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"Outside the will of God, there's nothing I want. Inside the will of God, there's nothing I fear."-Tozer

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CSRGOVE Experience

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” -Maya Angelou

Although the term is ending, I couldn’t help but remember the smiles that our class was able to put on the faces of those people we partnered with from TOPS. It may seem like a small thing to others, but indeed the even the little details can mean a lot. I was inspired by the handmade products from TOPS that I have decided to buy. Last December 1, 2016, I approached them and told them that I am interested in buying their product (Chicken Organizer). They told me that they will be coming back to DLSU on December 15 for a seminar. They stated that they would be able to bring the product I wish to buy along with them on that day. It’s really fulfilling knowing that you are buying useful items for a good cause. That’s how I felt when I talked to them. I realized that even after I graduate, I still want to be involved in volunteering work and NGOs. Seeing people happy makes me extremely happy too. I guess it is something I am passionate about. I want to continue seeing kids and adults alike smiling because of the work we do and the effort we put in. It is a priceless sight. Somehow, it makes one appreciate the beauty of service.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” -Harriet Tubman

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Project Implementation

Last November 25, 2016, our CSRGOVE class (K38) implemented its project at TOPS along with the other CSRGOVE class (K37) around 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM. Although we were only there for a short while, I enjoyed it and I am sure the kids did also. 

I heard the amazing voices of the teens in TOPS. I was shocked at first because almost all of them willingly sang in front of us as part of their “introduce yourself” activity which included a “talent” portion. A lot of Filipinos are truly gifted with a wonderful voice. I also saw the younger kids playing around and singing to the beat of “It’s so nice to be happy, sha-la-la...” I have always enjoyed being with the kids. Their smiles are truly priceless.

This short journey with TOPS truly opened my mind to the problems small NGOs face and sustainability is one of them. A transfer of management is also crucial of every business because values and goals may eventually change. How can one maintain the enthusiasm that the founder practiced?

Although there are many questions that are unanswered for TOPS, I pray that our visit did make an impact on them - that our ideas would be of good use to them so that they may continue operation. I believe in the vision and mission of TOPS and I hope they would continue to believe in themselves too.

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Lasallian Mission Volunteers Formation

I attended this seminar called Lasallian Mission Volunteers Formation last November 18,2016 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It was a seminar and at the same time, a workshop that tackled mental health. OCCS taught us the causes and the triggers of depression. They explained the results of a survey they conducted last year on the freshmen.

It is important to be mindful of others. Physical health is given much importance and is addressed by most social responsibility acts, mental health should also be just as important.

We all tend to be busy that we end up missing out the symptoms of depression exhibited by the people around us. Now, with all the incidents that happened, I really pray that people will find the heart to take mental health issues seriously.

For those who would like to spot people with depression and reach out to them: Observe. Initiate Contact. Clarify your role. Listen objectively- give them enough time to express their thoughts and feelings. Offer support and assistance. Know your limits. Don’t try to solve all their problems, nor should you point out all of their mistakes. Most of the time, they already know what is wrong. What they yearn for is support and someone who can reassure them - someone who cares.

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Lasallian Mission Week

So many things have happened for the past week and I am honestly so tired already. But despite all the stress we are all facing, there’s always something ahead that it worth looking forward to.

It’s the Lasallian Mission Week. I didn’t give much attention to last year’s Lasallian Mission Week, that is why this year, I have decided to be more active. I will be joining the Parada ng Misyon on Wednesday and I will also be attending the Lasallian Mission Volunteers Formation on Friday.

Whenever I hear the word “mission”, it always reminds me of one of my long-term goal/dream: to become a missionary. It may sound cheesy but God gave me so much and the least I could do is give it back through reaching out to others.

De La Salle University has given me so many opportunities to reach out, that is why I have come to love this university. I will not take these chances for granted. Being able to see and experience so much of what is happening in our country is priceless, but at the same time, it is in vain if I don’t do anything about it. As early as now, I want to plan on how I can help the society in a sustainable manner. This is not something I take lightly, it is something I really want to do.

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Giving Back

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” ~ Arthur Ashe

This week is going to be one long hectic week for me and my team mates. We have decided to run for project heads for a fundraising event (in my organization) dedicated to a beneficiary. It is a stressful process but I believe that if we get this project, it will be a very fulfilling one since serves a greater cause.

Recently, I have realized that student organizations can do so much. My organization has been granting scholarships to four students for the past years. This may sound cliche or normal, but what we don’t see is how large the impact it is making to the beneficiary.

We, students, should not wait for salary to make a difference. As early as now, there is so much we can do. So many opportunities are provided to us and all we need to do is to grab them.

“If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up not doing nothing for nobody.” ~ Malcom Bane

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Lasallian Leadership Journey

I spent my weekend in De La Salle Zobel because of L2J (Lasallian Leadership Journey) which is a 4-day, 3-night formation.

When I got to the venue, it felt as if it will take forever til I get back home. The mood was different and it bothered me. I felt uneasy being surrounded by new faces and I honestly thought I was not going to enjoy. Flash forward to day 4, I did not want to leave the place yet. This amazing journey had, with all honesty, made a great impact on me. I have realized so much in such a short span of time. Faith is the courage to accept acceptance. Faith is also about Love. It is about loving yourself for who you are, and loving others for who they are - having faith in God that He lead you to the right people at the right place and the right time. L2J enlightened me on how I should interact with other people. It showed me the importance of genuine concern and action.

Although we have a long weekend, I deliberately chose to join L2J and I did not regret doing so. “Whatever happened is the only thing that could.” I should keep that in mind in order to avoid dwelling on the “what ifs”. So many things have been happening all around us. People are taking away their own lives and it is stirring up the whole community. I do not want these deaths to be in vain. I need to take action. We need to take action. I believe that L2J has provided me the opportunity to do so. I will continue what I started doing because of this experience. I am determined to be an agent of change.

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Creating Shared Value

"In my view the successful companies of the future will be those that integrate business and employees' personal values. The best people want to do work that contributes to society with a company whose values they share, where their actions count and their views matter ." -Jeroen van der Veer

Recently, businesses have been reviled as one of the major causes of problems in the social, environmental, and economic realm. Corporations are believed to be flourishing at the stake of their communities, thus the trust given to these businesses has drastically decreased. In spite of this, the issues arising in our country must not be viewed by businesses as problems, instead they should be seen as opportunities – opportunities to create shared value.

The idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) may be appealing to many, but I personally find Creating Shared Value (CSV) to be more attracting. CSR entails giving back. It serves as a cost center for companies. CSV, on the other hand, is seen as a link between economic profitability and social responsibility while embedding sustainability into the core of business operations.

Creating Shared Value enables a business to create a framework that will not only manage the issue of generating profits and maximizing shareholder’s wealth, but also address social, political and environmental problems happening in the community in which it operates. It allows industries to work together and collaborate towards creating a sustained community for the common good.

"Business has a responsibility beyond its basic responsibility to its shareholders; a responsibility to a broader constituency that includes its key stakeholders: customers, employee, NGOs, government - the people of the communities in which it operates." -Courtney Pratt

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Our first Immersion

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”  -Anne Frank

Yesterday, October 14, 2016, we had our first immersion with our partner organization, Tahanan Outreach Proejcts & Services, Incorporated (TOPS). I found the organization quite interesting and I have also noticed that they lacked personnel and manpower. In spite of this, they are still able to operate and they still continue to serve their purpose. 

Our class was grouped according to each one’s preferred team. I became part of the fundraising team although It is not exactly where I wanted to be. But I believe in the importance of this team because we are the ones who will be supplying the funds needed by the other remaining teams for them to start and continue their operations.

I honestly enjoyed planning because I saw how efficient our class was. I hope that all of us are doing this not only because it is required, but also because it is what a La Sallian should do. I have been a big fan of social enterprises and institutions whose main agenda is social development. Knowing that TOPS falls under this category, I find this activity to be very exciting and I am sure that if we give this our all, we will garner this sense of accomplishment in the end.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”    ―    Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Collaborations and Initiatives

“When we inspire people by explaining why the destination is important, they develop the motivation to see the race through.”

The first summit of UGNAYAN 1617 took place earlier this day, October 8, 2016, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Henry Sy Bldg 4th floor. I am proudly part of the Central Committee that made it possible.

UGNAYAN is basically a student leader alliance between Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University that aims to address relevant social issues and design initiatives that will make a positive social impact. It is a good avenue for the organizations of these universities to share their knowledge and skills and come up with a project while developing a sustainable relationship with each other.

The main agenda for this year’s UGNAYAN is “Addressing Pressing Issues through Interdisciplinary Collaboration” which I think is a relevant one. While watching these student leaders brainstorm about possible projects and initiatives, I came to realize that we have so much potential to change the community around us. There are many ideas yet to be worded, and many possibilities yet to be unfolded. What’s really beautiful about this event is that it tackles social responsibility. It emphasizes that as student leaders, we should come up with ideas that will benefit our society.

“When the wind blows there are those that build walls and then there are those that build windmills."

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Every Act Counts

“It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” -John Wooden

Last Thursday, September 29, 2016, our professor in Corporate Social Responsibility and Good Governance (CSRGOVE) tasked our class to create an individual online journal in a form of a blog. We were told that we could input anything into our weekly posts as long as it is related to CSR, Good Governance or the like.

The announcement of this assignment made me recall an event that happened earlier this same week. While I was eating at Auntie Anne’s with my friend, I was able to witness a heart-warming act. Just outside Auntie Anne’s, a Lasallian student stopped by a street kid and gave him a paper bag with something inside. The kid opened the bag and saw that what the student gave him was food, so he ate happily right outside of the store.

Lasallians are truly more than the stereotype tagged along with them. We are more than labels, and much more than what other schools think of us.I believe that Lasallians have a sense of responsibility when it comes to helping out the community. We are willing to volunteer and help out even though we may sometimes deny it. A professor once told me that he simply adored students from De La Salle University because of how “resilient” they are. Life may throw pebbles, stones or even boulders at us, but we rise up and go beyond our limitations anyway.

Every act of kindness counts no matter how small it may look like. In the past few years, I have learned to pay attention even to the most seemingly irrelevant of details because I know that it may actually create a huge impact on others. We should not take even the little acts for granted because these acts are the ones that have truly changed the world.

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” -Colin Powell