Domino Effect

I first saw the light of day in 1987 in a country where changes move the course of history. It was a year after the world witnessed the EDSA people power revolution. Filipinos then felt the need for genuine change. They united to realize their vision for a democratic country and succeeded. The Philippines, after 14 years of the dictatorial regime, is free once again.

My country’s history dictates how the youth created changes that transformed our society and redefined our nationalism. Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our most-celebrated hero, and my fellow townsman, was born when the Philippines was under Spanish colonial rule. At seven, despite his premature wisdom, he realized that his fellow countrymen must not suffer and be treated like animals in their own fatherland. He envisioned a better Philippines for the forthcoming generations, with Filipinos shaping the country’s future with their own hands. He pioneered transformative change through bloodless revolution. He believed that change is possible, and nothing is unconquerable, if people will unite to realize their vision for a brighter tomorrow. Before he was executed by a firing squad at the Luneta Park, he even uttered in his final words as he faced the mighty sun, “The Youth is the Hope of the Motherland”.

Another national hero, General Emilio Aguinaldo, was only 25 when he became president of the first Philippine Republic. With his passion for change, he became the glory behind the Philippine Revolution, which tumbled the 333-year Spanish Rule in 1898.

It is unfortunate that Rizal and Aguinaldo did not live to see their vision become a reality, but they still continue to ignite the youth’s passion to create the change they want. As young leaders of their generation, they perceived the need for genuine change and acted upon it. Today, more than 90 million grateful Filipinos live the free life that they can only dream of during their time.

Change is always complex and widespread. Every action and decision to realize change will not only affect us, but other people as well. As a young teacher and writer, I recognize my duty of building a strong character foundation for my students, not with the vision of making them future captains of industry, but to mold them as effective and responsive future leaders and catalysts of change. Like how Rizal believed in the generations that succeeded him, I expend effort to ignite my fellow youth’s desire to create impactful changes, because as Rizal said, the future lies in our hands.

During one of our classes, one of my students asked me, “Sir, I have always wanted to become an engineer, but I came from a poor family. I might not go to college. I really wanted to change my life. What should I do?” I was dumbfounded. I knew that whatever I tell him will either strengthen or weaken his hope. What will come out of my mouth will change his perception until he grows up. I suddenly remembered Terreri Trent, a woman featured on Oprah who experienced discrimination, poverty, and domestic violence. She wrote her dreams of earning a degree, placed it in a tin can and planted it in the soil like a tree. Day and night, she prayed that her life will change. Today, she is a Doctorate degree holder, and has already built a school for Kenyan women and children.

Like Terreri, I asked my student to write his dream, bury it in the ground, and hold in his heart the great hope that change will start to grow in his life. I reminded him not just to wait, but do everything in his capacity to make his dreams come true. I told him that for change to transpire, there must be hope coupled with hard work and determination.

I always believe that change is not just a life concept but a decision for us to create and realize. It must not be overpowered by our differences in culture, race, religion, economic status, and political convictions. To make an impact, we must focus on our vision of creating a future free from globalized issues that remain unsolved for decades, including poverty, hunger, transnational crimes, health threats like HIV, corruption, armed conflict, territorial disputes and environmental degradation.

Under a new government, we Filipinos are beginning to heal the wounds of the past and break the walls of political divisions. We realize that when we change for the better, we light our indomitable spirit with fervent hope. This light shall spread to the people around us, and the people surrounding them. One day, we hope to wake up and see the change we started light up and transform our country and the world towards genuine progress. From our history, we learned that no problem is insurmountable if we begin to change ourselves first.