Learning experience

Given the opportunity to attend another trial hearing of one of the series of cases
filed by the Gantuancos against the farmers of aloguinsan in particular the
members of the SRFA brought another learning experience which opened the my
eyes on the reality that not all the time we always get right then and there what we
always wanted. This applies particularly to anybody who demands justice here in
the country where the force that keeps the of the legal system intact apparently
beomes a constraint that stalls the process and strangles the peasants who are left
but a little more than their lives for their battle for justice.
Impact to self
It happened so quickly. After travelling at most two hours to attend the pretrial
conference, 10 min. after we were surprised how quickly it was to end the
session.frustrated and infurated Frankly speaing for us who are just starting off to
get exposed in the outside, we cannot but help get excited and of course set our
standards high to witness justice working in the process
Impact to community
They say that those who have less in life should have more in laws that is how
equality should be achieved. What happened was something we shouul nold just
shrug our shoulders upon. If this continues ot happen to other cases and to other
communities, what would happen to our justice system? It not only be full of
cataclysmic implications to those who continue to raise that banner of hope but also
takes away that very little chance of becoming an instrument of justice, freedom
and democracy.
MINGLA1
This was not the first for me to facilitate and organize a focus group discussion but
though this different from the previous one, this is something even more serious as
it touches on crucial issues which are often disregarded especially when it comes to
dealing with those who are experiencing a crucial breach on their human rights , the
utmost injustice thriving in society and apathy of many. Going out there engaging
with the masses leaves anybody not just a sense of cultural sensitivity but above all
it allows someone to develop a kind of thinking and processing of information that is
not only grounded to the plights of the underprivileged but seeing as well the world
from a perspective

Development is not something we should price of when many lives are in fact
staked and sacrificed in the process. The risks that we impose among the poor and
the things that we take away from them- health security, livelihood and most of all

the future I believe is not simply a matter that can easily be compensated. I really
cannot come to forget what the Brgy. Captain of Tugkop as he said that there will
always be sacrifices, but sacrifices I believe should not be anymore necessary when
we can do something to mitigate the dire implications.

I think that leaders are not only the ones in quandary here but also those residents
who will not be displaced if ever the reclamation project pushes through. Jobs,
employment and booming economy surely awaits many people but apparently it is
not all cloud nine because we should also been keen about the repercussions
particularly that of a damaged environment.
Care with support and act with conviction, that is what the advocacy groups need
now. Collective action is not enough especially when it is limited among the indigent
residents and countable volunteer groups it is an important point also to include
those who can affect major impact. But the dilemma now comes in, how do we force
upon those who are not even interested in things that matters for others?
Minglanilla 2nd visit
I stand corrected but in my opinion, one of the fundamentals in running for an office
is not only a matter of rendering public service, most importantly it also entails
taking responsibility for ones constituents without being duly bound by the limits of
hierarchy. In this second visit in minglanilla, we spoke with the barangay captain of
calajo-an to get his side regarding the reclamation projects which will largely affect
his jurisdiction. in the course of our interview, i was flabbergasted how politics can
run things as simple as spinning a wheel of fortune- good if you will be able to have
it in your favor and too bad if its not.
In the interview, I noticed how he becomes so limited by the structures and the
process that he appears as if saying, its all up to God now, I have done my part,
which I think should not be in the first place. Because a good leader finds other
ways to address the concerns of his people and unceasingly exerts his efforts,
determined to take matters into his own and does not leave the fate of this
constituents to the resolve of others. no matter how rigid the process may be and
how small we stand against those who occupy higher position, we can all make a
difference all it takes is a matter of thinking smart, after all politics can always work
for you if you just know how to work it
Having a good leader who identifies with his people is important and it also takes
cooperative participation from them to effect genuine reforms and achieve that
common ground and make things work for all parties involve. Sustainable
development is hard to achieve no doubt to that but it does not mean however it is
impossible to achieve. Communication is very important in abetting the delivery of
necessary services of the general public.

Data is very important. It allows you to speak with substance and gives you every
right to get heard. On a greater part however, data could be really hard to get hold
of especially when it has to strictly follow the arduous bureaucratic process. when
dealing with government offices it is expected to take longer days before we get the
information we need, but instead of wonihining about it, the most important thing I
learned with this task is how to do away with the shortcomings of our government
system.
Respect
When think about government offices we have this preconditioned notion about
their inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Often we have the tendecy to generalize them
to the point that we lose all hope even to exert anymore effort to approach them,
but this becomes a problem because instead of confronting the problem all we do is
avoid it. we have face this and correct them after all Be assertive but not to the
point of being aggressive. People must know that we have the right to demand
accountability and transparency from them. is expected especially to government
officials who pledge to reder public service and they must

One does not need to stand on other persons shoe to feel their plight, sometimes
all it takes is a simple conversation to understand their feelings and understand the
world from their perspective. Instead of recklessly branding them as insurgents or
rebels perhaps, it is best to make the effort to understand why are they acting the
way they do in the first place. A significant learning I had during this activity was
that, when livelihood and respect is taken away from anybody treated to be the
lowest scum on earth, no matter what people will always stand and fight for their
rights.
The reputation associated with the institution we are part- FARDEC and UP- imposes
on us a high sense of expectation- expectation which I am unsure I can duly carry.
Amid this however, I have learned that this should be something we have to be
afraid about but should be treated as a challenge for us to become an instrument in
making the voices of the less educated, the marginalized and the abused be heard.
The spirit of that the farmers are showing to the masses should be an inspiration for
many to take the challenge and defy the oppression that is already becoming more
and more