UP Centennial Lecture Series: Dr. Francisco Nemenzo

Former UP President Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo's lecture coincided with the mobilization Ayala, Makati, following the ZTE Deal revelations of Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, so I thought it was cancelled. I came in 15-30 minutes late so I wasn’t able to secure a seat inside the NISMED Auditorium. I had to stay outside and watch the lecture through the screen prepared for that occasion.

Entitled UP: View from Inside "Beyond the Classroom: Rebuilding a Damaged Nation", Dr. Nemenzo’s lecture tried to discuss the ways students, and the youth in general, can help repair the damaged Philippine society.

It isn’t just the academics that is important, according to the Professor Emeritus teaching Political Science in UP Diliman. The youth should engage in public debate, and examine assumptions, as what the students during the height of activism in the 1960s did. Especially with the issues of mismanagement and corruption thrown against the current administration, the student body should be vigilant. The next generation of the Philippines’ leaders should stop being silent observers. His lecture, which went along the lines of “collective action is the only way to get results” is reminiscent of Jose Ma. Sison’s “it is only through militant struggle can the best in the youth arise”.

Student activism in the country’s premier university, he said, has deteriorated and continues to deteriorate both in numbers and in quality. He wasn’t able to pinpoint a single cause (as I believe and maybe he too, that there is none) as to why the tradition is slowly fading away, but proposed a solution: It is not nationalism that should be instilled to the minds of the young people, but the sense of responsibility - responsibility to other people and to the country. Especially to the students of UP, whose education is being subsidized by the people.

Students today go to college because they (and their parents) see education as an investment for their future. It is a sad thing, but the government is capitalizing on this fact to serve its own interest. Take for instance the case of the nursing students in the country. The Philippine government itself is the one pushing them to go abroad once they graduate. Nemenzo said that it should be made mandatory that the nursing graduates serve in our hospitals for a number of years first before they be allowed to work in other countries.

Nemenzo said that the media is partly to be blamed for the country’s situation, and the lack of initiative on the side of the people to change it. He said that the media became a tool of the government and the business-minded people, instead of the people. The media (its owners particularly) has turned its back on its responsibility of being the “watchdog” for the people because it is afraid of the possible financial losses it might incur if it will put out too much of the powers that be’s dirty laundry.

The country has its own television station - NBN Channel 4. This station, instead of doing its job that was paid for by the people’s taxes, serves as the propaganda mouthpiece of the current administration for its pailaw and patubig projects.

The Filipinos cannot rely on its military forces as well. The military, which supposedly is neutral and apolitical, has also become a tool for the government. It is being used to silence the critics of the president and her cohorts. Even the other nations have called for the end of the ruthless political killings and enforced disappearances.

But the country is not hopeless, Nemenzo said. The Filipinos need not resort to bloody revolutions as well. He said that there are creative ways, and all the people need is to be always vigilant.

2.15 FAIRenheit: Burning Passion to SERVE THE PEOPLE

To celebrate my birthday, which was the day before, I treated my two closest friends to dinner and to the Friday night UP Fair. Usually sponsored by the University Student Council, the Friday night fairs are almost always jam-packed, with the next day being a no-class Saturday and all, and are almost always attended by the coolest bands in the country. I was a bit disappointed that the line-up for the bands was meant to make only the JJIBs (jumping jologs in black) jump for joy.

The bands who played that night according to the ticket (I got to stay only halfway through the concert because one of my friends decided her boyfriend is a better companion for the night, while the other has a Cinderella curfew and lives in Valenzuela) were: Queso, Chicosci, Itchyworms, Sinosikat, Datu's Tribe, and other lesser known bands. I had a bad experience with the hormonal, Emo-Punk worshipping teenagers during last year’s fair so I was lucky to have left the area before Chicosci played. Hale (which was not included in the original line up of bands) noticeably attracted the female population that night, including my very bored and jerky (probably because of the curfew) girl friend.

All in all I would call it a waste of money, except for the performances by Alay Sining and the band that played the song “Rage Against the Dying of the Light”. Serve the People!

Komedya 2008

On the day after the Valentines Day (and my birthday), I took a break from the suffocating pressure of having to finish my thesis so that I can graduate this semester. It was lucky that the Komedya 2008 was still on. The Manila City Band was playing that night. They serenaded the audience with original Filipino music such as the captivating Kayganda ng Ating Musika, popular Ilocano song Pamulinawen (Ilocano song), and the heart warming Anak.

I actually thought that watching a band (as in the band we usually see in fiestas, composed of more than 30 people playing wind and percussion instruments) would be boring. I was surprised that I enjoyed it very much (my thesis partner did not though, but well, she isn’t a music enthusiast and wasn’t even able to appreciate Maroon 5 until I practically played each and every one of the alt rock band’s songs). It was also very well attended, and according to the man I talked to who was able to see the Komedya before, the past Fridays were jam-packed as well. Perhaps the admission being free helped a lot.

UP Centennial Lecture Series: Dr. Baldomero Olivera

The first centennial celebration-related activity I've attended after the kick-off was Dr. Baldomero Olivera's lecture and conferment. It was the second of the Centennial Lecture Series that will be feature different personalities in the academe all year round.

The 2007 Harvard Foundation Scientist of the Year’s lecture was one I couldn’t let pass. His achievements were so inspiring: a summa cum laude graduate of BS Chemistry in UP Diliman, he earned his PhD in Biochemistry from the California Institute of Technology and post-doctorate in the same area in Stanford University.

Dr. Olivera’s is a distinguished professor of Biology and a Neuroscientist at the University of Utah. He is known for his contributions in Biology, most notably for his discovery of a family of biomolecules called conotoxins (he named some of the conotoxins/peptides after Filipino terms like con-antukin and con-tulakin.

In his lecture, he focused on his and his groups’ latest studies on drug candidates, including a cone snail toxin whose synthetic from is currently being used as an alternative to morphine (the drug’s name is Prialt). He also shared his experiences when he was starting his research on snails which were native in the Philippines. He confessed that even though he had succeeded in his research, it was a sad thing that he was able to do it in another country and not in his own. Dr. Olivera wished that someday, the Philippines would be able to help its researchers and fund the researchers which he believes would remove the country away from the poverty it is currently in.

The inspiring scientist left a lesson for his audience in his lecture: keep your eyes open because you may find something more interesting than what you’re originally looking for.

UP Centennial Celebration Kick Off

What more can I say? It’s a kick-off, and kick-offs should be interesting. I’ll let the pictures (which I borrowed from the kind people who posted in multiply because my camera phone refused to cooperate that day and night) speak for the events that happened on January 9, 2008. I can’t help but say this though: UP, Ang Galing Mo!

pic from: http://lovefull.multiply.com/photos/album/39/
UP_Centennial_kick-off_party_#3

Serving UP

It was nice that this school year the CWTS-Geography class under the supervision of Prof. Marino Deocariza had UP as its community to serve. It is only fitting, since this year our beloved learning institution will be turning 100!

For years UP has been delivering its end of the deal – i.e., filling up the pool of the next generation of leaders for the Philippines - and now we must give back.

The prospect of creating a film tribute, an exhibit, or a website for the UP community sounded attractive when our professor first mentioned it the first semester of this year. This semester, with the bonding between old groupmates already formed, it was fun to be actually working on them.

Because of my busy schedule (primarily because of my thesis which is an investigative report on a government transaction) I wasn’t really able to give the task assigned to my group – the publicity team – my 100% attention. It was a pity really, since based on what I’ve heard, the rest of the group had become close.

I was able to join several of the group’s meetings (especially the online ones) but after the centennial shirt booth, Jaristi and the gang weren’t able to track me.

I missed three plenary meetings and wasn’t able to attend the launching of the three class project. I wasn’t informed despite my incessant request for my groupmates to keep me updated, but I don’t blame them. I wasn’t their responsibility. For reasons I can’t understand, my membership in nicenet was revoked, thus my not receiving any announcements for the class.

I don’t know if I will pass this class, but I hope Prof. Deocariza will consider the efforts I put (which I know was not enough) despite the many interviews I had to conduct and tons of documents I had to review.

Presentation of Shirts to the CSSP Week Planning Committee

Jaristi, our group leader asked me to represent the class to the CSSP Week Planning Committee. My task was to ask the professors present in the committee hearing for help with the selling of the centennial shirts. But lack of sleep and coffee or something must have gotten in the way of usually logical thinking, I got things mixed up. In the end I made the committee members think that the projects being done by the CWTS teams are for the CSSP Week celebration. I realized this when I talked to Patriz that night through YM and she told me that I made the committee confused. She said that Prof. Deocariza had to explain to the committee that what we are doing in class doesn’t have anything to do with the CSSP celebration. It was funny now, but I think our dear professor deserved an apology. Sorry Sir!

Centennial Shirts For Sale!

Part of the publicity team's project is to sell t-shirts especially designed for UP's 100th year celebration. The team started erecting a booth along AS walk on the last week of January. The team offered two shirt designs available in female and male sizes.

As my schedule this semester is unpredictable due to my thesis data gathering, I was able to help with the booth only once. It was a whole new experience - tiring yet satisfying. This activity also tested my patience as I had to deal with different types of people. There were those who are friendly, timid, indifferent, and bitchy. Luckily, the sales on the day I helped was good so I didn’t bore myself to death. I would have liked to help again but my schedule forbade me to. But all in all, it was a happy experience.

Publicity Team Online - Part 2

I wasn’t able to join my team on the second YM meeting due to a last minute interview with a key informant for my thesis. Luckily, Jaristi and Patriz were still online, so I was kept updated on the projects’ progress. The team talked about the details of the plans for the publicity campaign – posters and fliers are definitely on the list. I suggested placing tarpaulins instead in conspicuous areas in AS. Prof. Deocariza, on the group’s first meeting, suggested selling shirts especially designed for UP’s centennial as a form of fund raising for the class’ projects, and the team decided to give it a shot. We could erect a booth along AS walk during our free time. The team later settled also for a mini-concert to be held at a bar in Katipunan.

Publicity Team Online - Part 1

The publicity team went hi-tech! Another useful online tool for our team is the YM (Yahoo Messenger), where we can talk in real time about our publicity campaign plans. The first time we used this Yahoo feature, the group discussed about possible ways to let the public know about the projects of the CWTS-Geography for UP’s 100^th celebration. For the time being, we settled for posters and other usual publicity stuff. In our next meeting – I think online again – we will start planning the details.

Yahoo! We Have A Group!

Thank goodness for Yahoo! Groups! With each of the publicity team members’ busy schedule (especially for thesis writing students like me) online meeting places like Yahoo Groups are a big help. I have invited my groupmates to join so we can "meet" and plan our campaigns without actually seeing each other. Almost half of them have already accepted my invitation and we are starting to build an online database of our contact information.

CWTS Publicity Team Preparation

The publicity team was tasked to conceptualize and create campaign materials for the CWTS-Geography’s celebration of the UP centennial. From the very first of the team’s many meetings, ideas to publicize the film tribute, exhibit and website to be launched at the end of the semester started pouring in: there were the standard posters and flyers, but someone also suggested the unconventional human billboards.

Even though composed of students from different departments (and even colleges; I for one, came from the College of Mass Communication), and from different year levels, each member of the publicity team is looking forward to an enjoyable semester.

Reflection 5: Community Profiling

My Kapampangan neighbour and I have different opinions on who the better actor is, Jinggoy Estrada or Mikey Arroyo.

My childhood friend and I who lives next door to the right are poles apart when it comes to the issue of whether Manny Pacquiao should have or should not have won the congressional seat from Darlene Custodio.

The “lutong ulam” vendor and I cannot agree on whether pork sinigang should have ginger as an ingredient.

We may all differ in opinions, perspectives, cultures, etc., but at the end of the day we all worry about if the next tide will be high or low, since our place is within the boundary of Caloocan, Navotas and Malabon. I, my Kapampangan neighbour, my childhood friend and the “lutong ulam” vendor are all members of Barangay 12 community in Caloocan City.

Knowing the common concerns and problems in our community (flood for instance), helps in the planning of the programs and projects that will improve our lives. Once or twice every year, usually during the rainy months, the local government of Caloocan dispatches anti-dengue teams to our community. They conduct lectures on how to avoid the disease caused by mosquito bites, as well as how to spot a person with dengue.

Another project by the Caloocan local government was the free anti-rabies injection for the residents’ pet dogs. This was carried-out a few years ago, at a time when the number of cases of rabid dog bite victims was high. I remember it, since my most favourite pet of all time Archie (RIP) benefitted from the project.

Before they went on with the project, the people from the local government cooperated with our barangay officials who gathered all the residents and dog owners. They explained to us the importance of the project and went to interview each of the dog owners about the dogs. Among the things I remember the representative asked me were how old was my dog, what breed, if my dog has ever bitten someone, etc.

It proved successful because the incidence of rabies victims in my community went down. And when Archie had bitten my bestfriend in the shin, he only suffered from shock and became much wary of approaching any dog.

Overview of a Volunteer Organization

Jesuit Volunteers Foundation, Inc.

The Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation, Inc. (JVPFI) is a volunteer organization that seeks to help under-resourced communities all over the Philippines address their basic needs. The organization contributes to the nation building through faith driven volunteer service in its full time volunteer program and members’ part-time volunteer program.

For 24 years now, JVPFI has been sending volunteers to work in under-resourced schools, parishes, or non-government institutions to:

• Teach the young and the elderly
• Engage in youth formation
• Train grass-root community leaders
• Assist cooperatives
• Help implement livelihood projects
• Minister to the disabled and abused
• Advocate environmental issues
• Uphold the dignity of indigenous peoples
• Fight for the rights of the oppressed

The organization aims for both the volunteers and the communities they serve to continuously work towards building a just society.

The JVPFI has a national office in Quezon City and has local chapters in Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Manila, Naga and Zamboanga.

History

Society of Jesus member Fr. William “Bill” Kreutz”, together with Jesuit scholars Noel Vasquez, Vic Labao and Jemy See, founded the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines (JVP) in 1980. They organized it into a full time volunteer program that caters to the needs of the people during the Martial Law period. The organization annually recruits, and trains college graduates and young professionals and to teach, organize communities, preserve indigenous culture and work in parishes in different mission areas all over the country for at least one year.

In the early 1990s, the JVP community of volunteers and supporters expanded immensely. In May 1993, the JVPFI was founded and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and has since operated independently of the Society of Jesus.

The organization launched its part-time volunteer program in 2006.

JVPFI is mainly supported by local and foreign donations from individuals and institutions.

JVPFI is a pioneer in the Philippine volunteer sector. Its efforts and roles had been recognized with prestigious awards including the Ateneo de Manila Public Service Award in 1995, the Chino Roces Award in 1998, and the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award from the national government in 2005.

The Volunteers

The volunteers for the organization are sent to under-resourced areas all over the Philippines and are required to stay there for at least one year. The volunteers are selected based on a screening process using the following criteria:

1. alignment to the JVP core values of service, social Justice, solidarity, simplicity
and spirituality
2. involvement in community, parish and school / office
3. knowledge, skills and training
4. key personal qualities

The educational background, work experience, involvement in community, office / school, parish activities and other extra-curricular activities as well as his/her skills and capabilities are the primary factors to be considered by the JVPFI in choosing the volunteers.

The Communities Served

JVPFI screens and ranks the institutions requesting for assistance before sending volunteers. Applicant institutions are asked to a profile of the community and the kind of work of the volunteers. A JVPFI representative then conducts a social investigation in the area and the institution: he / she check on the security/peace and order situation of the community, the urgency of the need for volunteers, the place of work, the living arrangements and the institution's clientele. A screening committee deliberates on the requests for volunteers based on the following criteria:

1. urgency of the need for volunteer

2. nature and scope of work

3. support structure for the volunteer

4. promotion of volunteerism

Sources:

Mr. Nathaniel George A. Hipolito, JVPFI program officer for volunteer service

www.jvpfi.com

Reflection 4: Personal Growth and Personal Interactions

A professor in one of my major subjects this semester brought up to the class this question: would you work for money?

Slightly lagging behind the speed of sound came my answer: yes. I need to earn money in order for me to survive.

It’s sad, but money wasn’t really the reason I first came to this university. I came to UP to learn. They say that when you are young (and not aware of the factors that govern man’s existence on earth) you tend to be more idealistic about things. But now, I saw the need for me to really work after graduation; to work for money.

Journalism isn’t a lucrative job. Well at least for those practicing ethical and professional journalism. And if I’m going to practice journalism, I’m going to do it just the way Prof. Luis Teodoro wanted his students to practice it.

Before, I imagine myself writing investigative reports and exposing graft and corruption in the government. I wanted to give service to the people. That should be the primary goal of those practicing this profession. But now, I have to let my sense of duty to my family and to myself come before my sense of duty to my country and countrymen.

I’m not saying that I’m going to practice journalism the way some “pocket-heavy journalists” do today. That’s against my principles. I don’t want to be in some politicians’ or some drug lords’ payroll. I don’t want to cause anybody unnecessary pain just because of my personal interest. And I would never compromise my integrity. I know that if I do the things some media practitioners do, I’ll have money more than enough to pay for my basic needs. But I know I wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly at night.

The media is a field of competition. The probability of me getting into the mainstream is 10%. There are so many mass communication graduates in the Philippines. There are a lot of people taking courses under this field because it doesn’t involve algebra and trigonometry, well, at least that’s the way I see it. Or maybe some see it as a stepping stone to the glamorous life of showbizness. But the catch is, I’m not sure if I’ll land a journalism job once I’m out of the university, even if I’m a UP graduate.

The tentative plan I have is to apply for a call center job, again. If given a chance, I would never want to experience working in that kind of environment again. Even though this business helps our economy a lot, it’s actually a wasteland for so many of our youth. So many talents and skills are left to rust in yard long cubicles; they spend almost the whole of their waking hours reciting to people they don’t know, the one-liners of the movie called CSR. But I’m left with no choice. I just hope that someday I’ll be able to share to other people things I‘ve learned in UP.

Reflection 3: Nationality and Citizenship

Wednesday, July 4. Dr. Kilop, on his lecture on nationality and citizenship asked who among us (CWTS lecture class) would proudly admit being a Filipino. I was one of the five out of around 200 students who raised their hands. I told the truth. I’m proud of my country and my culture. But the professor from the Political Science department seemed unconvinced by our confession. Is it really that hard to say that you’re a Filipino.

Sunday, July 8. I was in my aunt’s house upon her request for me to sleep over. She arrived from Belgium where she is now based, a few days ago. During breakfast we engaged into some “how’s your life” thing. She launched into a full blown PR for that small European country, as if she was an agent trying to convince someone to try their product. She emphasized how better life is in Belgium, how there is much less disorder and corruption. She practically bragged about how elections are more peaceful and Garci-free. People in Belgium give way to other motorists so as not to create traffic jams, she said with her nose held high in the air. It was an exhausting talk, and would very much appreciate if it would end before lunch. Trying to put a stop to the “Philippines is a wasteland” campaign, I asked her a question I thought would surely shut her up because it was something she is directly affected.

“Hindi ba mataas ang taxes sa Belgium,” I said smugly. But I regretted asking that stupid and thoughtless question.

The extremely high taxes are justified, she answered. “Unlike here...I would never stay in the country for more than a month,”she said ending the ad, with something akin to disgust in her face.

Like Dr. Kilop said, the feeling of belongingness to a country starts with empirical rewards or benefits. The nationalistic in me would really like to berate my aunt for thinking so negatively about the Philippines and being so pessimistic about the future of the country. But I realized I cannot tell her that there are far more benefits staying in the Philippines than living in another country. Besides, the people there are kind to her.

She told us a story about a Filipino in Brussels who stole tomatoes in the supermarket. Her disappointment was understandable but why are negative things the only ones she remembers about the Filipinos?

>>>>>

I worked for a call center a few semesters ago, not because I wanted to, but because I needed to. I still remember that I once told myself that I would never set foot in a call center office, but well, I took those words back shamefully. The company’s clients were Australians. New hires need to pass an “accent and diction training” before they are allowed to do the job. Why is this so? I asked my team leader and he said that this was because they needed to sound like Australians. So they have to pretend to be Australians? He said not really, but agents cannot outright say that they are Filipinos. Why, I asked to him again. Because Australians wouldn’t be comfortable talking to non-Australians, he said. The conversation ended there. But the answers generated more questions than answers really. Why would they be uncomfortable? I don’t feel uncomfortable talking to people of other nationality. Do they consider it beneath themselves to talk to a Filipino?

Reflection 2: Volunteerism in the Philippines

Volunteerism is like a party. The host is the community which the volunteers will serve; while the guests are the volunteers. There is a specific date to conduct the activity, as well as a specific venue.

Just like a party, volunteer work needs careful planning to ensure success. The hosts (people in the community) should make sure that their guests are comfortable and should protect them while they are in the community. The guests should follow the rules of the party: the dress code, the house rules, among others.

In a party, the hosts decide who their guests will be. Gate crashing or inviting oneself to a party is not advisable, because most likely the hosts will not be happy about the intrusion in their lives, however good the intention is.

Inviting people to a party should be done days or weeks before the actual event to give the prospective guests time to prepare. They should be given the time to think about it and decide whether or not to accept the invitation. Pushing people to participate or involve themselves in an event they have don’t have interest in may cause misery to both the hosts and the guests during the party.

Lastly, volunteer work, just like a party, brings together different people with different cultures. For volunteer work or party to be successful, the guests and the hosts should tolerate and respect each other.

>>>>>

We tend to remember bad or negative things more than positive things. One psychologist said it is some sort of a defence mechanism innate to every human being to help him or her survive in this competitive world. I think this can be the explanation as to why we sometimes can’t help but judge other people based on what we hear without even verifying the truthfulness of the claims. On my observation, the stereotype is usually either ethno-linguistic based or economic-status-based.

Take for example Tondo. This small community in Manila is notorious for being a haven for all sorts of criminals. There are places much worse than Tondo today, but the name it has acquired had stuck sticked like bazooka joe in the hair.

I believe that Tondo was not labelled as such for nothing. I have the vaguest idea but according to my mom (she practically grew up there), gangs used to rule the place. It was a scary place to be in back then, especially after dark, she said. She remembers the streets in her whole community being deserted by people as early as 6:00 pm, as if staying for a minute longer would kill them. Well actually, my mom said it could.

But Tondo is much peaceful nowadays. Sure it has its own set of hold-up gangs and drug addicts, but those people are everywhere. Even in the most exclusive and expensive villages, I’m sure. People from Tondo are generally friendly and helpful. And think about other people, not just themselves. Only in Tondo did I feel the essence of “kapitbahay” being alive. Our place is hours away from Tondo, but I have countless encounters with people from this place. They are the most hospitable people I know. Whenever I visit my relatives and friends who live there, they would make a fuss about whether I’ve eaten, would worry themselves because they don’t have ice cold Coke, or would wear out their arms trying to make up for the lack of ventilation in their living rooms.

I believe that people would raise their brows on this next one, but I can’t help but mention that I feel secure when I’m in Tondo. Of course I still take extra caution when I’m in areas where residents are not unfamiliar, but generally, I feel protected when I’m in my friends’ and relatives’ “baluwarte”.

Reflection 1: Philippine Society and Culture

Culture is what distinguishes a group of people from another. It is a collection of different beliefs, morals, customs, laws, etc., acquired through living together in a particular space. A culture is the basis for the reality a certain group of people subscribes to.

The Philippines is composed of many different groups of people with many different cultures. Because of this, it is difficult to find a single word that is all encompassing to describe the Filipino culture as a whole. Instead, different practices, beliefs, customs, etc., lend themselves as foundations in the building of the Philippine society.

As it is shaped by the conditions, situations and needs encountered in a certain environment, a culture is difficult to change. People who subscribes to a particular culture cannot be forced to believe in the things they do not see as “correct” by their standards. Outsiders should be open-minded, and should learn to accept people’s differences.

>>>>>

Respect. This is one of the many things I’ve learned in UP. Not that I don’t respect my parents or people older than me before I came to the university. What I mean by respect is acceptance (or at least tolerance in some extreme cases) of other people’s beliefs, actions, etc., that are different from mine. I realized (or was made to realize) that there is an explanation for their deviant behaviour: I’m simply not the center of the universe.

There are no such things as barbaric, uncivilized and primitive. They are just derogatory terms coined by those conceited white males who wanted to rationalize their attempt to exploit other people. For all we know we look like aliens to some people from Papua New Guinea.

The discovery of the sun and the other planets not revolving around me led to my acceptance that what I do or what I believe in will not always be right. There are multiple realities, according to one sociologist. I came to accept that there are people like our neighbour who thinks it’s the norm to talk to her sons while they are out on the street and she is on the second floor of their multiple-storey house. There are others like my groupmates in an elective class, who think it’s fashionable to arrive two hours late when we’re already running out of time to do an assigned project. There are also those who think wearing a cap or hat inside the classroom is part of academic freedom and not at all disrespectful to the professor.

Respect is important. The world could’ve saved some lives from being wasted in wars if it only fully hugged respect. Unfortunately, there are people who label others “barbaric” without consulting first the mirror on the wall. What can be more “barbaric” and “uncivilized” than to start a war without thinking about the possible consequences? Or not stop a war when the realized consequences leave dead bodies of innocent children and women as evidence?

The word should be taught to children as soon as they can read and write. The concept should be introduced before they can walk or talk. Maybe this way, when their turn to run their country comes, they wouldn’t have a hard time looking up its meaning in the dictionary.

Expectations

I’ve been familiar with community service since grade school – from outreach programs to tree planting projects. Most of the activities I took part in were required by my teachers; nonetheless I enjoyed every one of them. Given the experience I have, I don’t expect anything from this class, since I already know that helping people is fun, no matter how hard the job is. A lot of preparation will be needed for those students who haven’t done any community service yet, so I have to be patient until we finally go to the actual field activity part. I’m still convincing myself that I need to hear the lectures, but I know I should. There are a lot of things I don’t know yet, plus I can’t let an opportunity to learn new things pass. I believe that this would be an interesting and worthwhile semester since professors from different departments will be providing lectures every Wednesday (that’s like attending several different ACLEs in one sem). I hope though that I would feel the actual field activity more as a volunteer work than a required class project.

Community Service Experience