Pagsaloob, Pagsalinaw, Pagsaganap

Ang artikulo ni Joey Ayala sa Siningbayan Field Book ay tumatalakay sa pag-iisip ng isang tao. Sinabi niya na mahalaga ang pagsasaloob ng tao sa kaniyang realidad upang ito ay kaniyang mapagsalinawan at maisaganap ang naayong aksiyon dito.

Mahalaga matutuhan ang mga bagay na ito. Ang mga talakaying ganito ang dapat ginagawang paksa sa mga kuro kuro. Ang pag-iisip ng isang tao ang pinakamahalagang bagay sa kaniya, hindi ang kahit ano pa mang materyal na bagay. Ang pag-iisip ang siyang nagpoproseso ng damdamin. Ito din ang nag-uutos sa isang tao na kumilos.

Gusto ko itong linyang binanggit ni Joey Ayala, “Many people can also talk on and on without really saying anything.” Napaka-makatotohanan sapagkat ang mundo natin ngayon ay punong-puno na ng mga artipisyal na bagay. Lahat ay ‘instant’, pati pag-ibig ‘instant’. Madami sa atin ang salita ng salita ngunit wala namang damdam na pina-iibig.

Ilan ba satin ang nag-iisip sa gabi bago matulog? Alam kong madami ang gumagawa nito. Sa bawat gabing ito, ano ang mga naiisip mo? Damdamin mo lang ba ang naiisip mo o pati damdamin ng iba? Umiikot ba ang mundo mo sa problema? Kung ganun, napagsasalinawan mo ba ito ng maigi upang makapagsagawa ka ng tamang hakbang?

Napakaraming katanungan pero ito ay mahahalaga. Importanteng may indibidwal tayong pag-iisip na sumesentro sa ating buhay at hindi sa buhay lamang ng karamihan. Mabuti ang may sarili kang opinyon dahil mahirap kung ikaw ay laging makiki-ayon sa iba.

What is Social Artistry?

Ms. Pauline Bautista’s article contribution in the Siningbayan Field Book talks of Social Artistry and its power to influence society to better itself. She mentioned seven useful key concepts: (1) Society, (2) Values, (3) Poverty, (4) Human Rights, (5) Good

Leadership, (6) Contribution of Teachers and Parents to Nation Building, (7) Sustainable Human Development.

I noticed that for each key concept that she gave, there are words or sub-phrases that emphasize the key concept much better. I also noticed that her suggested sample lessons have a lot to do with art. The book itself is actually filled with songs and poems and drawings! So this is ‘social artistry’! Siningbayan Field Book somehow inspires the readers to be passionate about art, literature and most importantly other people.

From what I have read from Ms. Pauline Bautista’s article, social artistry means connecting with other people in an artistic sense. And not just connecting with them but helping them emotionally and spiritually. Songs can be therapeutic, books and poems can be life-changing, paintings and drawings can be inspiring. It just shows how much of creation and expression holds together a society and the individual person most of all.

I think it is very important that we try and engage with people the best way we can. It is also best if we always express ourselves because that way we can avoid misunderstandings that lead to conflicts.

Good Citizenship

When I was young I often played with the toddlers in our neighborhood. I often played the role of a teacher in a ‘titser-titseran’ game. Whatever I learned from my teachers at school I taught my friends. Although this is a child’s play, I still reflect on those memories with great fondness because my simple effort to teach the children means a sign of responsibility towards others. To me, the care to impart knowledge to out-of-school children of my age is a sign of good citizenship. Earlier, it was my ambition that someday I will be a teacher like my tita because I grew up with her family when I was a child. As a child, I voluntarily donate old toys, used clothing & old books to less fortunate children. Normally, it is difficult to convince children from well-to-do families to give away their old things, but as a child, I can easily understand that less fortunate children always dream that someday they too can have these things for themselves. I got these qualities from my parents. They are both caring and helpful parents and I grew up witnessing their examples in caring and helping other people – especially those urgently in need of help. It’s so easy to give money to someone in need, however, genuinely attending and caring for them is a difficult task. My parents are always teaching me to understand other people – those that need help and attention.

Recently, we have an old Dutch neighbor who had some problem with his finances. He was not receiving his pension for the past 3 months. His pension from Holland has stopped remitting funds to him for a while. He had nothing to eat and had no companion for the past 3 months. He had lost a son few years back due to lung cancer and his wife left him to work in Canada. I was very worried about this old man. I asked my Papa to give him food and it had become routine to us to make sure that he has some food to eat whenever we take our meals. Aside from this, we kept him company whenever we have time. Loneliness is a big factor of depression. Our neighbor admitted he is depressed. I wouldn’t want to boast that being a friend of a poor & lonely foreigner is a sign that you are a good citizen. However, I know deep inside me that we are all citizens of this world and being a good citizen means that you help others - whatever race they belong to. This act of kindness would also inspire them to help others some day. Honestly, I also want others to help me too when I’m the one in need.

UPOU Student bilang isang Civic Republican

Ang ‘civic republican’ ay sumasagisag sa ideya ng pakikilahok sa lipunan at pagpapahalaga sa karapatan at responsibilidad bilang isang mamamayan. Bilang isang estudyante ng UPOU, may mga paraan ako para makilahok sa panindigan nating mga mamamayan lalo na sa pagsugpo ng kabuktunan na mga nagaganap sa ating lipunan. Ako ay isang estudyanteng PWD (Person With Disability) at nagiging hadlang ito para sa akin na makadalo nang personal sa mga ‘rally’ o ano pa mang klaseng makabuluhang pagtitipon. Ngunit hindi ito balakid para sa akin na maipahayag ko ang aking damdaming bayan. Sa panahong ito, napakadali na ang magpahayag ng damdamin at opinyon. Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng radio, diyaryo, blogs at sa mga social networking sites. Sa pamamagitan nito, may malaking pagkakataon na ako, lalong-lalo na sa isang PWD na mag-aaral gaya ko, na sanayin ang pagpapahayag at pakikilahok tungo sa alituntunin ng isang ‘civic replubican.’ Sa pagbabasa ng dyaryo, pakikinig ng balita at pakikipag-palitan ng opinyon sa iyong kaibigan at kamag-aral ay naisasagawa na natin ang pakikilahok sa lipunan.

Bilang kasalukuyang mag-aaral sa UPOU, ang hangarin ko ay maging isang manunulat (writer) dahil alam ko na kung ang isang opinyon ay nadidinig at pinahahalagahan, malayo ang nararating nito. Ang interaksyon ng bawat mamamayan at pagkukuro-kuro nila ay nagiging isang matibay na basehan ng kamalayan tungo sa pagbabago sa ating lipunan. Sa kamalayang ito nakasalalay ang direksyon na tatahakin ng ating bayan tungo sa pagbabago.

Kung tayo sanang mag-aaral ng UPOU ay magiging aktibo sa kasalukuyang mga nagaganap sa ating bansa at tayo ay sasali sa pagpapahayag ng ating mga damdamin ukol dito, masasabi ko na tayo ay natutungo sa isang matagumpay at responsableng ‘civic replubican.’