Because grad school just seemed to have started yesterday...

It wasn't too long ago when I made that impulsive decision to take up a graduate degree. Yes, it was just something that popped into my mind one day. My condition for enrolling then was that if I get the scholarship, there's no looking back. Honestly, I didn't exactly know why I did it at that time. For me, it just meant having to do something else, so that when I get asked, I can say a lot. Haha. Now, almost two years later, I am about to complete coursework! Yey! It's kind of a bittersweet thing. I love being in a classroom, somehow. But I have to move on and study for my comprehensive exam and start preparing my thesis... and graduation! (2012, please be good to me!)


There were some unexpected twists and turns as I took my units up. Most of the time, I found myself in a difficult position trying to balance everything out. I have to admit, I sometimes had to "wing it" because God knows I barely have the time to do everything.

I am especially grateful that along the way, I've had awesome classmates and great professors as well. (Although I wish I had less classes with Dr. Levy. I had 3 in coursework! Even she says that she would've wanted us to have other professors aside from her!) In a way, coursework showed me a host of perspectives in pursuing development. It also allowed me to look into deeply rooted problems that ail Philippine development and act on them. I've learned to look into more sustainable practices rather than small projects that don't make a significant impact on society. It has allowed me to look at challenges and see that there is still hope in the Philippines. That despite the fact that people would choose to take the first plane out of this country, being in MADEPOL challenged me to look at how we can make development work for the country. It has challenged me to raise my level of patriotism, that no matter what dismal statistics are presented to us in class, I would still choose to invest in this country's future.

Now, the way  I see it, it is important for us who study development to not just come up with solutions that will work in theory. Rather, we must find avenues by which our research output can be used to actually make this country better. It's not just about getting published, it's about making it real and tangible. It would be such a waste if we just allowed our papers to get shelved after each trimester. That is our duty to God and country, not only as Lasallians, but also as Filipinos.

I can't wait for thesis now. I can't wait to have the opportunity to conduct research that will be relevant. But first, I have to hurdle compre... and my last few papers! Haha! :)

Think Different. :)

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

Heeding a higher call.

When I was asked to give a testimonial on how CWTS has made an impact on my life, I started thinking:

ANO NGA BA? MERON NGA BA? ANO BA TALAGANG NAGING SILBI NITO SA BUHAY KO? TALAGA BANG NAKATULONG AKO O GINAWA KO LANG TALAGA DAHIL REQUIRED?

And then I realized. WALANG KWENTA PALA TALAGA ANG CWTS! Inaksaya ko lang ang oras ko na dapat ginamit ko nalang para makapaglibang ako. Sobrang alam nyo yun, nakakafrustrate pala talaga... kasi...

Walang kwenta yung CWTS kung nung natapos ako nung program ko, hindi ko naisip na pahalagahan yung mga tao sa paligid ko.

Walang kwenta yung CWTS kung nung natapos ako, nanatili pa rin akong bulag at mangmang sa mga tunay na nangyayari sa buhay ng mga kababayan natin.

Walang kwenta yung CWTS kung nung natapos ako, ang inisip ko lang ay sarili ko bago ang iba.

Walang kwenta yung CWTS kung hindi ko narealize na required ito hindi dahil sa required ako by law, pero dahil required ako dahil ginawa ako ng Diyos na taong malayang nakakaisip at nagmamahal.  

We are a privileged minority here in this country. We have been blessed to have an education that does not just seek to equip us with skills that will take us further into our careers, to earn big money and to get the highest position at a multinational.

Yes, it is true. Our parents are paying so much for us to have a Lasallian education, and it is but natural for them to tell us that after we have graduated, we have to look for jobs that will pay us well and allow us to afford a luxurious lifestyle. But being a Lasallian is so much more than that. Allow me to share my own experience.

I first set foot in DLSU, believe it or not, when I was three years old. At that time, just being here was enough to make me feel privileged. Being a Lasallian then made me feel like it was all about achieving and making me work for good enough grades so that I can enter DLSU.

I formally entered DLSU 14 years later as a college froshie, hoping to finish my degree in International Studies on time. I took CWTS because my tita wouldn’t allow me to take ROTC (and she did give the officers a stern look when they approached me to do ROTC instead of CWTS)

It was in second term when I had my C1. We were deployed at Gawad Kalinga Manolo in Valenzuela. At that time, it was only Tito Roger and Tita Mila’s house that was built and finished (and had a really nice CR) May billiards table pa! So you can imagine, all of my classmates wanted to be assigned at that place. Funny thing? Me and two of my friends, Ruthy and Regz were the privileged ones. In the course of our program, we had a facilitator who really tried to look after our needs despite having a very hectic work schedule, and so there were times that my friends and I  had to step up and make sure that everything was okay. I remember that we used to hold our tutorial classes for the kids on the first floor of one house. I remember playing cards with our host’s daughter, Lorna. Each Saturday, my friends and I took turns to sponsor lunch. And towards the end of the day, we played billiards. Tita Leling used to be the one person we went to for attendance. During our last major CWTS day, we brought all the kids to Manila Zoo for fun. 

I felt true happiness at that time. And it did really make a difference in the way that I saw things because first and foremost, I was able to build a relationship with the community and truly empathize with them.

But of course, college life had to go on. I have to be honest. Like all good things, CWTS came to an end (or so I thought it did).

I fell into the traditional cycle of seeking out positions in organizations, being active to “build my resume.” At that time, it made sense to me because I had to get into Unilever or the United Nations, whichever one had a vacancy first. And maybe if I got there, did some CSR. That was my dream. And in the process of working hard to build MY future, I’ve forgotten about the poor. Iniwan ko sila. I have left them behind. I forgot what true happiness was. I had replaced it with “pleasure”. And as Dylan Wilk, former 8th richest Bachelor in the UK turned social entrepreneur in the Philippines who sold all his BMW’s to build 700 GK homes put it: “Pleasure is different from happiness. Pleasure is a fire that needs constant fuelling with new clothes, new cars, and vacations. Happiness comes from somewhere else -- it comes from relationships and from knowing that you are fulfilling God’s purpose in your life.”

So at that time when I was really getting stressed and unhappy, I went back to what made me happy. Thankfully, I had friends who were volunteers in Gawad Kalinga and reeled me in. It started with a few activities where we had fun overnights to prepare for the event the following day. When I graduated and worked at an International Organization accredited by the UN and earned really well (see, I kind of “lived my original dream”), I always made it a point to devote my Saturdays to help GK SIGA get scholarships in DLSU. One day, I decided that once my contract ended, I will go back to those who needed me. Yes, I had to take a huge pay cut and came back to DLSU, initially to coordinate Gawad Kalinga efforts within the university. I get less than half of what I used to receive as an intern at IOM. But why is the sacrifice worth it?

After working so hard and going through the process of seeking opportunities to engage people in getting our country out of poverty by the year 2024 through my work as Gawad Kalinga coordinator of DLSU, I have come to realize that I can build my resume so much. I can get a lot of awesome credentials. When I finish my Master’s degree, I will be a somebody. But at the end of the day, the greatest credential I can ever have is  being a NATION-BUILDER. In the end, I was able to say that my Lasallian education was able to enhance and enrich my capacity to dream for my country and its people, especially the last, the lost and the least.

My CWTS experience did not end when I got my final grade. My Catholic faith does not die when I go out of the church. My Lasallian education never ended when I graduated. My being Filipino does not end when I die.

Dahil ang pagiging estudyante, Lasalyano at Pilipino natin ay hindi natatapos kapag natapos ang CWTS. Dahil paglabas natin sa DLSU, may isang baying naghahanap ng mga taong handang magmahal at magmahal dito at aako ng responsibilidad para pagandahin ito. God did not make a mistake when He made me a Filipino, so I commit myself to working hard to make my country the best it can be. 

The Direction of the University as it Celebrates its Centennial

It took a while for me to post this. Actually, months. Haha! Nevertheless, I would like to share the inaugural speech of the President of De La Salle University.


Br. Narciso S. Erguiza FSC
Inaugural Speech on his Installation
In preparation for the Upcoming Centennial Celebration
Greetings in St. La Salle!

Taken from the Old Testament prophet Micah: This is what God asks of you, only this --- to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.

I formally begin my stint as President of De La Salle University on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. And although some consider my acceptance of this new mission as some sort of a crucifixion because of the enormous responsibilities that go with it, I assure you that it was nonetheless a death willingly accepted and embraced. By some sheer coincidence, when Immaculate Conception College –La Salle Ozamiz was elevated to university status as La Salle University, my installation was likewise on Sept. 14, 2006 on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Someone said that death is the mother of life. Jesus points it more succinctly that “unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Unless we let go of our attachments, we cannot be liberated. Unless we go out of our own comfort zones and take on the bitter pill of discipline, we will never be able to grow. Unless we accept the challenges posed by our changing environment, we will never be able to adapt to new situations. This is the lesson of the glorious cross of Jesus: only if we die will we bear fruit. When the appointment to serve as president reached me, I humbly accepted because as a De La Salle Brother I had made a vow to go wherever I am sent and to do what the society obliges me to do for the purpose of giving a human and Christian education to the young, especially the poor. On that day, I faced “death” and allowed the life-giving mission of the Brothers of the Christian Schools to be the focus of my life. Interestingly, I made my perpetual vows right here in this historic Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament 32 years ago.

I come at a time when we celebrate our hundredth year as an educational institution. Reflecting on this has made me realize that this first Lasallian institution in the Philippines has definitely gone a long way since its establishment in 1911. We celebrate long standing tradition of academic excellence; we celebrate our achievements in serving the nation; we celebrate our social transformative contributions to making the Philippines a better place to live in; we celebrate the many lives touched and we further celebrate because these lives have served as exemplars of quality Lasallian education. Truly, we have every reason to celebrate.
 I am quite certain that if the pioneering Brothers were alive today, with pride in their hearts, they would be very happy to see the fruits of their labor. Indeed, through the years, countless Lasallians have walked through the hallowed halls of De La Salle University and have left their lasting imprints.

We have been blessed with presidents who have led this institution to where it is now. Let me just enumerate the past leaders who have made their mark in this university. Those of you present who are as old or older than I am will fondly remember their memories, their presence, their contributions. From way back 1911, Brothers Blimond Pierre, Goslin Camille, Asisclus Michael, Albinus Peter, Celba John, D. Joseph, Marcian James, Flannan Paul, Egbert Xavier, Lucian Athanasius, Anthony Ferdinand, Andelino Manuel, Hyacinth Gabriel, Dennis of Mary, Crescentius Richard, Andrew Gonzalez, Rafael Donato, Rolando Dizon, Carmelita Quebengco, and Armin Luistro. Twenty past presidents who have given life to the spirit of St. La Salle in making education a real source of social transformation all embodied in what is now De La Salle University. As Brother Ricky and I have been given the rare opportunity to serve as Chancellor and President, we feel a sense of Lasallian pride and greatness only because we stand on the shoulders of these great men and woman.

The centennial is an opportune moment for us individually and communally not only to relish our achievements and successes but to reflect on the challenges ahead of us. As we look back at the past and celebrate our achievements, we must also ask ourselves how the future looks for De La Salle University.
A question that has been a few times asked of me here at DLSU after my appointment was: How do you intend to lead the university? What kind of a president will you be? To be forthright about it, I said, Honestly, I don’t know. This established institution has been here for a century. I entered De La Salle University, then De La Salle College, in 1967 as a freshman; and it’s been 43 years since; that’s almost half a century. So, if DLSU now is 100 years old as an institution, and if I were to look at this institution as my 100 year old grandfather, how do you manage or lead your grandfather? Kind of difficult but challenging and exciting, isn’t it?

I started with a prayer asking the Lord that as the newly appointed president, He grants me the grace to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with Him. I have tried, sometimes with some success and at times with a lot of difficulty, to use this prayer as some kind of a personal mantric guide in my spiritual and professional life. I ask your indulgence to reflect with me and allow me to jibe these qualities, these predispositions to the threefold functions of a university --- those of teaching/learning, research/faith and extension/service.

To love Tenderly (Teaching). An educational institution’s reason for being are the very students that it serves. Everything that is done in school is done for and in behalf of the students. Teachers encourage and challenged students so that they can bring out the best in them. The teaching and learning engagement that is established between the teacher and the student is one that is characterized by the teacher’s sincere love and concern for the student. A teacher who does not love his/her students will find teaching a laborious task and unfulfilling drudgery and students, likewise, by some kind of disengagement will find it most difficult to learn. We see indicators of learning effectiveness which can only be a reflection of teaching excellence, as shown for example in passing and topnotching Board exams, testing theories to practical applications, getting hired in jobs applied for, using one’s training and competence to serve others and manifesting signs of life-long learning. What in effect, is my hope as president, is for our faculty to realize that they are involved in a ministry that obliges them to bring about the transformation of the human capital. Loving tenderly is not just a predisposition of the heart but more importantly a disposition of the teacher’s will.

I challenge our faculty to engage our students in teaching-learning processes that bring about long enduring transformation.

To walk humbly (Research). Any university worth its salt must be a research university. The major role of a university is one where knowledge is not just transmitted but where new ones are generated, created and challenged. There are many opportunities where this endeavor can almost become part of the university’s culture. Unfortunately, most universities renege on this function because it is difficult, challenging and capital intensive.

To be a researcher is not just a skill, it is a gift. And it is a gift from God: it is the God who is all knowing who shares the gift to you so that you may acquire the skill to discover, you may acquire the skill to get to know, and thereupon, may have the insight to create and generate new knowledge. And upon discovering new knowledge, sometimes, you could almost act like a god. That is why as a predisposition, I like the imagery of the prophet Micah “walking humbly.” Humility should be a trait of a researcher that brings about the attitude that as one gets to discover and get to know, the more one realizes that one does not know. What a humbling experience! To do research is an exercise in faith and humility.

I challenge our faculty to engage themselves and their students to producing and generating new knowledge so that we can help society solve some of its relevant, current, and urgent concerns.

I challenge our partners in industry, government and non-governmental entities to make our university as your research resource to help in bringing about the desired social transformation that our country badly needs.

To Act Justly (Service). The mark of a truly educated Lasallian in the tradition of academic excellence is service. Our efforts at improving the human capital are not meant for our graduates’ personal gain but meant to instill among our graduates that their purpose is to be a “resource for church and nation.” This is what is inculcated in our graduates: they have been given much, they are endowed with a lot of gifts and talents, they have been trained well, they are very good Christians, they are highly competent and qualified --- all these for a purpose --- for them to give back to society what it justly/rightfully deserves.

I challenge our graduates (who eventually will become our alumni/alumnae) to make themselves academically excellent, highly competent and adequately skilled so that they can become useful and contributing members of society desirous to be at the service of others.

That puts rather simplistically what I see are the functions of a university--- teaching, research, extension --- and how we can, together and by association, managelead the university in the years ahead.

We stand on solid foundation set by the ideals of our Founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle and past Brother presidents and assured only by our faith that surely this must be God’s work.

Knowing how difficult and challenging this could be, I ask the Lord that we, Brother Ricky and I, may be graced with the attitude and predisposition of loving tenderly, acting justly and walking humbly with our God.
Live Jesus in our hearts, Forever.

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!

There can be no better time than NOW.

Lately, I have been thinking of the things that I have been doing, and I can't help but be inspired.

They say that people who are in love are always inspired. Well, I do not have a significant other, but I do know for a fact that I have really fallen in love with my country. Like we always say in GK La Salle, I do not have a love life, but I am living a life full of love because of Gawad Kalinga.  (Pero Lord, kung naririnig mo ako, okay lang din po kung meron. Haha!)

Over the past months, life has taken me where I did not think I would be. We have so many challenges at present, whether it be within the confines of the university or outside. In the university alone, we have to face the challenge of having to inspire more Lasallians to realize their part and their calling to achieve and to dream not only for themselves, but also for the country. I like how Mike Enriquez reiterated the quote during one of the masses of the Lasallian action week, "To whom much is given, much is required."

In a lot of ways, we are so blessed. The kind of education we get is simply the best we could ever hope to receive, but whether or not we make the most out of it is a different matter. What is making the most out of our education? For me, it means teaching minds, touching hearts, and transforming lives guided by the spirit of faith, zeal of service, and communion in mission. How do we do this? By actively seeking ways to be of genuine service to the last, the least, and the lost. Archers always try with all their might to hit the bulls-eyes. Tito RD put it more beautifully when he said,  "Aim your BOW and release the ARROW of your dreams to the dream of your country, especially the poor." 

How can we expect change to happen if we do not act on it ourselves? A lot of us can complain about how institutions have failed. Yeah, they might have done that. But do we ask ourselves, how many times have I failed my country as a Filipino? When we cheated during our exams, when we failed to follow traffic rules, when we bribed officers to get away with the things we do, and when we have given up hope that there is a better and brighter future waiting for our country. 

It is so easy to be very negative. It is easy to say that we can no longer hope. It is easy to give up when the battle isn't over. But can we be negative, can we say that we can no longer hope,  can we give up the battle for the ones we love?

We may be right when we say that there are so many flaws in our system. The question of accepting the matter however, poses a challenge on us. Tito Tony always tells us during love forums that there is no perfect person, but our love can make the person perfect. Putting it in the context of loving our country, it means that we may not have a perfect country now, but giving it our love, devoting our time, talents, and treasures to make things better and to bring out the best in every single Filipino, can make it perfect for us. When I studied in STC, we were always told to let our light shine and be a blessing to others, and it means not just keeping the light but also passing it on to others so that they too can affect real and lasting change in the country. 

We can always be right about the things that are happening, we can come up with so many studies about possible solutions, but what is more important than being right? It is better to love than to be right. To love means to give the best for this country and to become part of the solution by acting now. Mother Teresa says, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." 

When we worry about whether or not there is a future for this country, let us start acting now to ensure that there is even a future to speak of. I personally would not want to face my nephews and nieces (and maybe my future daughters and sons -- but I'm not hoping to have some anytime soon, mind you. Haha!) and apologize to them for not having built my dreams on this country. I would not want to tell them, sorry, I was not able to make this country better for you will no longer witness the beauty that this country used to have, simply because I failed to love and to care. We must really start anchoring our dreams on the dreams of this country, hopefully sooner than later.

Now is the perfect time to start loving.

Now is the perfect time to start caring.

And now is the perfect time to be part of the beautiful future of our country. 

The Archer is finally HOME

I started this day at around 5:00am getting ready for yet another GK build with the organization, Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA). Inspired by the Nescafe commercial, I literally made myself a cup of coffee (not exactly a good idea to let me do this, by the way. I take a while before i get the "right" mix which is still wrong. haha!), and yes, it was Nescafe because I just wanted to internalize the commercial, then rushed for the build as I had to be in school at 6:30. I, of course, arrived a few minutes after the call time. Don't ask why. Haha. Sorry. Haha. 

Anyway, as I was travelling this morning, I was truly excited. Today marks the first time that there were so many Lasallians who came to spend time to volunteer at GK Baseco. I think that the last time I saw that many Lasallians go there was not even in person. In fact, it was in a video we unearthed thanks to Coach, and that was way back when I was just a frosh or sophomore, I think. If you have seen pictures of the past builds we had this year, you'd know that they were all held in GK Pinagsama. In so many ways, we are very thankful that GK Pinagsama hosted us when we needed to inspire organizations and volunteers who partnered with us, but there has been this longing in our hearts that always sought to find the place where God calls us to serve and use the best of our education to affect meaningful social transformation. Today, when I woke up, I felt really purposeful and happy because I knew that this day is the answer to our prayers. I knew that today will be part of a learning experience that has truly changed my life forever, and in so many ways, I hope that it would be the same for our new heroes.

GK Baseco has been home to a lot of us in GK La Salle (whether alumni or students). In fact, in the last year, there were just times when we literally went there to hang out. Call us crazy, but when you get to know the people there, you'd really feel that sense of community. They're like family. Personally, I know that like any other daughter or sister, I've had my share of misgivings to the community, and it took a while for me to figure things out. In my quest to answer the longings in my heart for the last two years, I figured that I also cannot ask people to be committed if I can't give them a concrete way to use their time, talent and treasure. Hence, this will continue to be a learning process for us, the core and volunteers, to come up with ways to see where people fit in. 

I also think that when the core prayed for blessings today, God truly gave us the gift of knowing what we can and ought to do, and how we ourselves can learn in the process through the people we will serve with, that is, including the KB and SIGA of GK Baseco, as well as the challenges that we were going to face. 

The day started  earlier than  expected. I was really happy to see the SIGA of Baseco and how they're growing. Yes, some of them are getting taller than I am. Haha. (I'm scared. Haha.) But I'm also happy that they were able to share their stories with confidence to the new volunteers. I'm also proud of the fact that  they were able to tour the volunteers around the GK site and tell the story of each village with much detail. I just hope and pray that there will be more GK SIGA in Baseco in the future who will be like them. :) 

Of course, since this isn't our first time, we let the new ones have all the fun and have a hand at what it takes to be a bayani. It wasn't easy because they had to transfer soil and gravel from one place to another, and according to them, it was hard yet once they'd accomplished the work, it was really fulfilling. I'm happy knowing that they were getting this warm and fuzzy feeling because that's where it all starts. I think that in some ways, these men and women who came to build will have something they can always take pride in, and hopefully, today, we've planted those seeds of faith and patriotism in their hearts. 

In so many ways, I also became extra happy today because we were able to reconnect with people, starting with some of the KB. I was also happy when I saw Eman, the little boy I always play with whenever I go there. I can still remember the first time I saw him, and oh my, has he grown! (wag mo lang ako unahan, please, utang na loob! Haha!) It was fun playing with him again and his friend Janjan. I got exhausted just running around the plaza with them playing tag and carrying them! I am also happy to see the SIGA in Baseco whom I missed so dearly. I loved being able to make kumusta and catch up with them! Also, I was happy because we were able to talk to Tita Mae and started thinking of ways by which we can help in the community. Finally, I was happy seeing the GK volunteers, both new and old, trying to find their place in the movement. It all seems to fit in with our plans. I always remember Br. Mike saying, "Think big. Start small. Act now." I think that in some ways, we kind of figured how we can start small with our big plans. 

I am also happy because we were able to share the vision with our fellow Lasallians in the hope that they too, will be inspired. It will be a long haul for us, but we need more bayanis to fuel the mission. It was also the first time we were able to integrate Lasallian values of faith, service, and communion, into our talks to make it relevant to the students. Sabi nga, madaling naging Lasalista pero mahirap maging Lasalyano. And hopefully, we were able to inspire them to aspire to become Lasallians in its truest essence. Thanks to the Gomez sisters for giving the talks, by the way. Kim, Fei, Donna and Cora, you guys are next in line! Haha! :)

Finally, I am happy that I got to go down GK La Salle memory lane. We've long planned to just go to Intramuros and hangout (sadly, we weren't able to find the place with the really good cheap food), but we did not know that the place had some historical significance to GK La Salle. Niki pointed out a place called Batibot with a tree on it where the BBB talks and GK La Salle itself was envisioned. We sat there for a while and I got goosebumps because I know that we still have a long way to go.  

So what lies ahead after this build? Well, we seriously have to work on the Green Print 2017 now. 

Okay. You may be wondering what the Green Print is. Well, I always say that it is a blueprint but it's green. Kidding. You know how blueprints are made to show the skeleton of a building? The green print is our way of really ensuring that from that strong backbone comes strong structures. How are we going to do it? By using our Lasallian education to be able to transform Baseco, initially through education and social enterprises. In the long run, we want GK Baseco to become a model community for social progress in the country. Sounds like a challenge, but through bayanihan, I think that we can make it possible. :)

Now, let me take this opportunity to thank and honor all the heroes who came and built with us. You just don't know how much you've contributed. Look forward to seeing more of Baseco in the coming weeks and months and years. Special thanks to JPIA who partnered with us again and promised us a next time. :D 

(okay, I'm being told to sleep now because I haven't really rested since this morning! Haha! I'm gonna end this na!) 

For now, I hope that we won't stop at doing builds. Let's get to know the community more and immerse. We hope that what we have done will be sustained developmentally. Let's move forward guided by the spirit of faith, zeal of service and communion in mission. Let us make the most out of our Lasallian education now. We are Lasallians and Filipinos now for a reason, and that is because we have a society to transform through our heroism. I also hope that we just don't do service out of a requirement that was imposed on us. In the words of one of our GK La Salle SIGA Scholars, "Ang service, ginagawa ko sya dahil tao ako." And I hope that it will be our reason. Everyone has equal worth and dignity, and I hope that we see the gem in every Filipino. :)

Finally, I am so happy to say that GK La Salle, we are finally home. 

Br. Mike, allow me to quote you, as always. :D

"God be praised! Home is where the heart is and the heart of GK-La Salle is in Baseco, we have truly come home to serve where God invites us to serve. Alleluia!" 

Have a great weekend everyone and WALANG IWANAN. :)