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citizenship and nationalism

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For the ninth and last module, we talked about citizenship and nationalism, and the nuances and interplay that takes place in society regarding these two commonly misinterpreted or misattributed concepts. The speaker today is Ms. Athena Charanne Presto of the UPD Department of Sociology.

What does it mean to be Filipino? What does it mean to be a nation? These two questions seem to be very intuitive, but we actually have very misguided conceptions to their answers. We tend to flatten out culture and take cultural icons or events out of context and then misconstrued due to lack of critical analysis. In addition to this, we tend to pre-assign attributes to these concepts, saying one is inherently good or bad, but the reality is that they aren’t valenced towards one end of the spectrum or another.

Connected to Filipino-ness or citizenship, we talked about human rights. So many of these rights that we have interact with each other but cannot be reduced to another right. We say that because of this interesting interplay, some rights, while inalienable and indivisible, have to take a step back for another right, depending on the situation at hand. We go back to the concept of intersectionality, because understanding the different vectors of oppression are key to understanding the situation of any given individual.

In line with rights and citizenship, we try to understand what makes the role of a UPD isko very important. We realize our role in society is very serious. We are the benefactors of a huge chunk of the education budget. The expectations to succeed and give back is very much there. However, this pressure should not limit us, but rather motivate us to serve. Para saan pa ba natin sinasabi ang katagang “Para sa Bayan”, kundi para himukin ang loob ng bawat isa na maglingod ‘para sa bayan, ‘di ba?

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philippine society, culture, and politics

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For the eighth module, we talked about prevalent sociological phenomenon in Philippine society, encompassing society, language, education, politics, religion, etc. The speaker today is Ms. Athena Charanne Presto from the UPD Sociology Department.

We discussed multiple problematic mentalities that we Filipinos have and the myriad of issues that arise and have been enculturated because of it. So much of what we are used to at this current age of society has been dictated by those who have the power to change or greatly influence society. Filipinos have had this tendency to be accommodating, so much so that we end up putting others on a pedestal and putting down our own. This holds true even amongst ourselves, we love putting emphasis on the narratives of the powerful, and not highlighting the stories of the common person. The power imbalances that have spurred on from these developments are now structural in nature, due to the intersectionality of all of these aspects of society. 

The challenge then that is presented to us is to colonize colonized culture. We have to change our mentality that all that we have are what other cultures have given us. There is a multitude of contextual treasures that the Philippines can draw from. Even microresistances are a great start to this. We have to always keep in mind that we did not lose power over our society. Time and the revision of history have told us that we have lost it, but it was merely hidden from us. We have to open our eyes and own up to the fact that the Filipino holds power over the Filipino. We have to channel this transformative power and show them what we are made of.

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anti-sexual harassment code

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For the seventh module, we had an orientation on the Anti-Sexual Harassment (ASH) Code, and the speaker for this lecture is Ms. Remedio P. Mondiguing, PHD., from UPD OASH.

I actually didn’t pay much attention to this talk, since I had already known the contents of the ASH Code, but what was surprising to me was that it appeared some people really have chosen to stay ignorant about the issue and have shown a blatant disregard for the space and dignity of others.

It disgusts me to think of the situations people go through because of some people being unable to be a decent human being and control themselves. To think that in UP, where there is so much pride placed on ‘Honor and Excellence’, there are some individuals who fail to see beyond selfish desires. If anything, it reaffirmed in me that the fight for safety, security, and accountability is still a long way to go, but I hope that justice and reparation will have its day.

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environmental protection and management

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For the sixth module, we discussed environmental management and responsible usage of resources. The speaker today is Engr. Kristian July B. Yap, Director of the Diliman Environmental Management Office (DEMO) in UPD.

Many statistics, graphs, and figures were shown throughout the lecture and one key point they really drove home was that the lifestyle we are leading now— how we use resources, how we manage our waste— is highly inefficient, unsustainable, and extremely damaging to the environment. 

The speaker highlighted three main sources or avenues for waste: Water, Air, and Solid Waste. These three, together with our poor planning, and highly capitalist structures, contribute greatly, if not completely to the worsening environmental crisis.

On another part of the lecture, the idea of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ was mentioned, yet what was particularly memorable was him saying that there is another one even before these three— Refuse/Avoid. We keep telling ourselves to limit the damages caused by our waste, but what if we just try not to use those products which produce waste? On paper, it might sound challenging, as virtually everything we use now has been mass-produced using cheap and inexpensive material, at the cost of environmental thought.

The real challenge goes beyond the 3 (or 4) R’s. We have to adjust the structures that deny us the chance to change our lifestyles to better suit the environment’s needs. We keep on taking from the environment, so I think that it’s high time we try to give back. 

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first aid

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For the fifth module, we had a seminar-workshop type of lecture that focused on giving first aid. The speakers today were representatives from Red Cross Youth - UPD.

Throughout the lecture, I kept thinking how stressful it would be if I myself would be placed into a situation where I would have to provide emergency first aid. There are so many things that will go through a responder’s mind, just to make the right decision. So many things to take into consideration— things that could potentially save a person’s life, or at the very least, alleviate their suffering.

In the midst of the blandness of our daily routines, we tend to forget that people are continuously in a struggle for their lives— in many circumstances similar r unique to ours. We forget how easy it is to lose our life. Hence, we have to prepare always for what could happen and make the most of the time we are able to enjoy and do our most in life.

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disaster risk reduction

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For the fourth module, we talked about disasters in the Philippines and globally, about disaster risk reduction in the Philippines, as well as how we can help to prepare ourselves and prepare for times of disaster. Our speaker today is Mr. Jake Rom Cadag of the UPD Department of Geography.

“What word pops into your head when you think of the word disaster? Myself.” chz

Filipinos are resilient—we bounce back from calamities and continue on with our lives no matter the damage. But would it not be better if we could mitigate the damage we are dealt, to begin with?

We need to talk about these things because behind the numbers—behind the statistics—are real people, and real lives that are affected, taken, because of things that we can supposedly change.

We broke down these events into compartments—hazards, exposure, vulnerabilities, and capacities. These are influential in how we can deal with disasters, and they can help tell what WE can do in times of disaster.

Disaster risk reduction, because of the many aspects it has, requires the collaboration of many fields of expertise in order to be implemented effectively. We cannot rely on any one field to carry the responsibility.

With that said, though, collective action is not enough to solve this issue. In order to fully address the concerns regarding DRR, it is necessary to target structural problems within the system, because these aspects (socioeconomic, political, cultural, psychological) are all intertwined with each other.

We must always remember that DRR starts with the self. Having the skillset and mentality to save yourself could potentially lead to you saving multiple others in times of disaster. At this point, we often will not be able to control the hazards around us, how exposed we are to the hazards, and how vulnerable we are to disaster, but we CAN control and make a change in how capable we are of mitigating the effects of these factors, which at the moment, while these solutions may not seem like a lot, are the best shot we’ve got.

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gender and development

092319 For the third module, we talked about the topic of gender and how this particular construct of society is manipulated and understood. As with the previous module, the speaker today is also Ms. Ivanka Custodio.

Two of the very first things that were fleshed out were SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) and how sex and gender are distinct.

One particularly important notion raised was that society has gendered what are supposedly neutral things/ideas/behaviors. As a result, we are born into an environment that automatically assumes and imposes its expectations. In my Sikolohiyang Pilipino class last sem, we were introduced to a concept called gender socialization, where we learn to acquire certain actions and thoughts that are considered appropriate, and we learn which are considered inappropriate for males and females. 

“Because I am xxxxx, I am expected to xxxxx.”

We’ve become accustomed to expectations that are placed upon us because of convention and, more importantly, tradition, and this heteronormativity is a result of that rigid worldview, that we are only one or the other, and that deviations from the norm are considered foul. We deprive those who are not part of the normative group what makes them human.

However, what lies deeper than the structural problem of heteronormativity is still a pervasive selfish ignorance that refuses to educate themselves or at the very least recognize that the world does not revolve around their beliefs. A huge chunk of our country is a victim to such a mentality, unfortunately.

Initiatives like the SOGIE Bill are vehemently protested to because we refuse to have an open mind about things and remain afraid of what we don’t understand. We shun those that carry different beliefs, we pull down those that we see should be beneath us. But this does not have to be the case. We can support each other, uplift people, regardless if they need it or not. We can educate others and ourselves. Kindness really doesn’t cost us, we just need to be open in giving it.

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human rights for everyone

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For the second module, we talked about human rights, particularly fleshing out the intricacies of the problems we are currently facing regarding this issue. The speaker today is Ms. Ivanka Custodio.

Seemingly, human rights appear to be such a simple topic to understand, but evidently, many people still need to be educated about the nuances of human rights.

What shocked me is that there are so many mechanisms and treaties in place to uphold and protect our human rights, but HR violations are becoming normalized in society, especially so in our country. 

The final bit of the lecture talked about how we can contribute to trying to address the situation and I just remembered the lecture the week before about pakikipagkapwa. The concrete actions presented to us all boil down to one thing: recognizing the shared humanity of others and acting based on that recognition. We oftentimes forget that there are lives that do not intersect with our own, lives that under normal circumstances, we would never be concerned with. But these are not normal circumstances, as the very concept that helps define our humanity is under attack. It now becomes our duty to do whatever we can to protect it from those who wish to further their own agenda at the expense of the humanity of many. Speak out, educate others, fight for change. We must never forget what our people have gone through. Never again must we keep committing these same mistakes. Never again must we betray the Filipino people.

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self and others

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For the first module, we discussed ourselves, particularly our relative position in society and how we can affect other people. The speaker today was Ma’am Mitch Alcantara from the UPD Department of Psychology (psych represent !!). The bulk of the lecture is actually a crash course of a class offered by the department, Psych 108 (Sikolohiyang Pilipino), which I had taken last semester.

Ma’am Mitch discussed Kapwa Theory by Dr. Virgilio Enriquez and the fundamental values that are embodied in this framework such as pakikipagkapwa and pakikiramdam. Then she went on to discuss HIT/IT dynamics and their applications. The lecture also had an activity I enjoyed last sem, the Power Walk, where we get a simulation of social mobility and how the intersectionality of our social identities can influence what we can and cannot do in society. And after we had been enlightened to the kind of privilege we have, even beyond being Iskolars ng Bayan, a lot more things have been put into perspective. This ties into why we first had to learn the very essence of UP as a service-oriented university—we are scholars of and for the nation. One significant terminology Ma’am Mitch, and other Psych 108 profs use is “lingkod aral”. I find it significant because when we think of service or even outreach initiatives, we almost always only think of what we can give to them, based on our perspective and our own experiences. We fail to recognize that not only can we learn from them, but we must be active in reaching out to the community and trying to figure out what they actually need, instead of forcing urbanized needs into their communities. We have a role not as “saviors” to the people in need, but as fellow people who have their own agency, who are able to decide their own needs and have the capacity to make their own informed judgments. With this said, what I think our role as service learners is not to just give them what we think they need but to give them the skills and opportunities needed for them to voice out their own needs and pursue the means that would best benefit them.

Oftentimes the people we end up helping turn out to teach us more about the world and ourselves. We are learning and gaining as much or even more than we are giving to the community. We must be cognizant always of the fact that we are not giving charity from a position of privilege, but we are trying to utilize the privilege we have for the sake of our fellowmen and country.

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Henlo

Bonjour, reader ! I’ll be posting my w̶o̶r̶d̶ ̶v̶o̶m̶i̶t̶s̶ thoughts and ruminations about the things I learn about in this year’s NSTP Common Modules. ¡Muchos gracias!