JUST WORDS

We, the 15th Directorate made our first resolution reading and approval in our 9th session this evening. We have passed our confirmation resolution and our 1st issue resolution concerning the AECO funding. The whole democratic process made me think how unique and different our job is as a legislative body. We use words to get our point across, we craft resolutions to express our action, and we polish statements to move people from within. It is quite a challenging world. And a very famous maxim popped up in my head - "deeds are more powerful than words" which somehow depressed our efforts. In the contrary, this branch of government is of equal power in deeds because we provide the articulation of an action, a written testament of our works of justice and statements of our vision that will forever be in the history books of CSG. It reminds me of the great works of man in paper such as the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Just words.

So this thought gave me comfort and energy and a more reasonable interpretation of the maxim above. deeds without words is half complete, sometimes blind. And actions coupled with inspiring words are powerful.

Obama mentioned that "I have a dream" are just words, "That all men are created equal" are just words, "The greatest fear is fear itself" are just words yet they moved a nation, they inspired a generation, they marked history and I hope we could do the same in the Directorate.

BLOGGING AND LIFE

I got the chance to review my past blog posts, from the time I've talked to the consul, to my reflections on what I ought to do in my life. It is amazing to note that I've been writing for almost three years already. And what is more amazing to contemplate is the trend I am creating and the revelation unfolding right before my eyes. I pretty much think this is where the great value of journal writing and blogging comes in. Blogging somehow bridges the gap between the past and the process of becoming in a public manner while journalizing immortalizes a private thought.

In blogging, you have the chance to share your thoughts to the world in the intention of relating it to the lives of others. And In a personal note, the value of a blog only becomes full if we could see a trend of development in our writings as a reflection of our becoming. Individual posts are patches of the soul, connect them all together and see the whole picture gives the greatest meaning of personal blogging. It gives you a map of your becoming. So I will continue to write. I will write the story of one human person among the 8 Billion other persons in the world so that bit by bit, post by post, reflection by reflection, i could understand the movement of my soul in this world, and my place in the greater scheme of things. I could start understanding it by translating my thoughts into words and immortalizing them through writing and sharing them through blogging.

An open book?

You Are An ENTJ

The Executive You are a natural leader - with confidence and strength that inspires others. Driven to succeed, you are always looking for ways to gain, power, knowledge, and expertise. Sometimes you aren't the most considerate person, especially to those who are a bit slow. You are not easily intimidated - and you have a commanding, awe-inspiring presence. In love, you hold high standards... for yourself, for your relationship, and for your significant other. While it's easy for you to impress others, it's hard for you to find someone who impresses you. At work, you are organized and good at delegating. You understand how to achieve goals. You would make a great CEO, entrepreneur, or consultant. How you see yourself: Rational, calm, and objective When other people don't get you, they see you as: Inflexible, controlling, and overbearing

What's Your Personality Type?

LEADERSHIP FROM NATURE

One of the most striking inputs I encountered in the CSG 08-09 BOLTS was the talk given by Datu Migketay Victorino L. Saway on Leadership: The Indigenous People’s Perspective. This was peculiarly interesting because it is one perspective originally ours, stemming not from any foreign leadership code but coming from the very culture of our forefathers.

The concept is amazingly simply yet profoundly deep. It links leadership to family, common sense, extra-senses, creativity, the forces of nature and many others. One amazing element I found very surprising is the leadership analogy. It is derived from very simply elements of nature, such as a glass of water, a seed, and the land. Here are some of my notes which I find very rich:

Cup of Water! Even though you get an A (e.g. 100%) in math, it is not enough. Let us see it this way. It is like a cup filled with water to its neck (just like 100% grade) yet it is still confined in the walls of the cup. The message is simple. We should exceed 100%, make it 200 or more% by applying the knowledge, by extracting insights. By doing so, by doing more, the water will spill over, giving water to other seeds, causing new life to spur.

Wala! This is one dialect that should not be uttered by a leader. Saying “wala” means surrendering your creativity and your spirit to sense. Being a leader in the IP perspective means always looking for ways, being very creative. Such as using sticks as tools, leaves as utensils etc. Instead saying “wala”, leaders ought to say “mangita ta”. We will find a way.

Leadership in a cage! This is one enlightening thought! Leadership should not be caged in a structure. It is about liberating ourselves from a structure, going beyond and seeing the bigger picture. By doing so, by having this ability to detach from the structure (pamalandungan) or reflection, we are able to see clearly and act more effectively.

Leadership speaks in many different languages and carved in different cultures but I guess there is one universal element – that leadership is about knowing and taking hold of yourself and the rest will follow just like knowing that the cup is filled enough.

For the first time in history, we opened the Directorate with the Triumvirate's (President, Exec Sec. , Vice-President) state of students' address having a simple ceremony with the leadership community as the audience. This is simple begging is a just the start of greater things.

Here is my speech for the record.

Mrs. Irene Guitarte Director of Student Affairs , Sir Ivanell Subrabas Coordinator of Student Activities and Development Office, members of the 15^th Directorate, Student Leaders from the different organization, welcome and good evening to this first formal Opening slash SONA of the Central Student Government!

It is always a common practice to lay down a map, trace your road, and spot your prize as preparation for any treasure hunt, for any mission and I think it is quite fitting that as we begin our mission in this historic year, we do the same –we carve, we create, we lay down a road and together move into a common destination. This is what this ceremony is all about, conveying that message of unity, movement, and vision.

In crafting this message, the fundamental question that is hounding the minds of the Directors and in me is “How do we make history?” a subtle question but it left me wondering for hours on how can we fully justify our stint in this mission. Making history is about leaving a mark, and leaving a mark is about being distinct, being unique, and then I asked, where can we get this uniqueness? What makes us different from the past? And I found the answer, it is in a very obvious place, the number before the word Directorate - The only characters that change as time change – 15. One Five. We can find a lot of connections in making a number a source of uniqueness and inspiration but none is more fitting than the inspiration in the story of our very own humanity – our history. 15 in our directorate can be the 15^th Century of our human story. As you can recall, the 15^th century is the beginning of the age of discovery. It is in this time that man broke from the ancient bondage of superstition and saw more himself capable of shaping ideas and shaping worlds – the Renaissance. It is in this time that man, with courage, faith and hope ventured into vast oceans to search for new land – Discovery. And It is in this time that one man started to speak, listen, learn and write beyond his generation with a critical enlightened manner –Leonardo Da vinci. It is in these three stories that make 15^th century 15^th century and it is through their inspiration that would make us the 15^th Directorate.

These three stories of history somehow bring about a sense of animation and inspiration to the 15^th Directorate and its priorities and concerns. The sense of imagination and innovation in the renaissance inspires us to think beyond and improve our process and structures in and of the CSG – Institutional Development. The sense of discovery started by great sailors inspires us to act not only with in our shores but involve ourselves in the social-political landscape of our nation. The sense of critical thinking and self-reflection of Da vinci inspires us to focus on the process of leadership – proactive formation.

Institutional Development – we aim to legislate enactments that will smoothen the efficiency of the service and formation system of the CSG starting with the study of extra-curricular centralization of funds, a charter to create a physical friendly face of the seemingly abstract constitutional face of the STRAW called the Xavier Student Action Center and the creation of a defined framework for transitional (summer) and collaborative activities (such as BOLTS, GPOA, and summit) for consistency, sustainability, and uniformity of programs and visions.

Socio-Political Involvement – the Directorate inculcates in itself the duty not only inside the school but also to the nation. We shall prioritize this kind of involvement through passing support resolutions in collaboration with the Buklod Atenista network, and other networks we have linked to. In this way, by writing resolutions - we could articulate our stand on certain local and national issues and enlighten our constituents on our stand – the truth.

Proactive Formation – the Directorate aims not only of the output but gives extra-emphasis on the process itself. Banking on the statement, Leadership is not all about results but it is about how it is done. We value the importance of proactive formation in our service to the community. Through legislation, we aim to strengthen existing programs. Actions to address is the institutionalization of the Ateneo Leaders’ League as the official leadership outreach program of the CSG, the support legislation for the promotion of alternative class day (a day where students are free to pick their own subject based on their interests), and inter-council legislative support for the Green Movement or the “environment oriented” initiative of the school and the CSG.

This is what history can do, it inspires to look forward and connect the past. In the other hand, the Directorate is the like the recharger of the battery of the CSG. Through the council presidents, XU-URO and AECO, we create a sort of energy, a sort of political will that energizes our efforts in the different levels of government. Hand in hand, with Arbie Lyla, and especially you, we plan to build a stronger CSG for a brighter and farther future.

compassionately listen, truthfully speak... the 15th D.

Buddhism to learn from

This way of life (Buddhism) is so fascinating for me because it has phrases that somehow capsulate universal truths in a nut shell. One in particular is “Expectation is the root of all suffering”. I’ve come to realize that in every moment of our lives, we stick to a degree of possibilities which we set our minds to. Our mind forms that image of expectations which subconsciously divert all our energies for its realization. Our efforts then, as a sort of investment is so much in tuned of “what should be done” or “what should happen” or “what should be expected” that we miss out on the subtle gentle graces of each moment. We set a possibility and we want to accelerate its realization expecting it to become what is “should be”. Now after exhausting all means to meet the end, often times it is never what we expected, or it is not what is expected to be returned to us. We become disappointed, bitter, and feel sorry for ourselves. We suffer. Then that is where hope enters. Hope is not setting a possibility in the future, but it is a sense of confidence and acceptance offered by destiny in every moment. That is what hope is. It is not blind optimism, it is the drive to embrace the very presence of every moment, not expecting, not anticipating, not predicting, just loving every bit of smile, laughter, and togetherness offered by the day.

Amdg

The world is what it is in how I see it. How I see it is sometimes molded by how I imagine it. How I imagine it is patched up by what I read, listen, feel. Knowing what I engage my senses with is knowing what is important, what I value. Knowing what I value is really knowing what I love. That absolute feeling of love, not expecting to be loved in return, just love.

My image of the world sometimes clashes with yours but I have to live with it, I have to survive it. It is this mutual respect to each one’s distinct views which is pretty hard to achieve that resolves the conflicts of the world.

“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.

He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles, they do not flock, and you find them one at a time.”

Now my reflection stems from this statement; where do leaders acquire that great courage, that compassionate heart, that resolved will, that truthful intent, and that radiating confidence? Ignatius then comes into the picture. In His company and its practices, its tradition tells us that acquiring this great feats of leadership is rooted in our capacity to take hold of ourselves, to understand what we deeply value, what we deeply love and what our inner most soul yearns for. By contemplating and understanding its movement with in you, you will find the ultimate source – a personal God. God provides the tremendous energy to make it all manifest in our lives. So it is with the self, anchored with a profound faith that one stands alone but always with others, that one acts with compassion but just, that one becomes truthful to himself and then to others, that one becomes a true eagle, a true leader of God’s people.

The end doesn’t justify the means.

Academic desperation can lead others to take extreme measures such as cheating in the final exam of a major subject! This is what happened in my final exams. It is alarming, if not abominable. It was a very disgusting scene. When the proctor exists, a student tilted his calculator with answers in it so others will see, others whispered, others even went to the extreme of standing up, walking, and giving crib notes. The nerve! They have the face and the will to do so! I may sound like one of the Pharisees self-righteously condemning the wrongs of others. But my only aim is to highlight a malignant cancer in our classrooms that we take part and in doing so disturb ourselves to be more mindful of our actions. Let us be pragmatic. Cheating happens, yet we do it with in our defined parameters, within the “tolerable level” of society but still it is wrong. In this story, what happened was off the chart, it was choosing the higher evil. My outburst was triggered by the person who stood up, walked, and gave crib notes! For crying out loud it was the finals of a major subject. It is like defecating the altar! It is a direct insult to the integrity of the final exam. It is a clear disrespect of yourself and the person who you are cheating. It is clearly wrong and they know it. In the other hand, I admire those who never turned their heads and never opened their mouths. Even though some of them got low final marks, they are still very victorious in the eyes of God. They overcame the greatest temptation in that moment while others succumb to its instant gleaming glory. Those who cheated were victorious in the eyes of their grades, yet inside I doubt that they feel the fullness.

What I can only do is to disturb people.

Let us learn from this and start anew.

AMAZING GRACE

I’m finally back from a 10 day online hiatus. I just came from one of the most valuable experiences in my life – Immersion in Sumilao, Bukidon! This is also my first time to write a post in an internet café because my line at home got “bugged” for 14 days already so I’ll take this online moment to the fullest.

The immersion experience has totally renewed my views of life, society, and God. I don’t know how to articulate that feeling but I just hope to express it as clearly as possible. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to document the whole experience becasue of the distraction it carries that might cloud us from truly living with the farmers. So I’ll just use short sentences, thoughts from the immersion, thoughts in a nutshell. I don’t have the environment to deeply reflect what I need write so this is the deepest thing I could extract inside this noisy cafe.

Give until it hurts no more. Giving especially for the poor is hard yet if you always share and share and share, it will start to become part of your person. It is a long process yet when that day comes, that it is already part of you then you have truly loved.

Justice is the act of faith. This is one definition of justice by a classmate. I think this is correct. Justice is made when our moral values, conscience, or faith embraces what we do as a person and as a people. Breaking the link between our faith from our actions is very destructive.

Live simply so that others may simply live. In the immortal words of Fr. Arrupe, living simply will lead you to ground yourself to the essentials of life. Having a solid grasp of what is fundamental, what is basic, what is simple will give you the greater freedom to love. Love, that is unconditional love is what makes life simple.

What is making a difference? One is by simply extending that possibility to that person. Extending the possibility is a phrase so powerful for me. This was said by Mr. Tangara. Making a difference comes in many shapes and sizes. Some are grand, some almost invisible. Extending a possibility is quite abstract but the idea for me somehow crystallizes what I ought to do to the poor. Extending possibilities mean giving hope, giving assistance, giving them a chance to dream for themselves with no hesitations. In a place where dreaming of having a college degree is reserved for those who are well off, giving a simple series of tutorials, giving a simple encouragement extends the possibility to them. This then has become a battle between what is possible and what we want to believe as impossible. Believe that all is possible and act to extend that to the people who has seem lost the possibility to hope.

Atenean leaders are animated by the Ignatian values of immersing oneself, serving and labouring in the world in order to transform it. That is why pragmatic idealism is one politically correct way to categorize our way of doing things. We are grounded on reality and we base our actions in the context reality. By doing so, we engage reality with real solutions. E.g. fighting for NO tuition fee increase abandons the real concept of inflation, therefore what we can do is to make sure the increase is justified.

To act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly with your God