“Ako ang bagong BIDA”

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), together with the Ateneo School of Government and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, organized the 3rd instalment of the successful youth camp series entitled Bida: Be the Change. The “Bidahan” series seeks to inspire young leaders to advocate and live out effective, empowering and ethical leadership. The most recent Bidahan was held last November 27 & 28, 2010. Around 800 participants came to represent all regional chapters of the CEAP. It is hoped that these representatives will also take the lead in advocating the cause in their home regions.

The program seeks to encourage the youth to start in their generation a new culture of leadership and citizenship founded on the principle of “Stewardship.” It seeks to form leaders who are not only effective but are empowering and ethical, and citizens who are engaged and responsible. 

Below are articles written by some of the participants about various experiences and insights they gained from the program. 

The Journey Continues in BIDA: Be The Change Year 3
By Cris Raymund P. Viray
St. Paul University Quezon City

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD- Mahatma Gandhi

“This is now my time to woke up, to explore, to be engaged, to offer myself and to motivate other youth to start the change.” These are thoughts that come into my mind before I volunteer as a facilitator for the 2010 Bidahan Youth summit.

I can still remember that I was one of the participants of the first Bidahan Youth summit that held on November 14 and 15, 2008 at the La Salle Green Hills. The first Bidahan Youth summit was unforgettable because it was one of the highlights of my high school days. During those days, I’ve learned how to engage myself to our community, sharpen my consciousness and awareness on what kind of government we have and mostly to become an advocate and to live out effective, empowering and ethical leadership. I also met new friends that served as my guide, partners and mentors to develop my potentials as a leader.

This is why I volunteered to become one of the facilitators for the 2010 Bidahan Youth Summit Year 3. There was a force that motivated me to do is- the force of love for my country and for the youth. We all know that the biggest sector of the society is the Youth. We are all hope of our country and yet this is the crucial age of being a citizen. There are a lot of questions forming in our mind that will lead us to follow mistakes of the generation ahead of us until we commit same mistakes from the past.

Being an alumnus of the first Bidahan, my duty is to share my knowledge and to help other youth to unleash and live out effective, empowering ethical leadership and environmental stewardship. In this way we can continue and to maintain our vision- a country with a new culture and heroes.

The third Bidahan Youth summit was held on November 27-28, 2010 at Assumption Antipolo. The camp helped me to revive the passion that I have – a passion to teach the youth to dream again. It was very crucial to become one of the 200 facilitators from different universities, catechetical ministries and organizations from different diocese. Our task was not only to guide the participants but also to share personal insights and experiences so that they will fully understand the real purpose of the camp.

During the camp, I met other new friends to lean on, to inspire me and to continue the mission to help the youth to be aware of their importance and to commit their selves in a life of serving others in their own community and society. Indeed, the experience as facilitator was worth it because I know that I have touched others heart to be the change that they want to see in our country. The experiences that I have gained were the proofs that I have continued my leadership journey and the legacy of Ninoy and Cory in re-buliding our nation and will continue the journey until I have reached my final destination.