“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.