My Citizenship

What are the prospects and limits of my citizenship?

The Philippine National Flag

My sense of being Filipino has changed throughout the years. I felt that being Filipino meant merely patronizing famous works written by Rizal, Balagtas and the like. Years back speaking Filipino and positively speaking for the Filipinos were enough to say I was a good citizen. I had hoped of getting through school and eventually leaving the country for a lot of reasons be it the pursuit of adventure, greener pastures and even the mark of getting fed up and giving up on living as a Filipino where criminality, corruption and poverty are widespread. Admittedly, my two decades of being Filipino felt more like getting fed up by news on killings, theft, ill politics, showbiz drama, corruption and the likes. It created a sense of helplessness in me and felt like leaving the country after university. I had lost faith in the capability of people in this country to come back to their senses and be able to finally take the few steps in acting to come up with something Filipino to be proud of.

Jose Rizal authored notable
Filipino literary pieces.
Foto credit:skamid.com

It is when, during unexpected circumstances that opportunities are presented and it is up to that person whether or not that opportunity shall be used for whatever purpose it may serve.

For the past year, given the opportunity to work with a team that has helped inspire social awareness and advocacies to help spark up change my sense of being Filipino was starting to emerge from all the negativity of hopelessness and shame, but it was until getting to meet wonderful people from non-government organizations and being guided by people in the academe who speak wisely of our roles and potentialities despite the supposed and assumed limitations such as age, financial capabilities, social stature, political interest, philosophical orientation, type of advocacy and such. In my citizenship and governance class, complemented by my globalization and development class I was able to realize a clearer view of my being a Filipino citizen:

I am never too young to be a source of change in society.

Despite my still being in University, without my own source of income and my own established financial means, I when working with people who have realized the same cause and are driven to achieve that can find ways to succeed.

My desire to achieve should come hand in hand with commitment- the commitment to persistently head forward and overcome hurdles and work around other people’s limitations be it time, finances, degree of commitment and their willingness to partake.

In turn, I too know that as a starting individual, relatively younger and have things to anticipate and be prepared for to experience and undergo I have financial limitations, my circle of influence is still in the process of development and my thoughts are subject to criticism and exogenous forces. I cannot act simply on my own and expect that I be capable of managing everything without delegation- that I am not undermining my capabilities but rather recognizing that properly efficiently and effectively functioning bodies of organization does not flourish with one sole organ but rather parts with clear lines of functions to carry out and co-function in order to realize goals and deliver results.

I am Filipino and I have come to live by my principles of pragmatism, persistence, resilience, passion and teamwork.

Pursuit of Learning

What major insights have I gained so far from my on-going experiences in engaging in the initiative?

“Life is about experiencing” is a thought that speaks about such a wonderful journey discovering the self at a deeper level.

Growing up being surrounded by outspoken, loving, hardworking and charitable people members of society has influenced a sense of awareness about how blessed I have been and how I should be responding to giving back as an act of gratitude.

Mizuho bankers and their family members
during an outreach program in 2009.

At a young age, my siblings and myself have become witnesses to wonderful opportunities of getting to meet people, share stories and pick up wonderful lessons to cherish and grow up with. Visits to orphanages and homes for the elderly initiated by senior members of the family and friends opened up a view of how others live. I knew back then that in time, although I did not know exactly how just yet that I would like to set up a home to bring people together and be it a sanctuary that would care for, guide and inspire. School happened and so as teenage life. Priorities revolved around achieving academically, wanting to make folks proud with medals and awards garnered. Things done were geared towards establishing the self and investing in that academically brilliant resume that would help land such great job offers. In university, it was fun going out with friends, letting loose while still acing classes and maintaining that academically wonderful CGPA. Years spent growing up were about the self, aiming for what would define success and focusing on that path. It was until our small group of friends, called Beads.ph from DLSU began getting interested in competitions for that sense of thrill arguing amongst ourselves and crafting together impressive solutions to business cases given hoping to get recognized. From business plans, social entrepreneurship strategies  to social advocacy programs; all gave a sense of fulfillment getting to work with such driven people but it was the opportunity of going beyond ourselves and doing one thing that is more than what is written on paper, flashed and presented on screen and is expected to fetch such wonderful songs of praise from supposedly impressed people. “What happens after this project?” was a resonating thought- a feeling that invoked a feeling of lacking something.

ColgateFreshU Sponsored program spearheaded by DLSU BEADS.ph
Foto credit: Jin de la Cruz

Colgate FreshU was more than merely working with a team to be recognized for a nicely written paper on helping out and being that small sparks of change. It was call to action by challenging individuals like myself to go beyond our existing paradigms and take part in translating thoughts and ideas into action. It has been a year since our team last joined the competition. A lot of things have come such as working opportunities for other members of our team. Some have been traveling attending to private matters, but it is the will and the desire to finish what has been started and bringing something of more value into this world that has held our team together. It was a challenge coordinating with parties involved as there have been different priorities to attend to, but key to the success of every team is communication- getting to share and exchange ideas, motivate, delegate, inspire and encourage. We began working with issues that concern us and from there identify factors that cause such issues. With research conducted, our team was able to come up with BEADang Kabuhayan, a social awareness education program that aims to empower mother and the youth in less privileged communities in three key levels: Firstly, empowerment through inclusion wherein participants are asked to interact with each other to share experiences living in the community, problems and find friends in each other; secondly is empowerment through education whereby module conducted focus on skills in creating recycled paperbeads, usage of tools, jewelry designing; thirdly empowerment through employment whereby participants given skills passed on allow them to transform what we usually consider waste into something valuable and worth selling and get a sense of fulfillment being pro-creators and find the inner artists in them and sell their pieces as a source of added income. The project focuses on delinquency and criminality among the youth and research shows that poverty is not the main cause of these issues. It is rather the lack of opportunities and disassociation that cause such problems.

Nanay Auring practicing wire bending
Foto credit: Jin dela Cruz

Balancing school and facilitating the project was a bit of a challenge as I had to work within a timeframe given constraints in resources available. Careful planning allowed me to communicate with members of our team and delegated key roles to efficiently meet deadlines and maximize manpower. Student volunteers successfully partook by assisting participants and resource people as they conduct seminars. Speakers invited from the Philippine Community Fund such as Ate Virgie, Ate Mylene, Mr. Marcel and Mr. James, together with Mrs. Mariela Sison spoke about their personal experiences of harwork helped motivate mothers and youth alike. Mothers and youth from Barangay 768 have become our friends who welcomed us with such open arms.

That sense of pride that was brought by prestigious awards given for well written proposals meant nothing compared to the sense of fulfillment brought by seeing how happy and inspired people involved in the project have become. Listening to people’s experiences and seeing how their faces have lit up speak much stronger than coming up with impressive and hifalutin adjectives. I take pride in seeing how engaged and involved my friends have become that they did not need much pushing, but acted out of love and passion.

Mizuho banker children making friends in 2009

We are never too young to initiate positive change. 

Aspirations and Setting that Goal

What do I hope to achieve?
The Journey to Realizations

LaSallian student volunteers together with BEADang Kabuhayan participants
and speakers from PCF Mr. Marcel Clado and CampBeads Mrs. Mariela Sison
during the recognition rites last August 04,2012. Photo Credit: Jin Dela Cruz

It has been a year when my team began joining competitions from inter-university marketing strategies, social entrepreneurship programs, to social advocacy projects.

Baby Ella, daughter of one of the
program participants
Photo Credit: Jin Dela Cruz

The past year has been about stressing about graduation, doing perfectly well in the last remaining classes so as to maintain that good old CGPA. Job and training applications had been sent out and gruesome interviews with the big bosses have all been guided by one question that may usually be addressed by impulsive responses, carried out without much thought, “What do I really want?”

In the five whole years of my stay in De La Salle Manila, I felt that achievements were about medals and honors given and bestowed upon high academic standing, eloquent and perfectly designed presentations given and the joy received when people are impressed by the results of all that hardwork. In interviews I fondly spoke about how challenging handling people was, the triumphs over the hurdles of bureaucracy, team politics and resource constraints and how impressive those, as I thought were. I have travelled around and spent months spending summers and term breaks in foreign lands, going beyond merely seeing culture but literally living, breathing, eating and experiencing it. I have compared Philippine living conditions from these foreign lands and one direct response was to immediately leave the country upon graduation. 

Paper bead making seminar and hands-on workshop
BEADang Kabuhayan organized by LaSallian team Beads.ph

It was a mere perfect world, as I thought. All travels to and from exotic, highly-cultured, much safer and richer lands, a highly promising career geared towards surpassing expectations constituted my goals and aspirations, until recently when all else is given yet something seems to be lacking. What do I really want? Where do I see myself 1-2-5 years from now? Why so? These questions began to creep in and taunted my spirits, my being me. I felt that all these wins were great to say, but does not have this element of deep desire, this feeling of intense fondness, this what we call passion.

It has been a year since we joined one competition that has  been, as cheesy as you may deem life-changing. Certain realizations came to mind:

Youth participant Annaliz Aniceto,
daughter of mother participant receives
her certificate of participation.

Leadership is never easy. There are those made to lead, and there are those follow. Commitment and responsibility go beyond mere words spoken or pledges written. It is but tested by persistence, patience and the kind of heart one has in pursuing that goal. In this world,  I want to be that fruitloop in that bowl of cheerios. Change begins within. No matter how much you try to inspire, to guide and lead, if the willingness does not, even in the slightest amount; come from the heart, nothing will happen.

Fundamentals of recycled paper bead making and hands-on workshop with Ate Virgie Juntillo July 27, 2012
Grant sponsored by Colgate FreshU 2011. Photo Credit: Jin Dela Cruz

Nanays and youth during the
BEADang Kabuhayan Seminar

 Given this new phase in life, with all my colleagues venturing into new heights,  priorities have changed. I am but left to remain persistent in translating one vision we once shared and bringing them into life. Now that I have assumed responsibility to oversee implementation of this project we were privileged to be given a grant for, it is but life changing to see how one can make much difference in peoples’ lives- bridging that gap, being that instrument of putting people together and allowing interaction to become pro-creators. Given my past 3months working as head of implementation for our project on BEADang Kabuhayan Social Education Program sponsored by Colgate FreshU, I have dealt with mothers and the youth from impoverished communities, negotiated with instructors from other non-government organizations and volunteers to take part. 

Recycled paper bead jewelry-
products taught in seminar

Hearing their stories of happiness found in providing livelihoods for themselves and how successful they’ve been seeing their children finish school with their funds raised have touched my heart. Witnessing their passion and commitment in teaching each other and being friends who pass on skills and become little sparks of inspiration to each other has awaken a desire to become relevant not by virtue of academic honors and studies presented, but by the impact and that mark left by being that person who helped things make possible- possible to realize dreams, new opportunities, new skills and talents and new realm of opportunities opened up by this one project that the team and myself have passionately worked hard for.

BEADang Kabuhayan mother participants with Alay Kapwa head Ms. Marisa Suarez, LaSallianBeads.ph organizing team,
LaSallian Student Volunteers and module instructor from PCF Mr. Marcel Clado
Photo Credit: Jin Dela Cruz

Hug of thank you for the meaningful partnership for change
with Mommy Helen

I have long hoped to land on that perfectly highly paying job that would allow me to travel as much as I would like. I vaguely hoped to be able to give back to society by providing home for the old and homeless. I wanted to be remembered.

What do I really want?

I hope to be the best that I can be- resourcefully successful, passionately driven to be that small spark of change and persistently be that instrument in bringing people together and touch lives.

Colgate FreshU sponsored Advocacy Program
Spearheaded by LaSallian Bead.ph team 2011-2012
Photo Credits: Jin De La Cruz

Lens Baruelo, Rachel Chua, Jin Dela Cruz and Riz Malabanan
with daughters of nanay Irene during the seminar

(L-R) Kennard Guiaco & Rachel Chua for heads for Logistics, Jin Dela Cruz head for Documentations
Rizelle Malabanan head for program design and Co-head for Project Implementations and Lens Baruelo Head for Implementations and Treasurer: Beads.ph spearheading Social Advocacy program BEADang Kabuhayan 2011-2012.

Recycled Paper bead jewelry

LaSallian Student volunteers Gavriel Sullano, Ernest Jeremy Jose,
Ann Sia Pua and Yannis Rigor with Beads.ph's Lens Baruelo.