Young Roots
Present-day Bayanihan
By Johanne Margarette R. Macob
BAMBOO poles forming a sturdy frame were carried on the shoulders and arms of a number of men, who – by the way – knew one another beyond names and each cared for the other as a family. On those poles was a house that needed to be moved to another village. One man couldn’t possibly move the load for even just an inch, but since there were many of them, a home was settled where it should be lying.
Bayanihan. I wish I had seen that real-life scene with my bare eyes. But well, the descriptions provided by all my erstwhile mentors assisted by literary materials were more than enough for me to picture that image, and of course, the values it upholds: volunteerism, cooperation, unity.
Today, the rarity of the bayanihan epic is evident. Most houses are now built with stones and concrete foundations. Many people are either too busy or too indifferent to care for another’s need. Fortunately, despite that ‘scene’s’ absence nowadays, the values by which bayanihan has been known have continued through different initiatives.
Last Monday, a nationwide effort among teachers, students, parents, and other community stakeholders led the clean-up and repair of public schools. The effort was not compensated by any monetary amount or any other material things, but it was paid by the inner – and perhaps, most significant- satisfaction of knowing that the person has contributed to a positive change. Brigada Eskwela generates an overwhelming response every year before the new school year starts. Though I didn’t get the chance to participate, I was able to witness this present-day bayanihan in my alma mater. It is always a beautiful sight to see members of the community helping one another towards a good purpose.
Talking about helping out, recently, two Baguio-based educational institutions have voluntarily offered thousands of books – coursed through the provincial government – to different schools in Pangasinan. I’m sure a lot more entities have done similar activities before, and I am in deep gratitude to all these.
Volunteerism, cooperation, and unity. These words are always invoked in speeches and in the thoughts of leaders, or in the vocabulary of anyone aspiring for communal success. Indeed, any load is heavy if borne by just one brain or by two hands, yet, if more brains and more hands working together, no load is ever heavy.
We have repaired classrooms, and there’s a lot more which need fixing or even an overhaul. We have received books, and there’s a lot more needed. At least in our province, the path towards success is way clearer now, we just need to unite and cooperate further, have our own share of sacrifices and volunteer. We can still uphold the bayanihan values in our modern time. As I usually end my piece, may I say again, let’s start in our homes.
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