An Assessment: Beyond Poverty Situation

A lot of points were raised about why we are still on the borderline of poverty. It was infamously known as the intergenerational cycle of poverty encrypted with the system of our nation. But what lies behind these over aching scenarios at the grassroots level of the communities that adversely impact the status of the country.                  With the insurgence of misinformation and disinformation, the issue of poverty continuously belies the marginalized sectors who are perceived to be the primary problem. It is supported by the claims that they are the recipients of social protection and development intervention given by the government. It means that the focus to alleviate the poverty situation is invested in people.  If you have the understanding and cognizance of the social structures, processes, and dynamics, these multiple crises are the results of a neoliberalism mentality.                These predicaments on unemployment, crimes, oppression, inequalities, and the like are the consequences of the decisions made specifically in choosing leaders. Primarily, the majority of the people will continuously suffer because of the unjust policies and transactions favorable to wealthy and powerful leaders in the national and international arena. Even the growth of the annual GDP cannot be a basis of real progress on the ground. Therefore, notably, political leaders have the immense power and direct influence to shape the future of a nation especially if the interest is vested in the human capital, human dignity, and the well-being of the public, not in their greedy intentions.               The unmet needs of the people such as no access to basic services and programs in education, health, etc., contributes to the persistence of poverty. It undermines the gratification of having the fundamental right in achieving a quality of life that is duly impartial and anchored on the basic needs of a human being. Poverty is not just an economic or monetary phenomenon hence it comprises the entirety of the system where individuals evolve.              The boosting population escalated the need to have a secure base on social protection support from the government that includes the availability of infrastructures and resources in communities. It should not be contained to a mere legal paper but the execution and alignment of intervention must be coherently projected to the needs of the people to provide opportunities.               In order to eclectically put an end to poverty, various key actors should deliberately assess the contemporary status quo of the society. Massive actions entail collective efforts and harmonization of ideas as well as principles to address the concern of uprooting this deep-seated obstacle towards progress. It involves the participation of the community people especially in decision-making and prioritizing their needs. The more involvement has been given to the people in the process of problem-solving the more that they would engage to protect their resources, output, rights, and their ability to become the change that they wanted to see in the world.             Ideally, it would be easier to be said than done, but the work is to encourage more workers to partake in this mission.

Gender Lens

          As community development workers our role in educating the people at the grassroots level and to our partners are integral. Oftentimes gender and sex are mishaps because of the lack of understanding about the concept of the two terms and the culture and norms that we have which continually shaped the minds and perception of the people on how to act based on gender and sex.

             Gender-related issues have immensely surfaced even before and now that the concern about equal rights and opportunity to every gender. It is also our time to partake our share in raising advocates and generate activities relevant to the education of the people about gender sensitivity, gender-based violence, and gender responsiveness management.

            Our words have a profound impact on our society, let us never forget that we carry the responsibility to provide an avenue for inclusive growth and participation, especially among women. We have to empower them and transform them by letting them be part of programs and decision-making made at the barangay level. The mere participation of women will gradually illuminate optimistic outcome and their voices will be heard that would aid to achieve their unmet needs.

The 'Helping Process'

The 'Helping Profession'

What made you decide to pursue a career in Social Welfare? Recently, along with the celebration of International Social Work Month this March 2022, one of the Facebook pages, the “Kwelang Social Worker” posted that question as to why you took Social Work as your course.  What could be the most common term used answered by the respondents, is the word “help”. Even when you were a kid you also wanted to grow as a professional teacher or a doctor to help others.  Helping is innate to everyone, an act that is universal and humane to all of us. But what makes it different from Social Workers?

In this epoch, Social Work as a profession is gradually known especially in communities that have faced various catastrophes that are increasing with its frequencies especially these most trying times of the pandemic. Social Work is playing an integral role in providing an eclectic approach and intervention to address the concerns of individuals in crises, groups, and communities.

Going back to the question, everyone can indeed help but as to the Social Work profession, the process is scientific and the approaches and mechanisms are highly assessed to tailor-fit to the pressing needs or the ‘here and now' situation of a client, group, and a community which makes it as a helping-profession.

With the recognition strengthened legally by the Republic Act 4373- An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for Other Purposes, has ensured that all Social Workers should take a four-year degree course and should pass a board exam to practice the profession.

As Social Workers, what lies in our hands to make it known, or is this integral to persistently make our profession identified by the people, especially the young generations? The ultimate answer is Yes, we have to let our profession be known, we need more people to help us do the work accordingly towards social development and transformation. The emerging crimes and risks against vulnerable sectors are increasing and along with these inevitable circumstances, we have to establish our profession and encourage more to become part of our fast-growing family to serve as sentinels against abuse, exploitation and let us work together to lift them from the cellar of poverty by being empowered, changed and advocate.

Instrospection

Amidst this pandemic, self-awareness is imperative to our role as vanguards of the protection and welfare of the community and its people. Knowing ourselves is integral to our decisions, actions and results that are inter-related.

The following are the Linehan’s 14 Values and Priorities which I perceived to be most important to me as of today:

BE SPIRITUAL PERSON, working with a depressed community and sexually abused and exploited children would entail so much maturity, patience, wisdom and understanding.  It would sound so easy and straightforward from the others that this is just a “problem-solving scheme”, but in reality you need to have a secure-base connection and faith to God that you can carry the advocacy that He has entrusted to you.

I witnessed firsthand the realities in the community, where abused and neglected children experience the pangs of an empty stomach because of poverty that is escalated by the Covid-19 situation. The task in the helping process is too large and requires collaboration from various sectors to lift these people from the cellar of this awful scenario where social justice is no longer served.

Before, I was too selfish that I only pray for myself but now I understood why we pray for the nation, the people around us and the world that needs so much people to influence and shape the minds of others about the importance of being an instrument of hope and faith.

I always believe that all of the accomplishments which we made were part of God’s unseen miracles. I know He is there for me and for the team I handle during those times that I feel alone and lonely since I live away from my family because of this calling that I pursue.  I found my purpose after having a real relationship with God. I learned so much in my journey that God has become the center of the things I do.

I always praise Him and glorify His name especially that I play a huge role in my office and in the community that I am indeed entailed to BE POWERFUL AND ABLE TO INFLUENCE OTHERS.

As the breadwinner of my family after the untimely demise of my father when I was Four years old the only way to survive is to become pro-active or some would say competitive in almost all aspects of my life. I started as a student leader until I became a community leader that honed my ability to speak and to influence others through collaboration and inclusiveness. I consider myself as a developmental and transformational leader that is highly relevant to my profession as a Social Worker.

I was the National Project Coordinator before of the End-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children in the country and now the President of Kiwanis International Bicol, where the main thrust and priorities of my previous and recent organization is for the protection and welfare of children against risks.

With these positions given to me, I was able to use my passion and purpose to target the major strategies which needed to be done in order to achieve the goal. With the help of my team, we were able to enhance the policies protecting the children, rescued children and reached massive number of learners and sectors with the help of “Convergence Approached”. We maximized the existing organizations and groups for our advocacy and resource mobilization activities. These led me to receive numerous awards such as Top 20 National Youth Heroes Awards, Most  Outstanding Children’s Rights Advocate awarded by Asia-Pacific Luminare Awards and represented Philippines in the recently concluded Outstanding Young Leaders of Asia of the Asia Youth Council.

These awards are nothing without the support of the people which I believe I have influenced in the process of carrying the advocacy for the Children of our nation. I know that through transformational and developmental way of leadership, I was replicated and my deeds were acquired that leads to CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGE COMMUNITY.

The value of individuality is important to bear the unique strengths that makes a lasting change and sustainable impact to the others. I always wanted to be known not because of my deeds and awards but because the knowledge I have shared that the people I worked with and have met me would definitely say the life’s lesson I have shared that changed their views in life.

As the President of Kiwanis International catering the needs of the children, we must never cease to our actions hence we must bear fruit of our labor. We never influence a community just by speaking but we can influence them by empowering them through engaging them to become the workforce for this advocacy.

Change: Beyond Adversities

Change can come into our lives as a result of a crisis, as a result of choice or just by chance. In either situation, we are all faced with having to make a choice – do we make the change or not? I believe that it is better to be prepared for change because we have more control over how we react to the change we are having to face in our lives. When you are unprepared and resistant to change, then you have no control or choice as to how you want to live your life. You live your life as a reactionary rather than an activator of change.

Hence, our situation today will certainly determine our result on the future. Covid-19 Outbreak last year was unprecedented and it became the world’s greatest health predicament which impedes the normal cycle of our society. But on the brighter side, many evidences have shown that due to massive lockdowns around the world it helps our environment to heal and regain its true beauty and most of us realize the importance of relationship with our family. Along these impacts on our lives are the unforeseen storm on the cyberworld wherein it became a perfect platform for perpetrators to emerge various crimes online especially Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children. The number of cases has ascended unexpectedly which put so much bearing on the shoulder of PCMN as one of the prime movers on ending OSEC in our country.

Adapting to the New Normal is the most effective way to continue on addressing the issue on OSEC. We must never cease to implement the project in the city of Dasmarinas. The need to reach more people through massive awareness campaign and activities are highly integral to combat this concern. But the question now is how can we make it? We started to re-assess our strategies on how execute our plans and utilized the online platform from reaching out partners, creating new line of network and develop a plan that will tailor-fit on the challenging circumstances brought by this pandemic. Instead of focusing on the restrictions, we concentrated on the silver-linings of the situation.

Numerous deliverables were successfully accomplished. Our commitment about the advocacy made us one in achieving our goals. The restrictions were never a hindrance for us, but just part of the obstacles which need to be addressed. Instead of a face-to-face activity we shifted into virtual webinar serries for Training of Trainers for Safety of Children Online, wherein we were able to invite renowned speakers to talk on Child Protection and OSEC. We also changed our approach on reaching the learners/students, as an alternative to information drive, we matched our actions with the new plans of DepEd by distributing 55,600 number of Safety of Children Worksheets and during the first week of classes End-OSEC videos were simultaneously played on local TV Network in Dasma and on FB Pages. A lot of change has taken place, from traditional implementers we did not hesitate to transform into digitalization of all our actions. We are truly grateful for the wisdom and courage given to us by God. We are all first timers who ventured into this new level of learning. It may sound cliché but as they always say, you’ll never know unless you try it.

God allows us to unleash our hidden skills and talents, our commitment and dedication relies fully to Him, that we are just His instrument to fully achieve our goals, that this is His advocacy. With this kind of trust and confidence, we were able to establish a strong partnership with various stakeholders in the city both government and private. We appreciate the power of convergence and collaboration. Our work become easier to be implemented, because with oneness comes success.

 

Empowering people must always begin from us, who are the catalyst for this advocacy. Keeping the faith that God is in control of all the hardship we are facing and by choosing to be proactive and dig for those gems buried deep within us, we can come-out to be excellent workers of God. Just remember that perspective influences everything. At the end of the day, we make the choice to keep looking at our glass of water, half full. Keep going, be involved and never wait for something to ignite within yourself hence be the change the is needed to you, today. You grow, when you change.

 

Empowered Catalyst Quest (RES)

Accepting the fact that not everything is under our control and that the only thing we can truly manage is ourselves, is a necessary step in viewing the glass half full.

Take for example this ECQ. Instead of focusing on the isolation and restrictions of being quarantined, why not concentrate on its silver linings. Instead of moping around and whining, why don’t we use this chance to better and empower ourselves by being productive and trying to learn new life skills. Start making a list of things we’ve always wanted to do but never really had the time to do before or plan activities that we could do everyday such as exercising.

We’ve always had the power to choose what we want to feel and experience. If we want to live longer and go on fulfilling our dreams, we better obey our government and stay at home. At the same time, it’s also okay to feel frustrated with how the government, in general, is handling the situation. It’s okay to vent and air out our grievances but it would be better if it could be accompanied with concrete actions to help out.Let’s also start doing our part. Join virtual groups that are extending aids where they are needed and maybe, just maybe, that could be the spark that ignites that change we’ve always wanted.

Imagine that our experience today is like a 30-day quest towards becoming self-sustaining, reliable and empowered individuals by being responsible with the household chores, reading relevant books, keeping the faith that God is in control of all the hardships we are facing, learning new recipes, fulfilling and discovering new skills and potentials and spending meaningful time to build sturdy relationships with our family. By choosing to be proactive and dig for those hidden gems buried deep within us, we could come out of this Enhanced Community Quarantine, or shall we say EMPOWERED CATALYST QUEST, the versions of ourselves we’ve always wanted to be.

Perspective influences everything. At the end of the day we make the choice to keep looking at our glass of water, half full. Keep the faith and keeping moving forward as we keep on healing as one.

A Knight’s Tale By: Brian Helgeland

In a midst of medieval epoch on the 14th century in Europe to be specific, every dream and goal of a child does not lies on the fortune or luck of a person, instead it is beneath the incomprehensible game of life. It is not made nor created it was pre-destined. Precedents from our existence were everything is possible; they were oppressed of our opportunities and freedom today. Their life would be incomparable to our status nowadays from the moment an infant was born till he reached his manhood and relinquish himself to the calls of heaven his life will stay the same-they believe. 

On the contrary, out of millions he is the one. A persistently able man in the story who firmly believes that he could change his fate by soaring the highest star that is meant for him, he is William the lowborn person who’s a son of Thatcher. He hides from the name Lord Ulrich a brave, loyal and handsome man, who’s the main protagonist in the movie. The person who gave him a great obstacle in his life was Adhemar the villain in the story; he is the young and wealthy man. They both like to be with the noble lady named Jocelyn Sosamon. 

In his adventure as a fake noble man he was with his two pals who are also a peasant squire as him named Roland and Wat. Along his way to success he was with them and a widowed lady, a maker of a horse shoes and armor named Kate. Moreover he was with the author of Canterbury Tale where his story was a part of it, the most famous writer on the medieval times even now Geoffrey Chaucer.

The conflict started when he took the pose of Sir Ector a noble man and won over an opponent. It continues when he hides from the name Ulrich he fought for so many jousting battles in the arena and had his victorious journey. Furthermore, when he met the girl of his life where the antagonist loved to have in his life as well. His ambition to be a Knight does not stop in those trials he had faced.

The climax was when everyone knew that he lied and he does not belong to the Royalty before he fights Adhemar for championship. There are a lot of mini-resolutions prior from his main problem but one of the most important resolutions there was when Prince Edward saved him from a clamoring mob. He was on the most shameful condition and his dignity was returned when the Prince announced the he has a royal blood according from his historians and researchers. But it does not end there because Adhemar had a very cruel plan behind their battle. Adhemar cheated him on the first lance and he almost fell from the horse. Through his determination and vision that someday he can be a Knight, he faces his opponent without wearing the armor and shouted his name “William” with full and bolder conviction.

On the technical aspect, the setting or the place where the movie was shot suited to the movie because of the good arrangement of every place. The point here is that the entirety of the setting was really believable from the jousting arena, the people in the tournament plus the costume utilized by the audiences and the actors. 

Aside from the big stars that played a very big role not just in the story but as well as in the bankability of the movie was the sound effects. It started with a modern music that start-up the mood of the movie but if you would notice the “WE WILL ROCK YOU” music does not exist that moment but it appropriately matched to the situation. In addition to it, the timing of every beat of the music to the situation for instance, the fight in the arena the beat was exciting which was accompanied with the proper sound of running horse that makes it more realistic and most especially the clamoring crowd and the old music or an Indian music during their dance in the ball. 

But the most paramount technique in the movie was the script and the dialogues of the characters. You couldn’t imagine that the setting was on old times because the dialogues have a sense or touch of comedy even it is in a poetic writing or manner. It makes the audience laugh and be inspired as well.

Every story has a lesson behind. The lesson would be that if you really want to attain your dreams never depend it to the premonition of others but instead believe in yourself and make the best out of it till you achieve ambition auspiciously. BE A KNGIHT OF YOUR FATE!