Reflections of a Pathways Volunteer
Posted by: Maria Carla Bren Vianney L. Yap
in the category Volunteer Views
By Maria Carla Bren Vianney L. Yap
UP Cebu
In all of my arrogance, I thought people from the University of the Philippines were the only living (and breathing) creatures in the Philippines who are bothered by the sight of overcrowded shanties lined up along the sea coasts or the stench of homeless children as they whirl around the streets daily in search of their next meal while making a playground out of the dangerous fast lanes. We were made to think that these telltale signs of poverty were part of our so-called SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY as Iskolars ng Bayan. But GENUINE SERVICE, in its truest sense of the word remained a dream.
Budget cut. Rally. Greater state subsidy. Rally. Rally, rally, rally. More rallies. Surely, there are more solutions other than rallies? There are so many things out there that the youth can still do; ways that may impact the lives of our fellow Filipinos without having to take our calling to the streets. Sure, the government must be reminded at times to be accountable for their responsibilities but we also have to do our part as citizens of this country. That’s the value of CONTRIBUTION. Like the little boy in the starfish story, who kept throwing the starfishes one by one to the ocean. He may not have helped all the starfishes scattered but he surely made a difference to each starfish he threw back to the ocean. In the same manner, our goal should be to make a difference one step at a time to the lives of our fellowmen. And we start it by doing something within our reach.
The recently-concluded 3rd National Pathways Youth Conference (PYC) was the first PYC I attended. The people I met defied my expectations of getting to know stuck-up and apathetic volunteers who just can’t wait to get the conference over. In fact, they were the perfect pictures of young people aflame with so much idealism and energy running wildly in their veins that could light up a whole nation that’s divided by poverty!
There’s indeed a better world out there, which needs to be built from the hard work and perseverance of these young volunteers who care to give the country a chance to break free from the chains of poverty by fortifying one of its best defenses: EDUCATION.
And now that the volunteers are back home in their respective areas, the urge and the challenge to act are greater. But now that I have seen them in action during the conference, I am more confident that we are one in a dream to not just sit around while watching our country languish in its current state. We can do something and we will do something – against and beyond all odds.
