Mutya: Adrian is a template of a modern Filipino youth

Today, our world becomes more and more fragmented, compartmentalized, and miserably divided because of religion, the clashing of liberal and conservative ideologies, and the rise of popular dogmas that shutter the very moral fabric of our society. For me, it always boils down to the lack of templates of personalities which could awaken and inspire our sleeping hearts and minds.

Stereotyped, our youth of today are viewed as laggards and burden of the society. Some immediately proceed to a faulty conclusion that young people are impatient and unwilling to accept wisdom from the members of the older generation.

However, our predecesors should also view that time is linear, change is constant and it is affected by political and sociocultural climate, thus, some of the old theories and practices must also evolve in order to effectively address the gaps.

Case on point is Adrian, I am making this presentation, not only because it is his birthday today, but also the time calls for it.

Adrian, a student from Bulacan State University, a national finalist of Ideas Positive, is seemingly becoming new template of a modern Filipino youth.

A modern Filipino youth is notoriously optimistic. While hope is not a strategy, it is one of the best predictors of happiness and success.

Adrian believes that the Philippines is a country though not perfect, but is blessed with great potentials. Adrian does not only clings on his beliefs but he admirably acts to pursue it. He is loyal to his country, despite his acerbic dissents, he still do his part to help the government for the common good.

A modern Filipino, like Adrian, is always proud of his origins. He considers himself as a significant part of the bigger Filipino story and he seeks to contribute to the same.

He views things on a higher ground. He does not forsake or betray the Philippines, he dedicates his life to a journey which he believes worthy of his blood and life.

In the advent of fake news and paid trolls online, young people should draw and hold the line. Young people need inspiring templates. While, Adrian cannot be liken to Mahatma Gandhi or Jose Rizal, but he on the move setting a new standard, a new precedent which younger generation can place their fate into.

Happy Birthday Adrian!

Rivera, Aclaro tandem projected winners

Last updated: 8:46PM

Latest canvassing of votes at Bulacan State University – College of Engineering reveals that BulsuOne standard bearer Carla Rivera and vice Governor candidate, Jade Aclaro maintain a wide margin of votes compared to their rivals.

This year’s elections has one of the highest voting turn-outs, indicating that many engineering students are higly engaged in this political process.

Stay tuned for updates.

Mutya: Myopic view of SDGs, a betrayal of humanity

A disturbing interpretation of a student leader from a state university in the Philippines draws flank from netizens.

According to the said student leader, SDGs disregard human rights and should not be considered as a basis/framework of any platform.

Various youth organizations and advocacy groups immediately replied calling out this unpopular opinion as baseless and unfounded.

It is clear that when reason escapes the human mind just to accommodate a fractured conclusion, this conclusion must be dismissed outrightly for lack of merit.

We cannot fault the student leader for expressing his belief even how irrational it was. His right to expression is protected by the Constitution.

However, it is bothersome to the point of disbelief, that he failed to fully comprehend and appreciate the significance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This must cause an alarm. This is sufficient for the electorate to question his judgement.

As a leader, he must serve his constituencies with honesty, integrity and with competence. To charge the SDG framework developed and endorsed by over 100 State parties of the United Nations is a clear badge of serious lapse of competence.

Leaders are duty bearers of truth and not promoters of misinformation.

When we assail an International framework, in this case the SDGs, in effect, we are not only assailing a political party opponent.

Verily and irresponsibly, you are invalidating the small yet significant accomplishments of those who laid down their lives only to usher us in achieving the promise of SDGs.

Tip: Do not read the SDGs as if you are reading an FB post or a tweet. Read the SDGs, including its indicators, intersecting lines, history and briefs. SDG is a technical document, do not assume its a mere scrap of paper.

The key is comprehension. You cannot annul what you can’t comprehend.

Don’t settle for less, go for Rivera, Aclaro

Kapag kumain tayo ng mangga, gusto natin hinog at matamis. Kadalasan ay gusto natin na hitik na hitik na ito at hindi hilaw o pinilit lamang na maging hinog. Iba pa din ang lasa ng natural at hinog.

Ito din sa pagpili ng ating mga lider sa eskwelahan. Ang College of Engineering ng Bulacan State University ay nangangailangan ng isang hinog, handa, at hindi pilit na mga pinuno. Ang COE ay nangangailangan ng lider na makakaangat pa ng lebel ng kolehiyo. Yung mga lider na may makabuluhang plano, hindi yung guni-guni at sinulat lamang sa tubig. Hindi natin deserve yung less, dapat bottomless tayo sa mga ideya kung paano pa natin mapabuti yung mahal nating kolehiyo.

Ang Rivera at Aclaro na tandem ay isa sa pinakamagandang nangyari sa kolehiyo. Ito ang tandem na pinagbuklod ng tadhana, kasanayan, at kaalaman. Sila yung mga uri ng lider na tama ang templa at nakakainspire. Ito yung mga lider na nakikinig at may ginagawa.

Sa darating na eleksyon, sikapin natin na palakasin pa ang pwersang siyang mag-aangat sa COE at mga estudyante nito para sa mas makabuluhang pamumuno. Masisigurado natin ang panalo kung magtutulungan tayo para kay Rivera at Aclaro.

Choosing Rivera is choosing integrity

The College of Engineering of Bulacan State University (BULSU COE) is the model template of many engineering schools in the country. It is known for having students who are intelligent, globally- competitive, and morally-upright. Above all, it is well-known because of its integrity.

The question now students must resolve before exercising their rights of suffrage is whether or not the specific candidate possesses unquestionnable integrity in light of various circumstances.

Integrity is the cornerstone of honest governance. It means that the person is doing the right thing even others are not looking.

It also means that he or she looks at the brighter side of things, he or she stands on her principle, unwilling to compromise her personal belief just to accommodate political interest.

When you think of integrity COE deserves, think of Rivera Carla. Despite new in the field, she has the qualities of an excellent leader. She is strong, her words are electrifying, only but fitting to call her now as Governor.

My friends at BULSU COE, please make no mistake, but RIVERA is the leader that COE needs NOW.

Yes, she is new in the field, and because she is new, she has new positive solutions to address the problems and challenges in the college.

COE needs new minds, new perspectives and leadership models molded in honesty, integrity, and passion.

Finally, integrity cannot be measured by pubmats, by posters, by photoshopped images. We cannot edit integrity. The next time you see Rivera, you see integrity. Associate yourself with persons of integrity.

Choose student leaders who can unify not divide BulSu

The election time for student leaders in Bulacan State University is fast approaching. This is the time wherein students will again choose candidates who could best represent their interest. However, voting because of personal interest should not be the sole parameter, but more so, students should seriously consider who among the candidates could realistically pursue extraordinary vision for the university.

BULSU is one of the top performing schools in the Philippines. Universities thrive and excel not because solely of its teachers but also because of student leaders who have the sheer vision coupled with the solid experience and unquestionable passion to execute his or her mission and advocacy.

Thus, before one votes, it is imperative for him or her to ask the most difficult HOW and WHY, don’t ask WHAT.

The Sustainable Development Goal Framework is a good start. It answers the WHY and the HOW of many of the university’s challenges and opportunities. It means that these student leaders are aware of the realities and trends both inside and outside the school and are willing to push the bar even higher.

It is only by championing sustainability that BULSU can reach the apex of excellence.

BULSU needs unifying student leaders who draw strength and inspiration from the individual stories of students. Unifying leaders reject traditional politics of “I know the solution, you listen.”

BULSU needs unifying leaders who view each student as partners for change.

Before BULSU can STAND, it must be first strong and unified enough to act as ONE. After all, there is no College of Engineering, College of Sciences or Arts, etc there is only ONE BULSU whose students pledge to the mission of helping the university and its students to become more relevant and intelligently responsive both in local and international arena.

Only through unity not division that the real welfare of students will be achieved. Students must be critical and must always reject hate and pessimism.

You have the power to make the difference. Vote for unity, vote for sustainability.

36 reasons why we need Gutoc in the Senate

Hello everyone!

Earlier, I asked my 36 friends to provide me with reasons why they think Samira Gutoc is a perfect fit for the Senate. Here are their answers:

1. Samira Gutoc is a good role model for the younger generation.
2. Gutoc is a courageous woman. We need someone who is not afraid to fight for her belief in the Senate.
3. Undeniably, Gutoc is a hard working lady. Her amazing works in Marawi are commendable.
4. We need a muslim in the Senate to balance interest and power.
5. Gutoc treats every person as a member of her family. She is a genuine public servant.
6. Her answers during the debates were good.
7. Clearly, she is an intelligent woman.
8. She has the heart and the passion to serve.
9. She does not belong to a political dynasty.
10. She has the right experience.
11. No records of graft and corruption.
12. She advocates for national unity and healing.
13. She respects other religions.
14. She is a human rights advocate.
15. Gutoc is an award-winning public servant.
16. She has a very good smile. Very positive and a happy woman.
17. When she speaks, it carries electricity, sometimes thunder.
18. Well- educated woman with a big dream for the country.
19. She loves the youth.
20. She advocates for women.
21. I love how she champions peace education.
22. I concur with her in her statement about Martial Law in Mindanao.
23. She is not afraid of the administration.
24. Hindi siya plastic!
25. Okay ang kanyang political jingle.
26. Hindi siya mahirap lapitan.
27. Hindi siya sumusuko.
28. She is a woman full of energy and positivity.
29. Gutoc is the next master legislator.
30. At peace ako kay Samira, malinis siya. Hindi sinungaling.
31. She has a very strong civic and development background.
32. I love her campaign color, purple is so regal.
33. She served the ARMM as an assembly woman.
34. Hindi siya magnanakaw.
35. Hindi siya Trapo.
36. She is the voice of the vulnerable.

Don’t forget these 36 reasons. Aren’t you convinced?  If you have your own reasons why you want Samira Gutoc to be senator, please let us know.

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Samira Ali Gutoc-Tomawis is a Filipino civic leader, journalist, environment and women’s rights advocate, and legislator who has served as member of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission which was tasked to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

She also helped organize the Ranao Rescue Team, a group set up in response to the humanitarian crisis that ensued after Battle of Marawi. A Maranao who lives in Marawi City, Gutoc-Tomawis is best known for her civil and women’s rights advocacy in response to the 2017 Marawi siege and its aftermath.

She received particularly strong media attention as a result of her July 2017 speech before the Philippine House of Representatives in which she issued a very emotional appeal for congress to address the abuses suffered by the Bangsamoro people resulting from Martial Law in Mindanao.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the College of Mass Communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she became first lady Muslim president of the UP Muslim Students Association and the Metro Manila-wide Muslim Youth and Students Alliance.

She then earned a Master’s Degree from the University of the Philippines Center for International Studies before getting a law degree from Arellano University School of Law.

She also received a fellowship from the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies. She was awarded by the United Nations Development Programme the 2018 N-Peace Award for her advocacies and efforts in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

 

Choose Gutoc: a development, civic worker as senator

For the past few days, I browsed the list of senatorial candidates for this coming May midterm elections. Aside from lawyers, popular personalities, dancers, clowns, traditional politicians, no one comes from a solid development background except Samira Gutoc. This observation led me to a question—that how could we make good laws if we lack experienced and well-grounded lawmakers?

No one can question the extensive and award-winning works of Samira Gutoc in Mindanao especially in Marawi. As a development and an NGO worker she implemented projects that benefited thousands if not millions of suffering Filipinos. She did all of these without looking the possibility of running for a national office. She did all of these out of pure love for her constituencies.

It is high time for us to set a new precedent, that development and civic workers could be excellent senators of the people for the people. It is high time to examine the experience and the intention of every candidate. The Senate is not a circus, we already had enough. It is high time to diversify the composition of  the Higher chamber in order to effect real change.

***

Mindanaoan youth leader recalls how Gutoc changed her life

A youth leader from Marawi reminisces how Samira Gutoc transformed her life and the lives of young people in Mindanao. According to her, Gutoc was there, supporting them ‘for good times and bad times’, Gutoc never left her.  Gutoc inspired them.

Furthermore, she added that Samira Gutoc was one of their strong supporters and she considered the Marawi civic leader as an energy booster especially for youth advocacies in Mindanao.,

“I remember the time when no one believed in us, but she’s there to whisper words of encouragement and inspiration for the youth of Lanao. She said that we can make a positive difference in our community if we will remain strong and united.”, Macatoon said.

“We’ll vote for her because we know her, so paninindg ko agama ago suwasowat ko kadnan na thataman, she made an impact for us youth.  We will vote for her because of her truthful dedication to uplift the lives of the vulnerable and marginalized Filipinos.

As of now senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc is continuing to gain increasing support coming from the youth.

***

Sino si Samira Gutoc?

Siya ay tumatakbo dahil gusto nyang bigyang boses ang Mindanao, ang kababaihan at kabataan, at maging tagapagsulong ng mga programang pangkapayapaan sa senado.

 

More youth groups support Gutoc

Every day increasing number of Filipino youth groups are joining the campaign of Samira Gutoc. Just recently, during her visit in Bulacan State University, the civic leader and senatorial aspirant was welcomed by passionate students who offered to help in her campaign.

Samira Gutoc is only one of the few senatorial candidates who enjoys the wide and strong support of the Filipino youth. Comprising more than 20% of the voting population, the youth vote will make a difference in this coming national and local elections.

Meanwhile the Youth for Samira Gutoc, an alliance formed by her youth supporters are rallying to get the massive support of the youth. It is high time for the younger generation to elevate to the Senate of the Philippines, a civic leader who truly cares for the welfare of the nation.

The youth should look deeper into the platform and the proven track record of every candidate. In every youth vote is the aspiration to live in a better and more progressive Philippines. This is the inspiration of Samira Gutoc, to amplify the voices of the vulnerable, and that includes the youth.

***

Sino si Samira Gutoc?

Siya ay tumatakbo dahil gusto nyang bigyang boses ang Mindanao, ang kababaihan at kabataan, at maging tagapagsulong ng mga programang pangkapayapaan sa senado.