A Lasallian's Call to Mission

I write this as I end a week of ups and downs: a week where I had to learn some tough lessons, a week where I had to relearn what Gawad Kalinga is all about, what being a Lasallian in the Philippines is about, what being a Filipino in this generation is about. This was a week where I had to grow up: not only in age, but also in wisdom; in handling tough situations and dealing with people we find difficult to love, and continue loving those people who need my love the most.

If you had asked me a year ago if I saw GK La Salle the way it is now, I would probably tell you yes, but with a shadow of doubt at the back of my mind. Having gone full-time for what seemed to me, at that time, was an unclear path, it would be difficult to presume that everything will be okay in a year or so. If there was anything that could make me stay at that time, it was because we had scholars. There was Gawad Kalinga in DLSU, but whether or not we were doing it together was a different issue. But then again, faith played an important role in how everything fell into place. I always trusted that God had a better plan for our alma mater; and like our Founder, I, together with other volunteers, trusted in His Divine providence.

As an academic institution, DLSU has already achieved so much in so many different fields. Its alumni have made great contributions to Philippine society and to the world. It has produced several researches that bridged classrooms to life. DLSU is one of the best universities in the Philippines, and as such, much is expected of its graduates.  I have written in a previous note that education is a continuous process which does not stop once the bell rings to signify the end of a class. It transcends the four walls of the classroom in order to affect meaningful social transformations. It liberates us from being prisoners of conventional frameworks, allows us to revolutionize the way the world thinks, and sustainably develops the dynamics of human life. Education builds nations and makes the world a better place to live in; it is a gift from God that should continuously be nurtured.

Being equipped with the proper tools to face the world outside the four walls of the university, all of us Lasallians have the opportunity to affect change in this country. We can never deny the fact that our classroom education has enabled us to apply knowledge to life. After all, those three years or more of Lasallian education would have been in vain if we have never been able to use what God has given us in order to make a significant impact. Imagine if we continue doing once-off activities while integrating social transformation into the very core of the curriculum of the University. Imagine if every single professor in DLSU teaches his/her students to love this country through their chosen fields. The university can expect that more students will partake in nation-building because seeds are already being planted. I am not saying, however, that it would be foolish for us to hype ourselves up through rallies and concerts once in a while. In fact, I would gladly accept any of those; but months ago, I was challenged by an administrator to sustainably develop participation while the hype was momentarily gone.

Doing once-off activities will inspire COB students to do Corporate Social Responsibility when they graduate from their business degrees and get into multinationals; but creating that enabling environment for them to hurdle past their mistakes and develop their ingenuity will inspire them to become Social Entrepreneurs -- job creators and champions of the poor. That makes all the difference.  Jose Almonte, in his book "We Must Level the Playing Field" affirms that we have a case of the "missing middle": those who will create SME's in order to provide employment and help sustainably develop the growth of this country. We, the Lasallians of this generation, are in that position: middle brothers to the poor who need our help to alleviate them from their plight. It is a disservice to our Founder, the Brothers who have given their lives for this vocation, and our professors and mentors who continue to strive to give us a proper education if we have completed our degrees without having that social conscience to open up more opportunities to the poor, so that in turn, we can start leveling the playing field. Some people say that what separated us from the poor is opportunity; I believe otherwise.

I was four years old when I first visited DLSU. As I grew up, I had learned more about DLSU and even met the great Br. Andrew Gonzalez. I was given the luxury to dream about graduating from this school when I was younger.  How about the kids from the slums who did not have the same opportunity as I had? They would probably have thought that they could not get into DLSU. Even I would not have an inkling that they were inches away from a scholarship in DLSU. Slowly but surely, we have opened the doors to higher learning to our GK SIGA. By next year, we will have 36 scholars in DLSU and DLS-CSB walking down the same hallowed halls as some great Filipinos already have. I can now say that what separates us from them is merely address. But am I saying that GK DLSU has already done enough?

If I may quote St. Marie Eugenie of Jesus, "Love never says, 'I have done enough.'"

Loving God and country is something that we, Lasallians, should instill and nurture in our hearts; but it should go beyond feeling that love and building up emotions. It is about finding ways to become the best of who we are to make this country the best it can be. It is about giving ourselves to this country by taking nation-building into the core of our being. If you are studying to become an entrepreneur, do not allow yourself to be just an employee of foreign corporations in your own country. Start social enterprises that will not only allow you to sustain your living, but will also create opportunities and wealth for many Filipinos. If you are studying to become a teacher, share your knowledge not only to those who will be able to afford your services, but also to those who do not have the money to pay for your labor. If you are studying to become an engineer, develop green technologies that will not only be available to the rich subdivisions, but also to the poorest communities. These, among many other things, are some ways by which Lasallians can contribute to the growth of this country. 

GK DLSU has faith and confidence in the Lasallian community.

We believe so much in the potential of Lasallians to make themselves relevant to society. We know that deep in their minds and hearts, Lasallians sense that they are called to do great things for this country. It would be such a waste of Lasallian ingenuity if we were not able to cultivate it to build the nation. It would be such a waste of resources if we did not gear our capabilities towards sustainable development and social transformation in this country. It would be futile for our professors to spend so much time with their students if at the end of the day, their students do not feel relevant. It would be such a waste of money if in the end, students willl not be able to apply their knowledge and skills for the good of this country.

This is every Lasallian's call to mission: to respond to the call of the times by actively engaging himself/herself in building the nation through the use of information and ingenuity, by growing intelligent hearts that will courageously fight against poverty through the application of knowledge to life, and by spreading the word of hope that we will end the crimes of poverty, stupidity and hypocrisy in this country.

This is the kind of movement we want to build in DLSU: one that continues to find relevance in the present and lasts for a lifetime, one that will not stop amid obstacles; one that is pro-active, and one that our country deserves. 

We are Lasallians in the Philippines in this generation because we are capable of finding solutions to the many problems of society by using our talents, skills and knowledge. 

We are not claiming that we can do everything, but in our own way, we can do something.

 We have been stuck in that classroom for a while now. It's about time we go out and do something for this country!

Beyond 4.0. Beyond the call of duty. ANIMO LA SALLE! ANIMO PILIPINAS!

As I end this reflection, allow me to share my favorite prayer.

Lord, let me be the change I want to see

To do with strength and wisdom

All that needs to be done and become the hope that I can be.

Set me free from my fears and hesitations.

Grant me courage and humility.

Fill me with spirit to face the challenge,

and start the change I want to see.

Today, I start the change I want to see.

Even if I am not the light, I can be the spark.

In faith, service and communion,

Let us start the change we want to see.

The change that begins in me.

In all these, we, together and by association, dedicate our life and work to God, Who alone guarantees the fulfillment of our Lasallian dream.

I will continue, O my God, to do all my actions for the love of You.

St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, FOREVER!