A SOCIO-CIVIC forum tackled the impact of the presence of student groups in urban poor communities on November 23 at Room 105 of the PLDT-Convergent Technologies Center.
Organized by the Ateneo Student Catholic Action (AtSCA), the talk “Why the Poor?” aimed to encourage student organizations to reevaluate the effectiveness of their social action programs and area engagements.
Speakers included John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (JJCICSI) Associate Director Anna Marie Karaos, PhD and Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Legarda (NML) President Filomena Cinco.
Karaos delved on the essence of viewing the situation of those in the peripheries from their perspective and understanding their needs as individuals and as a community.
Cinco, who is also the chairperson of Barangay 412, narrated the experience of her community, as well as their efforts to improve their quality of living through social awareness and action.
Named after its Founder and First Executive Director John Carroll, SJ, JJCICSI is a center that analyzes current social issues while grounded on Catholic Social Teachings.
Meanwhile, NML is an organization of residents of Legarda, Sampaloc, Manila, who are said to be the beneficiary of the Estero de San Miguel housing project of the national government.
Interconnection in society
According to Karaos, the difference in the backgrounds of the poor and the wealthy does not hinder them from interaction.
“Magtatagpo at magtatagpo ang mga mundo natin sapagkat iisa lang ang lipunang ating kinabibilangan (Our worlds will cross, one way or another, because we all belong to one community),” she said.
Karaos also acknowledged the existence of the people in the peripheries, saying that they are still a part of the society, despite them being treated indifferently.
She indicated that informal settlers constitute 40% of the population, and most of them are employed as security guards, household helpers, construction workers, and similar blue-collar occupations.
“[Ang buhay natin ay] hindi magiging kasing komportable ng kilala nating buhay, at palagay ko, hindi natin gugustuhing tumira dito sa Maynila kung wala ang serbisyo nila (Our lives would not be comfortable as we know it, and I think, we would not even choose to live here in Manila, if it were not for their services),” Karaos emphasized.
Focusing on student participation, she stressed the importance of clarifying their roles as they interact with communities, where understanding development from the perspective of the urban poor communities is vital.
“Doon natin binabase ang ating expectations na [tumulong sa] pagbabago ng komunidad (From there, we base our expectations of contributing change in the community),” she explained.
Karaos added that interacting with the urban poor should bring change to the students as well.
“Magkaugnay tayo. Hindi mababago ang sitwasyon nila kung walang mababago sa atin (We are all connected. Nothing would change in the situation of those in the margins if nothing transforms in ourselves),” she said.
Thankful and optimistic
Cinco expressed her gratitude to student groups who helped uplift their lives in the urban poor communities.
“Para sa isang opportune community na nagbibigay-pansin at oras at nag-e-exert ng effort na makapag-share ng kaalaman sa isang urban poor community …malaki ang appreciation namin (For an opportune community that gives time and attention and exerts effort to share ideas to an urban poor community, we show great appreciation),” she said.
Cinco also specified that student groups that interact with the poor must make it a point to instill awareness in the community so that they have an idea on how to develop themselves.
“Pag pupunta po sana kayo para mag-outreach, ang unang-unang dapat ibigay ninyo sa amin [ay ang] pagmumulat (We hope that you will first help us become aware of our current situation when you interact with us),” she stressed.
Cinco added, “Kayo po ang nasa posisyon [na] mag-recommend ng hakbangin o programa [na maaari naming] mai-adopt (You are in the position to recommend plans of action or programs that we can adopt in our communities).”
She also encouraged those who participate particularly in the National Service Training Program (NSTP) to conduct activities beyond the sake of compliance.
“Nag-e-exert lang din sila ng effort, time, at logistics, dapat…may maiiwan na learnings lalo na sa mga kabataan sa urban poor communities (If they exert effort, time, and logistics, then they might as well strive to leave with learnings especially for the youth of the urban poor communities),” Cinco said.
She added, “Bigyan po ninyo ng pagkakataon ang bawat isa sa inyo na magbahagi at sa aming hanay ay makakakuha din po kayo ng aral sa buhay na inyong magagamit kapag kayo ay mga propesyunal na (Please give one another a chance to share and in return, you will learn from us life lessons that will be helpful when you start working as professionals).”
Cinco showed positivity towards the potential of students and other institutions in helping them achieve development.
“Naniniwala po akong kung bawat isa sa atin, ang urban poor, ang urban rich, ang academe…at iba pang grupo, kung sama-sama po tayong iahon kami, kakayanin po nating bawasan ang kahirapan sa mukha ng Pilipinas (I believe that if each one of us, the urban poor, urban rich, the academe and other groups work together to help us rise, urban poor, urban rich, academe, and other groups combined, we can reduce poverty in the country),” she said.
