Youth Summit

The presence of the youth might just give the country the hope Rizal was talking about.

The Albay youth summit was participated by different colleges and universities in Albay. Different resource speakers from the NCR were invited and the audience also actively participated during the program games and workshops. 

Exposing A Piece of of My Mind

Last July 23, 2012 was another day for any other Filipino except for those who bothered to turn on the television and watch the country’s president 3^rd State of the Nation Address. After the usual recitation of accomplishment and reports of the administration, many commented that it was an uplifting SONA that made them hope that it is really a new chapter for the Philippines.

No Aquino SONA is complete without a blast from the past. He once again felt the need to remind us of the feats and acts of heroism his parents gave to the country.

Aquino also cited some of the anomalies in the system of the government but did not bother to say what he did to stop them. The President also failed to mention the crimes, extrajudicial killings and police brutality under his administration nor the advances he made in solution to it.

As many SONA made and gone, he made the numbers talk to his Filipino people as if they reflect the sad reality in every Filipino household. Though the numbers made us smile, one could not ignore that it is still dashed with what everyone wants to hear- lies and manipulation.

Many wonder how the advances were made without the citizens really feeling any progress. One of the harsh truths presented in his SONA was the budget for the SUCs. Though everyone wanted to hear the numbers growing and the supplies meeting the demands, why can’t each SUC feel it? In Bicol University alone, budget cuts are flying about in every department and organization, belts are tightening and projects are dropped, the question remains, why is the statistic telling something far more different from the reality?

One of the highlights in his SONA was also the Maguindanao Massacre case, but the question is, what did he do so far? He only cited the grievances his government gave for the victims and possibly the condolences they offered. When will the time come that not only this heinous crime be solved but all of these killings be stopped. Not only are there deaths threats to the media people, but countless unresolved crimes are still out there waiting for justice to be served. Yes, he said that it should not be forgive or forget, but was it resolved? It feels as if the case itself was left to wither along with its victims and the other possible hundreds out there and the hundreds more to be committed.

Probably, the only striking word the President left in his SONA was the word “Boss”, yes we are the voice that should advice the president on what he should do. But when will the time come that the President himself will take the initiative rather than solve only the woes that reach the Palace gates?

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This is actually my critical paper for our subject Investigative Journalism. We were tasked to create a critical paper about P-noy's SONA.

“The MDGs and Me, Ano Ngayon?”

Dead and gone are the days waiting for Superman, eons, before we could create a real Pedro Penduko. So what am I doing waiting for someone to accomplish the MDGs for the country? I am not.

Although the MDGs are designed to be accomplished by 2015 and their goals are concise and simple, it is without a doubt, will remain to be a far-fetched dream for the Philippines to accomplish by then. So what’s your excuse?

I could have done this or that, something mediocre like spread the word, but we, more likely, did not.

My generation took the Millennium Development Goals lightly and I apologize for that. Rizal would probably be turning on his grave now and wishing he did not say such phrase and made everyone hope for the betterment of the world in the youth’s hands. But maybe, if we try hard enough, we can still make our national hero a psychic for saying such.

What do we know about poverty and hunger when we have food on the table everyday and could afford luxurious snacks in school? Well for one, it is not a crime to save money, and donate those you do not need to those who need it most.  It did not kill me to give that poor street urchin my remaining toron which I could not swallow because I was full. I dare not imagine what life miseries and hells he must face everyday for food in his little stomach.

Thousands of parents must have wept this school year for they were not able to afford their children’s education with the new K+12 education system. Countless dreams of a better life would be shattered and the scale would once again tip. I do not have the power to change this world, but the least I could do, we could do, is helping others change lives.

I wish to live another day when women would earn equally what men earn for doing the same job, or the time when bigotry would be eliminated in our society. For now, all I can do is set an example to the younger ones and those around me and respect them as a person, not for their race or gender.

We should stop blaming the government and the system. It all starts in us. As I have said, gone are the days waiting for people to solve crimes we have put on to ourselves, it’s time to let out the non-fictional and mediocre hero in us to make something change. The numbers and money won’t come to us easily, so it is up to me, to us, to everyone, to pull our own weight and work hard to achieve this.

If only the people could imagine what good it could do, problems that we would not have to face. If only most are able to stuff their own trash in its proper place.  It is a no-brainer activity, so why can’t the Philippines learn it?

I believe that I am not fighting a losing battle. Yes, we may not achieve these goals by the time set, but we could lead our country to that yellow brick road to a better country to live in, slowly but surely.

What can I do for this country in achieving the MDGs? All I know is that it will never be enough, but with the help of everyone, there is no loss in this battle.  The part-time hero in me may be weary and tired, but she will not stand another day saying that she did not try.