GANDEZA, Prince Emmanuel D.

BS Criminology – 1A

Activity 2:

1. Explain how faith in Gods will could help develop hope and optimism among
Filipinos.

Having faith in God means being hopeful for something we are uncertain of,
which means that, our capacity to believe is really fascinating. If we have the
capacity to believe, that equates to our capacity as a person to be hopeful regardless
of the know-how of what lies ahead of us. No matter how many times we stumble
down, no matter how hard life may bring us, if we have faith in God, we are hopeful
that one day, a blessing will come despite the absence of an assurance. If we are
hopeful, that also means that we are looking at the bright side of things which means
that we are optimistic enough to face our battles and that gives us clear and critical
thinking to formulate possible solutions. We must take into account the typhoon
survivors, whenever they are interviewed regarding their experiences, they always
add up God to their statements. When I saw on the national television the typhoon
Yolanda victims, most of them stated, “nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon dahil
hindi niya ako pinapabayaan pati na ang pamilya ko”. They have gone through life
and death situations but their faith surpasses all negativity. Their optimism and
enthusiasm saved them and now doing everything to move forward and bring with
them the memory of their struggle as a motivation.

2. Did Rizal have faith in God? Support your answer.

I think Rizal did have faith in God. One of the influences of Rizal’s boyhood is the
divine providence which means that in his early years, he was full with the teachings
of God. Father Leoncio Lopez, a parish priest in Calamba, fostered Rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty.

3. Suggest specific actions or activities that could restore the Filipinos’ pride in
themselves. Explain your answer.

The government must conduct activities that would enlighten each and every
Filipino’s abilities and skills. They must likewise conduct programs and projects that
would highlight belongingness and unity because in that way, the inferiority complex
would be lessened. Supporting and commending local products and services more
could also be a great way to stop the inferiority complex of the Filipinos. I also
suggest the implementation of the Community Pantry because it can uphold
hopefulness and optimism between everyone. Community pantry is about giving and
getting goods. The battle cry is “Magbigay ng naaayon sa kakayahan, Kumuha ng
ayon sa pangangailangan”. People who are so much blessed are asked but not
required to give their extra goods in the community pantry so that other people
especially those who are in need can have something to eat while they are battling
with the circumstances of life.
4. Suggest specific actions or activities that could counteract feelings of
hopelessness and pessimism among young and old Filipino citizens. Explain
your answer.

The idea of Bayanihan should be enlightened more. Bayanihan could also be a

ground for people to feel more connected with each other. We should never falter to
extend a hand to those in need. The Philippine government must create projects that
would equally benefit all people especially those who are struggling so much to have
something to use to sustain their survival on a daily basis. As I have said, the
community pantry is a suggested activity. Even if the government falter to help its
people, the community pantry is good ground for give-and-take events. People can
extend a hand to their fellow by means of donating their extras just like now that the
NCR plus and other places were placed under the modified enhanced community
quarantine, not everyone is capacitated enough to supply the needs of their families.
Some are known to be “Isang kain, Isang tuka”. The Community pantry is a great
help since it is an open place where people can get goods for them to have
something to eat at this time of crisis. As long as people are connected and the
sense of belongingness is seen within them, negativity will not foster. It is only in
feeling alone that we feel inferior.

5. In the time of COVID-19, what do you think should be the actions of Filipinos to
counteract the negativities brought by the pandemic?

Praying is highly recommended. Likewise they should also prioritize taking care
of their mental health because in that way, they will be stress-free and will not be
depressed about what crisis is governing us right now. Prioritizing our mental health
and having a strong faith in God will also boost our optimism and enthusiasm.
Moreover, we must also follow protocols because that would save us from testing
positive in COVID-19. The lesser the risk, the safer we become and the greater the
sense of calmness and peace of mind we have.