A blog site tackles our Press Statement on LDPC

As we were googling (synonymous with the word searching) the name of our center using GOOGLE, we clicked one of the suggested links provided. We became curious since we have been doing this for past months and we were not provided with such link. We entered his/her blogsite and found out that s/he made a comment out of our press statement on the passage of Local Development Plan for Children.

His/Her article went like this... (The funny thing here is that they thought that Jamail Lunar Macla is a female. They kept of using "Ms.", "she" and like)

Monday, May 12, 2008

Reproductive health is not only being moral?

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In a statement, the Davao Teen Center (DTC) strongly expressed their support on the programs of the local government to address the reproductive health issues of the city. They challenged civil society to support the programs, as this is the "long hope of young people when it comes to accessibility of the reproductive health services of the city."

Jamail Lunar Macla, youth coordinator of DTC, expressed that the local initiative of passing and approving LDPC manifests the firmness of local leaders that reproductive health is more than moral and societal issue.

Macla said the issue is not just all about morality.

"Reproductive health is not only being moral. It is being human and humane to all citizenry where you let them choose to informed options based on the availability and accessibility of correct information and education that was given by all stakeholders in the society, which includes media, family, peers, academe and church," Macla said.
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I wonder what Macla means when she says "Reproductive health is not only being moral.”
Let us try to get the secular definition of “moral” in merriam-webster’s dictionary.

Mor-al

a: of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ethical (moral judgments) b: expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior (a moral poem) c: conforming to a standard of right behavior d: sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment (a moral obligation)

Ah, now I see. Let me now attempt to rephrase Ms Macla’s statement:

"Reproductive health is not only being moral. It is not only being right or wrong. It is not only the concept of right behavior. It is not only about conforming to a standard of right behavior. It is not only one’s conscience or ethical judgment. It is being human and humane…”.

What is happening to our youth? Look at their concept of what is moral, as if it is the opposite of what is ‘humane’. These youth are going to bring these principles into this nation’s future leadership positions unless they are corrected.

There’s a lot to be done. But I think I’m about to cry first.

We immediately made a comment to his/her article and told him/her the following statement...

Anonymous said...

i just read this blog article and found that your topic is quite fascinating.

i have this observation, i guess what Ms Macla is saying is that the word "moral" is not the antonym of the word "humane".

just want to quote his sentence. He said that

"Reproductive health is not only being moral. It is being human and humane to all citizenry...linguist will say that what he is implying that reproductive health is NOT ONLY being moral is an idea that she also believes that Reproductive health is also moral. The subsequent sentence is only an inclusion and emphasis of what reproductive health means, that reproductive health is moral, being human and being humane.

When you rephrased her sentence, i see that you tried to expand the meaning of moral. My english teacher always reminds me to become brief and concise with paragraph construction. What you added, for me, is superfluous and may not be included.

April 20, 2009 11:45 PM

We didn't identify ourselves because we don't want to get the attention of his/her readers who will eventually make a "personal attack" comments on us just like what happened in LDPC hearings.

Subsequently, 2 bloggers commented and said...

WillyJ said...

Anon,
Well, I'm no English major and you do have a point there. I guess Macla should have clarified further. To me, being "moral and human and humane" involves protecting life in all its stages, and I hope this is not lost when she talks about "informed options" in the context of Reproductive Health.

April 21, 2009 7:28 AM

Manny said...

Let's not play with words. That young lady simply has got it wrong. She thinks morals can be discarded so that she can affirm some touchy-feely concept of women's rights. She seems to forget that around half the innocent unborn children killed by abortifacient contraceptives are also female.

We have a brainwashed generation coming to the reins of power. We have to find a way to disabuse them of this end-justifies-the-means madness.

April 23, 2009 12:02 AM

So, we responded to Manny's arguments. We answered him and said...

anon AKA eM-Ar said...

i can simply illustrate the contention/s of Ms Macla and the Author using a formula..

AUTHOR
Reproductive Health = Moral (ONLY)

MS MACLA
Reproductive Health = Moral + Human + Humane (incorporation of efforts from church, media, family and state)

I think Manny doesn't see my point here. i will take your arguments one by one.

"Let's not play with words."
When the author rephrased Ms Macla's statement, how would you call such act?

Extracting, or playing as he called it, the exact meaning of words is very much necessary to communicate it to the audience clearly and effectively, especially, if we don't want to brainwash our audience.

"She seems to forget that around half the innocent unborn children killed by abortifacient contraceptives are also female."
Will you agree with me that Reproductive Health IS NOT EQUALS TOIS NOT EQUALS TO


"We have a brainwashed generation coming to the reins of power."
we must be guided on the idea that People shapes Culture and Culture shapes People. Our new generation today is brainwashed because of the role played by their older generation. Partly, we can blame our young people but the older generation who shaped culture must be greatly blamed. Older generation thought our younger generation. Eventually, they will perform this task to the next generation.

Above all, HOWEVER, we are still in the same advocacy, to uphold our HEALTH RIGHTS in general. Everything was made by God for purpose. He even allowed evil to exist because he wanted us to be more faithful to HIM. Hence, in general, EVERYTHING IS GOOD.

You, Me, Us, We, Them, They, Young, Old, Rich, Poor, Media, Chair, Table, Government, Law, Rules, Body, Physical being, Society, Emotional Being and even REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

It is the methodology used that made it bad, that made it evil.

To simply put by analogy, the existence of the Knife in essence is good. If no one touches it, it would not create neither good effect nor bad effect. abortifacient? if yes, then we are in the same boat. if no, then will you also believe that Natural Family Planning recommended by the Church Reproductive Health.

April 23, 2009 2:27 AM

Up to now, the discussion still continue.

Moral Lesson from this teeners, as advocate for Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) we need to be Strong and Tough yet Soft and Kind. Strong and tough to push through our agenda, campaigns and calls yet Soft and Kind to communicate, counsel, influence, lobby, facilitate, inspire and develop our fellow advocate of ARH.

We need to ready ourselves with the worst battle of our life because our primary invisible enemy here is our culture. GOOD LUCK TEENERS!

P.S.
You can also actively participate the above-pasted discussion. Here is the link.
http://randomthoughtsmusings.blogspot.com/2008/05/reproductive-health-is-not-only-being.html

2009 China-ASEAN Youth Camp

2009 China-ASEAN Youth Camp
Guangxi and Guangdong Province, China
May 19-26, 2009

With the theme, “China and ASEAN youth join hands, responding to the challenges rising from the global economic crisis”, the All China Youth Federation and the National Youth Commission shall send nine (9) youth participants with the following requirements:

Filipino citizen
Between 18 to 30 years old
Have been serving the youth sector as an active officer or member of a youth or youth-serving organization for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the date of application
Of good moral character
Physically and mentally fit to travel
Preferably a first time traveler. Former recipients of all NYC international programs from March 23, 2008 to March 23, 2009 are disqualified to apply.
Must have a valid passport until at least six (6) months after the date of departure for the program

Applicants without any passport details shall not be considered.

Each delegation is required to prepare a country report on how their country support youth to tackle the challenges rising from the global economic crisis, which shall include:
1. the impact of the global economic crisis on the country as a whole
2. the challenges faced by the youth in the crisis
3. the measures taken by the government to support the youth
4. the measures taken by youth organizations and other civil organizations to support the youth
5. the gaps between the youth demand and the social support
6. how youth exchanges can contribute to this process
7. suggestions and conlusions

Each country report should be typed in Times New Roman font with the font size of 14 points and no less than 2000 words.

The ACYF shall provide the delegations with local hospitality, including food, accommodation and local transportation during the event. The participants shall shoulder their own international travel fare.

All applicants must completely fill up the NYC International Program Application Forms attached. Deadline is extended until April 15, 2009.

Address: Social Marketing Division
National Youth Commission
4F Bookman Building
373 Quezon Ave., Quezon City

Email: lutchieachua@ yahoo.com

For more information, please feel free to call the NYC office 7811163 or visit the website www.youth.net. ph

The 36th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP)

Be a Youth Ambassador and represent the Philippines!

The National Youth Commission is inviting all qualified youth, between 18 to 30 years old as of April 1, 2009 to apply as one of the 28 participating youth to represent the Philippines in the 36th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP).

Applications is also open for National Leader to lead the Philippine delegation for men and women between 35 to 50 years old.

The SSEAYP is an annual cultural exchange program sponsored by the government of Japan in cooperation with the ASEAN member countries for their youth to gather and discuss pertinent issues affecting the youth today. The delegates will tour Japan and other ASEAN countries for 52 days on board a Japan luxury ship, meet State officials, interact with local youth, and experience living with local families. The National Youth Commission implements this program in the Philippines.

All selected delegates must participate in all of the following activities:

Pre-departure Training July 13-25, 2009
Pre-departure Activities Sept. 27 – Oct. 26, 2009
Cruise Oct. 27 – Dec. 18, 2009
Post-Program Evaluation Dec. 18 – 20, 2009

Application forms are available at the NYC Head Office and all Area Offices. Forms may also be downloaded from the NYC website www.youth.net. ph

Mail or hand carry your application to Ms. Marielou A. Chua, National Youth Commission, 4th Flr., Bookman Building, 373 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.
Tel Nos. 781-1617/781- 1152/781- 1406/749- 9401/749- 9404/749- 9409/749- 9399 locals 113 and 115.

Deadline of submission is April 13, 2009.

Time to Move On! Time to Move Forward!

We are sending our formal goodbye to our beloved friend who was buried last March 22, 2009.

To you Louie/Weng, We will miss you and hope to see you there soon where we can live our life to its fullest and share our happiness together without any reservation. It is so sad that you left us so soon but happy to hear that you arrived there to OUR Savior's hand so early and that you can spend all your life with Him.

Kindly send our regards to our fellow victim of ARH there in heaven. You tell them that we are still with them in fighting and defending their rights, OUR RIGHTS, towards a society where ASRH rights is being respected!

So long and Goodbye Weng! You are always in our heart.


Sincerly yours,

Davao Teen Center (DTC)
Gensan Teen Group (GTC)
SK Officials of GenSan
and Friends


P.S.
Pictures will be posted later after we will get hold of the memory card used in his burial.

Our Last Farewell to you Louie Ellivera, GTG Member

Our Deepest condolence to the family and friends of Louie Ellivera, SK chairperson of Barangay Labangal, General Santos City and member of Gensan Teen Group (GTG), the DTC version of Gen San. He Passed away last night, March 14, 2009 due to motor accident. The detail is not yet clear as to what really happened but we deeply shouting for justice for Loiue for being one of the victims of many accidents happening in our country.

Louie is known to be a "bugoy" SK officer who oftenly makes jokes to his fellow SK officers. He is a typical young person who looks on things very lightly and conveniently. He is a happy-go-lucky person since he is one of his lolo's favorites, which the latter is the former barangay Captian of the said barangay. He died for a very young age, more or less 18 years of age, but he thinks more than an adult when it comes to addressing young people's issue. We last see him during the Samal Activity, where we put also an update about this in our blogspot, and get some his pictures. We last heard about him through em-ar, since he constantly contacting and guiding him through his SK related endeavours in their barangay, last 2 weeks ago but saw him online last week.

Em-ar still remembered how he scolded him on some of his observations about their youth leaders in their barangay. The latter even shared some of his personal updates that a package from Japan worth 15000 will be coming to his possession since a friend from Japan will give this as a gift.

But then again, this precious moments, without thinking that this will happen, will become the last experience with him. We will remeber it as is and share it as is.

His death will remind us that we to move forward, we need to continue our journey. There is no time to cry and sob to what happened but there are lots of time to stand and change our current situation, which is currently backward. We need to be strong becuase this is what Louie is intending for us. He doesnt need our pity but he needs our smile and good luck!

Hope to see you there soon Louie. We will continue the fight from the point where you left your fight. We will keep inspired and inspiring others of your death. We will make you proud that we will become a GOOD ADVOCATES of ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH!

Farewell our fellow advocate of ASRH!

IYF Seeks Dynamic Young People Leading Social Change

There’s a lot of talk about the problems facing our world today, but it takes a special person to find a solution and put it into action – a social entrepreneur. The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is in search of 20 young social entrepreneurs from around the world for its YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program.

Sponsored by Nokia, the YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program recognizes young social innovators for their outstanding achievements. Past winners have undertaken a range of special projects, including: providing low-cost, solar lighting to rural families in Nicaragua; using mobile phone technology to combat pharmaceutical fraud in Africa; and employing low-income women in the Philippines to transform discarded fabric into fashionable accessories. Profiles of the 2008 Global Fellows can be viewed at: www.youthactionnet.org

The Global Fellowship is open to qualified candidates between 18 and 29 years old. Applicants must be proficient in English and have founded existing projects or organizations with a clear vision for social change. This can include leading a new project within an existing organization. Winners will be announced on August 1, 2009.

The yearlong Fellowship includes:

• An all-expense-paid trip in November 2009 to attend the YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Retreat that enables the 20 youth leaders to share best practices and learn from each other;
• Recognition for their efforts at the Annual YouthActionNet® Global Awards Ceremony;
• Networking with leading international nongovernmental organizations, development agencies, and donor institutions; and
• Virtual learning sessions, as well as access to global advocacy platforms, media coverage, and funding opportunities.

The deadline for applications is April 15, 2009. Application information is available at: www.youthactionnet.org.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word!

Millenium Development Goal (MDG) Summit is now open for new application!

The 2009 MDG Summit for Young Filipino Leaders is jointly organized by the United Nations Integrated Council for Youth Development (UNICY) United Nations Youth Association of the Philippines (UNYAP) & UNFPA Youth Advisory Panel-Philippines.

DATE: May 20-24, 2009
VENUE: DUMAGUETE CITY
THEME:" YOU-th L.E.A.D. THE MDG'S COMMITMENT"
TARGET PARTICIPANTS: 200
AGE REQUIREMENT: 15 and above
REGISTRATION FEE: 3,500 PHP (covers board and lodging)

How to be part of the delegates? Just Click the first and second links below and fill it up then send it back to mdgsummit@yahoo.com. Other pertinent documents are available in the third and fourth links.

1. GROUP APPLICATION FORM 1-A.doc

2. DELEGATE REG FORM 1-B.doc

3. MDG 2009 brochure

4. MDG SUMMIT WHITE LOGO

For more information, kindly log on to http://mdgsummit.ning.com/ and register.

Good Luck mga teeners!

Ate Elvi: Happy Trip and Continue Serving the Young People in Africa!

Ate Elvi will bid us farewell but we will never say our goodbye to her because her spirit, lesson and heart will always be in our mind and action.

She will be going to Africa for a work in VSO (not quite familiar with its meaning) for 24 months to serve the people there also. So for the duration of that months, her presence will not be always around to help us with our endeavors as how she always guide us with our decisions and taking options in life everyday. We think that this is a challenge imposed to us by her as she will bid us goodbye temporarily, that we need to be independent and we need to always move on.

She also extends her thanks to everybody who help her grew up, yeah, she also learned from us the same way that we learned from her.

So hopefully, this will not be the last day that we will see the glamorous outfit and hard-to-adjust smile of Ate Elvi. After 24 months, let us prove to her that DTC is still intact, still in the path to defend the rights of young people in ASRH!

Happy trip ate elvs.


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em-ar made a small poem to her for the latter's travel.


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she is the girl full of spirit..

she is the woman full of heart...

she is a female individual who has the passion to help others...

she is our mother who defend her children against negative influence...

she is just like who she is...

no one compares her magnificent attitude, her vibrant powers and unique personality...

she is not an idol but she is a good shepherd for everybody...

she will bid us luck and bless but never farewell and goodbye...

she welcomes new journey and battle but never intending to leave us...

she will probably meet her new group, new friends and new people but will keep her old friends, old group and old people in her heart forever...

she will miss us as well as we will miss her...

but nevertheless, just like the song of the call, she'll come back when we'll call her, NO NEED TO SAY GOODBYE!

Happy Trip ate elvs!

Amazing Risk: A success of our 21st Anniversary

DTC extends its heartwarming thank you to everybody who attended and helped on the success of our 21st anniversary held at SIR Barangay Hall last February 28, 2009.

Although it was attended by less number of people but the experiences and laughter shared by the participants augmented the lacking moments of our anniversary.

DTC is well-known because of the game "amazing race", in which it becomes a traditional activity of the center that is always anticipated by children and youth every time they will attend an activity organized by the center. However, because and due to some creative and resourceful minds of our members, we changed its nature a little bit and named it as "AMAZING RISK."

Amazing risk is a combination of the nature of the game of fear factor and amazing race. In-order to have a twist out of it, our members just named it as such.

As you can observe by its name, it involves risk in spite of the excitement to perform the challenges of the game. YEAP, there are lots of risk. Physical and Mental, sometime emotional and etc were being affected by this game.

So as we celebrate our 21st anniversary, we also welcome this new form of game. But of course, it will not be introduced, if there is no celebration of our 21st anniversary. Hence, logic will say, that people who contributed to the success also shared their part in the history of the center, the history of creating the game "Amazing Risk".

Oh, by the way, two groups tied in the over-all place. It was not intended but we think, unconsciously, the attitude of being a leader just came out and proved it that no one is a "losser" but everybody is a WINNER!

Just to mention the people who, through their help, contributed to the success of the activity without having sweat:
1. Councilor Angging Librado Trinidad
2. SK Federation of Davao City
3. Elvira Duka
4. Maria Ana Gementiza of SIR
5. Emel Rose of DCNHS/UM
6. James Phil Villaber of Ma-a
7. Peer Facilitators
8. Peer Counselors
9. Volunteer Members
10. Shiela Cabanlit of Agdao-Centro

Thank You! Thank You! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!


P.S. Pictures are already available in the picture section of our blogspot.

DTC on its 21st anniversary!

Whew! after a long time of having no communication and updates to people, the executive committee of our center decided to celebrate our 21st anniversary as part of our annual and traditional activity.



Since the creation of our center, 21 years of surpassing challanges is not an easy achievement. Hence, to celebrate this victory, we will meet again and remember those days.

Our anniversary will be held at SIR Barangay Hall Covered Court (near Tecarro School), this February 28, 2009, Saturday, starting 3PM till 9PM but we don't think that it will really end by 9PM. ahihi..

so hope that you can visit there! Dont miss this chance to meet again the children and youth leaders of Davao!

Go teeners!


p.s. We highly appreciate contributions from our members as well as presentations! GUDLUCK!