“Universities should encourage voluntarism” - Professor Cariño

A university education provides students direct experience with as well as an understanding of social realities. It prepares them to become the concerned leaders and citizens in high demand in developing countries like the Philippines. University of the Philippines (UP) Prof. Ledivina Cariño stressed this during the recently concluded National Higher Education Congress held on May 13th-15th at the University of the Philippines.

Prof. Cariño gave a fresh perspective on the relevance of college education as she oriented some 400 university presidents and officials at the University. UP’s autonomous campuses in Manila, Los Banos, Bisayas and Mindanao have their respective Pahinungod organizations which deploy UP faculty, staff and student volunteers, known as Pahinungods, to needy communities nationwide.

As Director of the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, Cariño elaborated on the need for universities and colleges to implement a volunteer service program on their campuses to allow students to experience enriched lives and instill in them the needed values to achieve national progress.

Cariño says, “the empirical lessons are numerous. [Voluntarism] adds to a volunteer’s grasp of social realities, her appreciation of social class and inequality and the merits and dangers of political dynasties, his knowledge of the appropriateness of government policies, the technological innovations [appropriate ] to the situation of fishing communities or urban squatter areas... It allows the Pahinungod to recognize the wisdom of the common tao as well as their infuriating stubbornness and their cheerful resilience, their subservience and their aggressiveness, the personal and social contradictions that line the fabric of Philippines society.”

Cariño’s rich portrayal of the Pahinungod’s learning experience stems from UP’s two-plus years experience of deploying volunteers to rural and urban areas (from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi). Volunteer activities include - eye surgeons removing myomas and cataracts among people who cannot afford the operations; fresh graduates conducting play therapy for abused children; helping Aytas cope with the Pinatubo calamity; last month, over 100 faculty members and students taught science, math, English, history and learning techniques to children from 22 provinces ; and, students participated in the summer immersion programs by spending time in far-flung barangays to provide various services which local governments cannot readily provide. It was during this summer stint that Pahinungod Janvier Gabuna of UP Manila drowned while trying to save the life of another volunteer. Cariño also recounted how UP experts share their knowledge with communities, such as the veterinarians who helped avert an epidemic causing carabao deaths in Samar.

According to Cariño, voluntarism builds the individual’s character as is shown in the change in attitudes and values of the students who have performed volunteer work. The students admit that it implanted in them important traits such as patience, a sense of responsibility, a love of country, a more unabashed sense of caring and compassion, a greater appreciation of parents and family, and a new resolve to pursue justice and equality. UP is currently encouraging and assisting colleges and academic departments to develop courses on voluntarism and volunteer management. The College of Public Administration has approved the development of volunteer management which will soon be included in its curriculum.

Cariño believes that universities are the appropriate institutions to encourage voluntarism. “There is a large reservoir of talent that can be tapped there, and there is a vast amount of idealism [in students] waiting to be harnessed.... It builds a sense of both community and meaningfulness....,” she said.

By Joji B. Balcita