It seems to have been one of the most unforgettable projects undertaken by my CWTS students. Here in excerpts from their reflections on the project, they tell their story.
THE FARM
The Farm is a relatively small lot in Cainta Rizal, home to more than 300 families whose primary source of income is through making “suman”. The lot is actually privately owned by a kind UP alumnus.
A noticeable feature of the farm aside from the unquestionable poverty is the ratio of adult members of the community to the infants in the community. These children are left unguarded by their parents. They could roam free to play and venture anywhere they desire even to the obviously filthy river behind their homes.
A small group of church-based people have undertaken a feeding project & medical missions in the community. Led by Sir Lito Santiago, and his family, they help the residents of this community.
Note: Lito's wife, Jenny and her sister, Ginggay Pajaro are active in the community. Jenny and their daughter Katya among other activities conduct bible study classes among the kids. Ginggay, “Teacher Malunggay” as the kids call her, conducts a feeding program every Wednesday, brings very sick kids to the hospital and has rescued girls abused and pimped by their fathers. Their brother Joao helps fund these activities.
VJVilla.
FPOP
FPOP or Family Planning Organization of the Philippines is a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health service and promotes an advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all Filipinos especially the poor, marginalized, socially excluded and undeserved including the young ones. It is a nationwide organization of professional and community-based volunteers. It can be found in 25 provinces across the country. This organization currently operates 30 Community Health Care Clinics (CHCCs) that provide a range of reproductive health care services. This organization dreams of a world where every woman, man and young person has access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, and sexuality is seen as a natural and precious part of human life and a fundamental human right. The FPOP champions SRHR through advocacy and provision of RH services in partnership with stakeholders at the national, chapter and community levels. The FPOP is also committed to the eradication of HIV and AIDS, and the advancement of the right of everyone to enjoy a sexual life that is free from ill health, unwanted pregnancy, violence and discrimination.
PHASE 1: First workshop on FP and SRH
In our first workshop, our CWTS group and FPOP conducted a seminar to inform the residents of “The Farm” about the significance of Reproductive Health and its impact to their lives. 100 people attended the workshop. The FPOP conducted a series of lectures on Reproductive Health focusing on sexual education/safe sex, the RH bill, physical health, proper care of their body especially on women, proper self-packaging, how to prevent diseases in which a person might get from having sex, how to protect their children from sexual abuse, proper hygiene for all and why we must be a responsible being or parent.
From the group's final report
At the FPOP lectures on RH, hygiene & sanitation
CWTS a Really Tough Experience for Me
I thought it would be a far easier to taking the ROTC program. I thought that CWTS would just be a breeze, sitting through lectures on business and social entrepreneurship inside a comfortable and air conditioned classroom. Surely, CWTS would be easier than crisping up under the rays of the noontime sun and crawling through the challenges and demands of ROTC. I could honestly say now, especially that the experience is almost over, that it has been an exceptionally and quite unexpectedly difficult challenge.
BA CWTS, under the guidance of Prof. Jardiolin-Villa aims to teach its students the values of generosity, self-giving and sacrifice for the less fortunate through business strategies and techniques in a very CBA sort of perspective. This is achieved by all students in groups of ten raising 40,000 pesos in cash or its equivalent in kind, to be donated as a project to any worthy beneficiary. We were given the freedom to raise funds may it be through solicitation, food sales, marketing, events management, or other creative business means. This, in itself, is challenging enough requiring a lot of teamwork, dedication, and plain old elbow grease. It takes an immense amount of determination and an equal amount of creativity to raise this much money as merely UP students with the limited time.
Our beneficiary, a small community in Cainta, Rizal known as “The Farm”, was in dire need of a family planning workshop because of the sheer number of kids roaming around their community. Families consisted of, on average, 2 parents and 5 kids. First-time parents were also quite young. Because of these, our group believed at the start of the semester that holding a series of family planning workshops would be of great help to their community.
BA CWTS really taught me a lot of things. Through my interactions with the people I've encountered, it instilled in me, values of true generosity and self-giving without expecting anything in return – values that have slowly slipped away from me through my two years in college. I have been so caught up with my academic and social life tha I have slowly forgotten what it means to be a true Iskolar ng Bayan – a scholar with a giving heart and open hands.
I have learned and re-learned from CWTS, as a BAA student, that business should not be just about enriching the self, but also enriching the lives of other people, especially the less fortunate. Money should not be kept in one's own pocket. It should be shared with others to promote not only equity, but also the values of love and giving in the society.
Ramon Ma. M. Vinzon
Group Leader
2009-14096
BA CWTS 1-2
At the Multi-purpose Hall provided by a UP alumnus. Look at all those children.
Seeing What Poverty Really Means
It seemed really hard to earn our P40k quota even if we were ten in the group. We were really pressured to know that no group ever failed to accomplish this. I felt really lost as the group was beginning our brainstorming ideas and action plan. That we were from the different colleges gave a different feel to the usual atmosphere and stimulated our creative juices.
Along the way, I discovered a lot of things. When we went to visit the farm, seeing all the people there made me realize what poverty really means, not just how it is defined in the classroom. The things we study in economics mean nothing to these people. I also learned about the RH bill. I also learned from the lectures and also learned from some of the people's experiences about family planning. At the end of the workshop, handing out food and medicines, the smiles of the recipients filled my heart.
Go, Mikhaela Gabrielle Dy
BA CWTS 1 & 2
UP students at “The Farm” during their medical / RH mission in cooperation with FPOP
What The Oblation Means
I was expecting to learn something related to business. I was right and also wrong. Yes, I learned facts and techniques related to business and corporate life, but I was wrong in thinking that it was just all that. As the course title says: Paying It Forward. Living is not just about having a career and gaining money for the self, but also sharing what you have with people who are less fortunate. Not just a choice but a responsibility.
It's our responsibility as a UP student to help them. We need to give back. It is like what the Oblation means for me: “Offering the best of you for the benefit of others.”
Dean Arland D.R. San Diego
BA CWTS 1 & 2
Fundraising, Plus
That every CBA student has to take CBA CWTS made me think that things
would be easy – just give my quota of P4K, done – six units. However, through the course I realized it was a lot more than that. It takes a lot more of doing and labour. My perception of this course was proven incorrect after learning that we have to raise funds for our project by conducting income generating projects, sending solicitation letters, networking, and conducting other fund-raising activities.
I realized that this course does not only help us develop our income generating skills to but also enhanced our creative thinking.
Tansiongco, Adrian Jacob G.
2009-02733
Registering attendance, building a data base. Look at all those children!!
Terrified of our Professor
All I wanted was to finish CWTS and complete my six (6) required unit of service. I
did not know what I was going to be in for.
The first day of classes, I came at exactly 9. I was terrified of our professor who
scolded students who came late. But then, after a while I realized how compassionate she
was and that all she wanted was to discipline us and prepare us for the real world.
Krizzel Gonzales
BA CWTS 1 & 2
CWTS, An Easy Way To Earn 6 Units
I thought that CWTS BA was an easy way for me to accomplish the 6-units NSTP. Little did I know that aside from meeting new people, I would be given an avenue to help communities. The experiences I gained after the semester were some I will truly treasure.
One day, being UP students, I know we will be successful in our own ways and when that happens I wish everyone can create means out of their own pockets to help uplift the quality of the lives of the Filipino people. It's about time we became more mindful of the
conditions around us and to take action, not only temporary help but those with long-term effects to help our less privileged countrymen.
Maria Theresa C. Dizon
BA CWTS 1 & 2
The Benefit Concert
What I heard about this class is, it requires plenty of selling of food, ballers, t-shirts and assorted little goodies. I dreaded the time when I would have to beg my classmates to buy some kind of cookie to reach my quota. That time never came.
We decided to hold a benefit concert at the bar owned by our group leader's family. Instead, I had one of the most amazing opportunities to perform and even expand the limits of the songs I usually sing. Three of us in the group were performers. We decided to make the most of that gift. How could we dedicate the entire presentation to our beneficiaries? I chose certain songs related to our cause, such as Bridge Over Troubled Water and One Song Glory (from Rent).
Soon, the day of the concert was upon us, and I had asked one of my Dad's friends to
back me up by playing the guitar for me. The performance, I feel, came out to be very very exciting and fun for myself, as well as for my audience. Shortly afterward, the very same friend-of-my-Dad came to me and volunteered to donate some medicines for our medical mission. I was overjoyed to hear this. Being a CBA student gave me the courage to face the world from a Marketing standpoint, and my God-given gift gave me the ability to reach out to people and move them to support this worthy cause. At the end of the day, I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Christopher Gerard G. Yu
BA CWTS 1-2
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