Mabuhay, mga bagong Iskolar para sa Bayan ng UP Manila!
First, in behalf of Bigkis ng mga Iskolar para sa Bayan Tungo sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago (Bigkis UPM), I congratulate you for making it to the UP campus with the highest cut-off grade- with this, comes the highest standards of education and the highest expectations from its students. It is therefore given that we strive for academic excellence. I also welcome back the upperclass after two months of a well deserved vacation.
More than this, we at Bigkis-UPM, aim to lead UP Manila students in becoming holistic scholars. It is easy to develop intelligence but it is difficult to mold character. As holistic scholars, let us be part of our society’s progress, not our society’s problems. Let us respect and help our government rather than bash every President elected. Let us change our reputation of being noisy activists. Let us inspire others rather than conspire with each other.
People say, politics in UP is a microcosm of politics in our country. At some points, one can’t help but agree; however, at other points, I’d like to disagree. And I’d continue to disagree until the negative connotation on the term politics would be removed. In four, five, six or seven years time (depending on your course), you will graduate, take the boards and be recognized as a professional. Don’t stop there. Prove to our fellow countrymen that they didn’t invest their money on us for nothing. Aspire to be leaders of your own communities or expertise. Never think linearly, never think for yourself alone; for it is also to your disadvantage. Rather, think comprehensively and think of others; think of how you could help everyone for it is only then that you truly help yourself. Aspire to be politicians- there is nothing wrong with this. Aspire to be one until the term politicians would not remind us of corruption, but of good governance. This is the best that we could do for our motherland that raised us. She expects a lot from us and believes in us, the ISKOLARS PARA SA BAYAN. So why doubt ourselves?
Our path in becoming Iskolars para sa Bayan starts with our education and experiences in UP Manila- from the subjects we take, the teachers we get to the friends we choose. I invite you to be a part of Bigkis-UPM where we practice progressive multi-perspective activism in addressing national and local issues. When I was still a Freshman like you, I had friends first from different political groups but my instincts were not convinced into joining them. I felt that some things were just wrong. On the other hand, I heard rumors that members of Bigkis-UPM are elitista. At that time too, I had a negative impression on politics so I did not become interested in joining any party. After joining various advocacy organizations in campus, I got to know more student leaders from Bigkis-UPM. These are people I knew who are willing to serve even without positions, people who are for service alone- not for honor, glory, and whatsoever benefits. So, I got inspired and decided to join Bigkis-UPM. From knowing them better, I realized they may just have been branded by others as elitista because of their neat appearance but I credit this to good grooming which reflects much about a person’s character and how he deals with the people around him. Other than that, there are no other signs that I see why they have been branded as elitists. Not all members of Bigkis-UPM are rich. Even if they are well-off they still do not forget to share whatever blessings they have. In fact, my heart melted when together, we helped a member pay his tuition fee by raising P15,000 in one week. After that, there was not even a single word of self-praise did I hear from any Bigkis member.
When I ran for office in the University Student Council (USC) as a Councilor, it is only then that I realized the importance of a party when running for office. The projects that I wanted to implement were not only for my one year term. And it was with this that one of the roles of a party enters: continuity. An official may only carry out his plans during his term but a party would continue realizing his vision with its next candidates- becoming a great manifestation of unity. True to this, Bigkis-UPM was instrumental to the continuity of successful & high-impact projects such as the largest-participated Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE), the most successful UPM Fair, the comprehensive League of College Councils, the widely-implemented Zero Styro policy and many more.
We hope to continue these projects and start new ones too especially for this school year where we aim to promote UP Manila not just as another UP campus but as the premiere health sciences center of our country. Help us help you! Be part of Bigkis-UPM and even the USC Volunteer Corps. In three or four years’ time, some of you will undoubtedly become USC Councilors and one of you would become the USC Chairperson. It would be such pride & happiness if they would be from Bigkis-UPM.
Once again, to the Freshies, welcome to UP Manila! To the returning students, welcome back!
From Iskolars ng Bayan, may you become Iskolars para sa Bayan!
Angeli “Gel” Guadalupe
Chairperson
University Student Council 2011-2012
*An Intarmed student, Gel Guadalupe co-founded with Renzo Guinto (former USC Chairperson & member of Bigkis) the only environmental & largest organization in UP Manila- UP One Earth. In 2009, she became one of the Bayer-UNEP Young Environmental Envoys. She previously served as the USC Councilor for Environment and spearheaded projects most notably the first-ever Health and Environment Week of the USC 2010-2011 and implemented the “Zero Styro” university policy. Now, she is one of the nation’s 100 Ateneo School of Government- World Bank Youth Leaders for Knowledge & Development. Recently, she was selected to be one of the country’s five delegates to the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues- an opportunity she had to give up in order for her to be in the country before the schoolyear starts and serve her fellow students as their USC Chairperson.
