Day 135: Technically a Punong Barangay

I was designated as the Officer-in-Charge since all the barangay officials were off to a Lakbay-Aral in Palawan and Las Piñas. I actually functioned as the Punong Barangay, Barangay Captain, of Barangay Fatima for 5 days. Actually it's just 4 since last Friday was the last day of Ramadan and it's a holiday.

It's was an incomparable experience and I never dreamed of it, though many dreamed of it for me.

Two ball pens.

I cannot even remember how many signatures I have had during that time. A 3-day of signing for Barangay permits and Gasoline purchases was like a third of all the documents I signed on the whole of SK Chairmanship. What a job! And many are out there telling that an official had done nothing! I can't imagine. And that's just the start.

Everyday people from different agencies both in the community and the City were there talking to you on things to be implemented and the requirements necessary for it's completion. Decisiveness and command before your personnel are the key that I know important during those times.

First invitation was a fora for LGBT.

Never was a day that there's no important engagements that you need to be in. One time, I attended an ABC meeting, a meeting that's only for Punong Barangays in the City. Since I was the Punong Barangay, technically, I attended the meeting. I rode on the car dedicated to transport our Kapitan, and it's NOT cool! Literally. The cryonator broke down and we travelled with open windows. 

The meeting started with the attendance not reaching majority, which made the council dispense house rules. On my mind, "You cannot blame your SK Chairpersons…" I don't know the reasons why some were not around but I want to share the candid thought. What a thrill it was rubbing elbows with several Punong Barangays.

"Opo, first time".

One memorable moment when I was the OIC was when I experienced my first buy-bust documentation. I saw for the first time packets of shabu! More crystalized than tawas, relatively as tawas with some noticeable chunks of grains, cost so hefty! Tawas only cost you a peso. I'm being comic here. I remember the Police asked, "First time nimo sir?". After all the signatories for the report came in they had us photographed and I went back home. It was 21h00.

Authority.

Days gone so fast and it's my last day. And, I don't know, before I ended my OIC functions I released Memorandum for the vehicles to be on temporary deposit. Since Friday will be holiday government vehicles should not be frolicking around since it's a day off. What a sight would it be when the Starex, motorcycles and dump trucks were out and gliding the streets on a holiday observance. Thanks to my staff; Te Daisy and Kuya Luther introduced the measure.

The fine Te Daisy.

Ya Luth. (Not real eye-color)

Gladly, the employees had surrendered their motorcycles and kept the trucks on the their place until the next working day.

I would like to thank…

All the employees, mga tao ni Kapitan, my SK Staff, our barangay officials, policemen, and everyone in the barangay for allowing me to have a smooth experience as an OIC.

Any more words?

A friend from the US was almost anxious with what I mean with my post:

He sent a private message, which will no longer be private, that reads:

Day 384: Meeting with the KKs

Meeting with your KKs will always be a challenge. But you know it’s fun being with them, at least we do.

How do you inform the KKs?

You may refer to this post.

How the meeting is done?

During our KKs’ meeting, we try to be as informal but orderly as possible.

I, or whomever councilor is assigned, speak/s of the proposals and then asks for questions.

Truly we have trained our constituents the Parliamentary Procedure, but at times, the best way to connect with them is through a sort of a “friendly chat”. This works for us, it might as well work for you.

Thankfully, anything that we want to be carried out is settled in this manner. Not until they would demand the procedure should we strictly implement such.

What’s the use of method if your purpose is not carried out?

Also, we are thankful for our KKs because they are intelligently behaved in our meetings. Just when I crack a joke, though it doesn’t sell sometimes, you can really expect a good reaction for a minute or two.

Tip: Create an atmosphere; an environment on your meeting where you think your ideas would come to fruition best.

You ask for the SK Council meeting? Well, that’s a different story.

What are the challenges?

They will and can not participate. Face it.

Even as I write, my colleagues and I can’t really figure out why our young people don’t want to attend meetings, which results to non-participation on your activities. We know that they can, just that they don’t.

In our most recent meeting we still struggle. We did the entire checklist we have to inform them. We even did the extra mile but the returns is quite unsatisfactory.

The situation. Our Linggo ng Kabataan 2012 Celebration will be this Friday, December 14, 2012. We set today, December 12, 2012, at 1:00p.m. as a “grace” meeting for their list of participants for various activities. We did meetings for the last 2 months and we still got same response. This time only three puroks out of of 29 represented themselves.

Right after that meeting we called for another meeting at 6:00 p.m. Gladly five puroks attended the meeting, but this is not a desirable response when you have 29 puroks, right? However, networking can still work through those young people who attended. As they say “The show must go on!” so largo!

Tip: Most are students. Try having a meeting at 6:00 p.m., one strategy to help us all.

Any more words?

Hope.

In my heart, I don’t fear their response on our activities for this term of office. What I deeply consider is the next Sangguniang Kabataan of our barangay. Given the fact of declining participation, how would such youth government organization thrive with the looming challenges, challenges greater than it is today?

Though their responses may be heartbreaking sometimes, carry on. We all have been in the same boat. Continue the toil. True, you might lose hope but that’s the last thing you should not lose. Hope. There always has been just that our heart fails to see it sometimes. Sometimes our heart fails to have a good grip on it. Hope for the best.

Day 389: Game for the Weekend

By the way, this is a late post due to electricity deficiency in our area for almost 11 hours.

Let me share you a story for today.

For the Three

The coach signals a time out that sends the players of their color to their respective sides of the court.

            I am not trying to be a psycho but I am certain to decipher these words from the coach’s lips saying,

          “It’s now or never. It’s the mark you’ll all leave after you graduate.”

The players’ focus on every words he sent out.

“Now, get your eyes out of the scoreboard and play the game you’ve been playing for the last 4 years of your lives by heart.”

            Snap! It’s like magic, it’s like my team’s players face glares not of anger but of high-spirits in the 94-92 game. It’s just 3 points, 3 bloody points for us to put an end to our agony; we’re enjoying it though.

A game of our Junior Basketball Team for the Best Four Round
during the SummerKadahan 2012.

            Everybody is so keen, not missing a second, not even the pumping of the ball from this floor to those sweaty palms. I can sense everybody’s grasping everything they can hold on to. Everywhere you look it’s like everybody’s not noticing their own sweat trailing their face on that hot, steamy Wednesday noon. It’s funny how some looks so worried; others bite their lip and clasp hands, while the audience-cheering team almost pops the balloons they’re holding.

            The ball is flying from one player to the other, not giving the opposing team to have a score and maintaining the status quo of that moment. Forty seconds left and still no one’s score is changed. The captain of my team had the ball now, as we watch him, he’s like thinking to whom will he pass the ball. Hearts are throbbing and the crowd starts to scream.

            “To number 18!”

            “No, that’s lame, 07!”

            “18!”

            “07!” The number is repeated on and on.

            And the crowd goes loco. As for me, I have confidence to the captain of my team’s discretion.

            “What?” I fret. “That’s wrong, so wrong. Not him!”

            I found myself bursting with dismay. Now, that unexpected number 02, the one all thinks the lamest, just stood after the ball was passed to him. I drag my attention to the captain, trying to question him, but I’m inspired by what I saw because he put on the face of trust to this newbie. This player starts to bend his knees, which sets the screaming drama off.

            At the back of my mind I said, “This is crazy! There’s just 4 seconds left and this is my team captain’s…Arghhh.” with clashing eyebrows and opened mouth.

            Everyone’s surprise but found no time to shout (and go loco again). No one is caring to take that free oxygen as all eyes followed that 3-point shoot.

            Believe me, it would’ve been an epic choice, an epic shoot, epic game and all, until my consciousness grasped that alarm on my phone with a note, “Basketball Finals- TODAY!”

Any more words?

I hope everyone will have a good game this weekend! But we in the office won’t have one… Hahahaha! It’s the Sumbanan Awards 2012 interview phase.

Also, let's respect intellectual property. Even though my composition is so high school do cite properly. Thanks!

Day 393: Introduction

This blog will feature the adventure of my remaining days in Sangguniang Kabataan both in our barangay and its collective sphere, and myself, personally (as an SK, i.e., Samejon, Kevin).

Well this is the SK logo, as in the office.
I might as well devise my own
Samejon, Kevin logo, eh.
What do you think?

I invite you to actively participate here and I will see to it to be equally active. You can Like, Tweet,  g+, and anything social this blog. I hope you can identify to some of the upcoming posts and let others who might as well be on the same situation while in the office, in life, know. You may also take a minute or two reading the posts in this blog daily as you join me; the SK. I would also invite you to refresh yourself with a daily dose of this.

Why use blog and not a publication?

Blog is more conveniently elaborate. 

• Convenient because you can have tweaks and updates to your posts and prior postings right away. Your personal Blogger home view tells something of a more up to date blog updating through mobile.
• Moreover, having a blog instead of a publication requires yourself, the Internet, and your computer alone, for you to publish posts which concerns your blog's interest.
• Blog is also "conveniently elaborate" because you can share to people you know, or even those you do not, what might takes interest to them without singlehandedly giving them your printed propaganda.
• Blog also promotes more elaborate individuality than most hard prints can. First, it's you who own the blog. Second, it's you who create the content. Third, nobody will ultimately triumph over what you will to put on your blog. And lastly, let's face it --- it's a blog, web log, get me?
• It's no longer concealed from the educated man that you can monetize digital content. However, though a blogger can have such liberty of enriching himself or herself, you can expect worthwhile content from here. Also, if I get the chance to learn how to do that so I may help you readers, well, I won't hesitate to share it with you. SULONG PILIPINAS!

What will I expect from a blog as this?

As I stated above, everything SK, from my name to the office itself. Not to mention, I will also tap on to government issues concerning SK, SK reforms, SK problems and solutions, how-to's, administration, implementing programs, present notable ideas, and anything that would deem of help to the youth of this nation and the world.

How frequently will you do updates?

My updates will be regular, day-to-day basis. I may have 392 days left as a Chairman in the office but how long I will be alive will be uncertain. But I will certainly live up to the "Days: Nyaya" concept.

Also I would clearly signpost whether it is about the SK or myself, or anything.