BAHANDI: MONEYging in Time of Crisis

COVID-19 Takeover

Life seemed to have stopped as the COVID-19 pandemic took over the past five months. Empty streets, closed establishment, and crowded hospitals happened to be the sad reality. Everybody has been affected. The most evident problems include the Philippine’s unemployment rate which set record high as businesses are forced to close, access to education had also been limited as schools are forced to go online, and mental health issues have been proliferating as people are forced to self-quarantine and adapt to these unexpected conditions, isolating themselves from others. 

Bills are continuing to pile up while sources of income are cut down. Families are experiencing difficulties and parents, or the head of each household now has this question in mind: “How will we survive each day?”. How do we go about this “New Normal”, what can we do, how do we utilize our resources, what are alternative sources of income, and how do we budget and allocate our savings? These are some of the critical questions which encompass the sustainability of households today. 

Financial Management Webinar For All

The Legal Management Community Development with the Communication Arts Students'  Association launched, “BAHANDI: MONEYging in Time of Crisis,” a Financial Management webinar intended for the parents of the Ministry of Urban Poor. This online project is a part of the AB Community Development’s initiative: “ABCD- Alalay Buhay sa COVID: Damayan sa Pamayanan.” The aim of the webinar is to help parents manage, maximize, and utilize their resources to promote responsible saving and spending. 

The webinar despite being a pre-recorded video to be given to the partner community for viewing was also broadcasted live using Zoom meeting and everyone was enjoined to participate. The facilitators created a publication material and shared the meeting link on their Facebook page UST Legal Management Society to open the discussion to others since the subject matter of Financial Management during these times is necessary to all. The event featured Asst. Prof. Alain Jomarie G. Santos, PHD, CPA. He is a tenured faculty member at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters where he currently teaches Accounting, Economics, Computer Applications, Business and Management and Research subjects. He earned his MBA and Accounting Degree both from the University of Santo Tomas and PhD in Economics from the UST Graduate School where he successfully defended his dissertation titled “Economic Resiliency Model for Floating Communities: Disaster Mitigation in the Philippines.” He is the best fit for the financial management talk, indeed! 

The online seminar was hosted by Maria Bettina Erquiza from the Communication Arts Student Association. The program started by a thanksgiving prayer led by Emmyli Sison, the auditor of the LM Society. It was formally opened by the head of the LM Community Development, Aanaan Singh, with her opening remarks. Finally, the speaker began his talk by discussing the current situation amidst COVID-19 and how this pandemic reveals a long standing financial-crisis. Furthermore, he gave the economic and social effects of these conditions and further elaborated on who would be seriously impacted by the crisis. He then moved on to the main part of his talk which highlighted the “10 Practical Ways to Manage the Pandemic Financial Crisis.” 

1.     Don’t lose sight of cash; 

2.     Prepare to be unemployed or underpaid; 

3.     Do not fall into Debt Trap; 

4.     Make a list of assets you can liquidate; 

5.     Learn to trade off some long term for immediate goals; 

6.     Do not speculate of gamble on things; 

7.     Check on new opportunities, alternatives work and develop skills; 

8.     Spend primarily on essential things;

9.      Keep questioning your purpose and your contribution; and

10.  Pray,pray, and pray. 

At the end of the talk, the speaker entertained some questions. This Q&A portion was open to all participants of the video. The session concluded with a closing remark from Khalilla Yayen, co-head of LM Community Development Committee and a closing prayer from James Pichay, external vice president of the LM Society. 

New Normal in Conducting Community Development Projects 

Community development projects given these times cannot be implemented directly in communities given these trying times but this did not hinder the organizations to maximize the use of online platforms to reach out to the partner community and at the same time, the people all over the social media. Webinar is already a great medium to aid in what the community needs. Spearheading these types of project need careful planning and good coordination between the persons involved. To aid you in doing one, be mindful for the following tips:

• Before executing the actual video session, one must be mindful of the responsibilities and communication with members and contingency plans for technical difficulties, especially when conducting live activities. 
• The team must anticipate and be prepared to adjust to any problems or situations which may arise during implementation especially since it is given that not everyone can afford a gadget and connection in the Philippines is not that good or not accessible in all places.
• The organization can also ask ideas from the coordinators of the community regarding projects which they need to be implemented using online platforms while still abiding by safety guidelines during these times. 
•  It is good to be literate in the app or software you are navigating or at least tap someone who is. Be knowledgeable of the features. 
• For video recording, we have experienced that it is good to have 2 persons responsible for this. These point persons must also have 2 gadgets with them or they must know how to multi-task such as monitoring the video from their laptop and having their phone open for messages and communication with the rest of the team.
• It is also suggested that the people involved in the program do a test run of the script, program flow, and video a day before or hours before the actual session. 
• While on the actual webinar, remind the participants to mute their audio and video to be able to hear the speakers clearly and smoothly without distractions which would be coming from the live audience. This lessens the chance for interruption and problems from participants.
• Furthermore, make sure to check your audio, visuals, and screen sharing presentation. 
• For file storage and sharing, make sure that your device has enough space for the memory of the video.
• If this video is to be shared, one can use Google Drive to upload the content and share it to others.
•  If the file is too big, it is suggested to trim videos and remove unnecessary parts for convenience.
•  Opening the floor for a Q&A segment allows an interactive engagement with your audience.
•  It is advisable to prepare on how you would be taking questions for this portion.

Conducting a live webinar and recording is a good idea for online projects. If one opts to do a live webinar while recording it, the above-mentioned suggestions should be taken into consideration. To emphasize, the test-run is a must. This allows you to have an initial view of how the program will go. This also allows the persons handling the recording to know how to control the features during the video.

Helping communities is definitely a challenge today but nevertheless, definitely doable. We can still extend a helping hand to those in need using different platforms and medium which are available today. Proper coordination, communication, and teamwork can lead to fruitful projects without placing anyone at risk. The lessons gathered from this webinar could gradually help families adjust to the current conditions we are experiencing. We might be physically apart, but we are together in empowering and uplifting each other during these difficult times. 

After all, the Legal Management’s BAHANDI: MONEYging in Time of Crisis was a total success and they can’t wait for their community, the Ministry of Urban Poor to be able to learn something and effectively adapt it in their “new normal” lives. With the help of their coordinator, Asst. Prof. Ronald M. Castillo, M.A, everything went smooth. 

Pilosopiya Para sa Masa - Going Down from our Ivory Tower

The poverty of Philosophy in the Philippines is a real deal. No one can deny the fact that not all are familiar with the discipline, only the academics, erudite, and professionals are spared from such. This urgent need leads us to the conceptualization of Pilosopiya Para sa Masa, an endeavor where everyone can get access and understanding of the greatness offered by philosophy. As a community development project, our task is to share the various aspects that are concerned with philosophy, enabling the beneficiaries to think for themselves and help them in their proper decision making, having a positive attitude, and hoping for what one can do. There is a reason why we chose Healing Path as our partner community, it is because we do believe that philosophy can offer hope to the lives of the people under Healing Path Foundation. In partnership with the Artlets Student Council (ABSC), we are eager enough to conduct the project by means of implementing the community of inquiry and a set of processing activities.

During our ocular visit on July 14, 2020, we were introduced to the house rules of the community and what do they expect us to teach and share with them. The community requested us to focus on topics of the importance of family, values, and hope against trying times. We are set to conduct it on January 22, 27, and 29 of 2020. During our first day of implementation, Zeus Suazo (Community Development Head of UST Concilium Philosophiae) gave the introductory remarks for the series of projects. It is immediately followed by the video presentation that would stimulate the beneficiaries’ thoughts on the subject matter. Afterward, we grouped them into 4 for the focus grouped-discussion and the implementation of the community of inquiry. The community of inquiry aims to strengthen the critical thinking of each beneficiary, asking them questions and letting them reflect and think for themselves. This was the central part of the project, where we share the value of philosophy as we qualify each of their questions. In order to help them in applying the reflections that they have embodied for themselves, we offered them processing activities that would enable them to see the relevance of philosophy in their actual lives. These include a pen and paper worksheet and the freedom fall. These were the cycle of programs that happened also in the second day. Some of the other volunteers include Lorenz Layao (President of UST Concilium Philosophiae), Mikaela Avelino (Community Development Head of UST Concilium Philosophiae), Paolo Manuel (VP External of Artlets Student Council), etc. We were also accompanied by some of the faculty of the Department of Philosophy like Mrs.Marella Bolaños and Ms. Gian Agbisit. Unfortunately, we were not able to finish the last phase of the project due to the sudden unavailability of our accompanying faculty for the third day, this was followed by the indefinite suspension of all off-campus activities in the University in view of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite this unfinished project, we still managed to learn from our beneficiaries and inculcate in them the kind of hope that they need especially in their situation. 

Perhaps, as philosophy majors and student volunteers, we can think of Hannah Arendt, a political theorist, and philosopher who believes that everyone has the capacity to begin again and resolve himself/herself against his/her past mistakes.  This gives us hope that whatever has transpired in Healing Path is a concrete sign of the affirmation that human beings will always have the capacity to begin again and our understanding and forgiveness will truly matter. Indeed, we brought Healing by going down from our ivory tower.

                                  Zeus Suazo giving the introductory remarks for the project

                                 Lorenz Layao stimulating the thoughts of the beneficiaries

          

                                    Volunteers' Photo-Op after the first day of the project

                                                 together with Mrs. Marella Bolaños      

                    

                               Ocular Visit of Paolo Manuel, Alyandra Ressurecion, and Mikaela Avelino

Project Implementors:

    Christian Zeus S. Suazo (UST Concilium Philosophiae - Community Development Head)

    Mikaela D. Avelino (UST Concilium Philosophiae - Community Development Head)

    Paolo Jericho D. Manuel (UST Artlets Student Council - VP External)

    Joe C. Todaka (UST Artlets Student Council - Community Development Head)

                                           

Wikang Yaman: Kuwento at Kuwenta 2020

WIKANG YAMAN: KUWENTO AT KUWENTA

(Treasure Languages: Stories and Relevance)

  UST-ELSSOC's Advocacy Project

WYKK 2020 official poster

    In January, the first-ever treasure language storytelling event in the Philippines and Asia happened for the second time this year as an extension of UNESCO's International Year of Indigenous Languages. Still upholding its advocacy to preserve and connect indigenous languages and celebrate the beauty of our diverse culture, this event spearheaded by the English Language Studies majors of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) titled, “Wikang Yaman: Kuwento at Kuwenta” (WYKK) delivered timeless stories of local fiction and lore. Storytellers from different local provinces with distinct native languages shared their culture's stories in their mother tongue before interpreting them to English. This year's theme is known through its tagline, “Embracing Languages Through Enchanting Stories.” 

    Just like our first show last year, the event was broadcast and promoted on various social media platforms. Media partners, such as the Inquirer.net, and When In Manila, covered the event along with the university’s very own TomasinoWeb, and The Varsitarian, among others. These avenues were very valuable when it came to spreading the word about the event and the need to recognize and celebrate indigenous languages, especially in these modern times.

    There were three main languages or mother tongues spoken in the event: Chavacano, Ilocano, and Bikolano. Jecelie de la Rosa and Jazzel Zairelle Sta Teresa returned for the second time and narrated the stories “Legend of Maria Cristina Falls" and the “Legend of Ibalon,” respectively. The event also featured new storytellers. Clary Sunga, an Ilocano storyteller, told the legend of “Sirena" (Mermaid). Asst. Prof. Abigail Pagalilauan, a well-known foreign language professor at the same university, told a children’s story called “Duwa nga Aso" (Two Dogs). Assoc. Prof. Ralph Galan then shared in prose and poetry using the Bikolano language.

Clary Sunga telling the fascinating Ilocano story "Sirena" (Mermaid).

Jazzel Sta Teresa narrating Chavacano's famous Legend of Ibalon.

From left to right: Adrianne Milla (Executive Producer), Zoey Magat (Host),

Storytellers Clary, Jecelie & Jazzel, Kyla Discallar (Host), and Andrea Bello (Producer).

Mrs. Pagalilauan bringing the Ilocano children's story "Duwa nga Aso" to life.

Mr. Ralph Galan sharing his delightful prose and poetry in Bikolano.

    Esteemed guest speakers gave an introduction to the history of the Philippine languages that included the ancient writing system ”Baybayin.” It was discussed by Ms. Russell Irene Lagunsad, who also gave the audience a short, interactive activity about it. The flaws and importance of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education in rural areas, and the effects of endangered indigenous languages, were also featured in the discussion by Thomasian Professor, Mr. Jonathan Geronimo. He also emphasized the value of access to free education for the poor.

Mr. Jonathan Geronimo on the importance of language:

"Ang wika ang ekspresyon, identidad at puso ng bansa. Ito ay karapatang pantao. Mahalaga ang papel na ginagampanan nito upang patuloy tayong maging malaya at sumusugo sa lipunan na wala dapat naiiwan." 

Ms. Russel Lagunsad's fun interactive discussion about Baybayin.

    The preparation for the event, as for many others, was hectic. However, the event turned out to be successful and heartwarming. The production team worked together well, and the photos are a testament to how much the audience loved the show. Nothing compares to the feeling of fulfillment that remained when the team, and our audience, shared their appreciation for our local languages.

    Audience feedback included one participant describing the event as “a great learning experience.” Another audience member said the activity, whereby the audience was asked to write their names using the ancient Baybayin script, was “fun” and “fascinatingly different.” We felt this new interactive experience gave the audience a sense of camaraderie and was a cool way of appreciating our indigenous languages for young audiences.

    

    As the event came to an end, with every effort to connect our diverse cultures in a time where ignorance in preserving indigenous heritage has been a major conflict, this sense emerged among everyone present: that Philippine languages can be rightly sustained through recognition and celebration. The theme of the event, which centered on enchanting folklore and legends, truly helped evoke excitement about learning and listening to other languages that reflect our identity and culture.

Indeed, it was a great event to have witnessed the beauty and diversity of our languages. Another year of WYKK, another year of connecting cultures and celebrating our indigenous languages today, and forevermore.

Relive WYKK 2020's enchanting moments with this special video highlights, click here!

PHOTOS BY: WYKK Documentation Team, Leanne Baldelovar and Deojon Elarco

Event Details:

VENUE: Thomas Aquinas Research Center (TARC) Auditorium, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

DATE: 21 January, 2020

FORMAT: Seminar-style, with morning and afternoon sessions

LANGUAGES: Chavacano, Ilocano, Bicolano, Filipino, English

Production Team:

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Adrianne Milla

PRODUCER

Andrea Bello

DIRECTOR

Kassandra Salanguit

Co-Directors:

Agatha Emocling

Ghayle Noche

CREATIVES

Head: Beatrice Adiao

Eriz Parazo

Eazel Herrera

PUBLICITY

Head: Dei Jai Otamias

Leo Pua

Roxarl Manzano

MARKETING

Heads: Janica Recuenco, Rogemir Rotoni

Brittany Kirsch

Kristina Santos

Duffny Santos

TECHNICAL

Head: Jay Disimulacion

Kenneth Dizon

Jomari Tabuzo

PROPS

Head: Nicole Menzon

Daniel Juanga

DOCUMENTATION

Head: Jasmin Villanueva

Kathleen Adduru

Jaztine Sunga

Jirah Rosario

Jeremy Comia

Miguel Muñas

Maricar Sabiduria

Faithfulness Balce

STAFF

Chief of Staff: Janina Ramos

Christine Dalogdog

Marikah Forro

Michaela Gerona

Regine Partisala

Samantha Prats

Kiya Undan

Bernadette Syjueco

Keanah Ycasas

HOSTS

Kyla Discallar

Robert Magat


More on Wikang Yaman: Kuwento at Kuwenta 2020:

WYKK Official Facebook PageWYKK Official Twitter Page

In Time Of Need: Contribution of the Artlets Student Council and the Artlets Community for the Victims of the Taal Volcano Eruption Through Tulong Tomasino

    Last January 12, the Taal Volcano in Batangas, erupted spewing ashes across Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and parts of Central Luzon and Ilocos Region. As a result, many families have evacuated from their homes due to the unlivable conditions of their areas. The University, with its influence and power wishes to extend its hands to the victims of the Taal Volcano Eruption through the Tulong Tomasino Donation Drive. Tulong Tomasino is a donation drive of the University of Santo Tomas led by the UST Simbahayan Community Development Office and conducted by the Thomasian students. 

    Considering the urgency of these donations, the Artlets Student Council, alongside the Central and other Local Student Councils, after getting the green light by the University and being guided by the AB Community Development (ABCD) Office, right away conducted the Tulong Tomasino Donation Drive whereby instructs the Artlets community to prepare a Tulong Tomasino box which comprises of food items, and hygiene and medical kits while the monetary donations will immediately proceed to the Lipa Archdiocese Social Action Center (LASAC). Items must be properly labelled with the donor’s year, section and major. To hasten the process of collecting donations, the Artlets Student Council advised the Societies to delegate tasks to their officers in order to accomplish them efficiently. With this set up, the Council was able to receive all donations from the Artlets community by January 24. When all the Tulong Tomasino boxes have been dropped off at the lobby of St. Raymund’s building, the Council, alongside the ABCD, then sends it off to the Simbahayan office to finally be given to the Lipa Archdiocese Social Action Center. 

"It is in times of crisis that good leaders emerge." -Rudolph W. Giuliani

PUBLICATION MATERIALS CONTAINING DETAILS ON THE

TULONG TOMASINO DONATION DRIVE

PUBLICATION MATERIAL SHOWING GRATITUDE TO

THE ARTLETS COMMUNITY FOR THEIR DONATIONS