midsy's posts with tag: anti-poverty summit
 Taken from the "sub" story mentioned from the previous blog.
The 1st Provincial Anti-Poverty Summit in Eastern Samar came to a close at around three this afternoon.
So what? Allow me to give a "front seat" perspective on the things that transpired on the two-day meet. Bear an open-mind, take a seat and chill.
Photo op: making a mark. I signed a pledge of commitment in behalf of our organization. This could've been you PUMski, and/or Brother TORPD. haha. Right beside me is the head of VSO here in the Philippines. (What's his face? I forgot his name. I'm sorry:/ )
how did this happen again?
between ten and eleven pm on the 7th of November, i got a message from our manager...
"mids, gusto mong mag-attend ng Summit? i'll leave the invitation on your table."
what will i do there? participant lang po ba? what time does it start?
"yup. wala namang kailangang presentation. mag-aattend lang. i think mga 830. check the invit."
okay, i'll attend. thanks for the info:)
(as if pwedeng tumanggi diba? of course i didn't say that to his face. silly, self-talk yan. teehee. )
so there. that's how everything started. i was told to attend in behalf of our organization .
i honestly didn' t feel like going cause i wouldn't want to burn a hole in my chair, seated restlessly. but i already said yes, and maybe, being there could be a privilege(?).
thank God the pre-summit didn't start at 8am. even if i had to get up earlier than usual because i thought it would, it's still a breather that the actual confie's gonna start after lunch. which means, i could still spend my valuable time on FAR MORE important things...
the clocked ticked one. dragged myself out of my desk to head for the Provincial Capitol. why do i feel so lethargic? is this because of the vacay blues? snap out of it, you should be on work-mode now, dearie!
and so i was there, seated amongst those labeled NGOs/POs. looking around, i can see that there are indeed several distinguished people as attendees. man, this summit was bigger than i thought. did i feel a tad out-of-place? perhaps, but well, i have to suck it in. i'm already here to begin with.
i'm not gonna give you the nitty-gritty on the things that transpired on the two-day activity. 'cause i might bore you to sleep, and you wouldn't understand things i'd say anyway. but to put things in a nutshell. they practically gave a situationer. how's the province in terms of the poverty-meter and the 13+1 (basic) indicators that call for it. sounds promising.
i felt a surge of hope mixed with tons of cynicism flow through me. well, it's a good take that they're FINALLY focusing on the RIGHT STUFF. seeing the basic social services as a means to alleviate poverty, instead of focusing on hardware - infrastructure support that is synonymous to bagging loads of each taxpayer's hard-earned money. yes, i speak in spite because i feel strongly about tax and the issues underlying it.
i sat there with much thought. i do hope that they would put these things into flesh. this would make everyone's lives easier. thank God that the Local Chief Executives (aka Municipal Mayors) were there. thank God that they had to see the harsh realities in their respective localities. thank God that they got alarmed with the "figures" shown by the (recently collated) survey. and yes, even if they'd want to defend the flashed facts, the hard truth speaks for itself. (buti naman at natatamaan rin pala kayo ng kahihiyan. so ano naman ang sunod niyong rekurso?) i pray to our Good Lord, that these LCEs would step up and REALLY do something to reduce poverty. that's their responsibility, that's the reason why they're seated where they are. mahiya naman kayo sa balat niyo.
well, honestly, the summit was nothing new to me. them identifying the issues, trying to flesh out interventions. thinking of ways forward. setting goals and targets inlined with the MDGs, a better Eastern Samar by 2015. steps i could even think of in my slumber. we practically breath, eat, and live that in development work. kulang na lang masuya ako or masuka, sa paulit-ulit na proseso.
yes, that's how things are in the "path" i'm currently taking. and i know that i don't have the right to complain. i'm still a toddler in this, learning the process and all. but what's my point exactly? funny how we know what to do, but still we opt not to do it. well, if people are kind enough, they'd do halfofit. but in doing things partially, still, the goal won't be achieved. we would still be the same poverty-stricken country come sundown. IF ONLY, we would all get on and move to finish things. sigh.
i skeptically snorted at every remark i heard from those at the government. man, i even sat beside someone who's from the same field, yes, a government worker indeed. and yes, she was as skeptical as i am. IF ONLY they'd do things as they say they would...IF ONLY.
the whole two-day affair was promising. i just hope that we could collectively put our hearts and hands into it. making those wishes and dreams a reality. sure, no one wants to be forever stuck in this mud called poverty. shove those vested interests aside. won't you feel better knowing that everyone (yes, even that twit lurking in the street) is able to meet his family's most basic needs? i still believe that the Philippines is not entirely poor, it's just that resources are not equally allocated. if only each one could have a share of that "heaven"... then everyone would be happy.
will this day ever come? let's all pray that it would.
and yeah, we all have to act on it too..
and so i digress: AAACCCCK. I DIDN'T MEAN FOR THAT TO BE THAT SERIOUS. I GUESS I JUST GOT SO OVERWHELMED...
on a lighter note, i'll share a weird yet unexpected experience i had during that summit...
one of the organizers approached me and asked if i could speak a pledge of commitment in behalf of our org. and shakily replied with an uncertain "sure".
shuuuucks. i've never been this nervous. i was scared.
me, a twenty-something lady would speak before everyone who's almost twice my age (and older). people who were brewed with work experience, leading their various fields, would listen to a "child"?
good Lord, what have i gotten myself into?!?
but there's no turning back. this is a privilege. a rare chance.
i should own this, and exude (faux) confidence.
kaya ko rin to. aja!
I bet they were stunned to see the little me stand amidst the crowd as i was called by the emcee. i was shaking, i can feel my muscles trembling. i thought i already overcame stagefright, can't let this eat me up.
And so i spoke. in fluent english, with the foreign twang. (haha. i need not say that, i know)
"In behalf of our manager (who is in bangkok-haha, of course I didn't say that), we at...blahblahblahblah..."
and capping it off with,
"We can't say that we would be here forever, and finish the Province's goal by 2015. But we would still be here until each child has reached his full potential." - i know. the statement that's so tacky in our organization's lingo. but they wouldn't know right?
and everyone was floored.
and i left the mic, with a light head. i couldn't even remember the exact words i uttered. but i know that people who knew me (well, yeah there were some who did) were proud that i completed the task. it feels good actually. i faced the challenge and completed it with a huge smile on my face. it was elating. i love it. i'm starting to like public speaking more and more.
ayos.
and of course, i quickly channeled the whole ordeal to our dear manager...
(yes, this is the verbatim version. forgive the gay lingo etc)
me: Pumski, pinagsalita ako ng commitment chorla. Nakakakaba pala. First time kong manginig. Cyempre usual chenes... CCCD and commitment to areas, waaaah. sharing lang.
bosing: Wahahaha! Ayosss! Syempre, major impact ka. The youth speaks amidst the oldies, ehehe.
me: Mismo. Wahahaha. and as usual, brief and straightforward. pero promise, kakaibang kaba, ganun pala yun. Pero pumski, nakakairita kasi yung mga iba, very particular about distinction, title etc. wahaha.
bosing: Dapat you also insisted to be addressed as the Hon. (my whole name). whahahahaha! e di kinailangan mong i-acknowledge all those present before your speech? :)
me: I didn't na, hindi naman ginawa ng lahat. Sinabi ko na lang, "in behalf of our program unit manager, state name, who is bangkok" wahaha. sosyal.
bosing: Sosi talaga. hehe. Nandyan c GMA?
me:nandito na siya kaya minadali ang program. Grabe ang mga tao, OA kung ma-rattle. Im gonna blog about this experience. whahaha.
bosing: Look forward to reading that, hehe. Front seat perspective. :)
me: mismo. sana masulat ko ng maayos. Haha. mixed emotions ako dito e. Abangan...
at dyan nagtatapos ang aking karanasan.
front seat perspective sa isang milestone, activity sa probinsya ng eastern samar.
sana hindi sumakit ang mga mata niyo sa pagbabasa.
worth-read naman diba?
aminin niyo, nag-enjoy kayo ^.^
 The recently concluded 1st Provincial Anti-Poverty Summit was held at the Provincial Capitol in Borongan City, Eastern Samar on November 8-9, 2007. Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo graced the event, as the keynote speaker in its culmination.
Aack. drop the crap. i don't mean to make this into a "journalistic" entry, acting as if i was one of the press who actually went there to cover the event. Let me have a take that is different. As a citizen, who used to be semi-nonchalant about the world. (are you saying that you're suddenly "involved" now?) I didn't really have to be here in the first place - a sub, yes that's what i was 'cause my superior had to go somewhere (more?) important. a whole different story right there...
well, in the natural way of things, i had to "follow orders". it's not that i'm doing this disdainfully, but i just felt that my presence would be irrelevant anyway. but yeah, i kept my word and spent a day and a half in attendance to the summit. (i'm gonna write more about that in another entry, wait for it.)
i'd say that i had an emo-mix in being there. hope and cynicism rushed through my veins. like a child waiting for the rain to stop or counting sleep before a family outing, i sat there restless. i guess my "marshmallow" was the fact that i could see THE PRESIDENT in the flesh, is that "reward" enough?
funny how everyone was rattled when they heard "she just landed". the summit's closing program was cut short. just because HER EXCELLENCY got to the place earlier than expected. (and yes, i know that the more i bash, the more i'd put myself into trouble. so what?) yeah, it's a given that people would act the way they did. excited, nervous, anticipating. it's not everyday the country's TOP LEADER would go all the way to faraway land to talk for less than an hour. yeah, she awarded "grants" to selected areas as funds for their projects. Having done that was great honor for the whole province. (i could just imagine those selected few who were able to shake her hands. bet they won't wash them for days.)
was i thinking out loud? was that uttered in spite? envious cause they were that close, they got that close? why? 'cause the closest i got was a mere three-to-five meter distance. at the back of the stage? so much for connections. well, i got "locked" inside the capitol building. was too lazy to get out of the room, 'cause of the sun's scorching heat outside the grounds. well, that's what i got for delaying everything. and if it were not for the uberly strict guards, i would've taken a good photo of HER. (way better than the one i posted, and yeah, you should've seen my other snap, a tiny WOMAN in light blue. HER BACK facing me. and huge images of a Mr. Striped Shirt and Ms. Shiny Hair. how's that for a mental picture?)
so i just recant images of her from memory. man, they were way waaaay better i tell you. close glimpses of the President. she was thisclose, and yet too far at the same time. damn you, PSG. (well, i know they were just doing their job. but it's not like i'd take her soul with one good photo op!)
guard:"mam, bawal pong mag-picture."
me: "eh, kasali naman ako sa summit ah." (shows my ID to his face)
guard: "okay lang naman po sana, kaso wala sticker ang camera niyo."
me: ampf. (i didn't want to push it, he had a point. pero sayang pa rin.)
like a child in disappointment, i went home with a half-heart  .
the only reason i stayed in the afternoon program was the "chance" i thought i'd have to have a good photo of HER EXCELLENCY.
so much for my goal right?
but still, it's the experience that mattered.
like i said, it's not everyday that you'd get to see the President in person.
and i was thisclose to it...
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