would use their prize, she discloses, “We are actually planning to use the Php50,000 prize money to put up this laundry shop but we are still discussing it. It’s a lot of money and we want to make sure that we make the most out of it.”
Though relatively small in terms of membership, the Conservation and Restoration Exercise (CORE) has taken great strides in the rehabilitation of caves in Bukidnon through their Linis-Kweba Project. Spending their days cleaning the walls of caverns may seem simple but their efforts have resulted in cleaner water supply and more livelihood opportunities for the surrounding communities by promoting tourism in the area. What started as a hobby became a full-pledged crusade to protect the environment.
Sta. Ana National High School Musical Dramatics Society has spearheaded several theatrical presentations aimed at addressing various issues in the family as well as in the community. Through their artistic productions, members believe that they can espouse values to the audience and at the same time enhance the multiple intelligences of their members who are mostly problem students, gangsters, buntogs, druggists, dropouts and slow learners.
More than your average environmentalists, the Watershed Management Youth Council (WMYC) does more than planting trees. They are also heavily involved in trainings, eco-camps and tours, and awareness campaigns, believing that information is key to development and change. They sponsor the yearly Environmental Eco-Camp and organize the WMYC, which serve as venues for the enrichment of awareness on watershed issues and the start of dialogues among Davao City youths. Moreover, they have also lobbied for several policies made to protect Davao City Forests to pass legislation.
Based in Cagayan de Oro City, the Philippine Rescue 2000 responds to the needs of victims of natural calamities in Visayas and Mindanao through search and rescue operations and disaster management. What is even more remarkable with this organization is that it is composed of youth volunteers who often have to shell out money from their pockets to get to emergency areas.
DEFY THE ODDS
“The youth can be part of the solution and not just the problem. They truly have so much to offer our country and that nation building happens one cement block at a time. When they join forces, they could do a lot for their community,” says National Youth Commission chairperson, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
Conceptualized two years ago by Senate Majority Leader Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, TAYO aims to recognize the efforts of youth organizations to improve and reform the lives of people in their communities. In partnership with NYC, the first competition was launched in 2002, granting project money for several organizations in the country.
For its second year, TAYO conducted area finals to seek out deserving organizations in far away provinces.
“Next year, if there are enough funds, we plan to do regionals. We believe that the more localized the search, the more we are spreading the word and the more people will know about it,” notes Aquino.
THE YOUNG CAN DO IT
Young people, according to GenRev’s Lorenzo, may be limited in a lot of ways but never in creativity and passion. “You don’t need so much money or influence to make an impact. Like what God had shown in the multiplication of the loaves, you can start small and God will find a way to turn it into something big.”
If given the right tools and opportunities, the Filipino youth can achieve great things for the country. The TAYO awardees are living testaments of this.
“TAYO shows that there are a lot of young people who are doing so much in their communities. This presents a counter image of what is usually seen in media, of young people na walang magawa sa buhay, gimik ng gimik. We are showing that yes, things are tough, that these things are true but there is more to young people than just that,” points out Aquino.
Yes. They are young. And yes. They don’t have much in terms of resources… but they survived, turning their dreams into reality, instituting community renewal and building, brick by brick the future of the country.
Neither age nor circumstance is a hindrance to a person who desires to make a difference. Nothing matters… except taking that first step.
LITTLE VOICES THAT CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Each soft utterance from a child’s lips may drown against the voices of the world but together their words can change the world.
Believing in the power that rests in the hands of the young, Plan Philippines launched for the first time the biggest celebration of arts and advocacy for children, “Wow Bata- Bida sa Sining at Adbokasya.” Working with more than 42,000 rural-based Filipino children and their families for 40 years now, the international humanitarian and child-focused development organization thought to come up with something that would help children voice out their issues and concerns and at the same time foster friendships between children from different communities. “Wow Bata represents Plan’s recognition of the children’s role and the importance of performing arts as a powerful tool in educating the public about the pressing issues faced by Filipino children today,” says Plan Philippines Country Director Supriyanto. He also hopes that the event, carrying the theme “Bata Tayo’y Magsaya, Ipagdiwang Galing sa Sining at Adbokasya” will become a venue to advocate their cause and to educate the public about the pressing issues that affect them.
MOBILIZING LITTLE VOICES
Seeing their little bodies and their eyes filled with youthful idealism and child-like innocence, nobody would have guessed the extent of their understanding of the issues that hound the country… that is, until they open their mouths.
“Child labor is probably the most serious problem in our community. This is something that we seek to address,” maintains Jonathan Otic, outgoing director of the National Coalition of Children’s Associations of the Philippines (NACCAP). If given a million pesos as project funding, he will build reading centers for young children. According to him, this will help increase the quality of education in his province, San Jose.
Karen Bigay of Bicol agreed to this, saying that one of the primary needs of their community is quality education. Most of the delegates also revealed the lack of child services, the prevalence of child labor and the worsening issue of child abuse inside the homes are problems that people should attend to.
EFFORT WELL SPENT
In preparation for the Wow Bata Festival, these child leaders from different Plan communities went on a three-day training workshop aimed to help them mobilize their groups to solicit funds and other resources for the festival. The seminar called “Resource Mobilization Workshop for Young People” equipped participants with the proper tools of sourcing and managing funds strategically to sustain their organizations. With knowledge in tow, they then embarked on unique and creative schemes of raising funds for their production through solicitations, product selling, benefit shows, stage plays, mini concerts and talent search.
Wow Bata truly lived up to its name. Large-scale productions, a grand parade, and an educational tour that featured in its itinerary some of the must-see places in Manila made the event a true WOW!
Kicking off the event is a parade that saw children from across the country garbed in the colorful costumes of their respective regions. Participants from as far as Southern Leyte and Cebu danced in abandon with the ati-atihan to the amusement of onlookers. Children from Cagayan, Benguet, Pangasinan, Mindoro, Camotes, Masbate, West Samar, and East Samar also joined in on the fun.
Recreational workshops like craft’s painting, paper mache’ junks recycling, mass media broadcasting, photography, indoor landscaping and reflexology were also conducted. Interactive games, trade booths, photo exhibit guaranteed a steady flow of interest and excitement.
CULTURAL PRESENTATION LIKE NO OTHER
Each night promised to be an evening that emphasized how truly gifted and talented Filipino children are. Belonging from various theater groups from across the regions, young actors and actresses gave stunning performances that would sometimes tug the heart and reduce the audience to tears or in other times induce laughter and child-like fun.
Every movement was well thought of, every dialogue delivered with such emotion that even the people who are already used to seeing such acting gifts are overwhelmed with the depth of understanding that they have displayed.
“They were all so good. Whenever children perform, you know that they have put everything in the performance. So what I’m looking for is something extra. For this, I focused more in the appropriateness of the presentation to the age of the child and the artistry that they have displayed,” reveals Museo Pambata Programs Director Desiree Lleno, who served as one of the judges.
She, together with Alvin Morales, Project Officer at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts; Amalia Cullarin Rosales, head of the committee on Cultural Education of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Dean of the College of Arts of Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Verni Severo, senior artist-teacher at the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA); Angel Tatlonghari, a social development specialist trainer and cultural worker for stage; and Mie Takaki, grants manager of Plan Asia regional office, took possession of the score sheets for that night.
Each group was judged according to the way they communicated their ideologies in promoting children’s rights, tackling children’s concerns in their own communities and contributing in the issues through active participation; the creativeness of the techniques employed as well as the timing and control of effects and lights; and the impact that they have made to the audience. These made up half of their scores. The other half was placed on artistry, which includes the creative use of space, acting and performance, music and setting, movements, creative innovation, integration of local culture and the appropriateness of piece for actors and venues.
AN AVENUE FOR THEIR ADVOCACIES
Whether comedy or tragedy, each presentation discussed the issues and problems of child abuse, poverty, and child labor at the community level, something which all of the judges applaud.
“It is heartening to know that children as young as they are, are already aware of the issues that they face everyday. They alone know how to pass on the message to other kids, to create presentations where other children could relate to,” shares Desiree Lleno of Museo Pambata.
Showing their prowess in all aspects of presentation, Bicol claimed the top honors, winning the Best in Over-all performance (Bida sa Kabuuang Kahusayan ng pagsasadula). Camotes, on the other hand, wowed the judges with the way they conveyed their message for the young. They grabbed the Best in Orientation (Bida sa pagkukuwento at mahusay na pagpapahayag ng mensahe) plum. Funny lines and entertaining tunes paved the way for West Samar to bag the Best in Music and Songs (Bida sa paggamit ng Musika at Awit) while East Samar took the Best in Organization (Bida sa kaisahan at pagiging organisado ng samahan) prize. The Best in Cheering (Bida sa awit-galaw-hiyaw ng pagpapakilala sa samahan) went to San Jose while Southern Leyte took home two awards, the Best in Artistry (Bida sa Mataas na antas ng kasiningan o estetika ng pagsasadula) and the Best in Resource Mobilization (Bida sa paglikom at pagpapaunlad ng Rekurso) awards.
Their eyes brimming with triumph and excitement, all of the contestants professed their happiness at being recognized. Months of hard work, memorizing lines, creating props and practicing their scenes did not go to waste.
“We are so happy. When all of the awards were given, we lost hope. For sure one of those teams will eventually get the Best in Overall Performance. When we heard our team called, we really jumped for joy. Sulit yung pagod namin. In addition to the hard work that we put in, what really made us win is the solidity of our group. Everyone really pulled his weight. Everybody did their part,” exclaims Karen Bigay of Bicol. Group cooperation, according to Angel Duran of East Samar
Still win or lose, what is foremost in their minds are the things that they have learned from the experience.
“We really enjoyed ourselves. We had fun and at the same time we learned things that we would be able to use in the future. Nothing could replace an experience like this,” responds Nicole Rena Delantar of Western Samar.
THE POWER OF THE YOUTH
Young they may be, each of them displayed the dedication and commitment that characterize mature individuals.
“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Whatever we have learned through this experience will surely help us, even in a small way, change the country for the better,” enthuses Karen Bigay.
They may just be kids but they are already capable of doing something worthwhile. If the voice of every child will collectively call out for reforms in the community, changes can be initiated not only in the grassroots level but in the whole of the Philippines as well.
Flight to greater heights
His appointment may have raised a couple of eyebrows and caused a number of mouths to stand agape. Yet to see his relaxed easy smile and unaffected ways, preferring to bond with students, teachers, and the so-called “little people” instead of joining the higher echelons in a social tete-a-tete, is enough to turn those puckers into smile, the doubts into confidence.
It would then be easy to see why he has gained the love and respect of the De La Salle community.
On the shoulder of giants
As the 20th president of the DLSU System Schools, the youngest ever to assume the post, Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro may seem young and inexperienced to man the helm of one of the greatest educational institutions in the country. But age and experience, though factors in leading an institution, does not necessarily make a great leader. More than that, it takes will, dedication and genuine unconditional love for those he serves.
Luistro, humbly citing his apparent inexperience in his inaugural address at the Presidential Investiture Ceremony held recently at DLSU-Manila, believes that instead of these limitations hindering him, these further behoove him to work with even greater dedication and zeal to build and develop on what others have started and achieved in the past and to bear the burden of responsibility as best as he could, knowing full well that though “there had been a glorious history to remember and recount, there is also a great history still to be accomplished.”
“I am painfully aware of my own inadequacies and limitations, my inexperience and lack of academic qualifications. But I do take comfort in the words of John Salisbury, who said that ‘we are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more and things that are far more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up and by their great stature add to ours.’”
Departing from the standard protocol of acknowledging first the presence of guests that belong to the higher echelons of the industry, president Luistro chose instead to recognize what for him are the vital power behind any organization, the ordinary people in the University System whose work have for so many times, gone unnoticed or taken for granted.
“We are what we are today because of those who have come before us. Our accomplishments cannot be traced back to the work and vision of one person or one unit. We work and struggle together and by association,” he discloses.
Perfecting Perfection
The DLSU System, now on its 94th year, may have become one of the driving forces in the realm of education but years at being at the top is not a reason to rest on its laurels and drown in its own sea of pride.
According to Luistro, institutions that are 93 year-old or so “tend to become victims of their own successes and they begin to stagnate.” Wise organizations should continue to adapt, learn and change. And with the current situation that the country is facing, schools and teachers at that should more than ever take note of the transformative roles that they play in bringing forth genuine social development, not just transforming others but also transforming the nation.
“We cannot deny that the heart of La Sallian education resides in the heart of the teacher. The single most important activity that determines the success and failure of any educational venture can be observed in the classroom. We should focus then on the special role of the faculty in ensuring that the battle against poverty, exclusion and ignorance is fought daily in class.”
Issuing a challenge not only to faculty members but also to the co-academic staff, Luistro emphasizes the need to constantly improve the quality of service.
“None of us must pass the opportunity to give ourselves without reserve to those who come to our halls.”
Serving the young
President Luistro, who unofficially began his work on the first day of April this year, succeeding Dr. Carmelita Quebengco, who served as interim president, views his appointment as yet another challenge and another avenue for him to serve the young, which is closest to his heart. In fact, knowing full well the significance of his investiture, he made sure that a big number of the attendees would be the students for it is for them that he offers all his talents, energies and love, ensuring a better and brighter future for them.
“If there is any sector in the academic community that I do not wish to fail, it is definitely the young entrusted to our care. I can fail in many things except in my role as a Brother who makes his own ‘the joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties’ of the young. In them, I find the reason to make real Ninoy Aquino’s conviction that the Filipino is worth dying for.”
He may be young and yes, he may have yet to prove himself but newly appointed president Armin Luistro does not need much to show that he is indeed a man of consequence, a man of dignity and principle, a man capable of achieving great things and reaching greater heights.
The face of the educated
Amidst the roaring storm that threatened to put her little make-shift classroom to its grave, she sat there, eyes transfixed at the rickety blackboard while her notebook dripped with droplets from the dilapidated pawid ceiling. With her mud-sludge shoes squeaking with each step, perhaps protesting from having to cross kilometers of flooded rice fields that morning, she stood in front of her classmates and recited with such eagerness and lilt to her voice that it managed to drown the howls of the winds.
It was the face of the educated.
And though she, in her eight years of life, may not yet know what education is nor be able to spell it out all by herself she defines what the learned man should be— dedicated, eager to learn and diligent in her strivings. She may not be able to say “educated” with that special twang that students of privileged schools are so used to nor could she read or write as fast as she may want to, but she could if she tried hard enough… if she were only given the chance.
A SERIES OF CHANCES
When Coca-Cola executives first chanced upon a multi-grade school in Masbate, the scene that greeted them was of utmost desolation that the experience wrought a mark in their hearts.
“It was really poor, poorer than what we have seen in Malasa and in Catigaacan,” relates Cecilia Alcantara, president of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. (CCFPI). The classrooms, she added, were in pretty bad shape and the students, though already advanced in years, still have difficulty reading.
Moved by what they have witnessed, CCFPI wasted no time in giving a semblance of hope for students in the rural areas.
“If you want to make a difference in the long term, you must give your people quality education. Education empowers people to think for themselves and make sound decisions. It also gives them the capabilities for livelihood opportunities,” she says.
Elementary education is especially important because only a small percentage of the students continue on to high school. The number of dropouts, in fact, starts increasing by fourth grade.
“Rather than send them to school, parents prefer them to help at the farm and at home,” comments Jocelyn Granadozo, mother of a seven-year-old studying in Catigaacan Primary School in Brgy. Aglipay, San Jose, Tarlac, the 53rd Little Red Schoolhouse turned over to DepEd.
And who could blame them? Sending a kid to school is not something that you could achieve in a flick of a hand.
“Imbes na kainin namin o ibenta, nagbibigay kami ng tatlong kaing ng palay bilang pambayad sa mga sumusundo sa mga anak namin. Ang layo ng susunod na paaralan dito. Masaya nga kami at sa wakas nagkaroon na rin dito ng Grade 5 and 6. Ngayon, puede na naming pandagdag sa aming kakainin yung tatlong kaing na iyon,” she reveals.
And those who do not have 1,250 pesos worth of rice will have to travel several kilometers everyday just to learn a few letters of the alphabet and some mathematical operations.
“Ang haba talaga ng nilalakad nila lalo na yung mga batang nakatira sa mga lugar na hindi nadadaanan ng sasakyan. Yung iba bumababa pa galing sa mga bundok,” discloses Fe Lumboy, a mother of a grade five pupil studying in Malasa Elementary School, another recipient of the Little Red Schoolhouse Project.
It is even harder during the rainy season as some of the students have to cross rice fields, risking life and limb just to get to their classes on time.
“Mahalaga sa amin ang mapag-aral namin ang aming mga anak. Mahirap lang kami. Siyempre, gusto namin na magkaroon sila ng magandang kinabukasan. Iyan lang maibibigay naming sa kanila. Wala na,” she maintains.
THE PLIGHT OF THE TEACHERS
Perhaps no one could greatly affect the lives of these children than the one that serves as a role model and a second parent in those six years of tutelage. And if there is anyone who so richly deserves to be called hero, it is these teachers, who slaved the whole day, dedicating their whole lives in building a future not only for the children, not only for the community but for the whole country.
The multi-grade system brings a new definition to the word slave. Not only are they in charge of teaching the three basic subjects, they are also tasked to teach two or more grade levels and take care of the day to day school operations. In Malasa, only two teachers are in charge for all the six grade levels. They go from one class to another, sometimes holding them simultaneously just to teach these children to read and to write.
“Ang hirap. Magtuturo ako sa grade one tapos bibigyan ko sila ng seatwork. Lilipat naman ako sa kabila at doon naman ako magtuturo. Noon, iisa lang yung gamit naming blackboard kaya lalong mas magulo,” expresses Lisa, the teacher in Catigaacan.
Seeing this need for additional teachers, CCFPI has already requested the DepEd to assign teachers in the Little Red Schoolhouses that they have constructed.
“Achieving quality education does not only rest on the structure or the equipment. We also need to develop the teachers,” enthuses Alcantara.
In addition to the building, the desks and chairs and the school supplies, CCFPI also provides seminars for the teachers to train them in the multi-grade system.
“A lot of these teachers have no in-depth training in the system. They only learn as they go along,” she affirms.
TRANSFORMING PEOPLE, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES
More than the bricked walls that hold the school upright or the roof that offers shelter from the coming storms, the Little Red Schoolhouse, more than anything else, opens the door to possibilities that were previously under lock and key. It offers a quality education that most have thought was out of reach.
“Hindi mo talaga matatawaran yung saya ng mga magulang, lalo na ng mga bata. Excited na sila na gamitin yung bago nilang mga gamit,” relates Cecilia Tayug, one of the teachers in Malasa. The children, according to her, are more motivated to study. They have a joie de vivre that was not there before.
It is probably not the structure itself that is important, but what each brick, each desk stands for— a second chance.
“These people, all they need is someone to believe in them. You will marvel at what hope could do to people and to communities. If you believe in yourself, you are able to do more,” ends Alcantara.
And perhaps that iota of a chance is what differentiates that beggar on the streets from those behind their desks in Makati and Ortigas. Who is the educated then? Is it Rizal? Is it the man begging in front of the Quiapo Church? Is it you? Is it this writer? Education, in its truest sense, could not be defined in just a piece of paper. It springs from the heart, from the soul. We are all educated. All we need is a chance.
Making a 25-centavo coin miracle
These days, a 25-centavo coin is several pesos short of buying anything, not bread, not a piece of candy. Heck, it probably could not even buy a pinch of salt, an attempt of which will have sent one’s ears stinging from manang tindera’s rebuke.
No doubt, the quarter coin has become the equivalent of a social pariah in our purses, a nuisance that nobody would even pick up when seen lounging along the sidewalks.
But are we, in ignoring the small things, losing sight of the bigger things?
Starting small
In a gesture reminiscent of the bible cliché “the last will be first and the first will be last,” the Church has launched a charity campaign hinged on this particular piece of ignored metal.
Borne out of a vision, to help all of God’s people attain the fullness of life, the Pondo ng Pinoy project calls for people to fill up any receptacle with 25-centavo coins. The money may not amount to much individually but when amassed together can fund several projects that would combat poverty, which according to three socio-economic surveys affects 52% of families in Metro Manila and 63% in the whole country. In fact, the project’s call for action reads “Anumang magaling kahit maliit basta’t malimit ay patunging langit.”
In his homily during the mass celebrating the project’s launch in the DLSU System Schools, he likens the 25-centavo coin to the crumb, which may not seem so much to stave off starvation but is more than enough to save one soul.
‘What is the value of a crumb? Nothing. And yet Jesus gave everybody a chance, including the rich man, to win heaven by allowing scraps and crumbs to go the poor man’s way. The 25-centavo crumb is a symbol of an individual’s love for God and compassion for a fellow human. Therefore, no one is allowed to give even just 25 centavos if it is not out of love,” says Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, citing the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.
More than charity
According to Brother Kenneth Martinez, Director of the La Sallian Ministry in the College of Saint Benilde, the project is more than just a fund-raising campaign. It is also a movement that would hopefully counter the growing numbness and apathy of people towards the poor and the underprivileged.
“We don’t take notice of them anymore either because we don’t have the time or because we believe that there is not much that we can do. Pondo ng Pinoy allows us to counter this cynicism by starting small.”
With nearly 12 to 15 million Filipinos surviving only with more or less 50 pesos a day, this is not the time to point fingers and look to the other sectors of society for the answer. As Rosales mentioned, Filipinos must help the country rise up. Everybody must contribute a share in the recovery of the country’s soul and body.
“The human spirit is boundless. It doesn’t really matter how much you give as long as it comes from the heart… as long as you have the conviction, the commitment to help others,” says Bro. Martinez.
Gift to the giver
So far, the project has been able to encourage a lot of people to get involve and donate. It is however with the students that the project has gotten the most responses from.
The coordinator of DLSU Canlubang Campus Ministry is in fact quite satisfied with the response of their students to the project especially since they have only been able to inform them of the project through their classes.
“We are really happy that the students are doing their part. We expect more people to participate in the project now that it is integrated in the system. The information dissemination will now be easier and faster,” comments Fides Antonio del Castillo, who believes that the project is also a great way to strengthen their students’ faith in God and love for others.
Several students, who represented their school in the launch, reveal their daily contribution routine. They are proud that they have been able to fill their bottles and are in fact starting on new ones.
‘Sometimes, we would even put paper bills if we have excess in our baons. Ang saya kasi knowing that you will be able to help someone with that little amount of money. Malaki na nga rin siya when you think about it. Kahit sa maliit lang nagsimula, pag pinagsama-sama, it’s a big help to others,” chorused DLSU Zobel sophomores Stefano Juban, Pocholo Catahan, Lealou Algenio, Regina Ambrocio, Patricia Vasquez and Pabelle Manikan.
Filling their bottles may necessitate a little bit of economy but their sacrifices are not for naught. More than helping fellow Filipinos in need, they are, through their efforts, inspiring change not only in themselves but within the country as well.
Perhaps, more than anything else, the project highlights the spirit of sharing and brotherhood that Filipinos have lost sight of in these direst of times. It makes one realize that to make a huge difference does not require one to do one great thing but to give small parts of oneself, repeatedly, consistently and selflessly. And like the mustard seed, the leaven, the crumbs and the 25-centavo coins, these small efforts when combined can create the greatest of miracles.
Lingkod E.R.: More than Just a Drop in the Ocean
Mother Teresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
Looking at them with their silly grins and rowdy laughs, you would never think they are students buried knee deep in volumes of medical texts and swamped by endless practicals, examinations and hospital duties fit for insomniacs. This goes to show then how appearances could deceive for unbeknownst to many these students live another life- that of a hero.
An Organization Born to Serve
Lingkod ER took root from one fateful hospital incident and flourished from the efforts one special lady, Dr. Luisa Ticzon. It started while Dr. Luisa, then a biology student in UP, was volunteering at the emergency room of UP-PGH. She met a patient who badly needed medical attention but could not avail of the preliminary tests that must be conducted. Unable to ignore such plight, she and the other volunteers chipped in their allowances to pay for the hospital services themselves. The vision of a foundation aimed at helping indigent patients began to take shape. It was not easy but after months of planning and hard work all the pieces finally fell into place. When Dr. Luisa came to UST for her medical education, she set up another chapter and made it Lingkod ER’s headquarters. “All the work of the foundation is based here. Though there are plans to set-up a separate office for the foundation, for now we [the foundation and the UST-chapter] are cozied here together,” mentions Lingkod ER President Marietess Ramos. Over the years, Lingkod ER has managed to set-up three more chapters. Now, patients can avail of their services in UERM, in Quirino Memorial Medical Center and in a hospital in Bacolod.
Living the Double Life
It may not be the slam-bang action that the Jennifer Garner faithful or conspiracy theorists out there might expect but it is no less exciting… or tiring. “I remembered that time when we first volunteered at the emergency room, there was a newborn who developed some problems. We really rushed everything because the baby needed an x-ray right away,” gushes Lingkod ER VP for Hospital Affairs Ma. Blesilda Chan. Sometimes volunteering even manage to eat away their time for sleep. “Some of our members do night shifts. They will wait for patient referrals and process the necessary paperworks,” says Executive VP Marriane Sia. Because referrals do not come every night, these volunteer time doubles as naptime or study time. The interviews themselves, where they would look into the medical history of the patient as well as ascertain their need for monetary help, serve as a learning experience. “There are terms that I am not familiar with but because of my exposure, I remember them easily when I do encounter them in class,” comments VP for Training Ryan Mortel. Though all members, which number more than 150, are encouraged to do this, only those who live in dormitories manage to find the time. Other members settle for daytime schedules especially those who come from the other colleges. All those sleepless nights and sacrificed break times are not for naught. “Since July, we have helped almost 15 patients already. It cost us about P20,000 but it was well worth it,” Marietess reports.
Providing financial support to poverty-stricken patients is no cheap task especially since none of them were born with million-peso spoons in their mouths (neither does organizing seminars and workshops). To fill the perpetually empty coffers, the members must conduct fund-raising campaigns. And mind you, they do it with so much gusto, Rosa Rosal would be green with envy. From holding photo exhibits to selling Christmas lanterns and hanging them up at the UST Main Building, they perfected the art of cooking up schemes to solicit money and pledges. “We even have a gimmick during Valentine’s Day. We sell food packages, which we give to patients. That way, they could help patients and at the same time contribute to the organization,” adds Marietess. Of course, funding the organization does not only rests on their young but capable shoulders. “We also have donors, who continually support us.” Among them are the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Rotary Club of Japan and Metro Bank Foundation, to name a few.
Though their main program is to assist patients who need monetary help, their mission does not end there. They also hold ER Awareness Campaigns through photos of patients in emergency rooms. “Not only do patients make do with outdated facilities, some even have to share their bed with another patient,” Marietess reveals. One photo even showed a premature baby placed in a plastic basin and wrapped in plastic wrapper for warmth because of the lack of incubator. This reality is a constant reminder especially during their volunteer assignments, where they would in actuality help out in the emergency rooms, and their medical missions in the provinces. Lingkod ER also conduct emergency training seminars such as Basic Life Support and Basic First Aid. “Last August, we organized a seminar on airway management and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Hopefully, we could do more of these,” discloses VP for Training Ryan Mortel.
Playing Hero
It is never easy playing the part of heroes but in return, they get the satisfaction of knowing that they have made a difference in someone else’s life. “The best thing in Lingkod ER is the spirit of volunteerism,” says Ryan. Knowing that at the end of the day, you did something significant is more than enough compensation for all the hours spent pouring over paperwork, organizing events and promoting the organization, don’t you think? But before you gag from all those selflessness crap, it’s not pure sacrifice. “Being medical students, we naturally learn more. We remember the diagnosis, symptoms and the pharmaceuticals easily. Na-rereview kami,” shares VP for Public Affairs Charisse Austria. In addition, they learn the ins and outs of hospital. “We already know what to expect because we are familiar with the system. We also get to interact with doctors, nurses and hospital personnel all the time,” indicates VP for Marketing Goldwin Posadas. “Of course being interviewed by newspapers is another plus!” he quips. [hehehe! This author promises to plaster your face all over the page.]
Maybe for the rest of the world, what Lingkod ER is doing might just be a drop in the ocean but for those patients whom they have helped, whose lives they have touched, it might as well be the world.
Raising their Voices
Society eats happy endings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And despite the decaying morsels of truth served in a platter, people remain insensate, choosing to die in indigestion than call attention to the sickness.
Teenage pregnancy is one of those issues that call for a dose of that antacid. People would rather suffer the pains of a stomachache in silence than admit that such a problem exists within its structures. In a society that thrives in the life of a party, such truths are not talked about. It simply isn’t done.
But when should a taboo be taboo? When should living in lies cease to be the rule rather than the exception?
Nipping the issue in the bud
Issuing a challenge to Filipino teens, Meg Magazine and Advocates for Youth Foundation organized an Anti-Teen Pregnancy Essay Writing competition aimed to bring into the forefront the issue of teen pregnancy through the voices of the generation directly affected by its infestation.
“We want to hear what they think, the issue through their point of view. The problem is there. If we stop talking about it, it will not disappear. It will only get bigger. Do we deal with this problem only when we need to or do we start being pro-active and launch an awareness campaign primarily to empower teens to make good choices? Now is the time to act,” says Advocates for Youth head Cyndy Tan-Jarabata.
Teen pregnancy, according to Meg Magazine editor in chief Pierra Calasanz, is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact, a study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI), placed the percentage of Filipino women aged 15-24 engaging in premarital sex to 18% of the population. Of these women, 74% do not use any method to prevent pregnancy. Being one of the teen magazines in the market, she believes it is their responsibility to help in its prevention.
“It is our personal mission to help teens realize the seriousness of this issue. You always think that it can happen to someone else, that it could not happen to you but it does,” she relates.
As mentioned by Cyndy, it is important for the youth especially those going through the problem to see that they are not alone, that there are other people who are going through the same trials as they are. “Sometimes, when you feel that your situation is unique, you feel shut out and ashamed.”
Making a stand
Over a hundred entries came in from all over the Philippines, proof that ignorance and indifference have not claimed everyone. While most entries have featured the stories of friends or of relatives, a few dared to tell their own stories. There was actually one entry, which was written by a young mother, detailing the hardships and discrimination that she had gone through.
“We were pretty impressed with the way the entries were written. Some of the writers were really young and yet their levels of insights were far beyond their age. Reading the essays makes you realize that it is not only the teenage mom who gets affected, even her family, her siblings, her friends,” Pierra confides.
Winner Michelle Ancheta tackled this very same consequence as she recounted the experience of her older sister and their family as they endured society’s disdain. In her essay she mentioned, “My sister was a vibrant, smart and pretty girl. She was schooled in an exclusive university for girls, was well-liked by her professors and was considered very much part of the ‘in’ crowd. As soon as the news of her pregnancy broke out, my family soon turned out to be the talk of the town, subjected to the mocking stares of some of our relatives, private talks between our neighbors and sudden isolation from our so-called ‘friends.’”
The essay featured an in-depth account of how a family as well as the steps that government, society and individuals could take to prevent this problem from happening.
“I guess, what really made my essay stood out is the fact that I showed both the good and the bad side of the issue. A lot of people do not really realize the consequences of their actions. Talking about it. Writing about is brought it closer to home, to people,” explains Michelle, who is currently taking up English Literature in Ateneo De Manila University.
Her story, according to Cyndy, will make readers realize the depth and range of this problem.
‘This is something that people do not really see, the implications of not only being a teen mother but in having one in the family, in a clique, in the society. A lot of people will get affected, it’s not just the one who gets pregnant. There are a lot of awakenings, realizations. And it’s about time we hear it from the youth themselves.”
Michelle received P10,000 worth of prizes while first runner up Patricia Marie Ranada and second runner up Dulcinea Maria Allena received P7,500 and P5000 worth of prizes respectively. Consolation prizes were also awarded to Kristianne Briones, Lorrie Mae Mercado, Francesca Marie Monfero, Glenda Rumohr and Stephanie Mae Sol, who is incidentally the reigning Miss Teen Philippines.
Beyond women
While the issue of teenage pregnancy directly affects women, men are still not off the hook. They, in fact, play a greater role as they often bear the brunt of the responsibility being the breadwinner of the family.
“This is not just about how a teenage mom would go and cope with the realities of having a baby, it also involves how men should deal with this sudden responsibility. This is not the problem of girls but also boys. Or we’ll make it their problem,” Cyndy says.
Men, however, are perceived to be indifferent to this particular issue. In fact, of the hundred entries, not one man sent in an essay.
“I think that because they are not directly affected by the issue, they feel that they should not worry about it. It’s a girl problem, a girl thing. Again the lack of information and education contributes to this thinking,” points out Patricia Ranada, a first year student in Miriam College.
In defense of his gender, Edmund Gray, a volunteer for Advocates for Youth, believes that it is not indifference but laziness and male “machismo” that would account for the lack of entries from men. “Boys are generally lazy plus they would not really write as they feel that it is embarrassing for them to write their experiences. There are a lot of men who really cares about this issue. They are interested and they are willing to learn,” he espouses.
Whether men actually turn a blind eye, there is still a consensus that women care more and is aware more of the issue than their counterparts. Society, in a way, contributes to this behavior, ostracizing the actions of women while grudgingly accepting the choices that men make.
Truth hurts. It can cause indigestion. This writer only hopes that all would suffer from it, not just the teenage moms, not just their spineless boyfriends, not their clueless parents but society in general who caused indigestion in the first place.
Resurrecting Christ on Canvas
For an artist, there is nothing more threatening than a canvas devoid of anything but utter blankness. But as fear factors go, the blank canvas seems to be just a piece of painted cake for the talented student painters who graced the interiors of the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences with their exceptional works of art.
Having gone from the usual bureaucratic system of proposals, proposals and more proposals, Gintong Susi, a student organization in the UST College of Fine Arts, could finally breathe a sigh of relief… and a triumphant shout for joy. After more than three months worth of sweat, overnights and mantras for creative juices to flow, their brainchild dubbed “Christ in my Art” has opened its doors for public viewing last August 12. Artists, accompanied by their parents and friends, were in high spirits as they witnessed the unveiling of “Gintong Susi Art Exhibit,” which showcased a selection of 28 oil paintings about Christ. Among those who attended the unveiling were College of Fine Arts and Design Dean Jaime delos Santos, UST Secretary General and Museum Director Rev. Fr. Isidro Abaño O.P., Painting Department Head Professor Rhoda Recto, and Advertising Arts Department Head Professor Nady Nacario. Exhibit sponsors Ms. Nelia Lim, Mr. Rudy Tan, Maestro Orobia, and Mrs. Katherine Alog were also cited.
For many are called…
“Every artist wants to have an exhibit. To be part of this is a great honor,” gushes sophomore student Maria Paula Pangan, who did the piece “Choosing the Right Route”. Another painter Diana Kristine Landicho revealed how happy and proud she was to have been selected for this exhibit. “It was quite a journey but it was worth it,” she said. According to Gintong Suri President Abe Luna Orobia, the preparation process was very arduous. During the summer months, they would attend workshops on painting techniques and color combination. Though there was no formal screening process per se, they still looked into the participants’ art concepts in painstaking detail. “We asked them to turn in their proposals. After which we did a critique on their interpretations.” Concept is their main criteria, citing the similarities of a painting and the human body. “A painting without a philosophy is like a body without a soul,” he illustrated in words. Intrinsic value was so important that they even underwent workshops teaching them how to explain their piece before the opening of the exhibit. “We went here tonight ready to defend our artwork to anyone,” discloses Abe. Exacting the very essence of the artwork is what “Gintong Susi” is all about. “The word “susi” is actually a combination of the words “suri,” which means to analyze and “sining,” which is art,” explains Abe.
The workshop was just a tip of the three-month long groundwork and from the artists’ demeanor the entire evening, they are really happy and quite proud to have pulled it through. “We really prepared hard for this. While everyone was enjoying their free time, we go here at UST on Saturdays to finish our pieces,” he confides. “The UST Museum is of course a big help. They allowed us to hold the exhibit here.” Still, they had to look for people and companies who believe enough in their cause to sponsor them. It was, however, a time well spent. As student-organized events go, this is definitely one of the picture perfect ones. “We’ve had students exhibits before but this is one of the few times I’ve seen it done so professionally. The standard is definitely at a higher level,” comments Fr. Isidro Abaño O.P. Even their adviser Dean delos Santos were all praises as he said, “The credit truly belongs to the students. They did all these all on their own.”
Recreating Christ
Never let it be said though that it was easy all the way through. Creating a masterpiece is not so simple even for art students like them As Dean Jaime delos Santos mentioned in his opening speech, “Each canvas is a story of a struggle.” There is a constant struggle to express what they truly feel or remain mum, hidden from the censure of the world. It takes courage to create something and expose a part that has been private for so long. One can even say that each canvas tells the story of their inner souls. “Challenge the students to do something and they will surpass your expectations. It’s really them. One can actually glean from their work what their ideas were,” observes Dean delos Santos.
The interpretations of Christ were indeed unique. Each of the artists saw Christ in a different light. One controversial piece, entitled “Korona ng Kaligtasan” depicted a crown of thorns among different headgears while another piece, “Kanlungan” used the tenets of cubism to render a piece that captures the senses with its rich color and distinctive design. Another piece that struck a chord was the “Pag-asa sa Gitna ng Karimlan” that shows several human-like trees that live off from a swamp with Christ’s bleeding hand a central figure. Christ was the first that came to mind when they were thinking of a theme. “We felt that people are slowly losing the values of Christianity. Why not do an exhibit that is based on the mission and vision of UST?” recalls Abe.
Though their works were partly inspired by the lecture on the appearance of Christ in the visual arts that Fr. Abaño gave a few months ago, the students still came up with images that reflect their personal feelings and convictions. “It was quite astounding how these students managed to think of these concepts. The lecture tackled the image of Christ from the earliest times to the modern era. We even touched the medieval arts but as you can see some of the work were very modern in their approach,” said Dean delos Santos. What is more admirable is some of these students haven’t even dabbled in the oil medium before. Some have never used the medium before while others are just second timers. “We wanted to use the same medium and work on the same 32x42 sized canvas. We felt oil was the most appropriate even though some of us have not used it yet,” Abe discloses.
Inspiring Others
If Gintong Susi can do it, then other organizations certainly can. Sometimes it only takes one person or one group to show the way before others would follow. “Teach one person and you will teach others,” advises Abe. “It is a good feeling to be able to inspire others to action. We hope to do another exhibit like this,” he continues. Another project is actually in the drawing board. “Hopefully, we could hold another exhibit this coming December.”
Life is a never-ending journey and it all begins with a single step (ain’t that familiar?). Taking the first step may be the hardest part but it can be the sweetest of all.
Penning the Way to a New World
While food may tame a growling stomach, it is not enough to ease the craving of the soul to create and to espouse what the lips would not dare utter. To weave words into a tapestry worth hanging on the walls of the consciousness is to a writer even more vital than perhaps the very thread of life that he depends on.
A FEAST OF CREATIVITY
Aspiring writers fed their creative hunger in an annual feast that served the best literary talents that the University of Santo Tomas has to offer. “The university is indeed a vast ocean inhabited by literary finds. And it takes a good fisherman to make the possibility of a great harvest,” discloses Joanne Fajardo, editor in chief of the Varsitarian and chairperson of the event. Close to a hundred entries piled up the big brown box that the organizer, UST Varsitarian has prepared for the event. Poetists, essayists and fictionists in English and Filipino clearly stared at Failure in the face and swallowed their fear to join the 19th Gawad Ustetika, the most prestigious literary competition in UST soil. “The bulk of the entries did not come until the last two days before our announced deadline. We could not hide the stupid, relieved grins on our face, saying… At long last, here they are,” reveals Varsitarian’s English literary editor and the event’s external affairs chair Natasha Gamalinda. This behavior is not so illogical considering the amount of courage it takes to even contemplate joining let alone placing a part of yourself into an envelope and risk being vulnerable in the eyes of some of the greatest artists in the country. This was attested by Ronald Jeffrey Lim, who won second prize for his short story “Night Out.” “I never intended to join the contest because I was sure I’d never win. It was my friends who encouraged me and I am now glad that I took that chance,” he mentions with a smile, clearly happy to have passed the eagle eyes of the judges, which resembled the list of Who’s Who of the Philippine literary scene. UST Center for Creative Writing and Studies (CCWS) director Ophelia Alcantara-Dimalanta served as the chairperson for Poetry with Neil Garcia and Nerisa del Carmen-Guevara as judges. Filipino poetists passed the strict standards of Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo (LIRA) president Rebecca Añonuevo, Allan Popa and Ignatian Literary Arts and Practice (Iglap) rector Benilda Santos, who served as chair. Jose Wendell Capili and Rina Jimenez-David along with chairperson Bienvenido Lumbera formed the panel of judges for the Essay category while Reynaldo Candido Jr., Michael Coroza and UP Institute of Creative Writing head Vim Nadera (chair) took on the Sanaysay category. Lourd Ernest de Veyra, Ramil Gulle and UP Press director Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo (chair) looked into the Fiction entries while Jose Victor Torres, Aurora Yumul, and CCWS Senior Associate Cirilo Bautista (chair) took care of the Katha entries.
FUTURE OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
Following the esteemed footstep of last year’s winner Bienvenido Lumbera, this year’s Parangal Hagbong went to Sr. Ma. Delia Coronel who has published books on native Filipino folklore. Most notable of her works is the “Legends and Stories of the Philippines,” which has undergone several editions and printings. She also translated the ancient Maranao epic “Darangen,” which “antedated the coming of the Muslims” to English verse. On its 7th year, the award pays tribute to Thomasian writers who have made significant contributions to Philippine Literature.
Unsurprisingly, students from the Faculty of Arts and Letters dominated the list of awardees. Joseph de Luna Saguid, an AB Communication student, was chosen by Fr. Rector Tamerlane Lana, O.P. to receive this year’s Rector’s Literary award for his poetry collection, “Pangitain ng mga Isda sa Madaling Araw.” The Rector’s Award is given to one of the first prize winners who best reflects the Christian values upheld by the university. College of Commerce and Accountancy’s Kim Louie Favis and AB Journalism’s Denirose Afinidad settled for second and third place respectively for Tula. AB Journalism student Glenn Vincent Atanacio was adjudged Thomasian Poet of the Year for his poetry collection, “Dream Songs from my Country of Dreams.” AB Philosophy student Mervin Espina settled for second with “Adobo Incident” while AB Literature student Ma. Ailil Alvarez got the third with “Fluctuating Colors.” Named Thomasian Essayist of the Year, Rosita Alyssa Baua of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery won the nod of the judges for her essay, “The Gift.” CCA student Jaime Adriano’s “A Little Appraisal” and Ma. Lourdes Parawan’s “Rabid Tales” bagged the second and third prizes respectively. There were no first and third prizes for the Katha category but Anna Krisna Bautista’s “Kalderong Walang Laman,” won second prize. Kristel Anne Satumbaga and Joseph Espina were given honorable mentions. Fiction also saw no first and third prizes. Ronald Jeffrey Lim was victor for his short story “Night Out” while Ma. Melissa Frieda Padero’s “Bring Me Flowers” was given honorable mention. The sanaysay category only had one special citation, Allan Jason Tiu of the Faculty of Phramacy for his essay, “Ang Katotohanan ng Lipunan.”
METAMORPHOSIS OF A WRITER
Writing such a masterpiece may take just a week or two but developing the heart and the instinct for writing takes years… years of poring over grammar rules and spelling books, of perfecting an internal rhythm that only a master could detect, of developing a style that is a collage of all the literary influences that have breathed life to your pen. “I’ve been writing since I was in high school. Believe it or not, it was April O’Neill of the show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that inspired me to be a journalist,” Ronald sheepishly says. Thomasian Poet of the Year Glenn Vincent Atanacio also started young. “I have been dabbling with poetry for so long now but it was only in high school that I started to get seriously into it.”
Beyond the rules of the language, the rhythm of each syllable, the meter of each poetic line is the heart of every literary masterpiece— the message. Writing does not only involve the melding of paper and ink, it is the birth of an internal being that has suddenly been given a voice unlike any other voice in the past, in the present and in the future. Ideologies are created. Reforms are called for. Radical notions are set forth. While some focuses on the intricacies of love as an emotion, others try to define social realities through their eyes. Glenn, with his poetry collection “Dream Songs from my Country of Dreams” centered on the events that has plagued the world in recent months. “It’s political in a way. One of the poems in the collection alluded to war while others talked about the various happenings in the country,” he explains. Ronald, discussed the delicate subject of bisexuality in his short story, “Night Out,” which centered on a girl who went out on a date with a bisexual and lost her virginity to him. “I have been keeping that idea inside my head since last year but the actual writing took about a week or two,” shares Ronald, a fourth year student of Journalism. The Annual Gawad Ustetika, not only serves to satiate the hunger of those already starving for creative expression but also whet the appetite of those who have fasted for so long.
And what would entice one to write? Certainly not the expectation of amassing bags of gold for not even timber could be found languishing among the piles of papers that one has kept in hiding. It would certainly not be the spotlight that highlights one’s name in books, for oftentimes only Dickinson would know who Dickinson is and if one has the courage to come out, it would be Anonymous who would get all the accolades. It is not even the possibility of sharing one’s thoughts for most times only the paper lies witness to the creation of what should have been the greatest literary work ever written. Such is the life of one who chooses to wield the pen instead of perhaps a stethoscope, a gavel or even the microphone… never to conquer a nation, never to conquer the world… only paper. And yet, with his words, with his ideologies lie the light that would keep the fires of hope burning and with each paper that he has painstakingly fashioned from the depths of his soul, he would build a world greater than this ever was.
When Youth and Media Collide
An invisible government…
We live and breathe media.
From the newspaper articles that we devour alongside our breakfast to the television shows that we argue about over coffee, media has become a staple that we just cannot do without. And in this age of information when being the last to get the latest on dit is akin to scoring way below mean average in a Binet-Simon Intelligence test, one just cannot be blamed if indigestion ensues.
An unharnessed force…
Despite its invisibility, media has succeeded in making their presence felt. The same cannot be said of the majority of Filipino youths, who despite their talents and their capabilities, still remain in the sidelines.
“The youth can do a lot for the country. The problem is, so many youth nowadays do not believe that they can make a difference while some do not care at all. Apathy, I’m afraid is prevalent. We have a voice and we certainly have a say on the current national issues. We should not let it go unheard,” says Porciuncula.
A collision of power…
If media, in fact, wields such enormous power and the youth, when mobilized, can institute change in the country, why can’t both be utilized to build a nation and spark a moral and national revolution? Can these two potent forces work together?
Such is the question posed during the 2005 Universitas Youth Conference in UP Diliman. With the theme “Media and the youth for rebuilding the nation, the conference aimed to encourage these two sectors to come together and collaborate. Among those who lent their expertise are Luis Alejandro, president and COO of ABS-CBN; Eric Canoy, President of the Radio Mindanao Network; Marvin Tort, managing editor of Businessworld; Dr. Eugenia Duran-Apostol, award-winning journalist; and Laurice Guillen, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
According to student convenor Angelo Porciuncula, an incoming Molecular Biology and Biotechnology senior, the influence of today’s media on the youth is a topic that should be discussed. Young people are the “biggest consumers of media” and it is but essential that they understand the effect of what they read, see and hear. Not everything should be taken at face value.
“The youth are very vulnerable for we are at the last stage of the “food chain” so to speak. There is a need to make young people understand that not everything they see should be copied or adapted. Media also has to be monitored. They have to be responsible for the power they wield,” he espouses.
Perhaps, former MTRCB Chair Manuel Morato could not have created a better term when he called today’s media the country’s invisible government. With its breadth of influence and reach, its (un)tarnished reputation for fairness and its reverent-next-to-godliness image, it can make and unmake the actual government with a single swoosh of the pen. From reporters of facts, media practitioners have become shapers of public opinion. The industry has in fact become the cul-de-sac from which Filipinos and the whole of the world base their perception of current issues and their reactions to them.
“Media dictates on us if we let it. It is more privileged than any or all of us put together. No laws can be passed to abridge press freedom. But is media accountable to the people?” Morato unflinchingly put in a speech he delivered in 1989. Media, he believes can be harnessed to attain its potential for national development if only the industry would “wake up from its imposed moral stupor.”
Forming a dialogue
Though he admits that there are a lot of things that media should correct, Businessworld managing editor Marvin Tort believes that for the wheels of change to turn, the public should also do their part by acting as watchdogs.
“Media also needs to be told that it needs to correct itself, otherwise how would they know? If you do not agree with something that a paper has written, react! Write a letter to the editor. Say your piece. Do not keep it locked up inside,” Tort urges.
Citing the example of Jun Jun, a student participant who reacted on the caption of a photo that featured children with guns, Tort continued, “The fact that you feel so strongly about it, how do you feel knowing that you have done nothing about it. It can be frustrating but it is not hopeless. Lahat tayo, we will be affected by something that we read or see, but the question is what do we do about it? Media can only go as far as correcting itself and exercising responsibility. Unfortunately, may nakalusot. So, who’s guarding the guardians? That should be you! The youth should be there to correct, to question. If the media organization is responsible enough, it will listen. It should listen.”
It all comes down to public discourse. Writing letters to the editor is not a waste of time. In fact, in Australia, what people considered as insignificant letters managed to save an FM station from being closed by the government. If most of the youth would write about something that stir them, their combined voices will make media organizations or any organization for that matter, including the government, stand up and take notice.
“It’s a dialogue, a two-way communication. I guess, this is one of the things that I learned from the conference. Media should exercise accountability. There should be limits. Young people should, in turn, take it upon themselves to voice out their opinions, to let media organizations know what they think. Each of us has a responsibility towards society, towards the country. We should do our share,” Porciuncula remarks.
Doreen de Leon, first year Economics students in UP Diliman, however believes that young people care. This can be seen from the number of participants who attended the conference and the questions that they have raised.
“The youth, although seemingly apathetic, is actually participative and concerned about the welfare of the country. Relevant questions were raised and it made me realized a lot of things,” she relates.
Partners in development
Media, according to student-participants from Naga City, can do a lot for youth-spearheaded projects.
“Ang maganda talaga ay magtulungan tayo para sa ikabubuti ng bansa. Media has a responsibility to provide the right information, to uplift the values of the youth through the articles that they write and the shows that they produce. Malaki ang magagawa nito sa ating bansa pero siyempre kailangan din nila ang tulong natin,” second year Political Science student Allen Reandanga.
Faculty convenor Oliver Tuazon agrees saying that there is really no use attacking the media. “We seek to form a partnership with them because we know that media can make a lot of difference in youth development.”
And as mentioned by Jesus Estanislao, Chairman and CEO of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia, the antidotes of selfishness and sinfulness lies in solidarity. If people work together, if all sectors of the country, from the government to the youth groups, make a collective effort to rebuild the nation, we can make it happen.
Bridge Towards Tomorrow
Fly.
An old runway looked on as the dreams of Filipino children took off towards a brighter tomorrow— a bright red tomorrow that is.
In an effort to provide the wings that would carry Filipino children to greater heights, three industry giants gathered in the Filipinas Heritage Library, a landing strip during the pre-Makati years, to pledge their support for “Tulay Talino” (Bridge of Knowledge), a fundraising campaign for Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc.’s flagship program, “Little Red Schoolhouse Project.” According to CCFPI president and executive director Cecile Alcantara, the project seeks to address the lack of quality education in the rural areas. “It is inarguably the great equalizer. It empowers the poor to break free from poverty, giving them a sense of hope,” Coca-Cola Export Corporation Division Marketing Director Edwin Domingo says.
Kicking off with the Coca-Cola Golf Classic last May, Tulay Talino aims to explore all the avenues available to reach a wider audience. “We are employing a 360 degrees approach to marketing,” Domingo shares. This involves the banking sector, the telecommunications sector and the broadcast media. GMA-7 Marketing and Promotions Inc., has pledged free television plugs amounting to P12.5 million. “It’s a good project. Education is very important. If we don’t develop their minds through education, we are denying these children the opportunity to make something of themselves… make something of their lives,” expresses president and COO Manuel Quiogue. Through Globe Telecom’s myGlobe service, texters can donate a portion of their text cost to Tulay Talino. Starting October 5, simply texting FANZONE to Globe 2978 enables one to donate to the project, aside from getting a chance to win P10,000 cash in a daily raffle. Standard Chartered Bank, on the other hand, will mail flyers encouraging donations with their billings. The bank will also accept donations through credit cards.
Paint the Town Red
Since its launch last June 1997, the “Little Red Schoolhouse Project,” a joint project with the Department of Education and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), has constructed 50 three-classroom elementary school buildings in rural areas. “We originally planned to construct two schools every year but the foundation dared to dream big. We aimed for 50 schools in five years and we did it,” reveals Alcantara. These classrooms accommodate an average of 40 students, each housing two grade-levels. “All Little Red Schoolhouses are built to facilitate the multi-grade method of teaching,” she continues. For those who are shaking their heads in apparent confusion, multi-grade method involves teaching two or more grade levels simultaneously in one classroom. Though it might not be seem viable at first, this is actually endorsed by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), this is the most cost-effective way of providing elementary education as many children as possible. With a commitment to not only provide a school structure but also give quality education, the project also spearheaded a series of workshops in multi-grade teaching. Benefiting over 321 teachers during the past years, these seminars are designed by the Department of Education to address the shortage in both public school teachers and classrooms. Training interventions are also given to Parents, Teachers and Community Associations (PTCA) to help them manage, optimize and maintain the school building. Topics such as personal effectiveness and team building, strategic planning, and leadership skills are some of the topics being discussed. All these fuss have not been for naught as several teachers have been recognized for their outstanding multi-grade teaching skills.
To date, over 9,000 school children have benefited from this project. Parents noticed a renewal of interest in schoolwork from their children. “Traveling more than five kilometers everyday can drain away all our enthusiasm. With the construction of the red schoolhouses, they have begun to like going to school. They are now enjoying it,” another resident of Pao Pao divulges. Proof of that is the number of students earning academic and sports achievement awards. Not only that, but it has also managed to mobilize surrounding communities. “The bayanihan spirit has come alive with this project. Parents now help in cleaning schools and in raising funds for school activities,” mentions one resident of Pao Pao, where one schoolhouse was constructed. To help sustain the day-to-day operations of the school as well as finance improvements, some also engage in poultry raising, vegetable farming and even hog dispersal programs. Local governments have also done their share by improving roads and installing water and electrical connections in the vicinity.
The foundation has spent a total of P94 million since the project’s conception. “For each classroom constructed, about P1.4 million is spent,” mentions Alcantara. This includes all the facilities such as school chairs, study tables, blackboards, toilets and a water system. The first one to be constructed was in Islaon, Agusan Del Sur back in 1997.
The start of a Dream
The name “Little Red Schoolhouse Project” does not only signify Coca-Cola’s corporate color— red. The name is actually derived from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s novel, Little House on the Prairie. “Schools in that story were called little red schoolhouses. These barns were painted red so that people would notice them immediately,” Alcantara relates.
The idea for such a project actually sprouted from a visit in Masbate seven years ago. “We were invited by UNICEF to take a look at what they are doing in the rural communities. When we went there, we saw really old buildings and run-down classrooms,” recalls Alcantara. Upon meeting the students, they noticed that the children still had difficulty reading. “These scenes remained vivid in my mind even when I reached Manila.” The foundation, at that time, is actually looking for a project that would manifest the foundation’s commitment to help the public education sector. “It was like an epiphany,” she exclaims. It did not take long for them to zoom in on their final decision— adopt a public multi-grade level. It was a decision that they have never regretted. “With education, you go down to the basics. It is what forms the person, what empowers him. If in that first four grades, he is able to learn how to read, write and do arithmetic well, ok na siya,” she explains. Education, as Domingo mentions, uplifts the spirit. It allows us to dream impossible dreams and maybe… just maybe… make them realities.
The Road to a Decent Math Grade
The road towards a decent math grade need not be treacherous.
While the thought of confronting yet again a series of utterly confusing number computations in a test paper is enough to send the average student to bedlam, it is still a (sad) fact of life that mathematics will always be a permanent fixture in our daily lives. (I’m sure I am not alone in this sentiment.) Not only do we need math to calculate for the X in our algebra class or for the distance traveled in our physics class, we also deal with numbers every time we pay for something or each time we try to squeeze in an extra in our already tight allowance.
Not all of us could aspire for Math Olympiad championships… or couldn't we? According to Merle S. Alferez, directress of the MSA Academic and Advancement Institute, it’s not true that math skills cannot be learned. “Even children who are supposedly weak in math can learn it if they are properly motivated and given enough encouragement.” In fact, most students who come to MSA initially get low marks in diagnostic exams. “Some students would even ask trainers to be patient with them because they really suck at math,” she recalled. Much to the surprise of their school teachers and even their parents, these students went on to become math wizards, not only excelling in class but also in math contests. Ms Alferez, of course, was not surprised at all. “Mathematics is not so hard if you know the techniques and you have the determination and the willingness to learn,” she pointed out.
The Fear Factor
Most children would cringe at the thought of yet another encounter with those pesky equations and formulas. It is not that Filipinos are poor in Mathematics; we just do not strive enough to be good at it. Fear, I fear, is the culprit. And who could blame these students if they hate math? For most of us (including me), math has always been synonymous with test disorientation and red marks. Class would often involve a confusing jumble of numbers and letters. As if this is not enough, the pi (p) and the factorial (!) would go into the mix. Freddy Krueger is a lamb compared to the math professor. “The problem lies in how we teach mathematics in school,” observed Ms. Alferez. Teachers, according to her, should use more visuals and incorporate games in the classroom. “Illustrations and games such as those lessen the fear of math. Students will come to love the subject if they are having fun in the classroom.” Constant practice is a must. “Their minds lack exercise. Whenever they have something to compute, they just get their calculators,” she pointed out. This is why teachers should give math drills and math homeworks. “Daily drills should be a part of the students’ routine,” she stressed. Of course, teachers should not bear the brunt. Parents should also help by cultivating their children’s interest through educational toys and TV programs. Students should be made to realize that learning math is not only vital to their class standings but also to their “life standings”.
Mental Math
If you think that only a math genius could ever compute for the product of 28 and 50 without ever having to spill a drop of ink on paper, better put those brain gears into use again.
“Mentally solving a math problem is actually quite easy… if you know the shortcuts,” divulged Ms. Alferez. Math is made up of patterns that we might not always see. As we learn mental math, we will discover and recognize these patterns. Once you have mastered the patterns, subtracting, adding, multiplying and dividing would be a breeze. “Learning it is so easy that even children in the first grade could get the feel of it.” she assured. Letting us in on a secret, she illustrated for us some of the shortcuts she uses in MSA. And they were not called shortcuts for nothing. By just learning three simple steps, you can be on your way to multiplying large numbers in seconds. You’ll start wowing your friends with your uncanny math prowess in no time. So let’s save this balderdash and get on with the program.
In multiplying a compound number by eleven, just copy the first number, add the two numbers and copy the second number.
45
*
11
___________
495
If the sum of the two numbers exceeds 10, add the excess number to the tens digit.
56
*
11
__________
616
(Copy the 6; 5+6 = 11; Put 1; Copy 5 and add the excess, which is 1)
Even in multiplying large numbers by 11, the same principle is used.
2345
*
11
---------------
25795
(Bring down 5; add 4 and 5; add 4 and 3; add 3 and 2; bring down 2)
To add 9 without carrying, add 1 to the tens digit and subtract 1 from the other unit digits.
78
+
9
____________
87
(8 –1 = 7; 7+1 = 8)
To subtract 9 without borrowing, just do the reverse. Subtract 1 to the other digits and add 1 to the ones digit.
196
-
9
__________
187
(add 1 to 6, which is the tens digit; subtract 1 from 19)
To add 99 without carrying, just write or add 1 for the hundreds digit. Subtract 1 from the digits.
68
+
99
________
167
(Write 1 for 100; 68-1= 67)
152
+
99
______
251
(Add 1 to the 1 in the hundreds place; 52-1 =51)
Impressed? I know I am. This is just a few of the mental math techniques that you can learn. “I believe in the power of the mind. It can process faster than we realize,” she said. As students become familiar with the ins and outs of mental math, they will soon find that they could solve a problem as fast as they can write it down. And if this is the kind of road that I would have to traverse to get a decent math grade then sign me up. I would gladly take the trip, enjoy myself and survive. So could you.
2004 TOSP: Rebuilding a dynasty of greatness
To build a nation, a pair of hands is not enough. Neither would the efforts of a few— no matter how powerful or how committed they are— be sufficient to compensate for the indifference of others. Every pair is needed to bring the nation beyond its boundaries and fulfill, finally, the promise of greatness of the dynasty that drank the blood of Dr. Jose Rizal, Ninoy Aquino and others like them who died so as to breathe life to it.
And as the country faces the twilight of its existence, it is all the more essential that every hand, especially that of the youths’, plough through every hindrance and together work to liberate the nation from the clutches of cynicism and despair. Only then can the Filipinos live up to the ideals of those whose lives were consecrated for them— a life of unity, of liberty and of equality.
POTENT FORCE IN NATION-BUILDING
The country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal could not have issued a better challenge when he said, “Where are the youth of the land, who will consecrate their lives for their country?”
And though so many have remained apathetic, there are few who have answered this call for dedicated and sincere service, brought on not by the promises of fame, power or fortune but by something as simple and as (unfortunately) “disgustingly foreign” as love for country and love for its people.
This year’s Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) awardees may have but small hands but they have certainly used them to create big and better things for their country.
Among the country’s fresh crop of youth achievers and leaders, who were recently awarded at the Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace, are Lea Janice Sicat of St. Paul University-Dumaguete; Alexander Edward Drilon of the University of the Philippines-Manila; Mark Lester Altoveros of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños; Charlotte Kendra Castillo of Ateneo de Manila University; Paypon Primitivo of University of St. La Salle; Jennefir Digaum of Mindanao State University-Marawi; Karen Joy Nomorosa of De La Salle University; Ruth Jade Canlas of Technological Institute of the Philippines; Jennifer Teves of Assumption College; and Jose Bias of Ateneo de Naga University.
In her message, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commended the awardees and enjoined other youths to once again heed the call of the motherland for sacrifice and unity in the face of crises.
“The role of students in clarifying issues and advocating change has been clearly established. Together with different sectors of our society, students represent a potent force in charting our country’s history.”
According to her, the awardees have exemplified the qualities that continue to inspire optimism for the future as they have diligently and consistently pursued excellence not only in their academic subjects but also in nation-building.
THEIR TIME TO ACT (Inspire)
With the theme, “Celebrate. Inspire. Affirm,” the annual search hopes to embolden other students to become living examples of the Filipino youth’s commitment to academic and professional excellence, moral leadership, and social responsibility. It is a recognition of what the Filipino youth can do and achieve when given the opportunity.
“Let us make this commitment today –not tomorrow for there is not a day to lose— to be active and visible agents of change, towards a new beginning for our country. Let us do all these, to the very end of our courage and strength, knowing full well that ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,’” RFM Foundation Inc. chairman and president Jose Concepcion, Jr. recited in a privilege speech during the awarding ceremony.
Needless to say, those words of British statesman Edmund Burke were not wasted on this set of “good men” as they have certainly worked tirelessly to institute community renewal through the different projects and programs that they have spearheaded.
As mentioned by previous TOSP awardees, it is not as much of the scholastic achievement of the student as his commitment to serving his country. And while most winners have cum laudes attached to their names come graduation, there are some who have been recognized for their contribution to their communities.
“You don’t really need to be a cum laude to win. It would certainly help a candidate but it is not a requirement,” says Niño Ranezes.
True enough, while the 10 may boast of receiving such high academic distinctions, they were chosen for the depth of their commitment to serve.
PRODUCING WINNERS AND LEADERS
A virtual “laboratory of leaders,” TOSP has produced outstanding “alumni” in various fields including former senators Rene Sauisag and Raul Roco; Miriam College President Patricia Licuanan; and lawyer-broadcaster Dong Puno, among others. This year was not any different. In fact, each of the ten has already reaped honors locally and internationally.
Even the 30 finalists (18 from science-based fields and 12 from nonscience-based fields) who were selected over the 357 nominees submitted by their respective colleges and universities, were all achievers in their own right. It was indeed a tight race as everyone deserved a place in the podium.
Among the judges for this year’s competition are Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide; former Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Dr. Emil Javier; Professional Regulation Commission Board for Professional Teachers Chairperson Dr. Gloria Salandanan; Makati Business Club Executive Director Guillermo Luz; Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. President Rina Lopez Bautista; and Rotary International District 3830 Centennial Governor J. Antonio Quila.
TO SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE
It is perhaps the realization of the pivotal role that they play as role models for the next generation that further strengthened the resolve of this year’s TOSP awardees to commit to a life of difference and foster a culture of volunteerism.
“My co-TOSPians… I take that as a challenge. I hope that in my own way I could serve as a good example to others especially to my students. To become a leader and a role model is a never-ending responsibility. It’s hard but it is all worth when you see the people you have trained become leaders themselves,” says BS Elementary Education graduate Lea Sicat, who will go back to her teaching post in Dumaguete.
DLSU Computer Science graduate Karen Nomorosa agreed. True leadership, according to her, can be seen not in teaching people what to do but in teaching them how to become leaders themselves. It lies in realizing the potentials of others and empowering them to do their best in everything.
One person however could not carry the whole of the world on his shoulders. Neither could one group, the youth in this instance, make much difference without the support and guidance of people who have walked the same road.
Concepcion Jr. referred to this when he said, “With the youth before us, we their elders cannot afford to fail in our sacred duty and obligation to lead by example. We must also do our share in combating the growing sense of cynicism and hopelessness by taking action and joining hands to bring about change.”
In their TOSP Batch 2004 Response, which was read by Sicat, the awardees reaffirmed their commitment to service.
“We represent the youth, the greatest asset of this nation. We are at the time when out country needs us the most. We are here to reaffirm that, indeed, THIS IS OUR TIME TO ACT. We pledge to use our God-given talents, capabilities, and expertise to serve the less fortunate brothers and sisters in our communities. And we hope that this commitment to work and lead people will be the anchor towards the empowerment of the Filipinos.”
Indeed, the time to start is now. It does not matter whether one project is a resounding success, helping thousands or an abysmal failure helping only three. Whether it be big or small, the important thing is to act now, to take that first step.
“The point is to do something, however small and show you care through actions by giving your time. It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into doing,” reveals BS Physics student Kendra Castillo.
One need not do something grand to become catalysts of change. Even the smallest act of kindness could produce a domino effect that could heal a nation and possibly the world.
The miracle of will
There is nothing that a person cannot do if he so wills it.
Such is the gift that God has given us— the power to take the helm and to challenge any storm, to recreate a map that has long been drawn, the power to become even better than the best that we could be.
It was but an ordinary day.
Smiles of triumph and screams of victory rang across the field of De La Salle University- Manila where hundreds of kids milled around to compete in the “For the Kids (FTK) Mini-Olympics.” Some were by the soccer net, perhaps dreaming of becoming the next Pele. A couple chose to rule the basketball court, lugging the ball in their hands with a look of pure determination that it was surprising that the metal ring did not move on command. Others elected to turn their dreams of stardom into reality as they rendered their own version of the Otso-Otso onstage.
They danced with such pure unadulterated joy that no amount of swallowing could not dislodge this huge lump that suddenly formed in one’s throat. For once the lens come into focus and reality sinks in, the hands that clutched the ball so tightly would become misshapen and the voice that so vibrantly sang the lines “Tayo’y magotso-otso…” would stutter. One would then realize that the head that furrowed in concentration belongs not to an ordinary kid but to a child with disabilities.
A time to see
Blind is not the man who cannot see but the man who could see but refuses to.
It is easier by far to live in the shadows of ignorance, to pretend that everything is a wonderland. But reality bites and it bites hard. And at eight in the morning, that day, Reality glowered its staggering head for the hundreds of La Sallian students, who volunteered to be their ates and kuyas. For though it is an issue that has occupied the pages of one’s psychology books, it is not something that would normally crop up over a cup of brewing coffee.
“Unlike in some countries where people with disabilities are given special privileges like discounts in transportation fares, here in the Philippines, people could not careless,” says Cristy Cañizares-Gacuma, director of Teacher Mom, a special school in Makati.
Cognizant of the need to raise the veil of ignorance and unravel these social truths, the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) has continued to organize the mini-olympics. First organized in 1984, FTK has since grown from 30 hearing-impaired children into 453 participants from 29 special schools and centers. Physically and mentally challenged children competed in a host of sporting events that include Standing Long Jump, Basketball Shoot-out, Walkathon and Softball Throwing. The participants also showed their running prowess during the relay games. And just like in the Olympics, top performers were awarded medals and certificate.
“We are really grateful to COSCA. Through this, younger children are given the chance to compete and enjoy the company of other children,” mentions Cañizares-Gacuma. Sports, according to her, is an avenue where they could find their niche. A lot of her students have developed a love for different sports. One of them, Roxanne Salve Ng has actually won gold medals in bowling at the World Special Olympics, which was held in Ireland.
“Playing motivates them because they feel that they somehow belong,” she continues.
In fact, the students themselves are the ones who would remind her of practice sessions and scheduled games. Roxanne, for one, hefts the pin three to four times a week and notches in a 130 to 180 points.
“Masaya… Gusto ko magtuloy,” exclaims Roxanne in halting Filipino, jumping up and down, over and over as she was reminded of her first love— bowling.
Impossibilities have no place in a heart who wants to believe in the impossible. Development may take time but through hard work and patience, they can make a difference in their chosen field.
“These kids have so much potential. They could even surpass the achievements of people with no disabilities. They just need someone who believes in them,” Cañizares-Gacuma maintains.
A time to share
Oftentimes, we become so caught up by what was’ and what will be’s that we forget to look at the what is.
But more than friendly competition, FTK opens the eyes of the students to the social truths around them, letting them examine their lives in the context of these issues. Selfish as it might sound, sometimes people need to confront reality in the face before they could make sense of their own lives. Spending a whole day in the company of these precocious little kids has a way of changing one’s perspectives— making one appreciate what God has chosen to give.
“Some of us are really fortunate, with good jobs, good families but our good fortune should let us forget that there are people who need our love. These kids remind us of the need to stop for a while and think of ways to be of help to others.” says COSCA formation coordinator Gaily Villanueva
Perhaps worth more than a couple of hundred pesos in donation is the time that the 600 or so student volunteers have given despite their already bursting schedule books.
“It is an opportunity to touch hearts, to teach much and transform lives, to share the gift of love and bring to life the spirit of volunteerism and community work,” mentions Monina Banaynal, Dean of Student Affairs of DLSU-Manila.
And despite having to chase their wards across the De La Salle grounds and act the personal slave for the whole day, each drop of perspiration is well worth it.
“Yes. It can be tiring but the moment you see how happy the kid is, it all seems to go away,” reveals Sandra Yuson, a 2nd year Medical Student.
And what is a couple of hours spent under the raging rays of the sun compared to a heart that is ready to serve?
“Far more than expertise, these kids need your commitment, your willingness to go the extra mile. Education, experience, these are important but useless without the heart,” shares Cañizares-Gacuma.
A time to believe
The soul knows no disabilities, no defects except those wreaked by men themselves.
We are not born equal.
In the face of the realities of physical and mental disabilities, it would be the height of hypocrisy to say otherwise. And yet at the heels of the extraordinary achievements of individuals with disabilities such as Roxanne as well as Manny Bagsit and Dennis Balan, who have recently won medals in the flower arrangement and photography competitions in India, one realizes that we are indeed equal, maybe not in body nor in mind nor in status, but where it truly matters— in the soul.
