Our best hope

Despite the discouraging and deplorable events happening in our country now, Filipinos continue to be hopeful and to look forward to a bright future. The horizon indeed still appears promising even if the current state of affairs is dark and dreary. And this is not because of a particular “man on a white horse” looming ahead in order to free us from our present plight; or a “knight in shining armor” gallantly galloping forward to cast away the “moral eclipse” (as described by Retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno) currently enshrouding our society.

Optimism continues to prevail among us because of the young men and women still in our midst who have been aptly described by our National hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal as the “hope of the motherland”. And we are still more fortunate because there are organizations formed for purposes of developing and preserving their personal, professional, civic, cultural and spiritual welfare so that they can become not only good and law-abiding citizens but competent and upright leaders “to move the Philippines ahead in the 21st century”.

One of these organizations is the Kalinangan Youth Foundation Inc. (KALFI). Kalinangan is derived from the word “linang” which literally means “rough terrain” that obviously needs cultivation or refinement. And so applying this imagery to people, KALFI was organized precisely to trim the rough edges and cultivate and develop well rounded personalities among the youth especially in their way of living, learning and working. It was conceived “to bring out the best in the youth, tap their potentials, inflame them with passion for serious work and true knowledge, awaken their love for genuine freedom, and instill in them a sense of responsibility translated into a lively spirit of service”.

KALFI is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1983, duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and accredited as a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) donee-institution. Its incorporators and organizers believed and continue to believe that our youth are the “trailblazers of today, society’s hope, protagonists of the future and catalysts of progress”. KALFI is indeed one of the few genuine NGOs which look up to the youth as among the few “enlightened movers who “dared to differ and do things better”.

Its plan of action includes activities and projects in cooperation with Educational and Cultural centers in Metro Manila and other key cities in the Philippines including organizations here and abroad. Some of these activities are: the “UNIV” which challenges university students to confront current issues through research and social projects; the “Cultural Get Together” where lectures are given to foster deeper appreciation of Arts and Humanities”; the “Volunteer Service Projects”, a community based volunteer work where students and young professional take time out to give themselves to the marginalized sectors of society through values education and poverty-intervention programs; and “Values and Ethics Classes”, a supplementary education where young people are taught of their responsibility towards God and Country.

Since 1983, KALFI has been the hub of these activities through its seven Study Centers in Metro Manila and Cebu particularly the Balanghai, Banilad, Daniw, Iraya, Narra, Tahilan and Tanglaw where high school girls, university students and young women professionals are taught and assisted on how they can fulfill their role in society through these various activities complementing their academic training.

Typical of these activities are the academics consisting of: study techniques, tutorials, exam taking tips, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, leadership, communication and research skills. Then there are also activities on personal spiritual enrichment consisting of a series of classes on the teachings of the Catholic Church and Christian values. Young women are also taught home management, relationship building, fashion consciousness and social etiquette particularly in a program called “Fem@Home of the Iraya Center.

But aside from personal academic, cultural and spiritual development, the foundation also has outreach programs like the “Eskwela@tbp” of Tahilan Center which provides the Filipino public school children with: academic tutorials in Math, Science and English, Catechism classes in preparation for their first Holy Communion, and Values formation classes integrating real life experiences. Then there are also activities promoting social responsibilities like medical-dental missions, summer rural camps and rural projects.

Three years ago, KALFI also established a leadership program called LEAD for select high school seniors entering accredited universities. The program’s ultimate goal is to hone future servant leaders in response to the changing social landscape and emerging profiles of today’s youth who have been dubbed as “Gen Z” for whom “digital connections with the world and with friends in particular, are essential”.

The program consists of two parts: leadership training and personalized mentoring with the beneficiaries getting some stipends. In personalized mentoring, participants are given individualized attention leading them through the path of self discovery, self mastery and ultimately self giving. It works best especially during this era of customized gadgets because it helps the students process the inputs of the leadership modules so that they would become solid convictions which in turn become the basis for their personal decisions.

Among the modules provided to the participants are: Nature of Leadership and Managerial Work, Perspectives on Effective Leadership Behavior, Participative Leadership, Delegation and Empowerment, Power and Influence, Managerial Traits and Skills, Early Contingency Theories of Effective Leadership, Charismatic and Transformational Leadership, Leading Change in Organizations, Leadership in Teams and Groups Decisions, Strategic Leadership by Executives, Developing Leadership Skills, and Ethical Leadership and Diversity.

After only three years, the program already has 66 beneficiaries from UP, UST, ADMU, DLSU and UA &P. Among their significant projects is the feeding program in Payatas in partnership with Gawad Kalinga and the Children’s Medical Center.

With this kind of programs for our young people, they are indeed our best hope for our country’s brighter future. Thanks to such organization as the KALFI which will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary on September 29, 2013, at the Makati Business Club, 5 p.m.

E-mail: attyjosesison@gmail.com