Soul-Searching

And it’s ruining my mood. I feel so depressed that I wanna cry. :((((((((((((((

1.       What did you feel after watching the video?

* I found the video moving. It got me feeling sympathetic to the children.

2. What specific rights of the children were violated? Why so?

*They shouldn’t be working at their age. They should be studying.

3. What are your responsibilities toward children?

*It is my responsibility to teach them not only school related stuffs but what’s right and what’s not, how to survive in the world and insights about life in ways which they can easily understand. It is also my duty to protect their rights and to be a good ‘ate’ to them. J

4. How can you as a Thomasian NSTP student create a child friendly society?

*I should be more patient and understanding to the children. And I should never take advantage of their weakness.

5. Why is it important to protect and respect the rights of children?

* The children are one of those who are considered vulnerable in our society. When one is weaker than the other, it is only proper for the stronger person to take care of the weaker person. We are all keepers of each other. And it is our responsibility to protect the innocence of the children.

6. How can you as a Thomasian NSTP student deter violation/abuse on children?

* I can deter violation/abuse on children by making the children aware of their rights. We should educate them and motivate them to fight for their rights.

1.       Definition of Disability.

*Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.

—World Health Organization

2.       Current Statitistics and facts of Persons With Disability.

*Disability affects hundreds of millions of families in developing countries. Currently around 10 per cent of the total world’s population, or roughly 650 million people, live with a disability. In most of the OECD countries, females have higher rates of disability than males.

3.       Introduce the different laws that protect the rights of PWD.

* . REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7277

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE REHABILITATION, SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-RELIANCE OF DISABLED PERSONS AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIETY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

*REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9442

AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7277, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “MAGNA CARTA FOR DISABLED PERSONS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

*IRR of BP 344

“AN ACT TO ENHANCE THE MOBILITY OF DISABLED PERSONS
BY REQUIRING CERTAIN BUILDINGS, INSTITUTIONS, ESTABLISHMENTS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
TO INSTALL FACILITIES AND OTHER DEVICES.”

4.       Your comments/opinions with regards to the laws that should be given focus and importance. State your concrete actions to create change.

*There should be more public utilities for the disabled persons especially for those who are visually impaired. Suggesting this to the higher ups can hopefully initiate change.

5.       State the video(s) that you watched (include the url or post a hyperlink), What are your thoughts after watching the video(s)? What have you learned after watching the video(s)?

http://www.ted.com/talks/aditi_shankardass_a_second_opinion_on_learning_disorders.html

*It is quite troubling. The number of children with developmental disorder is quite high and you can only know that one has such disorder through their personality. And finding our whether one has such disorder can be expensive because one has to undergo a lot of neurological diagnosis.

*I out of 6 children has a developmental disorder and the least number of a person who has such situation in which a person knows is 1. This disorder cannot be diagnosed unless you notice it from their behavior and one has to have their brain opened for it to be diagnosed. It can be treated. Almost 50% of children experiences hidden brain seizures.

6. Why is it important to protect the rights of PWD?

*It is essential because after all, they are all still people and everyone is created equal in the eyes of God. They just happened to be weak that’s why it is our responsibility to protect them. One should never take advantage of other people’s weaknesses.

 Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disability

http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/

http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno7277.htm

http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2007/ra_9442_2007.html

http://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/implementing-rules-and-regulations-irr/irr-of-bp-344/

Reflection

Part I

i.                     I am Kaye Anne M. Laririt, a second-year student from College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Santo Tomas. I am currently enrolled in National Training Service Program- Literary Training Service. I joined Fieldworks wherein we taught the kids Math and English and we were able to discover what they wanted to change in our current world, discuss their rights to them and presented it to everyone. The fieldworks were held at Sitio Galilei in Antipolo last September 17, 2011 and FC Del Rosario Elementary School last January 22 and 28, 2012. I also joined the Disaster- Preparedness Seminar at UST-High School last September 4, 2011 and the Run for Pasig River 2011 at Roxas Boulevard. Fellow NSTP students, Mr. Aboboto, the children we taught, people from Sitio Galilei and fellow participants in the Run for Ilog Pasig were present in the said activities. The aim was to discover the changes in our current world the kids these days want to achieve as well as to know what the children’s rights are so that we can be able to do something about the world and so that the children are aware of their rights as well as moulding us into educated and better individuals in the society who are instilled with the right values.

PART 2

1.       What are the “short term” and “long term” goals of the program/project? Were they achieved in the activities that you’ve done with the community?

·         The short term goal in the fieldwork was to teach children about Math, English and other school related stuffs. The long term goals were to instill them with values and to inspire them to become better individuals of the society. It also aims to make the children become more aware of the world and for them to realize the change they want to happen in the world. The short term goal was achieved and the long term is gradually being achieved. I hope that the long term goal will fully happen in the future. J

2.       Last semester you had your first fieldwork and there were key learning points that time. Were you able to apply those learnings so that you can be more productive this time? 

* I was able to apply the things I’ve learned last semester. That day was significant day to me that’s why I was motivated to apply the learnings I learned that time. J

      3. What specific skills have you used at your community/institution?

* My social skills improved hence I was able to use it. The same thing goes for my communication skills wherein I was able to express myself clearly and effectively make the kids understand the lessons I’m teaching them. I was able to use my skills in Math and English, too.

4. Describe a person/event you’ve encountered in the community that made a strong impression on you, positive or negative.

 * The kid I’ve taught, Wilmark is the one I remembered the most because he was a shy kid. At first, he doesn’t want to be taught but after few forceful convincing, he permitted me to teach him. He had difficulty at answering but he did not give up and tried to understand the things I’ve told him. He wouldn’t let distractions come into his way(his brother is being makulit). And he was the one who was able to make me play volleyball(although I don’t like playing it)and actually enjoy it. J I think I was able to connect with him because after sometime, he was being playful with me. J

5. Has the experience affected your worldview? How?

*Yes. I became more aware of the happenings in the world and I actually experienced what the others are experiencing and I must admit that it was hard. Experience and hardships motivates us to bear in our minds the things that we should remember.

6. What did you do that seemed to be effective or ineffective in the community?

*Being down to earth and friendly seems to be effective as for ineffective, I don’t think I’ve done something so far.

7.Do you think the target beneficiaries were educated, enlightened, empowered and/or inspired with the activity that was done? How?

* I hope that we were able to make the children educated, enlightened, empowered and/or inspired because we really did our best. In a way, I think they did because I saw improvements in the activities that they answered for as the activities goes on, their scores get higher. They became more open to and I think they learned ‘some things’ from us. J

7. How can you educate others or raise awareness about this national concern(education/human rights/disaster preparedness)?

*The best way that I can do is to give them real life situations. The reality is the prime motivator of awareness. J

8. What are the most difficult or satisfying parts of your work? Why?

 * The difficult part is to make the children understand what you were trying to teach to them because you have to simplify the knowledge you have learned while the most satisfying part was the children opening up to you and enjoying your company because you know that in a way, you were able to connect with them and taught things to them. J

9. How are your values expressed through your community work?

* I value peace, hence, I am being sociable to everyone. I also believed that one should extend help to the poor that’s why I give foods for the children every time we have a fieldwork.

10.What are the lessons or insights from the activity would you keep to your heart? 

*The lesson that I keep in my heart were the ones which I realized from the children. That one should be open to the lessons which other people teach you no matter who they are. For everyone is capable of teaching others something, whether it’s something school related or insights about life and that one’s knowledge knows no limitations.

11. NSTP aims to bring out the better version of yourself, did you become a better version of yourself with these lessons and realizations? How can you manifest through actions those lessons/realizations?

 *Yes. My perspectives were widen and I learned a lot from the kids. I can manifest it through changing myself for the better. J

I can feel my worst nightmare coming true
And there’s nothing that can be done but to feel blue
I feel like a fraud when I laughed and said nothing
Deep inside, I told myself, “You just lost your everything.”

No hope is left when you gave up already
You lose a fight when you are being friendly
Concealing feelings isn’t always the solution
If the risk is someone who’s worth the commotion

My hands tremble with the frustration that I feel
My eyes swell with tears and I’m left with no more will
Redemption’s gone and I’m left with nothing
But all there unrequited feeling and endless regretting

Recent events came flashing before my eyes
A confession is all it took and my heart dies
So I’m left with my hands with words to write
About everything that has been hurting my sight

I felt a twinge in my heart when I remembered the past
Memories came rushing forward like a flash
If I can escape its grasps, I would’ve already done it
But this spell is something which I cannot easily beat

The most vivid memories were the ones spent with you
This struck of realization, I can guarantee, is true
All the other guys have become blurs in my memory
Little by little, they all have become unnecessary

I do not know how much longer I can conceal this feeling
The agony grows from all the hiding and the hoping
Out came all the buried insecurities and fears
The frustration which brought my eyes tears.

My heart is throbbing so fast
I wonder how long this sensation will last
Knowing something which you shouldn’t know
Something which causes you to feel so low

I listen to their conversation from a near distance
I know I shouldn’t but I can’t just take away my glance
When the topic of the talk is about your everything
You can’t help but listen though your heart is aching

I try to act indifferent although it pains me
I try to fake a smile so that they won’t see
That I don’t miss a word and hint that they say
I just wish that they won’t take my everything away.

An hour has seemingly became a day,
The sand in the hourglass falls so slow when you’re away,
Routines have become a tedious chore,
As the longing in my heart becomes more and more.

I seek your presence in the surrounding sea of faces,
Your absence had made their existence nonsense,
For in the vast number of the various faces that I see,
Your face is the only one that I yearn for truly.

Occupying my head were the thoughts of you,
Thinking how my world has become dull and out of hue,
Counting the hours passing by is an unbearable pain,
The hope of your immediate arrival has gone in vain..