Thursday, February 08, 2007
Acofo: Seeing with new eyes
By Julio Acofo
WHAT if the children or their parents say “thanks, but no thanks” to that feeding program. In fact they did Some of them said “thanks, but no thanks” to the feeding. I am referring to some students and some parents whose children the Kataguanwatch was supposed to feed since some two years ago. The Kataguanwatch is a non-government organization which tasked itself to provide daily breakfast to undernourished and indigent students at the Baguio City National High School. The school doctor provides the list of underweight, undernourished and indigent students to the Kataguanwatch.
The First Meal Project - that’s how we call it - is on its third year. It’s objective which is to have the students not miss breakfast-the most important meal of the day, won for the Kataguanwatch a citation and cash gift from the Wellness Program of Nestle Philippines. Food is strictly not junk.
Less, we stray from the main point. Among the lessons learned for the Kataguanwatch was the humility to accept that an offer to do good can be rejected for varied reasons. We gathered that these parents and students who did not like to partake of the first meal (Not All Please) did not like to be categorized as undernourished or worst malnourished by being underweight. “I can feed my child. I know we are feeding our children well. We can afford to provide the breakfast. We are not indigents.” These are some of the few comments that reached us at Kataguanwatch.
The 2007 budget of the country contains some four billion pesos for feeding students in public schools and for building classrooms. At its inception the government’s planned feeding program received all kind of criticisms from its intent to how its going to be done. “A larger (rice) scam, bigger than the fertilizer scam for the elections” creamed a commentary. “What if the student is absent, who will receive the kilo or rice?” asked a technocrat. “The rice will be sold by a gambling parent”, wala ring makakain ang bata”, repeated a tabloid. I believe that the expression of public doubt helped congress to accede to the Senate’s version to include the building of classrooms to the intent to feed students in public schools.
But that’s not the point. The point is what if the students or their parents told our good legislators “thanks, but no thanks”. Would the good legislators have listened? Would they have felt offended or insulted when their good offer is turned down? What do you think? It’s public funds. Anyway you see it. That’s why the public has all the right to say its piece(s).
Personally, I felt humbled when I heard the comments of the parents and students who did not like to take part of the First Meal Project of the Kataguanwatch. As I mentioned earlier, some parents and students did not like to be categorized as indigents or undernourished regardless of the required weights of the students by the function of their age, sex, bone mass etc.
With the drama and debates that happened in the congressional mill, all for the sake of feeding the children in public schools, I now realized the beauty and power of them saying “thanks, but no thanks” to the gesture. “When people fight about what to give you especially when it is food, you shrink. Better to say; huwag na lang, explained a tagalog-friend of mine.
The children in this case saying “thanks, but no thanks” to our good congressmen may sound silly and proud. It is indeed pride. It’s the pride which is dignity and has nothing to do with conceit or arrogance. It has all to do with self -respect and nothing to do with self-importance and self-satisfaction. It is all about self-esteem and nothing about self-image(ry).
Yes, what if the students better still their parents (will learn to) say: “thanks, but no thanks” to the feeding . That would indeed be self-electing a perfect face to self-esteem. A statement of redemption. Something deep inside is made alive. By the way kataguan is an Igorot term to mean life or means to life. Kataguanwatch continues to sustain its operations from its members and their friends who believe that their friends in Kataguanwatch simply enjoy feeding the children. A regular patron is an old Baguio resident who edits Baguio’s oldest newspaper. We invite people to share their birthdays with the kids. And for those interested, please call or text 09155188923. We reserve the right to decline an offer. As I said no junk food please.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (February 8, 2007 issue)
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