23-Mar-2008 Knowing the Leadership within Me: CENTEX High School Leadership Training Seminar
By Micah Bernadette Manalo
It is quite hard to foresee how this big day came to a reality…
I could still dizzily remember how I panicked in the last 24 hours before that day came. We were very busy planning and preparing the things needed for that day, that very big day.
Honestly, at first, I didn’t think that it was such a special day. But as the days passed by and when my classmates and teachers started discussing the very few things we have accomplished, I realized little by little that this day would become memorable because it was a REUNION. This would be a great chance for us to see and reconnect once again since we only had a limited time to be one as a whole batch. That is why we all tried our best to make it meaningful and memorable.
February 15, 2008 - the day. One by one our former classmates arrived saying “Hello!” and “How are you?” to each other. At first, they were shy and annoyed like it was on the first meeting but eventually made them as bonded as before. They also had the chance to get to know and acquaint with our new classmates here at St. Bridget College Alitagtag.
The program itself started with prayer, welcome remarks by Sr. Mary Lydia Ebora RGS, school president, getting to know game, and other activities. Sr. Lydia reminded us in her remark to imbibe the true meaning of leadership that we try to achieve.
It would be funny for us to act as strangers because we have been together for almost seven years. The getting to know game refreshed the moments of reaching out to others who seem familiar and unfamiliar to us. But the part that completed the day’s objectives was the eye-opening talk with Ms. Carol Atacador, CENTEX Director. She focused the discussion on the present crises that our country is facing. From this talk, we realized that the Philippines is really in great need of good, honest and responsible servant leaders.
She also gave us an activity to be answered by the groups. She made us choose between loyalty to a friend and loyalty to the truth. A decision that challenged us to stay with the truth despite Filipinos believing in deep gratitude or Utang- na- Loob. Here are some excerpts from the activity: “If loyalty to a friend is needed then follow it, but of course truth shall always be observed….if we are really loyal to our friend then doing them good is the best and staying loyal to the truth is doing them good.” “A journey of hundred miles starts with one step and that first step is to seize the truth. We also believe that we cannot achieve our goals or dreams without loyalty and that loyalty must start with the truth so that justice will prevail and holding on to the truth will set us free. “
Surprisingly, we chose loyalty to the truth, which is contrary to the above-mentioned Filipino value.
Another activity that tested our leadership potential and also enhanced our acting talents was the short role-playing of the people involved in the ZTE scandal. One of the lines that struck me most was that of former Speaker Jose de Venecia’s “I lost the presidency!” played by Aljohn Cadevida. It was fun watching, but according to them, playing their part was difficult because they did not want to be mistaken as believing in the words of the ones they portrayed.
After the inspiring talk with Ma’am Carol, we ate our lunch. Then, we had our thrilling activities. We played Leadership Hunt wherein all members of the group were tied up inside the rope, which symbolized unity and cooperation. Each group was required to complete the nine stations with questions and clues, which moved them to utilize their physical, emotional, intellectual and social responsibilities and most especially to test their patience to reach the goal and have faith that “Walang imposible kung magsasama-sama at magtutulungan”. This really honed the leadership potential in us because truly a good leader thinks of the best way his/her groupmates would benefit. Lastly, we created a poster depicting the good characteristics of a leader using the materials gathered. We showcased our talents and deepened our ideas by answering the questions regarding the activities and our experiences that day.
But of course, good things always have their ending. But what’s more important is that we were able to refresh the friendship in a more remarkable way wherein new friendships in a higher level were born.
