TODAY is the last day of my most favorite month of the year, May. Tomorrow will be the first day of June, the sixth month of the year, which means we are already entering the half of 2022. And again, as the cliche goes, time goes by so quickly indeed.
June is known to be the month of weddings, graduations, and of course the celebration of our nation's Independence Day. However, not all of us know that June is also declared as the W.A.T.C.H (We Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty) month per Proclamation No. 1278 signed on May 21, 2009.
W.A.T.C.H is an advocacy program jointly undertaken by JCI Senate Philippines, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, PAPSCU, PRISAA, and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Education, to promote and undertake programs that will instill the value of punctuality and honesty in all sectors of society. Its major goal is to advocate punctuality and honesty as two core values in promotting national renewal and development.
Consequently, DepEd through Memorandum No. 410 s.2009 contains the enabling guidelines for the advocacy of punctuality and honesty among DepEd personnel and learners. As contained in the Rationale of the said DepEd issuance:
"If everyone is punctual and honest there will be a concomitant valuing for self-respect and for respecting others' time. These values cannot be taught but they can be caught by simply modeling the practice and making it a habit."
To be more elaborate, being punctual does not only cover the act of arriving early or on time in an event or occasion. It also encompasses a person's diligence in tasks and assignments. Wikipedia captures it very specifically:
"Punctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously designated time. 'Punctual' is often used synonymously with 'on time'."
So, we Filipinos have this notorious image of being late and having the so-called "Filipino time." But it's high time we break this unproductive attitude and start promoting the advantages of being punctual. Mindset is the big key to achieving this. Let us allways remember that we must value our time and that of the others as if it was gold. Yes! Time is gold! Let us show respect to others by being on time and honoring their time. As always, we must live by the golden rule. Do not do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you.