Inspirational Views

By Giselle Kasilag

Giselle Kasilag

There comes a a time in every child’s life when youthful concerns must give way to the demands of the real world. This turning point – a defining moment often essayed in films – happens quickly. In a snap of a finger, the world as we know it changes and a child is thrust into the world of adults – forced to leave behind dolls and skateboards – in order to make a crucial choice: to accept responsibility or to turn away and continue believing that life is not worth living without Halo 3.

For many of Manila’s teen-age elite, that moment came this weekend when the entire capital was submerged in flood waters. The deluge was a great equalizer. It made mudholes of mansions and in a matter of hours, people who had three cellphones, hi-techt laptops and the latest technology could not even get food delivered to their doorstep, much less get through the equally flooded hotlines of government agencies to seek rescue. Every single one of us has a friend or relative who were affected by the floods. And for the children of the National Capital Region and surrounding provices, it became a moment of realization.

Throngs of students attend to incoming cars to facilitate the unloading of donated goods

As I surveyed the scene in Ateneo’s covered court after bringing a car load of food, water and toiletries for the victims, I was at a loss for words to describe the scene. Kids, whose top priority only a week ago was limited to getting the latest K-pop star cd, were slumped on the floor and were sorting and repacking relief goods. They came on their own volition. Many of them begged and groveled to get their parents’ permission to come and offer assistance – begged and groveled because fearful parents would prefer that their children stay wthin arm’s length for as long as the danger is still present. But despite the reluctance, the kids were able to convince the grown-ups to let them go and let them grow.

Personally, I am extremely proud of my niece Abby (college freshman from Ateneo) and nephew Diego (high school sophomore from Don Bosco), who joined me as I shopped for goods to donate then chose to stay behind and help in the relief operations after dropping the goods off. They told me of how slots for 70 volunteers for deployment in Marikina to help clean the muddy roads and houses were filled within 15 minutes from the time the organizers made the announcement. These are the same kids who could not exist without a yaya and had to be bullied and bribed to clean their own rooms.

A long line of volunteers queueing up t get their assignments

The scene was the same in every other venues for relief operations. As I passed by Ortigas, the traffic in front of La Salle could not be ignored – traffic caused by a long line of cars dropping off relief goods and volunteers at the gate. ABS-CBN’s warehouses are overflowing with goods and student volunteers either repacking or preparing for deployment. Facebook and other networking sites have been flooded with info on the relief operations, and some were even shaming Mafia Wars afficionados for appearing insensitive and continuing to post results even at the height of the flooding.

I have often been told that I am wildly optimistic about the future of the Philippines. With graft and corruption surging to unbelievable heights, I have always held a view that government would eventually be immaterial and progress will be led by the private sector and the youth – that because bad government is bad for business, it is the private sector that would come to demand good governance in order to survive, and it would be the youth fearful of their future that would ensure that change occurs.Though extremely slow, I have always felt that the country was changing.

Other cars waiting to be unloaded

I was not proven wrong. Though government response is slow, everybody elses was not. They say that Ondoy is our Katrina. I believe it’s true – both in terms of rainfall and the slow government action. But it is also our Katrina because similar to the situation in the US, Ondoy also brought out the finest in the Filipino people. Everyone has heeded the call. Even those who were flooded took time out to help others before themselves. We have seen so many stories of heroism – not the kind with fireworks and television crews but simple acts of kindness such as sheltering neighbors whose homes were overwhelmed by the flood, sharing what little is left to eat while rescuers have yet to reach the stranded, and passing information to relatives and friends frantically searching for loved ones.

I am proud of our youth. I am in awe of how gracefully they have risen to the challenge. And I now know for sure that our future is in good hands.

Related posts:

1. Japan, US, China provide disaster relief assistance
2. How Ondoy Changed My Nation
3. Youth Power: A formidable force in the elections
4. The Good Samaritans amid the Storm
5. Groups unite for Relief Drive for Typhoon Ondoy victims

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