Bayanihan
“Passion driven by love is more powerful than passion driven by anger.”
Back at 1957, we had lost our beloved President Ramon Magsaysay to a plane crash and it was a difficult time for the Filipinos. It’s 2014 already and everyone still remembers him. Every year, in history class, I would be sitting on my desk as my teacher discusses about him in awe. It had never dawned on me how, unlike others, I wouldn’t be able to see him walk through the streets of Manila wearing a plain t-shirt and sandals helping a random child or watch him give yet another scholarship to a blessed student. But even if I would never be able to see the late president Ramon Magsaysay, I would be able to see his influence on others, how they, like him, have made a difference in their own ways- the Ramon Magsaysay awardees.
Every year the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award is given to an individual in Asia who embodies the character of the late president in certain fields of activity- government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature and creative communication arts; peace ...
“The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.” In America, Americans are blessed to have the right to freedom. Unlike other unfortunate countries, their freedom is limited. In many Latin American countries, the government’s leader has all power of the Country. Citizens have no rights to freedom, they are trapped in a cruel country where innocent people are killed each day. Civilians fear to speak out to the regime of leader; However, there were a few courageous citizens enough to speak out against the government. For example, “The Censors” by Luisa Valenzuela and the historical fictionalized account, “In The Time Of The Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez reveal individual 's role in overcoming oppression.
Rigoberta Menchu, a Quiche Indian woman native to Guatemala, is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for politically reaching out to her country and her people. In her personal testimony tittled “I, Rigoberta Menchu” we can see how she blossomed into the Nobel Prize winner she is today. Following a great deal in her father’s footsteps, Rigoberta’s mobilization work, both within and outside of Guatemala, led to negotiations between the guerillas and the government and reduced the army power within Guatemala. Her work has helped bring light to the strength of individuals and citizen organization in advocacy and policy dialogue on the world scale. In a brief summary of the book I will explore why Rigoberta Menchu is important to Guatemalan development, what she did, and how she helped her people overcome the obstacles thrown their way.
In his memoir, he invites his audience to gain insight into the need for solidarity in our world, probably now more than ever. His hope is for the reader to develop compassion and gain an understanding of unconditional love. His quest for solidarity is ultimately the main focus of this book. For Boyle,
Kyi Suu San Aung. "The Quest of Democracy." Reading The World: Ideas That Matter, edited
Throughout centuries man has witnessed some of this worlds greatest tragedies; the destruction caused by the bubonic plague, the bombing of Pearl Harbour and the Rwandan Genocide. However, none of these can compare to the devastation caused by world dictators. The lives taken at the hands of these tyrannical rulers is unbelievably distressing, and ex-Dominican president, Rafael Trujillo is no exception. Throughout his thirty year reign over the Dominican Republic he is thought to be responsible for the lives of over 50,000 innocent people, none of these devastating losses, however, compare to the tragedy of the Mirabal sisters; three honourable women who did nothing but have a voice. The level of political misconduct and unjustified action was unbelievable and lead the sisters to drastic measures, Patria saying "We cannot allow our children to grow up in this corrupt and tyrannical regime, we have to fight against it, and I am willing to give up everything, including my life if necessary.". In their efforts to try and overthrow the totalitarian they found themselves trapped in a situation where the lives of them and their families were constantly at risk, and in the end it was through their tragical ...
We all have met Francisco Pizzaro’s or Hernán Cortes’s. We all have bumped into people that with some gesture or with some words of affection transformed our lives. These people are not mentioned in history books, nor have their own special holiday. Hospitals are not named after them and surely some years after their deaths nobody is going to remember their warm touch, their velvet voice nor the sweet things they once did for you; nevertheless, these the ones who make the difference; the kind of people that enter our lives and impact them in such a way we could have never imagined. I have met one. In his idiosyncrasy he captivated and astonished me, changing my life forever.
Through the analysis of writings from Sojourner Truth, Henry David Thoreau, Ronald Reagan, Gandhi, and Don’t Know Much About History; we can visibly see how important these writings and historical figures were, they gave a voice to those who had none. They rose up against social mores and norms to fight oppression, even if it meant putting themselves in danger. We should all take a few moments to look back and honour these men and women who changed our world for the better.
I, Maya Shugart, nominate Jesus “Papoleto” Melendez for the Lo Mejor De Nuestra Comunidad Award. I have known Jesus for # of years; Mr. Melendez is a fountain of poetic insight and artistic prowess. His art and poetry directly tackle issues pertaining to the Puerto Rican and East Harlem community. Furthermore, his work with children and wanting to feel connected to the Three Kings parade held in El Barrio, coupled with its symbolic meaning as well as its participants, is one of the main reasons he continues to be a part of it year after year.
One of the Philippines more influential revolution leaders was influenced by the teachings and beliefs of the renowned “originator of the modern nonviolent or passive resistance movement”, Mahatma Gandhi (Bedford/St. Martin's 445). Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino is one of Marcos political opponents ordered to be immediately arrested after declaring the martial law. While wrongfully incarcerated by Marcos Ninoy read Gandhi whose life and work greatly influenced him to want to free his people in the Philippines. Ninoy was assassinated at the Manila national airport on August 21, 1983, upon his return to the Philippines from exile in the United States for three years. He had a speech prepared for that day even though he was not able to give his speech it was clear in the speech that he planned to resolve the political confrontations with Marcos through non violent means which he adopted from Gandhi’s work. In his speech Ninoy writes “I have returned of my free will joi...
Today is our first day of being the leaders, doers, and problem solvers of the future. Those who persevere, who give it their all and approach each day with optimism will ultimately meet success and happiness. Of course, there will be many a failure on that windy road of life, but with dedication, we can do anything and make any dream come true. But, as we grow older and encounter success, we must not forget those who have had it rough, whose lives may have hit some potholes on the way, and we must take care of those who need a helping hand. As each of us leaves our mark on the world, be generous and be happy, and always remember the good times, good friends, and lessons learned at Marefat.
Bleiker, Roland. "Pablo Neruda and the Struggle for Political Memory." Third World Quarterly 20.6 (1999): 1129-142. JSTOR. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
power of one person to make a difference, we must also note the contributions of
Saat Sulaiman; Usahawan cemerlang: tip dan panduan keusahawanan; available from [Book]pp 14-80. Retrieved on 9 March 2014
...al dynasties reign in Philippines - study." The Philippine Star. N.p., 9 Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. .
...s that Spain was unwilling to reform its colonial government. Andres Bonifacio, a self-educated warehouse clerical assistant, coordinated a secret revolutionary movement, the Katipunan, in Manila. “The Katipunan had an approximated 100,000 by August 1896”. (Dyal,45) when the Spaniards found out its existence. In 1896 the armed struggle began in Manila and quickly spread throughout the country. Aguinaldo defeated Spanish forces in several battles and rose to become the leader of Katipunan. In 1897 ,the Pact of Biak-na-Bato signaled a cease-fire and temporary end to the Revolution. Aguinaldo and his fellow Filipino Revolutionaries were gifted amnesty if the revolutionary leaders would go into exile. The Pact of Biak-na-Bato did not signal an end to the revolution. Aguinaldo and his men believed that the Spaniards would never give in to the conditions of the pact.