Queenie M.

Rubio KAS 1-A

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science-1

Part I: Reflection Paper on the Webinar

“History in the Making: A Journey of Resilience of the Family, Leadership, and the
Economy, Challenges, and the Prospects”

The three topics discussed during the webinar were truly insightful. The first topic,
"Duterte’s Rise to the Presidency," which was discussed by Atty. Dino De Leon, was
somewhat of a recall of all the anomalies made by the current administration. The Marcos
burial, the war on drugs, Sen. De Lima as a political prisoner, the impeachment of former
chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Rappler’s Maria Ressa's being guilty of libel cases,
the ABS-CBN shutdown, the anti-terror bill, and the mishandling of the pandemic were
just some of the controversial issues during Duterte’s term. All of this is evidence of our
state's chief executive's biases and incompetence. Mr. Jan Aquino's topic, "The Landscape
Impacts of COVID-19," was, on the other hand, a welcome change of pace for me, as I am
not that knowledgeable about the BPO industry. Because of its ability to adapt to change,
the BPO industry has become an important part of our economy. It is one of the two pillars
of our economy. Today, over a million Filipinos, including students, labor in the business.
The BPO sector is a rapidly growing industry that is not only advantageous to Filipinos,
but also a safer and more convenient work, especially now that the pandemic is in full
swing. When it comes to the final topic, "Family and Marriage," Atty. My understanding
of the issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community has grown as a result of Jesus Falcis'
teachings. Same-sex weddings, civil unions, and domestic partnership benefits are not
legal in the Philippines. Atty. Before the Supreme Court, Falcis was the first to challenge
the Supreme Court's decision to deny same-sex marriage and equal protection for LGBT
people. He strongly believes that allowing same-sex marriage in the Philippines would
increase everyone's rights and allow gays and lesbians to marry the person they love.
Extending civil marriage to couples of the same sex displays respect for the fundamental
rights of equality and nondiscrimination from a human rights perspective.

If we looked back on our history and learnt from it, we might not be facing the
issues we are facing now. Under the Duterte administration, many people were subjected
to injustices and atrocities. Many innocent people have been slain as a result of the
oppression of the mainstream media. We should have done better because the Philippines
had previously been ruled by an authoritarian government. . There should be no way for a
fascist administration to be established, yet the Philippines made a bad decision in 2016. It
is evident that we have had terrible economic position throughout this administration, and
this is because to the mishandling of the epidemic. However, I can see how the BPO
industry is able to save so many families as a result of the increased demand. Many people
have transferred to safer jobs as a result of the pandemic's outbreak, while many
businesses have shut down. Numerous outbreaks have killed a large number of people and
their jobs in the past, and we are now employing technology to help individuals,
particularly the breadwinners, in the most efficient way possible. Finally, I agree with
Atty's point of view. According to Falcis, in our state, same-sex marriage must be
legalized. Marriage, to me, is something that should be celebrated by all genders. Their
community has been fighting for it for a long time. I think that if we really do respect the
LGBTQ+ community, then we should also support them as they fight for this right.

I paid close attention to each of the issues throughout the webinar, not just because
it was needed, but because I wanted to be a part of shaping history. The webinar was quite
informative. We can build a brighter future for our country by learning more about the
various problems that the Philippines has faced and continues to face. In the approaching
election, we will make history. Either we elect a dictator's son or we elect a true public
servant. I want to be one of the people who makes history by electing the latter, since I
know she is a woman who would prioritize the challenges that Filipinos face, such as
injustices, unemployment, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ community.

Part II: My Contribution to Our Committee

I was a member of the PubMat Committee. I assisted in the creation of the webinar's
initial few promotional materials. I couldn't help with the last few posters because my laptop
died a few days before the webinar. I found a way to contribute to my committee, and that
was by checking the posters to see if they were ready to be posted or not through my
cellphone.