We arrived a bit late, when the introduction of the candidates were almost about to end, gladly we made it in time to support our friend. But that's not the only reason we went there: we also went to listen to the critical questions the student body could ask the candidates in an effort to be able to clearly know who the right people should be leading us for the next school year.
Despite the fact that everyone was able to answer the questions well, there was just one question that I think I finally have to give my say on, considering the fact that i believe that i had the most credible answer basing from experience. The question was about the Philippine's shift of its academic calendar from the deviant June-May to August-June, following the international standards for the compliance of the coming ASEAN integration.
From a personal point, it irked me when the candidates talked like they know the real implications of the calendar shift, disagreeing for several reasons. Reasons like:
1. As an agricultural/tropical country, it is not beneficial for us since students will be studying in the hot season and harvesting season, preventing students from giving it their all or even having the motivation to attend classes due to the heat.
2. It loses our nationality because we give in to internalization.
3. We are not ready for change because we still have a lot to change in our country.
And the list of reasons goes on and on. But before I give my opinion on these points, let me share my experiences as a former exchange student first.
I have already been into two foreign exchange programs, the first one was for International Christian University as a one year regular exchange student in Tokyo, Japan last September 2012-June 2013, and the second program was recently held in Seoul, South Korea last January 15-22, 2014, with the program being called the 15th ASEAN-Korea Youth Exchange Program. Luckily these two programs were all for free, but with a very big sacrifice, I had to skip school here for one reason and yes, its because of our different academic calendar.
Before I first stepped into foreign territory, I was a Filipino with no sense of Nationality, always complaining on how dirty our government is and on how we can never progress. But as soon as I met the world and got to know the conditions of other countries, these perceptions all changed. I realized how the Filipinos have the capability to be the best. Try talking to young Filipinos who went on exchange programs, and you can see how hopeful they are of their country's progress. That's because when we see the world, yes our country may be at the end of the list when it comes to facilities, economic standing and such, but that's the opposite case for the people. We already have the skills and capabilities, only that we were not given an avenue to show them. Our cultural talent of singing? World class. Our English Proficiency? Far better than the rest. It is only through international exposure can we say that we have what it takes. Because of this, our pride as Filipinos also strengthens.
Now for the people's reasons for disagreeing with the shift of the academic calendar. Agricultural reasons? Well how about the other agricultural/tropical countries, have you seen them fall because of the shift? I don't think so. If you say that this shift will lose our nationality, well try to read the previous paragraph again and tell me how i felt, I'm sure other former exchange students also had a strong sense of nationality after they went outside. We're not ready? Well if we aren't, when will we? When will we be ready to accept change in our country? Most of us always complain to our government on the problems we face, but what we forget is that we fail to give SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound) solutions to these problems, which may be the reason why we don't seem to see change after our decades of rallying and wanting for change.
Even if this shift brings problems/difficulties to our country, what we don't see is that this gives MORE progress than what we expect. For one, because of the internationalization of the academic calendar, we will finally not deprive the Filipino youth of their chance to see the world (maybe for free) and come back to the country with more hope and a fiery desire for change. This also makes the world come to us, making us exposed of diverse cultures, and this not only increases awareness, but it increases our tourism, brand equity, and economic stability brought by more domestic transactions.
I may not be able to argue about all points on this issue, but I firmly believe that this is the change we've been long looking for. This is the start of our progress. I do hope everyone will feel the same soon.
With regards to the student council elections, if we really want our country to succeed, a good, unbiased, and objective choice of the right student leaders is a way to start things right, and a way to see the change sooner than we think. So vote wisely for our nation, everyone.
