Sustaining the gains in advocacy work

It was a productive meeting  for the officers  of the National Association for Social Work Education, Inc. (NASWEI)- Western Visayas   yesterday  at the Department of Social Work, Central Philippine University (CPU).  Among others,  we made an early preparation for the celebration of the Social Work Week in Western Visayas  on June 13-19, 2013.

The celebration commemorates the anniversary of the Republic Act 4373, otherwise known as the Social Work Law. The passage of the Social Work Law on June 19, 1965 has regulated the practice of social work and the operation of social welfare agencies in the Philippines. Subsequently, it has created a new interest in social work and in the field of social welfare. Incidentally, the date falls on the birthday of the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

The institutionalization of the celebration is one of the gains in advocacy work of NASWEI. It was in 2005 when  the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) of Iloilo and other provinces and major cities in the region declared  June 13-19  as Social Work Week . Enacted  as a  response  to the initiatives of social workers  led by NASWEI-Western Visayas, the declaration is  a  recognition of   the role of social workers in nation building.

For this year’s celebration, we intend  to adopt  the theme of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in the United States for  their celebration of  National Professional Social Work in March. That is, if we get their nod to our request.   The theme “Weaving Threads of Resilience and Advocacy: The Power of Social Work” is relevant to our context .   Social work is a helping  profession. It gives hope for others  to move on, to move  forward, using their personal strengths,  to create a vision and a plan for what life can be.

The theme is also  consistent  with  our advocacy  work. Likewise,  the celebration is an opportunity to  promote the  profession  to the public, especially to the youth. Many  still have misconceptions about social work. Some have associated or confined  it  to  acts of  charity, welfare and dole outs.  Others do not know that social work is a profession with a  broad scope of social work of practice.

Social work offers a broad variety of settings including: public and private agencies, hospitals, schools, private businesses, industry and labor, child-caring institution, nursing homes, corrections, court systems, law enforcement agencies, rehabilitation centers, adoption agencies, hospices, centers, homes, shelters for various special groups, and many others. Some  are managers, supervisors, and administrators. Others  are also elected political leaders and legislators.

As a social worker, you will work with a variety of people such as infants, children, youth,  women, persons with disabilities, older persons, drug dependents, released prisoners, other needy adults, emergency/disaster victims, indigenous communities, farmers, fisherfolks, migrant workers, urban poor, rural communities, and a lot more.

By all indications, Social Work is  a noble  profession. But more than that, Social Work is a vocation. The last parable in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46) appears to confirm  the lasting impact of  social work.  In the final end,   the chaff is separated from the grain  and the division of all the world's people into the blessed and the cursed takes place. This division is entirely based on the acts of kindness and mercy done by people to their disadvantaged fellow human beings like “feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, visiting the prisoners, putting on cloth  to  the naked, inviting  strangers to their homes. “

Jesus identifies such acts  with kindness towards himself when he said: “… inasmuch as you have done it unto one of  the least of these  my brethren, you have done it unto  me.” ( Matthew 25:40)

Incoming college students  who have not decided yet on what course to take are encouraged to try social work. In the same way that  bachelor’s degree holders of any four year course  are welcomed to the profession. There are two options. You may  proceed to  Master of Science in Social Work  or take Bachelor of Science in Social Work  as second course. You can visit the nearest social work school in your area for details of their respective programs. Should you decide to enroll at Central Philippine University, you can also communicate with us through this blog.

The wonder of you

A top hit  in 1950s, the song was written by Baker Knight. It was released as a single by  American pop music singer Ray Peterson in 1959 and recorded by  English singer Ronnie Hilton in the United Kingdom in the same year. Both versions  became a top hits with Peterson   peaking at #25 on Top 40 in US and Hilton’s version  reaching #22 on the UK Singles Chart. Soon others followed their suit including the world legendary  Elvis Presley which further popularized the song  after its release as his single in 1970.

From the website of  londonwelshmvc.org, I learned an interesting story behind the song. It was actually a spiritual search. The composer was ill at the time of writing and  was  searching for the Deity that would always be kind and forgiving toward him no matter what the conditions. While he couldn’t say  it was written directly to God, he admitted  searching for Him at that time. However, he didn't finish the song until several weeks later. The delay made him realize that the song might also make a good love song. Since there was no Contemporary Christian music in those days, he decided to make it a love song.

I really love the song as it is reflective of  love experiences I have with my dear wife. On her birthday, today, I  decided to make a blog on this song.  My way of  expressing my gratitude to her for the wonders of her love which changed my life.

She  came into my life when I tried to return to the mainstream of normalcy after the EDSA Revolution in 1986. Resuming my remaining year in the seminary was not possible for technical reasons. Thus, I shifted to Social Work. No longer  young as my classmates, a class period was an agony, having been conditioned to a non academic life. Making the adjustment worse was the label attached to my name because of controversial past. It  included my  participation in a  movement of church people who participated in the struggle against dictatorship. It was sort of taboo in our denomination at that time.

Isolated from my faith community, coupled with difficulty in adjustment with studies and relationship, I was about to quit and go back to where I belong. But the thought of her made me hold on. Like me, she  shifted to Social Work while in senior year in another course. It was a" love at first sight", for me, the first time we met.   A terror on her part, though, having a knowledge of my background. Thus, while   I tried to get close to her, the more she distanced herself.  Still, she served as a challenge  to me against odds.

However, all my attempts  to woo her almost came to naught, including my prayers. In desperation,  I think I revealed to her my plan  to stage a protest action against God. (Indeed, I was really very serious with that plan.)  I didn’t know if it had  a bearing  in  my eventual success to get her precious yes.  I  called her the rainbow of my life. Thereafter, the wonders in our relationship, as portrayed by the lyrics of the song.  Hence, these  lyrics are addressed to my wife, as they explicitly  capture the essence of our love experiences.

DZ and Dazen Dawn

When no-one else can understand me
    When everything I do is wrong
       You give me hope and consolation
          You give me strength to carry on

And you're always there to lend a hand
       In everything I do
          That's the wonder
              The wonder of you

DZ and Edzil Ven

And when you smile the world is brighter
      You touch my hand and I'm a king
          Your kiss to me is worth a fortune
                Your love for me is everything

I'll guess I'll never know the reason why
        You love me like you do

             That's the wonder

                  The wonder of you

DZ and Krislenn Edz

            Happy birthday, 
                   Prof. DZ Patriarca-Lariza

And to you, dear readers, who cannot  relate to the previous accolades  and find this post corny, this one is for you:

When no-one else can understand  you
      Ask yourself why? If the problem is in you,
           change  yourself.
      If the problem is with others, never mind them
      You are not alone.
      Many have been misunderstood before you.
      Even great men and women of faith and history
      Have been misunderstood not more than once.

When everything you do is wrong
     You have all the reason to be alarmed
      While nobody is perfect, it’s no longer normal to be always incorrect.

But  there is still hope and consolation
          For this reason, you have  to move on

God is always  there to lend a hand
          In everything I do
             Would you believe it?
           
However, if you find the  paraphrase having no sense, still.
Perhaps, yes, perhaps... that’s the wonder of you.

PADAYON KATIPAN: A call to revival

This is the title  of  my new blog that  focuses on the Convention Baptist Ministers Association and Convention of  Philippine Baptist Churches. Two religious organizations that have been instrumental in the development of my spirituality.  My engagement in the leadership of  these organizations could had  been very productive, were it not interrupted by  chronic heart ailment that constrained my active life of service, some years ago.  Most of my time was spent at home due to limited mobility, making me vulnerable to discouragement and depression.

But such  critical condition  turned out to be a blessing in disguise for many reasons. One is my baptism  to  the wonders of  blogging world, courtesy of a pastor friend.  Starting as  therapy, blogging became a ministry.   I poured out my thoughts and emotion into the blogs and found relief. Even my suppressed commitment to the service of the people both in churches and communities were ventilated .

I succeeded to create 5  personal blogs and  3 official web sites of the organizations my wife and I helped put up.  However, my hectic schedule, especially when I resumed my work at Central Philippine University constrained me to update all my blogs. It was  good that the recent  Christmas break  gave  me time to visit my blogs, review and evaluate them.

Born on  Christmas eve of 2012,   this blog will recall successful activities in the past, analyze and make commentaries on the trends and issues in both organizations. In this way, we can refresh ourselves, remind the current officers and guide the future leaders of our organizations of the struggles we have and the covenant to keep. The alarming trend in both religious organizations has inspired me to create this  blog. May other readers learn from our experiences and find inspiration to guide them in their respective struggles.

The two Ilonggo words PADAYON (keep up/to continue)  KATIPAN (covenant) became a slogan during  my six years of service as president of the Convention Baptist Ministers Association (CBMA). The best years I have ever given to a particular cause in my lifetime. Years that witnessed the commitment and dedication surpassing my other endeavors, paid or likewise voluntary in nature. Padayon Katipan may mean keeping the covenant.

The author acknowledges the CBMA officers and board of trustees
during  his  last State of the Association Address culminating
his six years of service as president in January 2010.

PADAYON was first used on January 2009 during the closure of our annual national assembly. Inspired by the overwhelming responses of pastors to the CBMA leadership and governance, as well as the advocacies on changes in the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches politics, systems and governance, I was looking for a punch line/ clincher to sustain the momentum in delivering the concluding remarks.

Then came the message from my Ihado (wedding godson), when the worship leader innovatively asked the participants to write on piece of paper a message to particular person of choice. All of the notes I received have common message of encouragement to “keep up the good work.” My ihado gave me a note with one word which captured all other messages. Subsequently, I used it to officially close the National Convention of CBMA: PADAYON

KATIPAN, on the other hand, became the campaign slogan in the construction of a Session Hall at Camp Higher Ground to accommodate the participants for the CBMA National Assembly on January 2006. It was the name given to the hall, when completed after some years of struggle. It bespeaks of the realization of collective faith and action (Katumanan sang Tingob nga Pagtoo kag binuhatan).

Katipan sums up our victory in reclaiming the spiritual heritage of the Camp Higher Ground as icon of serenity, spirituality and renewal. Later, Katipan has become a symbol of unity and success.It has even galvanized our relationship bringing our association to the door step of the leadership and politics in Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

When used in 2010 during my swan song to culminate my 6 years service, PADAYON KATIPAN has twofold purpose. It was both a recognition of our collective success and a reminder to stay true to our covenant. I thought that was the last time I would be using the two words, cognizant of the end of my term and my very critical health condition at that time.

But God has been kind and gracious. He extended my life. A year after, the magic words served as the title of my open letter for Baptist Pastors published on Pahayag, official publication of the Convention Baptist Ministers Association, January- March 2011 edition. It was sort of a reminder. Excerpt of which states: “The collective faith and action must be uphold in order to sustain the unprecedented success, the changes, the development in our association. The moment we cease to keep  the covenant, we will be condemned to repeat the past.”

21 Guns: On Placards and Strained Voices

Guest blog post by Dazen Dawn P. Lariza*

Article first published on Central Echo, October 2012 edition.

Under the striking heat of the burning sun they stand clothed in sweat-drenched fabric and glistening faces that speak of courage and anger. With fists held high, they fight oppression, not with grenades and bombs and nuclear weapons but with their right to be loud, their right to be heard, their right to be free etched in placards and streamers that cry “CHANGE” and “JUSTICE.”

Activism has become the reason for enlightenment in many dark periods in our history such as Martial Law. As the government resulted to all sorts of actions in order to suppress their freedom, a new revolution was created through groups of Filipinos, especially students, who fought for their rights. The death of thousands created a ripple of events that brought forth a peaceful war of words and prayers which ended the dictator’s reign, hence, the reason why student activism still prevails in our present society.

Some may wonder why students choose to become activists and do things that may be considered “acts of rebellion.” Well, you’d have to think like an activist and learn to sympathize with what they fight for in order to understand what they do. Oikos Ecological Movement and League of Filipino Students (LFS) member Jan Pachoco didn’t understand the reason why student activists resulted to such actions until he got to know them and the reason behind their actions and eventually decided to join in the crowd.

“Actually at first, when I see activists on the streets I wonder why they do such things and why they question and blame the government for all the crises faced by our society. But when I got to know them, my mind was opened to the sad realities they see,” he said.

The life of being a student activist is not an easy road. People misjudge you; your time has to be divided, and you have to keep secrets from people close to you if they turn against you and your beliefs. Student activists have far greater issues than picking an outfit for College Night of leveling up your character on League of Legends.

According to Jan, being a student activist has its demands. One of which is sacrificing time to study the different issues which confront the present generation. “We cannot make a concrete analysis and solution to the problems if we do not know the issue,” he said, adding that such a sacrifice is not a big deal because “if we were truly committed to the principles we would not hesitate to sacrifice a little for the good of every Filipino.”

Aside from that comes the pressure of some parents on their children to stop involving themselves in student activism. Jan said it is the greatest issue most of his colleagues have to face. They have to make their parents and families understand that such actions are note merely for their own good but also for the family. With this, Jan quoted a line from Renato Constantino saying, “If parents of today do not march with the youth, they will be left behind and will deserve only the censure of history. If the youth fail to enlist the active participation of other sectors of society, their movement will suffer from a fatal distortion.”

Other than those stated above, student activists have to face the watchful eyes of their own Universities’ administrations especially on those coming from the LFS who oppose tuition fee increases and the likes. Various administrations such as those in the University of the Philippines take extra effort in trying to get rid of them.

In a statement posted on LFS.ph in December 7, 2010 by then UP Aterisk member Dino Pineda, he had said “We thought we were dying. We thought student activism had gone down the slope, and had become irreconcilably ‘uncool’ for the generation.” Dino stated actions which their administration did to silence them and their efforts in fighting against this. He ended his statement with this line, “More and more, we are seeing how this Administration is trying to kill us. Yes, we are dying. But we are not dying without a fight.”

Contrary to what others believe in, their efforts in fighting for social change are not useless. From rallies, State of the Youth Addresses, writing in print to spray painting stencils of a hangman tied to a yellow noose and more, these student activists may not always get what they want but their voices and opinions do get heard a lot. Through thousands of students marching against budget cuts on Education, a raise on budget happened. According to Jan, the Anti-No Permit, No Exam Policy bill is already being recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the latest protest against the Cybercrime Law has been issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). So who’s to say that their screams of rage go to waste?

Yes. They are often a common sight. You find them in clusters on streets, government centers, and business firms screaming out their rebellion, fighting for what they believe is right in an unjust society. Whether they be frowned upon by society or be understood by those who sympathize with what they feel, they wouldn’t really care, because activism is not meant to be understood by people who remain ignorant to what they believe in. Activism is meant for those who feel the need to be heard by a society that remains deaf to those who cry for freedom and equality. Activism is for those who believe that freedom is not an option.

Freedom is a gift. Fight for it.

______________

*Dazen Dawn is  News Editor of Central Echo. She is 2nd year BS Psychology student of Central Philippine University, Iloilo City, Philippines.