ten accomplished youth organizations

Sen. Bam Aquino’s Keynote Speech during the TAYO 16 Awards Ceremony

23 January 2019

 

Maraming salamat, palakpakan po natin si Pepot Vinta.

 

Alam niyo po, every year sa TAYO, para tayong nagre-reunion na mga magkakaibigan. Ang problema lang, ang mga youth leaders parang hindi tumatanda pero kaming mga organizers lang ang tumatanda. 

 

The first time that I’ve met Pepot was TAYO3. TAYO 6 was also the first year that Coke became part of the family. San Miguel became part of the family about 6-7 years ago also. Smart has also been part of our family through the years. And of course our friends from Jollibee, Ayala, and Lenovo are also here with us. 

 

Round of applause for our sponsors! Maraming maraming salamat sa inyo. Pero ang pinakamlakas na palakpakan, ibigay natin para sa ating mga TAYO finalists. 

 

Congratulations for being here and thank you for making our country better. 

 

Thank you for giving us a healthy dose of positivity and inspiration, especially this week. Lalo na ngayon na pinag-uusapan ang pagbibilanggo ng batang Pilipinong siyam na taon lamang. Thank you for providing us an alternative story for all of us today. 

 

Kayo ang paalala at pruweba na ang kapag may tamang gabay at oportunidad ang kabataan, kayo mismo ang magsisigurado na aasenso ang Pilipinas, at aasenso ang bawat Pilipino.

 

Kaya maraming salamat sa inyo! It is an honor to be here speaking to such accomplished and passionate young men and women who have done so much for our country.

 

Yung tanong ko lang… Ano pa ba ang maibabahagi namin sa inyo?

 

Sa totoo lang, lahat naman mahahanap niyo na sa internet. Ano pa ba ang laban natin sa world wide web?

 

Kung gusto natin ng pinaka-magagaling na speech, maghahanap lang tayo sa TED Talks, naroon din ang mga paburito niyong kanta at TV shows, mga lifehacks, pati photos at IG stories ng crush niyo – lahat na ay mahahanap online at sa social media.

 

But while the internet has opened up our world to so much content and possibilities, we also know that the internet and social media has a dark side.

 

Napansin siguro natin in the past few years, habang dumadami ang mga life halks, nakakatawang kuwento, at mga inspirational stories, dumadami rin ang mga nakikita nating negatibo sa internet. 

 

Actually po, namimiss ko na yung 4 to 5 years ago. Dahil 4 to 5 years ago, ang mga trolls ko noon ay mga masasayang trolls. Hindi mga galit na troll. Ang ginagawa nila dati, pinapalitan nila ang Wikipedia Page ko ng kung anu-anong nakakaaliw na kuwento.

 

One time, sinabi nilang ako’y isang Ninja Turtle. Ginawa na rin nila akong hip-hop dancer, master-twerker, at kung anu-ano pa. And honestly, we didn’t feel that bad about it kasi it was all done in good rumor. 

 

Unfortunately these days, grabe na ang social media. Grabe at dumami na rin ang fake news at paninira. Ang pinakamasama na dito ay noong tinawag akong terorista.

 

Pero sa totoo lang, hindi lang yan nangyayari sa mga taong nasa pulitika. Alam natin na ang ating mga kabataan ngayon, marami na ring hinaharap na negativity sa kanilang buhay. Nandyan ang mga nagsasabing: 

Hindi mo kaya!

Kalokohan ‘yan!

Wala kaming pake sa ginagawa mo!

 

In fact, just the other night nung nagdinner kami, I found out that a number of our finalists focus on mental health of the youth. Dahil napaka-grabe na ang sitwasyon ng marami nating kabataan pagdating sa kanilang mental health. 

 

I was so shocked to find out that in one of our finalists pools, in one batch that they were helping students in, more than 10% had actually tried to commit suicide. 

 

Itong negativity at napakasamang mga boses na umiiral sa ating buhay at sa online world ay talagang napakasama at kailangang labanan. 

 

But, dear friends, we cannot allow these voices to win. We cannot allow these voices to get even louder!

 

Kailangan nating isigaw at patunayan na “Kaya Natin!”

Para sa atin at sa ating mga pamilya, para sa bayan “Kakayanin Natin!”

 

Holding on to this voice of hope, especially through times of adversity, is what will make all the difference in our lives.

 

Which is why I want to share with you the story of Geraldine. 

 

Nakilala ko si Geraldine noong bumisita ang aming Libreng Kolehiyo Caravan sa Iloilo.

 

Si Geraldine ay pangatlo sa labing isang anak. At mahirap ang kanilang pamilya. 

Dahil dito, mababa ang tingin sa kanila ng kanilang mga kamag-anak. Hindi na daw sila aasenso.

 

Dahil sa hirap ng buhay, noong nag-graduate si Geraldine ng High School, namasukan muna siya sa kaniyang tiyahin.

 

Sabi ng tiyahin niya na papaaralin siya sa kolehiyo kaya umasa si Geraldine. Pero imbis na paaralin, pinagtrabaho lang siya.

 

Kaya umalis si Geraldine at nakahanap ng trabaho bilang mananahi ng mga bag. Sa kita niya, nakapag-enrol siya sa kolehiyo!

 

Pero noong kapos at kinailangan niyang umutang, hindi siya pinautang ng kaniyang amo at hindi rin siya pinautang ng kaniyang mga kaklase. Kaya ang ginagawa niya ay lumalabas siya sa kanyang eskwelahan, nagpupuyat, at bumabalik sa mga factory ng bag at ginagalingan upang makaipon at makabalik sa eskwelahan. 

 

Buti na lang, hindi nagpatalo si Geraldine sa mga boses na nega at nagsasabing:

Hindi mo kaya!

Kalokohan ‘yang pangarap mong makapag-college!

At wala kaming pake sa iyong sitwasyon!

 

Ngayon, 3rd year college na siya at ginagawa na nila ang kanilang thesis! Mas may oras na siya na mag-aral dahil Libre na ang Kolehiyo sa kanyang eskwelahan sa Iloilo! Ang dating 10,000 pesos per semester na kanyang kinakayod sa mga factory ng mga bag, ngayon ay libre na.

 

Kaya nakita natin kay Geraldine na hindi siya nagpatalo. Hindi nagpatinag at tuloy-tuloy niyang inabot ang kanyang pangarap. Sa tulong ng libreng kolehiyo, I am sure na by next year, g-graduate na siya at makakamit ang kanyang pangarap. 

 

Noong naging Chairman tayo ng Committee on Education, naisipan namin ng aming oposina na gawing prayoridad ang Libreng Kolehiyo at itrabaho ang pagpasa nito sa Senado.

Kahit noon, maraming nagsasabi na hindi kaya iyan:

“30 years na yan tinatrabaho sa senado, walang makapasa-pasa ng batas na yan”

“Masyado ka pang bata para makapagpasa ng napakalaking reporma.”

 

Napakaraming mga negatibong bagay ang binato sa amin. Pero hindi kami nagpatinag. Hindi kami nagpatalo. 

Hindi ko na lang po sasabihin kung sinu-sino, pero marami ang kumontra sa repormang ito. Ang pangunahin nilang sinasabi ay kapag libre na ang edukasyon, hindi na pahahalagahan ng kabataan ang kanilang edukasyon. Na alam naman naming hindi totoo dahil sa kuwento ni Geraldine at libu-libo pang mga kabataan na naghahangad na makapagtapos sa ating bayan.

 

Every step of the legislative process had a challenge. And until the last moment – kahit noong nasa Malacanang na at nagaantay ng pirma ng pangulo, may mga balita pa rin na ive-veto ito. 

 

Buti na lang malakas ang positivity! Hindi lang ng aming opisina, pero pati na rin ng milyun-milyong naghangad na maging batas ang repormang ito. 

 

Ang lagi naming sinisigaw: ‘Tuloy ang laban! Para sa bayan!”

 

Hanggang ngayon, kahit malakas ang boses ng paninira sa batas na ito, tinatrabaho pa rin namin sa Senado ang napakahalagang reporma na ito. Kaya sama-sama naming sinasabi na “Kaya natin at kakayanin pa natin to.”

 

Dear friends, when we sift through stories of revolutionaries and change-makers, we find that there were always critics and there were always naysayers. People who will say that you can’t do it. 

 

But the inner voice of optimism can triumph and shine through!

If Bill Gates gave up after his previous business ventures failed, we may never have had “a computer in every home.” If Steve Jobs gave up whenever his ideas were shot down, we wouldn’t have “a computer in every pocket.”

 

If Mahatma Gandhi gave up those countless times he was thrown in jail, we would never have known the power of non-violence.  If Cory Aquino believed those that said a housewife could never be president, who knows if we would have freedom and democracy today.

 

They had the willpower and a strong, hopeful voices that cut through the criticism and negative chatter to drive revolutions, drive reforms, and ultimately, create change that we want to see in our world.

 

Like them, we need to strengthen our inner voice that says, “Kaya natin! Kakayanin natin!”

 

Pero sa panahon natin ngayon, hindi na sapat ‘yun. It is simply not enough. With social media and all the negativity in our society these days, sometimes that voice can easily be overwhelmed. 

What’s the challenge for us today? Especially to the TAYO finalists? 

 

Kailan nating magtulungan. Kailan nating suportahan ang isa’t isa. We need to be that voice for others as well. 

In these times, it is not enough to strengthen our inner voice. We are called to be that voice for others. We are challenged to support each other, to support those who are doing well for our country amidst all of those voices that seek to bring us down. 

 

We need to be that voice of understanding for those who have known nothing but judgment.

 

And be that voice of confidence for those that have known nothing but disappointment.

 

Be that voice of inspiration for those who are paralized by their failures.

 

We are called to speak up, for them, and not remain silent. We are called to silence the hopeless and hateful voices that weigh so heavy on the shoulders of our young countrymen!

 

As we step out of this room and back into the dim world of critics, skeptics, and defeatists, let us become the loudest voices of inspiration.

 

Let’s use our stories of hope to weave a more joyful, more passionate, more productive Philippines!

 

Maraming salamat at magandang umaga para sa inyong lahat.

Hope in the hopeless

I’m a firm believer in the power of the youth, their idealism, and their can-do attitude. But I will concede that there is a problem.

There are young Filipinos that commit terrible crimes – robbing, doing drugs, raping, even killing.

Yes, there are Filipino children who are not only exposed to systemic violence but also perpetuate and reinforce it by joining gangs and syndicates.

But while we must acknowledge this sad reality, we must not discount the youth’s capacity to positively impact the lives of fellow Filipinos.

We must also acknowledge the youth’s remarkable ability to change their lives for the good and even make the world a kinder, better place.

These are two polar ends of the same reality and we see the full range of this spectrum in the story of Rustie Quintana.

I met Rustie a few years ago. He was part of Dire Husi, which is a youth organization in Cagayan de Oro, and at that time, he was receiving the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Award in behalf of his organization.

The members of Dire Husi use arts and crafts to give streetchildren an alternative to their vices, such as drugs and gang violence.

What’s remarkable about Rustie is that he used to be one of those kids – a true batang kalye who would sniff rugby, snatch cellphones, do petty crimes and even be involved with syndicates in Cagayan de Oro City.

He was in and out of DSWD’s program for juvenile delinquents and even landed in Lumbia City Jail before being sent to the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY).

But after years of being in and out of these institutions, he decided to make a change for himself. He decided to join Dire Husi and transform his life.

When he received the TAYO Award, he told me, “Kuya, noong ako’y nasa kalsada ng Cagayan de Oro, hindi ko po napangarap na balang araw mapupunta ako sa Malacanang at makakamay ko pa ang presidente para sa isang award para sa kabataan.”

Just recently, he graduated from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan with the course Development Communications. The icing on the cake came when Rustie Quintana’s story was featured in Maalaala Mo Kaya.

It is this story of Rustie that came to mind when I reviewed House Bill Number 2, which seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (Republic Act 9344).

This initiative pursues a lowering of the age of criminal liability from 15 years down to 9 years old.

While I am relieved the policy’s author asserted that his objective is to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents and not throw them in jail with hardened criminals or worse, the bill filed does not seem to point to that path.

If the age of criminal liability is lowered, 9-year-olds might be tried as adults and be meted the corresponding penalties in our Revised Penal Code and other special laws.

So if a 9-year-old snatches your smart phone, this child who acted with discernment could be sentenced to 6 to 12 years in prison.

The current Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act already focuses on rehabilitation more than punishment. Erring children are likely sent to a Bahay Pag-Asa where they undergo therapy and are assessed periodically to check if they have been successfully rehabilitated and whether they can rejoin society.

The Bahay Pag-Asa in Davao and Bataan come to mind as institutions that do their task of helping and transforming these children well.

Instead of lowering the age of criminal liability, why not further support the already established youth care facilities and Bahay Pagasa centers first?

Why not improve the rehabilitation programs and make these centers more effective at addressing trauma and providing alternatives to a life of crime?

Why rush into solutions that could make matters worse instead of taking the extra effort to transform these young lives for the better?

Surely there are solutions that can address our problems of criminality and still have the best interests of our children at heart.

Hindi nag-iisa si Rustie.

There are numerous young Filipinos like him who have shown that given the opportunity to change, they can become Filipinos we can be proud of. And that ability and capacity to be better, gives us hope that our country can change for the better as well.

First Published on Manila Bulletin

BIDA KA!: Kuwento ni Rustie

Mga bida, sa ilang taon kong pagsasagawa ng Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards, isa sa mga kahanga-ha­ngang tao na nakilala ko ay si Rustie Quintana.

Napakaganda ng istorya ni Rustie. Katunayan, ang kuwento niya ay naitampok pa sa isang episode ng drama series sa telebisyon.

Si Rustie ay dating batang kalye, rugby boy at nagpagamit pa bilang “courier” ng mga nagbebenta ng droga sa kanilang lugar sa Cagayan de Oro.

Dahil sa kanyang kalokohan, ilang beses naglabas-masok si Rustie sa programa ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) para sa mga juvenile delinquent.

Sandali ring nakulong si Rustie sa Lumbia City Jail at pinaamin sa kasalanang hindi niya ginawa para lang mailipat sa Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) sa Gingoog City.

Sa nasabing center, dalawang taong nanatili si Rustie at sumailalim sa rehabilitasyon. Nang makalabas, inalis lahat ang anumang record niya.

Kung nahatulan sana si Rustie sa pagiging drug courier, ang parusa sanang ipinataw sa kanya ay labin­dalawa hanggang dalawampung taong pagkabilanggo at multang P12,000 hanggang P20,000.

Paglabas ni Rustie ng center, nagsimula ang tuluy-tuloy na pagbabago ng kanyang buhay. Nakatulong din sa pagbabago ni Rustie ang isang youth organization sa Cagayan de Oro na may pangalang ‘Dire Husi’.

Tinitipon ng ‘Dire Husi’ ang mga batang kalye at tinuturuan sila ng sining upang mailayo sila sa bisyo at kriminalidad patungo sa kanilang pagbabago.

Sa tulong nito, nabago ang takbo ng buhay ni Rustie. Nakatuntong pa nga siya sa Malacañang nang igawad ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino ang parangal sa ‘Dire Husi’ bilang isa sa Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) noong 2012.

Kamakailan lang, na­balitaan kong natapos na ni Rustie ang kursong Development Communications sa Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

Kung hindi nabigyan si Rustie ng pagkakataong makapagbagong buhay, siguradong dalawang lugar lang ang kanyang kina­hantungan – bilangguan o libingan.

***

Muling bumalik sa akin ang kuwento ni Rustie ngayong umiinit na naman ang isyu ng pag-amyenda sa Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act o Republic Act 9344 as amended.

Ngayon, may mga panukalang ibaba ang age of criminal liability mula 15-anyos patungong siyam na taong gulang.

Katwiran ng mga nagsusulong na ibaba ang age of criminal liability, nagagamit ang mga batang may edad 15 taong gulang pababa sa paggawa ng krimen at nakakalusot dahil hindi maaaring kasuhan. Hindi ko mailarawan sa aking isipan ang nasabing sitwasyon.

Hindi katanggap-tanggap na ang isang siyam na taong gulang na bata ay papatawan ng parusa na para sa isang matanda.

Baka sa halip na magbagong buhay ay posibleng humantong din sa pagiging kriminal ang mga batang ikukulong kasama ng iba pang masasamang loob.

Isa pa, sa kalunus-lunos na kondisyon ng ating mga bilangguan at detention centers, baka lalo lang mapariwara ang mga batang bilanggo sa halip na magbagong-buhay.

Lalala pa ang sitwasyon kapag nagtagumpay ang mga nagsusulong na ibaba ang age of criminal liability at death penalty.

Kapag nangyari ang dalawang senaryo, posibleng kabilang sa mga bibitayin ay batang siyam na taong gulang na gagawa ng karumal-dumal na krimen kapag sila’y nilitis bilang nasa wastong gulang at hindi menor-de-edad.

***

Naniniwala tayong napakaganda ng layunin ng Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, basta’t naipa tutupad lang nang tama.

Sa halip na ikulong, ang mga batang 15 taong gulang pababa na may problema sa batas ay ilala gak sa kustodiya ng mga magulang o ipasok sa isang youth care facility o ‘Bahay Pag-asa’.

Sa ‘Bahay Pag-asa’, mabibigyan sila ng panibagong pagkakataon upang makapagbagong buhay nang walang takot at trauma na dulot ng pagkabilanggo.

Pinapatawan din ng mabigat na parusa ng Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act ang mga taong gumagamit ng mga bata sa paggawa ng krimen at ilegal na aktibidad.

Sa halip na pagtuunan ng pansin ang pagpapababa ng tinatawag na age of criminal liability, mas maiging bigyang pansin ang pagpapaganda ng pasilidad ng ating juvenile centers.

Kung mahuhubog sila at magagabayan sa tamang landas, muli silang makakabalik sa lipunan na may positibong pananaw sa buhay at malaki ang maitutulong upang maging produktibong mamamayan ng bansa.

Ganito ang eksaktong nangyari kay Rustie.

Tuwing naaalala ko ang kuwento ni Rustie, nananatiling buo ang aking pag-asa na kayang magbago ng mga kabataang naliligaw ng landas, basta’t panatilihin lang na bukas ang pinto ng pagkakataon para sa kanila.

Kung mayroon mang butas ang batas, puwedeng pag-usapan, pag-aralan at hanapan ng akmang solusyon.

Huwag tayong magpadalus-dalos sa pagkilos dahil baka sa halip na makabuti, lalala pa ang problema.

Article first published on Abante Online

Defining the Filipino Youth: Sen. Bam’s Speech During the TAYO 13 Awarding Ceremony

Magandang umaga po, mga kaibigan, mga kababayan!

To all the judges, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to listen and guide our finalists.

To the mentors who shared their insightful experiences, maraming maraming salamat!

Sa mga partners and sponsors po ng TAYO 13 Awards, maraming salamat! San Miguel Corporation, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, SMART, Lenovo Philippines – our official I.T. partner, Cebu Pacific – our official airline partner, Greenwich Philippines and Jollibee Group Foundation… Thank you for betting on the Filipino youth and supporting their initiatives to make a difference in our country.

To the multimedia arts students of the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, napakaganda po ng mga videos! Thank you for helping us tell these inspiring stories. Palakpakan po natin sila!

To the team who put it all together, to the TAYO Foundation, to the Coca-Cola Foundation, members of the National Youth Commission, and members of my team in the Senate, congratulations on another successful TAYO Awards – the 13th! Thank you for all your hard work and sleepless nights!

And, finally… a heartfelt “thank you” to our beautiful, handsome, and, hopefully, not too nervous TAYO 13 finalists – the reason we are all here today.

Our dear finalists, welcome to Malacañan Palace, the setting of the final leg of your TAYO 13 journey… so take it all in. This is it!

This year’s TAYO Awards is held at a very important time in our country’s history. This year, we will choose our leaders.

Once again, we have the opportunity to place our vote on Filipinos we believe will lift the country to greater heights, not just for ourselves, not just for a chosen few, but for each and every Filipino – especially those that are living in poverty and isolation.

With reforms creeping into the different branches of government and progress within the reach of more and more Filipinos, this year’s referendum will determine whether we continue forging forward, retreat back, or hold the fort for the next 6 years.

And for the pivotal 2016 elections, we find that the vote of the Filipino youth is critical.

Sadly, many have low expectations of young Filipinos, believing that they would be easily swayed by propaganda, entertaining memes, and catchy jingles.

There are many who are doubtful of our young men and women, thinking that a constant barrage of advertisements and the popularity of a candidate’s endorsers are all it takes to win their favor.

There are many who question the ability of the Filipino youth to make earnest and wise decisions during these conspicuous times.

A lot has been said about the youth. Marami tayong naririnig tungkol sa kabataan. At karamihan sa ating naririnig ay nega.

Pinipili raw ng kabataang Pilipino ang mag-selfie at mag-facebook magdamag imbis na pakinggan ang magulang.

 Pinipili raw ng kabataang Pilipino ang mag-DOTA imbis na mag-aral.

Pinipili raw ng kabataang Pilipino ang malulon sa droga at sa bisyo sa halip na makatulong sa pamilya.

Ito ba talaga ang diwa ng kabataan Pilipino? Does this define the Filipino youth?

Let us not forget…

It was our young Filipinos that decided to rebel against foreign conquerors using, not only the art of war, but also the sway of a mighty pen to pierce hearts and win our freedom.

It was the Filipino Youth who decided to renounce fear and raise fists full of yellow daisies to an intimidating military, overthrowing a cruel dictator and mobilizing the most graceful revolution the world has ever seen.

When there is a destructive typhoon, catastrophic earthquake, or devastating flood, it is our young men and women that choose to band together to serve those in the trenches through rescue missions and relief efforts.

Time and time again, in our country’s history, young Filipinos choose wisely, choose selflessly, and choose with the Philippines at heart.

And today, I am addressing young men and women that have chosen to create change and have decided to make history by shaping the future.

The School of Law Advocacy and Community Enrichment (SOLACE) organization has chosen to protect the rights of forgotten Filipino detainees.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, the Philippine Junior Jaycees, Inc., decided to support the livelihood of farmers by conducting seminars, distributing farming supplies, and creating a contingency fund for the residents of Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte. 

Pinoy Malkhain uses the power of creativity and entertainment to transform the lives of orphans and street children while the Kanlaon Theater Guild uses the same talent to better educate communities on disaster risk reduction and management.

Propelling our Inherited Nation through our Youth (POINTY) and I am Making A Difference (I am M.A.D.) both endeavor to mold the youth into productive members and leaders within our society.

We have the Youth Sports Advocacy Philippines Inc. using sports to instill good values and develop responsible citizens while the UP Circle of Industrial Engineering Majors (UP CIEM) hopes to develop livelihood for more Filipino families.

Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute (ECCRI)-De La Salle Araneta University developed and distributed a device to detect oncoming floods while the Instrumentation and Control Student Society’s (ICSS) invention guards against fires.

The Tobog Youth Organization drastically improved day care facilities in their barangay and students of the University of San Carlos continues to ignite the love for reading in remote public elementary schools.

UP ALCHEMES and the UP Chemical Engineering Society encourages the use of science and technology to solve societal problems while BNCHS-YECS develops entrepreneurial skills as they address the needs of their fellow students.

Keep Hope Alive enhances the living conditions of Mangyan communities in Oriental Mindoro while Youth Working for Change brings together young Filipinos from areas of conflict to provide much-needed water systems to communities in Basilan.

Finally, we have young men and women from Rebirth Outdoors Trekkers and Adventurers (ROTA) using their love for trekking to raise funds for health care while their fellow adventurers, the Tanay Mountaineers, employ charcoal briquetting to improve the health of communities while also protecting the environment.

Each and every one of you deserves a hearty round of applause!

Faced with our TAYO 13 finalists, how can one say that the Filipino youth cannot choose wisely, cannot choose selflessly, cannot choose for the country?

You, all of you, are the reason I can say to all these detractors, all the naysayers, and all those that are cynical about the Filipino youth… I can proudly say to them that young men and women from across the Philippines can make, will make, and are making better decisions for our country, for our future.

Today, I am honored to stand before the exemplars of Filipino youth.

 

Today, I am humbled to stand before young men and women that show the country, and the world, what Filipinos are made of and what every young Filipino can become.

Today, we celebrate the true spirit of the Filipino youth that is alive within each and every one of us – a bright spirit that lives deep within every Filipino, young and old.

Muli, maraming, maraming salamat sa inspirasyon! Mabuhay ang kabataang Pilipino!

 

 
 
 
 

From street child to Atenean: The story of Rusty

 

 

CLASSMATES. Rusty graduated from Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan with a bachelor’s degree in Development Communication. Rusty was a former street kid who, with sheer determination, was able to get off the street. All photos by Bobby Lagsa

 

Here is a story of how a street child, exposed to drugs and crime at a young age, went against all odds and graduated from Ateneo

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – In late 2009, 20-year-old Rusty Quintana lined up at a classroom in Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan for a shot at one of the scholarship grants that the university offered.

Though unsure that he would get a chance of entering his dream university, he queued up anyway.

Rechelle Tolinero, a faculty of the Development Communication Department at XU, said that she first met Rusty on that day for an interview for a scholarship grant. “We knew right there that he was different, that there was something about him,” Tolinero said.

Rusty was wearing his best clothes that day – though his best was an almost tattered shirt and faded pants. He did not cut his hair for a while and his thick kinky hair stood out.

A native of the Agusan river in Barangay Florida in Butuan City with lineage from the indigenous Banwahon tribe, Rusty‘s brown skin and hair is hard not to miss.

“When it was his part for the interview, Rusty was quick to point out that if possible, we converse in Bisaya because he cannot speak English,” Tolinero said.

In fact, Rusty did not finish his elementary and high school.

Rusty was only armed with a diploma from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education, a proof that he is eligible to enter college.

“But what struck us the most is his honesty and straight forward demeanor, when he came here, he had no pretentions that he knew something, or (that) he could speak English, unlike those who came before him in the queue who struggled to speak in English just to prove a point,” Tolinero said.

The kid from the streets 

Rusty Quintana shakes hand with President Noynoy Aquino as he receives Dire Husi's award as one of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in the Philippines

Rusty Quintana shakes hand with President Noynoy Aquino as he receives Dire Husi’s award as one of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in the Philippines

Rusty is a street kid who grew up outside the grand gates of Xavier University, near the historic Plaza Divisoria.

He was just 7 years old when he was plucked out of their home by his older brother, Rodolfo Quintana Jr, and was brought to Cagayan de Oro City in 1996, to get away from their troubled home.

Upon reaching Cagayan de Oro, they lived in shanties near the CDO River. There, Rusty spent his days outside the gates of XU, asking for some change and hanging out at the statue of Ramon Magsaysay.

One day, his brother disappeared. He later learned learned that he was arrested by the police on charges of drug pushing.

Rusty would soon find himself at the Mother Theresa Foundation, a shelter in Upper Puerto, where he spent almost 4 years.

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Sen. Bam Aquino’s Speech During the TAYO 12 Awarding Ceremony

Magandang hapon sa ating lahat, mga kaibigan, mga kababayan.

 

In February 1986, all of humanity watched as a peaceful revolution in our island nation called the Philippines brought democracy back to our land.

 

This revolution didn’t happen in a day; nor was it hatched by one single person. This revolution was a result of millions of voices in protest backed by concrete and non-violent action.

 

That was 29 years ago, and I was only eight years old then, but I recall being a witness and willing participant in a turning point in Philippine history.

 

Leading up to the EDSA Revolution, the winds of change were already howling.

 

And the culmination of this revolutionary energy was over 2 million Filipinos, from all ages and all walks of life, taking to the streets amid threats of military action.

 

I vividly recall eating ice buko and sharing sandwiches my family had prepared with the other protesters at the corner of Annapolis and EDSA during the four days of the People Power Revolution.

 

Along EDSA, Filipinos found common ground in their yearning for truth, justice, freedom, and, most importantly, peace. The crowd stood their ground, arms linked in solidarity, even as tanks threatened to shoot them down and run them over.

 

We offered ourselves to the Philippines – to freedom, justice, democracy, and peace.

 

That was the EDSA People Power Revolution. And the rest, as they say, is history.

 

That was 29 years ago.

 

Today, I still have that yearning, as I’m sure many of you do, to build a Philippines that honors truth, upholds justice, and creates prosperity for all, not just the chosen few.

 

And a lot has changed since the 1980s.

 

We have evolved from analog to digital, from sending postcards to photo and video messaging, from joining street protests to signing online petitions and sharing #hashtags with a cause.

 

The spirit of People Power has evolved.

 

Filipinos who are creative, innovative and resourceful have found many ways to come together to help build, and rebuild, our nation.

 

Naaalala ninyo pa ba nang nabigla tayo sa matinding pagbabaha noong bagyong Ondoy sa Mega Manila?

 

O di kaya ang mas sariwang lungkot na naranasan ng Pilipinas noong tumama ang bagyong Yolanda sa Eastern Visayas?

 

Maraming nawalan ng tahanan at kagamitan.

 

Maraming nawalan ng bahay at buhay.

 

Ngunit, hindi nabigo ang sigla ng nakararami.

 

Punung-puno ang mga unibersidad, mga basketball court, at iba’t ibang mga headquarters ng mga donasyon at volunteers.

 

Sa tuwing mayroong lindol, bagyo, storm surge o anumang trahediya, wagas ang pagtulong ng mga Pilipino – lumalabas ang diwa ng bayanihan ng bawa’t isa.

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power iyon?

 

Tuwing nagsasama-sama ang komunidad, mga magulang, mga guro, mga mag-aaral at iba pa para ihanda ang mga public schools bago magpasukan, para pinturahan ang mga bubong at dingding, linisin ang mga estero at hardin, ayusin ang mga mesa, silya’t blackboard sa Brigada Eskwela ng DepEd.

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power iyon?

 

Noong dumating si Pope Francis, kay daming Pilipino ang nagvolunteer, ilang gabing nagpuyat, napagod at nabasa ng ulan para maging maayos at makabuluhan ang pagbisita ng ating Santo Papa

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power iyon?

 

Puntahannatin ang ilang past TAYO winners.

 

Ang Hayag Youth Organization tinuruan nila ang mga kabataan sa Ormoc ng paglangoy, first aid at iba pang disaster preparedness skills.

 

At nang tumama ang Bagyong Yolanda sa kanilang lungsod, walang nasawi sa kanilang mga miyembro.

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power pa rin iyon?

 

Nandiyan din ang Dire Husi sa Cagayan de Oro. Kanilang tinipon ang mga batang kalye at tinuruan sila ng sining upang mailayo sila sa bisyo ng pag-rurugby at krimininalidad.

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power pa rin iyon?

 

At ang mga kabataang taga-Cebu na Gualandi Volunteer Service Program, kung saan umiikot sila sa kanilang lungsod na nangangampanya para protektahan ang mga PWDs laban sa diskriminasyon at pang-aabuso –

 

Hindi po ba’t People Power pa rin iyon?

 

Buhay na buhay po ang diwa ng People Power sa ating bayan at sa ating kabataan.

 

Habang mayroong mga Pilipinong nagsasama-sama, kabila ng pagkaka-iba sa paniniwala, upang isulong ang kapakanan ng mga komunidad sa Pilipinas, naroroon ang diwa ng People Power.

 

The Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards Foundation is a witness to this spirit of nation building.

 

And on the 29th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, we celebrate the youth organizations that have best exemplified People Power in our communities through the TAYO Awards.

 

On its 12th year, the TAYO Awards continues to recognize the youth’s efforts to improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos today.

 

This year alone, we received around 400 entries – each entry, a youth group’s project that contributes to the development of our country; each entry, proof that the spirit of People Power persists in the youth of today.

 

We would like to thank you, TAYO finalists, for embodying the spirit of People Power and renewing the fire of nation building!

 

You, who have made a palpable impact on society, can serve as an inspiration to even more people to join the fight for a better Philippines.

 

People Power led us to victory against an unbeatable foe in 1986.

 

Today, we oppose even more formidable and seemingly faceless adversaries like poverty, climate change, social injustice, discrimination, indifference, and even hatred.

 

Buo ang aking tiwala na gaya ng dati, kakayanin natin ang mga ito – kung sama-sama tayo, kung tayo’y magtutulungan, kung ang diwa ng People Power ay buhay sa ating lahat.

 

Maraming salamat po.

 

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Bam Hails Selfless Youth Groups for Embodying People Power Spirit

Senator Bam Aquino hailed the 20 Ten Outstanding Youth Organization (TAYO) finalists for embodying the spirit of People Power and renewing the fire of nation building.

“Today, I see that People Power is alive in our youth,” Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth, said in his speech during the 12th TAYO Awards ceremonies in Malacanang.

In his speech, Sen. Bam praised finalists for coming up with different programs and projects that help uplift conditions in the communities they live in.

“Anytime people come together to further causes that benefit the less fortunate; any time you join a group that creates change for a better Philippines, that’s People Power,” Sen. Bam said.

The senator also expressed hope that other youth organizations can draw inspiration from the 20 finalists so they can also embody the spirit of People Power and join efforts to create a more prosperous Philippines for everyone.

“It is my hope that you, who have made such a tangible and lasting impact on society, can inspire even more people to join the fight for a better Philippines,” Sen. Bam said.

“The country still needs the spirit of People Power that exists within everyone, to keep the country moving towards social justice, true freedom, and peace,” he added.

Twenty (20) youth organizations – 5 from NCR, 5 from Luzon, 5 from Visayas and 5 from Mindanao – bested 397 other entries for slots in the TAYO National Finals Week.

Sen. Bam gave special mention to Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement, whose E-Learning Centers, dubbed “Balay Kanlungan ng Karunungan”, provide far-flung communities with a free information and learning hub where they can visit and access educational materials.

 Sen. Bam also cited UP College of Medicine Phi Lambda Delta Sorority’s flagship project — Milk Matters, a regular milk letting activity that aims to ensure a safe and sustainable supply of breastmilk for the high-risk neonates of the UP-Philippine General Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PGH-NICU).

The project also seeks to empower mothers to choose breastmilk as their sole choice for their babies’ health and establish community-based milk banks to encourage breastfeeding practices via sustainable partnerships with local government units and non-government organizations.

The senator also commended the Katipunan ng mga Kabataang Santiagueno for its project that produces bio-organic fertilizer and other possible solutions to address the garbage problem of Santiago City in Isabela.

Among its project is the production of charcoal briquettes from leaves, twigs, stems and other cellulosic forest wastes. 

 The three groups were among those selected in the 12th edition of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards. Other winners were RAPID, Inc., Red Cross Youth and Junior Rescue Team, Access PYLP Alumni Association, Inc., Move This World Pilipinas Inc., Youth for Environment jn School Organization, Indigenous Youth Servant Leaders Association of the Philippines and University of San Agustin Little Theater.

The search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) is the sole award-giving body that grants nationwide recognition to youth organizations for their outstanding contributions to nation-building and development.

 The TAYO awards also honor exceptional achievements of youth groups and encourage the replication of such noteworthy and innovative efforts to solve basic problems in communities.

TAYO 12 is organized by the TAYO Awards Foundation, National Youth Commission, and the Office of Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino. It is presented by Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. and sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, SMART, SM Cares, Lenovo Philippines, Greenwich Foundation and Jollibee Group Foundation.

The 2015 Search will commence on March 30, 2015. Applications can be downloaded online via the official website www.tayoawards.net.

Sen. Bam Lauds Outstanding Youth Groups in TAYO Awards Finals

Senator Bam Aquino lauds the twenty youth organizations that made it to the national finals of the 12th Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards for their untiring efforts to address problems in their respective communities.

The National Capital Region (NCR) will be represented by Phi Lambda Delta Sorority, Children Museum and Library Inc. Junior Council Alumni Association, UP Circuit, Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement Inc., and UP Business Administration Student Council.

From Luzon, Youth for Environment in School Organization, LCNHS-Ransohan Ext, Red Cross Youth and Junior Rescue Team, CITE Youth Volunteer Group, Katipunan ng mga Kabataang Santiagueno, and Indigenous Youth Servant Leaders Association of the Philippines-Isabela made it to the national stage.

Kwaderno, Order of Asclepius, Rapid, Inc., University of San Agustin Little Theater and Youth for a Livable Cebu emerged as winners in the Visayas area finals held in Iloilo City last Nov. 9-10.

Finally, Move this World-Pilipinas Inc, ACCESS PYLP Alumni Association Inc.-ZAMBASULTA Chapter, Hearts and Brains Youth Volunteers, New Breed Special Force, and Rebirth Outdoor Trekkers and Adventurers Philippines Incorporated clinched the five spots for Mindanao after the area finals held in Cagayan de Oro.

“We laud these youth organizations for their untiring efforts and perseverance to find new solutions to solve age-old problems in their respective communities,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth and TAYO Awards co-founder.

“These TAYO national finalists have taken the initiative and went out of their way to help in the best way they can,” the senator added.

The 20 national finalists were determined after a grueling week of deliberation by a select panel of judges, led by NYC Commissioners Dingdong Dantes, Perci Cendaña, Earl Saavedra and Jose Rafael Cruz, and representatives from the TAYO Alumni, media and corporate sponsors.

“While we can only pick five groups each from NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, all the participants are already winners in their own right for effecting change in their respective communities through different programs and projects,” Aquino said.

The judging that will determine this year’s winners is tentatively scheduled on December 8-9, at the Senate Building in Pasay City.

The annual search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) is the country’s premier recognition program for youth organizations.

Since its inception in 2002, the TAYO Awards Foundation has successfully gained credibility as an institution that recognizes and supports the outstanding contributions of youth organizations to the country.

The annual TAYO Awards is organized by the TAYO Awards Foundation, Inc., the National Youth Commission, Coca-Cola Foundation and the Office of Senator Bam Aquino.

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