Philippine Model Congress

From what started from a text from a high school friend, led to an eye-opening and learning experience.

My friend Tricia and I
Photo by Thomas Rosal

I was doing my homework when my friend Tricia texted me telling me that she and a couple of her friends are organizing this thing called the Philippine Model Congress to be held in the Batasan Pambansa (which was eventually held in the Senate). She was wondering if I was interested in helping out. My instinct said YES but reluctance followed because I wasn't so sure what this Congress was exactly about. So, I had follow up questions.

I got to view the website they were still working on and understood what it was. It was simulating the youth into what goes on in the proceedings in the House of Representatives. I thought that it was such a pioneering idea. And I got on board. I posted about the event on Facebook hoping students at my university would sign-up.

Photo by Michael Lorenzana

2nd Global Youth Summit

Last September 7, my friend Elle and I attended the 2nd Global Youth Summit at SM North Edsa Skydome. Since we had to join in groups, we were fortunate enough to join the UA&P group since the ones from DLSU were already full.

There Skydome was packed! Students from the different universities in our country and even outside came in for this summit. There were many speakers who inspired us and taught us ideas from communicating our ideas, to project management, to upscaling our ideas, and getting support to be able to turn these ideas into reality.

Some of the speakers were Chito Macapagal, Anton del Rosario, Jim Paredes from the Apo Hiking Society, and Michael Lobrim. They taught us about how one idea, no matter how small or how big, if you believe in it and get people to believe in it to, and once you work together towards that goal, it can become a reality. We can also touch many lives from that idea.

Never the Strangers, the band behind the Moving Closer song in one of the toothpaste commercials, played!

Each group was given a case to solve. My group was given a topic on the health sector; about how to get people to invest on their health. We focused on marginalized groups. We want them to be able to be hands on with their health. Aside from the simple projects of medical-dental missions, we want to ensure that the local health centers are fully equipped with the medicines that their people need. This entails help from the local government units to fund the project and to do so with integrity since it is their responsibility to ensure the health of their constituents.

Also, in the case, it wants us to solve the problem of the people investing on health insurance. This brings up the Philhealth card that our government has which you can read more about here.

The event was fun! We learned so much, we gained connections, we were moved, and we were inspired. Hopefully, more of the youth today can join more of these so that we can all come together and work together so that we can work towards the progress of our country! :)