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CEBU CITY, Philippines - With the country beset with financial storms on the domestic and international fronts and corruption pervading in government and society, there appears to be little to be optimistic about, let alone hope for, among the Filipino youth.
But 16-year-old Marce Mae Santiago, a student of the Mary Help of Christians in Minglanilla town, said she remains hopeful that there are reasons for Filipinos to be proud of their values and culture.
She is one of 38 members in a delegation called Batang Mary Help to the “Pwede Pala Pinoy!” forum held last Saturday at the former Sacred Heart School for Boys along Maxillom Avenue.
Organized by the church-based Dilaab Movement Foundation, the event was participated in by the religious and academic sector along with representatives from government and the police.
“We are called Batang Mary Help as our school aims to form empowered citizens and servant leaders...I don't think we would be here if we would not be able to use the lessons that we get here. Ma move gyud mi to help,” Santiago said.
Her optimism notwithstanding, Santiago showed the doubts shared by the public about the police.
“Although they save people, dili whole hearted ang service nila. Some of them sometimes do not do their work,” she said.
As a way to dispel the image of being “a government agency perceived to be synonymous with corruption,” top Philippine National Police (PNP) officials and recruits led by Director General Jesus Versoza participated in the forum.
Some new recruits were Mass collectors who passed around baskets during the Mass celebration led by Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles.
During the forum, several high-ranking and former police officers like retired General Samson Tucay, Colonel Cesar Binag and Colonel Romy Palge shared stories of transformation and reform among the PNP ranks.
Tucay related how he helped turn a policeman's life around through prayers and verbal encouragement.
He said the policeman, “Elmer,” was among the “pinaka salbahe sa mga pulis (one of the policemen with the worst behavior).”
“He told me that if I was not able to talk to him, he would have taken his life. He (Elmer) is now in the US and has a stable job,” Tucay said.
Binag and Palge, on the other hand, talked about spiritual conversion and conviction in serving the community.
“My faith in the institution where I belong remains. No matter what people say. We will continue to provide peace in our community and in the country.
“If you have influence within an area of one meter, start there where you are,” said Binag, one of the organizers of the Core Movement Program, a renewal program for the police force.
Binag also talked about the God Bless Our Cop program wherein he encouraged the participants to “bless your police officers.”
“We may not see the fruits of our work. But I believe that one day, we will have a transformed national police and a transformed Philippines,” he added.
Positive values and stories filled more than four hours of celebration of the Filipino spirit that was attended by young people from different organizations and schools.
The program was aimed at seeking answers for the following questions: “Can anything good come from the PNP (Philippine National Police)? Can we move beyond traditional politics? Can one man and one family make difference? Is people power still alive? Is there still hope for the country?”
Guest speakers consist of Archbishop Arguelles, who voiced belief that the spirit of the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) revolution lives on, and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio, who talked about good governance.
Other featured speakers include author and lawyer Alex Lacson and the Diola family who donated time, money and effort to help poor students in Barangay (village) Kalunasan in Cebu City.
Arguelles, as a former rector of the San Carlos Seminary in Barangay Guadalupe in Makati City together with 300 men and women, joined the people power uprising in February 1986.
“We went to EDSA as warm bodies to protect our country. EDSA was not against anyone not even a dictator. EDSA was for a better nation after the people experienced darkness,” he said.
