To those students who are planning for an academic walkout, let me tell you again why I ended the same journey 10 years ago.
July 31, 2012, I remember facing a panel of interviewers including Maria Ressa of Rappler asking me why I joined the Left.
I replied, “I wanted to overthrow the government”.
It was the final interview for the Search of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) 2012. I remember shaking, feeling so cold, and bursted into tears as I slowly shared to them my story. The same story I will be sharing to you right now.
At 16, the streets were my battleground. Our cry for reform made us victorious. We rally and call out ineffiency, fought for academic freedom, and wanted every single PRESIDENT TO STEP DOWN. We were insatiable. We wanted to change the Philippines overnight. Inshort, we were activists.
I remember Maria Ressa asking, “What made you change your mind?”
I told them that my course Political Science changed everything on how I viewed the Government and its functions. I learned that we cannot blame the President for all the things that are happening in our country. He might be the structural head but his task is only to implement laws. The congress takes charge of legislation while the judiciary also interprets. It has system of checks and balance that bars the other branch from directly intervening from the other. Inshort, the President is just “part” of the Government. He is not the Government. Simply put, we cannot blame him for everything.
I continued telling Maria Ressa and the panel of interviewers..
That we cannot change the Government overnight;
That for us to change the system, we have to take part of the system, not just to complain, but also to give our coequal duty as citizens of the country;
That the country needs good citizenship alongside good governance;
That the streets are no longer my battleground but my willingness to initiate change. That my noise does not anymore made me feel victorious but my attitude towards change.
That my share of good citizenship was to join several organizations right after I quit the Left. I helped PDEA in their campaign, “Barkada Kontra Droga”, gave seminars to schools and universities on how to use the automated machines used during elections, and taught my fellow students how be vigilant and help achieve honest elections;
That the Government needs help. We cannot help the government by rallying, shouting, or making noises in the streets. Not even our desire to oust the Philippine President would help.
When I received the award few days after as one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines, I promised to continue help the government by molding the youth—and the best way to do that is to teach. The same youth whom Rizal envisoned as the hope of this Fatherland.
With all that is happening in the country right now, I think we should start with the youth. Tell them that if they wanted to change the Philippines, they need to change themselves first, influence others to do the same, and help the Government.
Your plans on academic walkouts would only bandage the wound instead of healing it. Continue studying, attend your classes, and plan your future. You might become the next leader this country needs. Protest if you can and seek redress if needed. However, do not let the result of the election today shape and determine your future.
Instead, prepare yourself that someday you’ll help craft a better Philippines. If not the best, then better than what we have today.
P.S.
I hugged the President that the communists wanted to overthrow. The hug symblizes my attitude towards change. That I’ll no longer take part in any overthrowing—but helping.
Let us help this newly installed leaders under the essence of democracy.
We owe this to our country. We do not owe this to anyone. Always remember that.
Jpcunanan
The Other Side of Me 