Kimspirations

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." This is one of the quotes I always find myself going back to through everything I experience. But what have I experienced? People often get confused with what organization I'm currently connected to or which area I'm currently based in. Some think of it as a negative thing, but I'm super proud of it! We all go through various stages in life and it's completely normal to explore and pursue your passions. Each chapter of our lives allows us to grow, learn, feel, and love more.

We meet different kinds of people everyday and it's amazing everytime you meet someone with the same spirit and dreams as yours. As they have touched me, I would like to share with you my own journey with these special groups of people that have inspired me to be who I am today.

1. TRAVEL, ADVENTURE & LIVING HEALTHY

a. I have always tried to live a HEALTHY LIFE and this is probably all thanks to my Dad. My dad is a physical fitness trainer, and growing up with someone like him, I feel like being healthy is something that runs through my veins! A lot of having a healthy lifestyle starts at home - my dad always makes sure we have fruits to snack on, that we only eat brown rice, quinoa, and rye bread instead of white, and that the program he makes for me is a full body workout. Back in highschool and college, I was a student-athlete of football, which taught me the value of discipline, teamwork, and commitment. Every now and then I still try to play football after work or on weekends to de-stress and have fun - join us for indoor football at SPARTA in Pioneer Street!

b. There is probably nothing else in the world I love more than HIKING!! It's such an awesome feeling literally seeing how much you've challenged yourself - physically, mentally, and spiritually. The beauty of nature, the sunrises, sunsets, flowers, and occasional rainbows make all the effort worth it. If it weren't for the Loyola Mountaineers - a bunch of crazy outdoorsy warriors super game to do anything and everything under the sun and are not afraid to get down and dirty (and when I say dirty, I mean no-bathing-for-4-days/sleep-on-trucks/leech-in-eye type of dirty) - I would not have had the skills and knowledge needed to survive up a mountain! Unfortunately, applications to join LM is exclusive for ADMU students, but there are similar groups that have open applications: UP Mountaineers and Ayala Mountaineers (if I'm not mistaken). There are also various groups that climb for leisure like Free Spirits, and travel agencies that organize and guide groups like Trail Adventours and Expedition Support.

c. At the other end of the spectrum, I also really love beaches and FREEDIVING! Although it's not directly comparable to mountaineering, freediving is also a matter of challenging yourself - to go a little deeper and stay down a little longer. Plus, it's a "whole new world" down there, where the different sea creatures you see will leave you in awe and wanting more! For my knowledge and skillset on diving and marine identification, I owe a lot of what I know from ISDA - a fairly new organization for skin diving, founded mainly by alumni of LM. ISDA is unfortunately now closed to ADMU students as well. Similar groups include UP Marine Biological Society and SISID. For beginners that are curious to try skin diving, you can check out Reef Nomads Skin Diving Tours (I'm one of the guides btw!) for basic courses. It's good for those that are either comfortable or not in the water! Diving can be quite dangerous so it's always necessary to follow diving protocols including the #1 rule: never dive without a buddy! For more advanced freediving you can check out AIDA Certifications.

*** If this inspires you to climb/dive, please remember to preserve what nature has to offer. Reduce your impact. LEAVE NO TRACE.

2. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WORK

a. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) - this was my first job out of college, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Shell that hopes to empower forecourt attendants (gas boys) and dependents of lorry drivers to follow their dreams of being welders, electricians, etc. by offering scholarships in vocational courses through Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). It was from PSFI that I personally learned about the dreams and motivations of these hardworking attendants that we usually take for granted.

b. Rags2Riches - R2R is a social enterprise that partners with artisans from community enterprises around Metro Manila, to produce designer handbags and home accessories made from upcycled scrap fabric, organic materials, and indigenous weaves. I owe a lot of what I know about the fabric industry, my love for artisinal products, and my interest in social enterprises from R2R. On top of that, I got to meet and work alongside a lot of very inspiring professional change-makers that I still look up to until now. The nanays from the communities have also taught me valuable lessons through their hardwork, perseverance, and eagerness to learn, as they too became part of our management team after some guidance and training. If you're into handcrafted bags, accessories, and home decor, you'll love R2R's stuff! They even teach advocates how to weave and make bags themselves. When I was still part of the team our office was in Cubao Expo and there were no stores yet. Now you can check them out at UP Town Center!

c. HealthJusticePH - HJ is an NGO that aims to bridge the gap between public health and law. Most of the people in the organization are lawyers as the strategy is to work with the Department of Health and other stakeholders to push for specific policies like Sin Tax and Health Promotion, with its 5 themes: healthy diet, physical activity, tobacco control, alcohol control, and road safety. It was from HJ that I learned these 5 themes are necessary to have a disease-free nation.

d. ANTHILL Fabric Gallery - ANTHILL is a social and cultural enterprise that hopes to preserve and promote our traditional Philippine weaves among the younger generation, by applying them in contemporary application to provide sustainable livelihood among partner community enterprises. It was in ANTHILL that I discovered my deep interest for handwoven textiles and other handcrafted items, as well as the various communities that are still continuing such practices. They are based in Cebu City, and there I was able to appreciate the close community of Cebuanos as a creative hub for aspiring entrepreneurs. If you want to "Wear Your Tribe with Pride" and are planning a trip to Cebu anytime soon, check out their office and showroom at Lahug behind Rico's Lechon!

e. NaturalHealthPH - NH is a company that believes in cultivating a relationship with the earth, providing natural, minimally-processed food and wellness products that are proudly made in the Philippines. It is a start-up subsidiary of the CBTL Holdings Group. At NH I had the great opportunity to work with suppliers that are true to producing natural food and drink like trail mix, granola bars, cacao nibs, and cold-pressed juices, as well as local farmers of organic vegetables. On the other hand, I also coordinated with health advocates and distributors that helped promote a healthy lifestyle. It was really fun and I learned so much about the food and restaurant industry! You can check out NH products at naturalhealth.ph and at CBTL stores around Manila.

f. WeGen Distributed Energy - WeGen's vision is: empowering prosumers to eradicate energy poverty through clean and affordable energy anytime, anywhere, for everyone. WeGen hopes to promote renewable energy around the Philippines through the installation of solar PV panels and batteries in the fight against fossil fuels. They recently installed solar panels and batteries at Pamilacan Island in Bohol to provide daytime electricity, as the island previously had electricity from 4:00pm-midnight only through a diesel genset.

g. Australia Awards Scholarship - after lots of praying and perseverance, I am honored to be one of the AAS scholars for the June 2017 intake :) I highly encourage everyone with the passion to serve our country to apply! The application process can be tedious but it'll all be worth it because the Australian Government is so generous with this grant - all-expense paid with allowances. Kind reminder about the Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP), which is your commitment to applying what you have learned through a specific project in your home country. Mine is with Woven Crafts, a social enterprise that hopes to uplift the lives of tikog banig weavers in Basey, Samar.

3. GOD

a. Regnum Christi - There was a period in my life that I stopped praying. I guess there were just so many things, one on top of the other, that kept bringing me down - personal struggles and failures kept me from being a better person. I felt like praying wouldn't make a difference and I reached such a low point in my life (my quarter life crisis I think), that I would find myself constantly crying for no reason at all. This went on for maybe about 6 years. I felt a sort of emptiness that travel and adventure couldn't fill, no matter how many mountains I climbed. It was through Regnum Christi's Holy Hour that I was able to reconnect with God and finally have a sense of inner peace. My spiritual director guided me into making my Program of Life to help me recognize my personal faults and areas of improvement. Until now, I am subscribed to their Daily Meditation to guide me in prayer everyday.

b. Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation, Inc. (JVPFI) - this was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life, but it was so worth it! I had been wanting to do this since before graduating college in 2011, and it was only in 2014 that I went ahead and did it. In a nutshell, I applied to volunteer and was assigned as a community organizer with the Higaonon farmers at Sumilao, Bukidnon. This experience was a huge influence on who am I today, and I would like to give special thanks to the JVP community for guiding me into having a richer spiritual life. More on my JVP experience in my "Ruined for Life" entry :)

c. Fr. James Martin, SJ - especially during my JVP year, Fr. Jim has helped me develop my relationship with God, myself, and the people I love through his wonderful books! For people (like me previously), who do not feel very comfortable with prayer yet have a general feeling of emptiness or seem to want more in life, I highly recommend the Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. He is really easy to read - simple words, very objective, and funny too! I have also read Between Heaven and Mirth and am currently reading Jesus: A Pilgrimage, which is about his trip to the Holy Land, and commentaries on the events that occurred at the Holy Land Sites.

I am so amazed and inspired by the increasing number of individuals and organizations advocating for change, to make the world a better place in every possible way. It's not easy, but it sure is worth it :) together, we can all make a difference! Because I know how challenging it can be to change the world, I would like to end this entry with some lines from Prophets of a Future Not Our Own by Bishop Untener, in memory of Archbishop Romero:

.....

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water the seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing this. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,

an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

.....

This post's INSPIRATION is on: following your dreams, being an advocate of change, and allowing yourself to be inspired by others!

#travel #adventure #socialdevelopmentwork #God #socialenterprise #climbing #mountaineering #freediving #CSR #volunteerism #scholarship #prayer #renewableenergy #livinghealthy #culture #natural #womenempowerment #supportlocal