Background

Statistics say, only 2 out of 10 Filipinos get to finish college.

In the mountain community of Brgy. Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, high school students walk five to seven (5-7) kilometers a day in order to attend school.

Aside from the same distance needed to be covered walking back home, there is also the need to race home before the sun sets. Otherwise, the journey back would literally be a walk in the dark; for most of the students’ households do not have electricity. They rely on candles and gas lamps as a source of light at night.  Naturally, homework, assignments and projects have to be done by the candlelight. 

Aside from these challenges, there are also issues at home to be dealt with. Confronted with poverty, most of the students of Brgy. Tan-awan also work in the sugarcane fields to help augment their family’s income.

These stark realities lead to disillusionment. Sometimes, these students would choose to quit school and instead find employment. However, as an out-of-school youth, work opportunities are limited to being workers in the sugarcane field or house helpers. To these students, dreaming is a luxury. Often, they have accepted their grim fates and dare not to dream at all.

Objective

To inspire and empower high school students of Tan-awan National High School to dream and actualize them.

Profile of Participants 

Fifty (50) high school students (incoming sophomore and junior levels) from Tan-awan National High School were selected to join the summit.

These participants are Indigenous People and belong to the “Bukidnon Tribe”.  Most of them work in the farms, the sugar cane fields, and as household helpers.

Out of the fifty (50) participants, fifteen (15)  students came from Buko Extension, which is seven (7) kilometers away from the barangay proper of Tan-awan. Fifteen (15) participants came from Basak Extension which is around five (5) kilometers from the barangay proper. Twenty (20) students came from Tan-awan main campus. 

• Buko Extension – 15 students

• Basak Extension – 15 students

• Tan-awan Main Campus – 20 students

Preparation

On March 24, 2018, PYs travelled to Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental to conduct an ocular visit on the venue. Consultations with the local barangay leaders were also made as part of preparations.

PYs also went on air in the local radio program of Kabankalan City as part of the information campaign for the summit and the call for applications for the 45th SSEAYP.

Program

It is said that,  “It takes a village to raise a child.” Aspiring for a wholistic approach, several aspects of the students’ empowerment were incorporated in the two-day summit.

• Profile of the Filipino Youth

The summit allowed these young mountain dreamers to hear words of encouragement and inspiration from the different invited speakers. 

The first discussion was on National Youth Assessment Study that focuses on the profile of the Filipino youth. Together with the Focal person on youth of the DSWD Province,  the participants were able to look at the general picture of the youth in the country.

• The Need to Dream

Mr. Quin Cruz, a YSEALI delegate and an advocate of inclusive mobility discussed on why is there a need to dream.

• Rights of the Child 

In order to empower the students in asserting themselves,  Ms. Thessa Ormeo,  a representative of the Department of  Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was invited to discuss the rights of the child.

• Rights of the Indigenous People

Since the target participants were members of the IP Community, Mrs. Joan Dayon of the Department of Education was invited to  discuss on the rights of the Indigenous People. 

The exercise inspired the students to  embrace their identity as Indigenous People (IP). By becoming aware of their rights as IP, the participants have developed a sense of pride for their heritage.

• SK Reform Law

As a means of empowerment, the participants were educated on the blessings of democracy through the electoral process by Atty. Robert Estandarte, the Election Officer of Kabankalan City.  One of the highlights in the summit is the discussion on SK Reform law. The topic was  relevant and timely as the first SK election after the approval of the SK Reform Law was drawing near then.

• Community Building

In dreaming, participants are made to realize that they not only dream for themselves but for the community as well. Dr. Glenn Repique of Fellowship Baptist College talked about diagnosing problems and creating  solutions in the community. At the end of  the  activity, participants were made to craft solutions to  their identified problems and pitch for projects to  address them.

• Dreamers Got Talent

In order to encourage the participants to be less inhibited in expressing themselves and their ideas, participants were broken into groups to share their talents.

In order to bond with the participants, PYs also joined the fun and showcased their talents.

• The Dreamers and the Author of Dreams

The second day of the summit was started with a devotional led by Rev. Nilo Engada, School Chaplain of Fellowship Baptist College.

Rev. Nilo shared to  the participants the  story of Joseph the dreamer to reveal that, throughout Joseph’s dreams, triumphs and challenges, God was with him. Afterall, He is the Author of our Dreams.

• Mountain Trekking and Clean-Up

Encouraged to be good stewards of the community, participants together with PYs and the Faculty, trekked onto the waterfalls to experience nature and clean-up rubbish found along the way.  The exercise energized the group and further fostered a sense of camaraderie among the students and the PYs.

• The SSEAYP Journey

At the end of the summit, PYs further shared what SSEAYP was all about— that they too once dreamed of going places and turned their dreams into realities. Hence, inspiring the participants as well to dream and make things happen for themselves.

• We are Unity

The summit closed with a prayer and  hearts filled with hope and gratefulness. Before bidding each other goodbye, everyone formed a large circle and sang,  “We are Unity.”

Sponsorship

As part of addressing the need in the community, Batch Dilaab sponsored the participants with:

• Fifty (50) Dilaab Kits;

• Fifty (50) notebooks; 

• Fifty (50) ballpens; and

• Fifty (50) Solar Lamps

Cost

The total cost for the Post-Program Activity is Twenty-Four Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-Four Pesos and Nine Centavos (P24,924.09) covering the PYs transportation, meals, logistics, Dilaab Kits and Solar Lamps.

A portion of the cost of the summit was subsidized by the Brgy. Tan-awan Council and other private individuals.

Written by:
43th SSEAYP