The Privilege to Serve

Natividad Lacdan

I came from a batch of UP graduates who put a high premium on serving the people, especially the poor. I had lived among the urban slum dwellers and fishing communities in the provinces, learning from them as I strove to help them out in their situation. When I returned to my alma mater in the 1990s, packing a rich store of experiences from our common people, I wanted to do my share of teaching the new batches of iskolar ng bayan. But as I got into the teaching mode, I could not help missing the days of long ago, when being in UP meant having an active commitment to help alleviate conditions of the poor. Amidst the deafening silence, I have felt this discomforting realization that UP is losing the very essence of its being. It used to be that the UP community was the center of active involvement in working for the welfare of the people. This hardly seems to be the case these days. Now, activities are mostly centered on the self. Intellectual discussions and issue-based activities are not so common.

I felt that only a handful seems to have chosen to be relevant to the needs and aspirations of the people… until I learned about Pahinungód.

Joining initially as a teacher volunteer under the Teachers’ Training program in the mid-1990s, I felt relieved that in UP, the spirit of reaching out to the underprivileged… the marginalized sectors of the society is not dead after all. I and my group were sent to Dipolog to help teachers upgrade their materials and methods. More importantly, we were there to learn from our colleagues in that depressed area the essence of being a teacher, of imparting knowledge in the direst of conditions. Somehow, all of us in the team were renewed in our professional vocation.

I have since joined other Pahinungód programs for teachers, and I have seen how the program has grown and made a dent in the hearts of people, from the UP institution/community to those whom it has been privileged to serve. Among its dedicated staff, I remember Maylin Jemena, who now continues her service to the nation in another government agency.

Pahinungód has been consistent in pursuing its mission “to serve.” This has made a lot of difference to those who seek the true essence of why we are here in UP. It was heartening to see my own students—most of whom come from the A and B economic classes—taking to the rural way of life, sleeping on bamboo slats in bahay kubo, eating whatever is served, gamely learning from their hosts in the barrio what they need to learn and unlearn. Pahinungód has indeed become a vehicle for UP constituents to be able to serve the people, especially those who belong to the marginalized/impoverished sectors of society. Loosely institutionalizing volunteerism is a catalyzing way to spread the spirit of service, especially to the marginalized sectors.

With this noble vision, there have been invaluable achievements. Many schools and communities have recognized the enormous contributions of the sub-programs in their areas, be it the Health Missions, Gurong Pahinungód, Summer Immersion, Teacher’s Training Programs, etc. UPM Pahinungód, being a health sciences-based university, is cut-out for volunteer work since it is people-oriented. It is no surprise that UPM Pahinungód had its shining moments.

Nonetheless, the prevailing socio-economic and political conditions within and outside the university have somehow influenced the momentum attained by Pahinungód. Like the struggling flame of a lighted candle, the winds of change are challenging Pahinungód. Despite its achievements, Pahinungód must not allow itself to be complacent. Present conditions have posed new challenges to the existing programs. If we are to sustain the very essence of Pahinungód, the programs we have today need to be reviewed. This is in light of the fast pace of development (or underdevelopment?). In assessing each program, the gains and lessons learned during its operationalization have to be weighed vis-à-vis current development inside and outside the university. Pressing issues and concerns pertinent to health, education, food, environment, and sustainable development have to be considered to make Pahinungód be more updated… more relevant to the times.

Pahinungód can modify its activities. It must not only serve as a supporting institution to schools/communities but also be a catalyst for change. Pahinungód must focus more of its work in facilitating how institutions/communities can attain self-reliance in addressing their needs/attaining their aspirations. There can be more programs that help community development and alleviate people’s lives. I have in mind, for instance, setting up a project like a waterless (or ecological) toilet to help those in the upland areas where water is a problem. I am sure we can come up with other such projects with the cooperation of concerned sectors.

Pahinungód can make its projects sustainable if it can harnesses properly the rich manpower resources of the university. Pahinungód must find innovative ways to encourage the UP constituents to share their expertise in making these institutions/communities independent in the long run.

Prof. Lacdan is the Chair of OPCE’s Educational Assistance Progrum. She is a faculty member of the Department of Biology of the College of Arts and Sciences. She started with Pahinungod in 1997 as the Program Development Officer of Pahinungod’s Earth Camp.