Unpacking Corruption to the Youth

 

“Ang atong kabataan, itisok sa ilang kasing-kasing ang kaayuhan kay anaa sa ilang mga kamot ang kaugmaun ning atong nasod” (Plant unto the hearts of the young people the goodness for they are the hope of our future), sings the chorus of the finale song of the play Alkanseng Alkansiya which was restaged last September 26, 2015, at the Valencia Gym and September 27, 2015, at the UCCP Dumaguete City Church.

 

The story of three siblings’ (Niño, Girlie and Millet) struggle to become good stewards of money started when their mother, Kapitana Honesta, left for a seminar in Bacolod, entrusting a sum of money to the eldest brother for their family needs. It chronicles how the children respond and deal with circumstances around money as the cause of and means to answer their problems. Using a modern Greek chorus embodied by the Baboy Gang, the chorus warns the children that “Daghang na baboy tungod sa kwarta!”, (Many have been corrupted because of money.) as the siblings strive their best to be honest and responsible but compromising situations led them to the misuse of the entrusted funds.

 

Alkansing Alkansiya, an all youth production that examines corruption as it manifests in the microcosm of a family setting is created as part of the Life Skills Plus Program of the Consuelo Foundation through its partner organizations, the Youth Advocates Through Theater Arts, Little Children of the Philippines and the Gender Wave Against Violence and Exploitation’s GWAVE Teen Advocates and Men Against Violence Association. The people behind the play are John Lumapay as Project Manager, Hope Tinambacan as writer and director, Jhowelyn David as choreographer, Josephine Aure as stage manager and Ritchlei Cais as sound technician.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having staged in a community and a church setting, the responses of the audience are moving as they can relate to the story, on modest instances when corruption can happen such as how to divide the bread and allowance equally which might be so small or normal for us on a family setting. Adult people not just comment on the play or relate to what is happening but gives more input for young people to be guided and the audience came to the recommendation of restaging the play on a wider venue where more people especially the youth can see and grasp the message.

 

This play also serves as a timely reminder for people in anticipation of elections and as leaders are surfacing to win the hearts of the people who shall choose the right individuals to give their trust with, as what the Baboy Gang says,  “Huna-hunaa! Hala timbang-timbanga!” (Loushan Neña Pis-an)

 

 

GOs and CSOs Converge for Life Skills–Based Youth Development Programs

 

Fourteen government agencies and civil society organizations came together for a round table discussion to share their existing programs, best practices and challenges related to ‘ Integrating Life Skills in Youth Development  last September 29 at the Bethel Guest House in Dumaguete City.

 

The discussion is part of the Consuelo Foundation Life Skills Plus (LS+) Program which seeks to reduce the vulnerability of children and youth through organizing and capacity-building. It is implemented by the Youth Advocates Through Theater Arts (YATTA) in partnership with the Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation (GWAVE) Teen Advocates, Men Against Violence of Amlan (MAVA) and Little Children of the Philippines (LCP).

 

The Project Manager of ProgramJohn R. Lumapay acquainted the participants with the realized projects and activities, such as (a) service delivery through vocational trainings, (b) community education emphasizing orientation on children’s rights and positive discipline, and skills for life sessions, (c) advocacy and network building through advocacy and community theater workshops, & (d) capacity-building activities like leadership, facilitation skills, trainers’ training, peer counseling and youth camp.

 

In an interview with the LCP Project Administrator, Ms. Carmenia J. Benosa stated, “The LS+ Program is very beneficial especially if you are working with children and youth from different walks of life. In the shelter, we will be able to use all the methodologies incorporated in the module; equip the youth so that even when they leave LCP, they would have become well-functioning individuals of the society.”

 

Participants to the round table discussion included representatives

from the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Dumaguete City

and Negros Oriental, TESDA VII, Department of Labor and Employment

(DOLE) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of Negros

Oriental, Valencia and Dumaguete City Social Welfare and Development

(CSWD), Visayan Forum, Kalauman Development Center, Casa Cittadini,

Casa Esperanza and Casa Miani.

 

Mr. Adolf P. Aguilar, DepEd NegOr Assistant Chief expressed his hopes

beyond the meeting,  “I envision that every youth-providing institution

in Negros Oriental shall work together and help each other so that we

can build a better state of the Negrense youth. If we collaborate then

we could assure a better future for them.” (Rojan B. Talita)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Seasons of Emotions: Musings

 

The fruits of all the plans made by the Production Design (PD) pool have finally been picked. This proves that the PD Pool, despite its small size, is taking action in making each of its members to become a better, if not, the best version of themselves as visual artists.

 

One of our planned activities is to have these paintings be brought to life. We met up one Saturday, 8th of August at the YATTA Creative Space and drenched our hearts, minds and hands with the colors of our assigned task without letting each other see one's work until everybody's done. We called it the element of surprise! 

 

As for me, the four-season concept symbolizes the journey we tackle every day, the continuous change of shades and tints of the society and of how we adopt to the hues of every season that creates the rainbow of our lives.

 

As an art enthusiast, the idea of making my own painting excites every cell of my body just as a flower blossoms in the morning sun, waking up from the cold frost - full of life and hope. The excitement grew and extended to branches of aspirations with the colors of the orange summer sunset. But having little knowledge on painting, including which brush to use in every stroke or which paint to use, I found myself staring on a starless night sky drained by overthinking. However, just before the bright colors of autumn faded, I put my best foot (or hand) forward to do the art I longed to call as my own.

 

“Take this as an advice, whatever you are feeling right now, do not overthink. Just put your heart into what you are doing,” Rojan said to me while he was also busy with his artwork. He might not know this, but it helped me get through the day and get over my fears, as my hands started to get dirty with paint smears.

 

A bit hesitant to let them see my work, I placed it next to theirs when I was finished. Everyone roared with high spirits while I was smiling in silence as my heart started to cry for a job well done. Everything went well, and the four seasons of emotions exploded like confetti.

(Ruby Jane Briones)