Love in Action

I never thought I would take part in any movement. I rarely go out and I didn't like being around with many people so I didn't expect seeing myself doing community service. My focus were solely on my family and my studies. I don't even pay attention to different extra-curricular activities in school.However, time leads me to get involved in my community and in my city when I was an elected youth official, to be part of a children's advocacy after college and to have the chance to become a volunteer in Arise Philippines Youth Movement Incorporated.

I firmly believe in the power of 'we'.I've been inspired with the vision of Arise which is standing for what we believe in and becoming a channel of change for next generation by conducting conference for youth  leaders, medical, dental and optical services, child feeding, giving away free medicines and construction of public toilet.

On July 31, we were in Barangay 31-D where the community toilet is constructed for the official turn-over.With the help of the Australians who have burden for Davao, the vision has turned into a reality.Arise Davao 2013 is looking forward to donating another toilet that will be located in Matina Aplaya. A study shows that there's a presence of  coliforms in Punta Dumalag caused by improper waste disposal of people living along the shoreline. With this, Arise has chosen the said barangay where the project will be implemented.

The movement believes that helping a community by giving support to the septage and sewage ordinance of the city will give honor to the Creator of everything and not to man.It requires passion to get yourself involved. You don't need to be in the position to lend a hand.Giving service is one way of showing your love.

"True success can only be measured at the end of our lives by how we utilized what we had to serve society and honor God.This is the only success that can never be taken away from you" -Book of Hope

Can You Lay Your Own Life to Save One? #BAD11

Food is a basic necessity as we all know. We are aware of how important to have something to put into our mouth to sustain our daily routines.It's essential to keep us going.Without food, life is incomplete. I have seen several videos that show the different faces of hunger, poverty and malnutrition. Two weeks ago, the academic head of the school I used to work with posted a video of  Ester and Sam who suffer severe malnutrition in Uganda on my facebook wall which is filmed in the summer of 2008.I felt something hard struck my chest. I couldn't hold my tears. Then here's Achyut Sharma's video introduced to me by my cousin two days ago about an old man eating his own human waste because of hunger.

Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and I-Witness are GMA network's award-winning documentary news and public affairs television shows in the Philippines that open our minds to what is really happening around us. There's one episode that show a family who doesn't eat three times a day. Their meal is composed of rice with cooking oil and soy sauce, rice and coffee, sweet potatoes and boiled bananas. They eat the same kind of food everyday. What do you think about their health?

I remember a classmate during my sophomore year in high school who confess to me how they get their food. Her father would go to McDonalds every night to collect bags of leftovers, scoop for still-good chicken, fry it and serve on the table.

It's unbelievable that these devastating things exist in my country! It's very shocking and upsetting to know that some Filipinos who live in very remote areas eventually die due to hunger where modern medical practices like liposuction and facial plastic surgery are actively performed. I never thought that we might be as terrible as Africa.

This post is in relation to Blog Action Day 2011 that coincides with World Food Day. May we understand that there are really people who starve and suffer everyday because of food scarcity.Think of even simple ways to lessen this tragical fact. Give and share. Be reminded that you are given blessings including the food you eat that we sometimes forget to acknowledge. Getting too much? Why not share?

Author Thomas Carlyle tells how, when he was a boy, a beggar came to the door. His parents were out and he was alone in the house. On a boyish impulse, he broke into his own savings bank and gave the beggar all that was in it, and he tells us that never before or since did he know such sheer happiness as came to him in that moment. There is indeed joy in giving.

Would you do the same? Would you have that kind heart in an instant?

Food sustains life and you can save a life by giving.

At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done.We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in'.~ Mother Teresa

When Compassion Strikes

Only a few people know how a children organization changed me three years ago. The change it brought me drives me to have that compassion for Kamp Pagasa.It's a summer camp intended for  kids who are mentally and physically challenged. Kamp Pagasa opens the window for me to serve Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Incorporated or DSAPI- Davao Chapter.

Every hard thing we do becomes easy if we work with compassion.In a ten-day camp offering your time , leaving your comfort zone and giving service without expecting any in return definitely makes me happy. It drives you to dedicate yourself to those who need you. At times, doctors, nurses and teachers  reach their  limit and sometimes we feel tired of what we usually do.But if we recall why we have  chosen these fields of specialization it bring us back to our profession.Impossible things turn possible with compassion.

Today, I remember the movie about Patch Adams, a doctor who treats his patients through humor and compassion. He performs comedy acts to them for he believes that treating a disease of the body is a win-or-lose situation, but treating a person's spirit guarantees success regardless of the outcome.Patch Adams is a kind of movie filled with laughter, humor, tears, and joy that would motivate you in some way to help others.

Patch Adams encourages medical students to cultivate relationships with nurses and learn their interviewing skills early, and argues that death should be treated with dignity and even humor. In the end the jury accepts Patch's medical methods and decides to allow him to graduate.We commonly hear that laughter is the best medicine and this is what Patch is trying to convey.

Water is Life

The day has come.Global conversation through Blog Action Day 2010 has finally arrived!It is indeed an inspiring blog activism that will be trending on the web.Today bloggers around the world write issues about water to catch people's attention and to let them realize how important water is.

Water sustains life but not all of us live abundantly with water.In Africa and developing  countries there's water scarcity while in some parts of the world people abuse the use of it.It takes 6.3 gallons of water to produce just one hamburger while more and more children die because of diseases brought by unreliable water supply. Isn't it surprising!?

I'm one of those ordinary people who can't change big issues such us wars over water, oceans getting polluted and a number of children die due to unsafe  drinking water.However, I can make things better by doing my own simple way in conserving water.I believe I can start in our own household and extending it to my community.

In the Philippines, my city which is Davao has got the most potable water in the country.Our drinking water has been recognized as one of the best in the world too. The richness of our natural resources makes it possible.On the other hand, it's depressing to know that many of my fellows just waste it.  

When will we fully understand water preservation?If it's totally gone? Now is the time to do our step by step movement. I can't imagine having water interruption for a day or more! It rarely happens in our vicinity.I'm lucky to have lived in a place where water is not our main concern. I'm going to be sick if we lack water in our faucets for a week! The people in our place will definitely call the water supplier if the interruption takes too long.

Do you think water can prolong life if we stop getting safe drinking water?We shouldn't wait for that thing to happen before we act. If you believe that water is life then start giving value to water by using it wisely. Remember the people who live in hot places with no  clean water to drink.

Blog Action Day 2010

I support every organization that promotes goodwill to mankind.I may not give my share financially but helping spread the word is the least I can do.Once again,  bloggers around the planet unite for a blogging cause.Blog Action Day is an annual blogging event when we write about a common thing at the same time.It is scheduled on the 15th of October.This year's topic to be discussed is water.

Water is important.It sustains life and Blog Action Day 2010 is helping United Nations in promoting clean and safe water to drink worldwide.I'm calling the attention of my fellow bloggers to join us.There are 3 simply steps on how you can participate:

1. embed an action widget
2. raise funds for water
3. spread the word

Hollywood stars like Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio,Will Smith and his son have taken up the cause.Let's make a better world.Sign up and register your blog.See that banner below for more info.