A TRIBUTE
Posted by influenza at 01:06 AM on February 7, 2005 .
The television. The radio. The papers. All these are major means of how people can get a hold of many information, facts, stories, events, and essentials of our daily lives and of the verve of the whole society. In spite of the massive, overflowing, and voluminous data coming from these media, there are still a lot of things that are not told. So the people’s concern and awareness remain shallow and one-dimensional. To fill up the cavity of superficiality and to work against the ignorance caused by the information constraint that we have consciously and unconsciously been experiencing, some of us, students, have constantly been making sacrifices.
Student-activists devote much of their time and effort on searching important facts, details, and reports about the “what-have-not-been-told” and the “what-should-have-been-told” by media. Their lives are whole-heartedly dedicated serving their fellow students, the “iskolar ng bayan” in particular. They spend many nights, breaks, and meals on planning what and how to disseminate information to the entire student community. They offer one-half of their brains, three quarters of their energy, and a whole of their lives serving the nation, thinking, believing, and realizing they are held responsible for this kind of matter. Well, everyone should be responsible for this kind of matter, for any social issues, especially for the issues that involve and affect us whether directly or indirectly. It is sad to say that the number of persons who have realized is very small.
Sometimes it is depressing to see the students not paying attention; it is painful to see students who choose to be apathetic of the many issues, concern, questions, and problems that we are facing. Most of the time, it is disappointing to know that despite of the many efforts that these student-activists are exerting, it is undeniable that there are still many of us who seem to be indifferent. But it would be more disappointing, more painful, and more depressing if there were no one to make a move and make a change.
It is very exhausting to transfer from one room to another, make detailed shout-outs, and encourage students to sympathize, make them move, and them to take a chance on making a significant change not only on our university, but also on many other state universities and colleges, and on the whole society. But the tiredness that can be felt does not matter. What matters most is the aim, which is to deepen the awareness of the people and to promote concern among them. What matters is they, the student-activists, are here to inform the people and do some action.
Today, we are gathered here, under the rising sun, among the green fields of Putho, along the glimmering waters of the river, to pay tribute to these student-activists. We see them as the noisy minority. We see them as the rugged activists who are always late for class if not absent. We see them as the ones who go to rallies. That is how we usually see them. But actually their courage should be admired. Their example should be followed. And they should be joined by many of us so their aim, which should also be our aim, will be realized.
Let us all pause for a moment of silence.
That silence is offered to all student-activists and to the many efforts they have made.
Student-activists devote much of their time and effort on searching important facts, details, and reports about the “what-have-not-been-told” and the “what-should-have-been-told” by media. Their lives are whole-heartedly dedicated serving their fellow students, the “iskolar ng bayan” in particular. They spend many nights, breaks, and meals on planning what and how to disseminate information to the entire student community. They offer one-half of their brains, three quarters of their energy, and a whole of their lives serving the nation, thinking, believing, and realizing they are held responsible for this kind of matter. Well, everyone should be responsible for this kind of matter, for any social issues, especially for the issues that involve and affect us whether directly or indirectly. It is sad to say that the number of persons who have realized is very small.
Sometimes it is depressing to see the students not paying attention; it is painful to see students who choose to be apathetic of the many issues, concern, questions, and problems that we are facing. Most of the time, it is disappointing to know that despite of the many efforts that these student-activists are exerting, it is undeniable that there are still many of us who seem to be indifferent. But it would be more disappointing, more painful, and more depressing if there were no one to make a move and make a change.
It is very exhausting to transfer from one room to another, make detailed shout-outs, and encourage students to sympathize, make them move, and them to take a chance on making a significant change not only on our university, but also on many other state universities and colleges, and on the whole society. But the tiredness that can be felt does not matter. What matters most is the aim, which is to deepen the awareness of the people and to promote concern among them. What matters is they, the student-activists, are here to inform the people and do some action.
Today, we are gathered here, under the rising sun, among the green fields of Putho, along the glimmering waters of the river, to pay tribute to these student-activists. We see them as the noisy minority. We see them as the rugged activists who are always late for class if not absent. We see them as the ones who go to rallies. That is how we usually see them. But actually their courage should be admired. Their example should be followed. And they should be joined by many of us so their aim, which should also be our aim, will be realized.
Let us all pause for a moment of silence.
That silence is offered to all student-activists and to the many efforts they have made.