CASAYAHAN 2015

ARC OF ARTS
CASEMINAR Reaction Paper

On September 1,2015, the Liberal Arts Society of the City of Malabon University
conducted the Caseminar with a theme, “FUSING IDEAS, SYNCHRONIZING ACTIONS,
EXCEEDING LIMITATIONS” – Catalysts of change and agents for nationbuilding. The program
was held at the Ground floor of the Vicencio Building. Our college Dean, Ma’am Veron marked
the opening program followed by an inspirational message by our University President Atty.
Maronilla.

We were lucky to have witnessed motivational talk from our special guests. Our first guest
discussed the history of Nationalism in the Philippines and how the people contributed for the
foundation of our country have gone through for us today to enjoy the exercise of liberty and
freedom and by what means did they used to show their love for their fellow Filipino men. Also
he has mentioned how writers like us could also be heroes in such ways as Jose Rizal, Marcelo
H. del Pilar and other famous Filipino writers did during their time.

On the other hand, our second guest, Atty. Fredirick Mikhail Farolan who is a graduate of
University of the Philippines gave us meaningful advice on how to become good writers and
citizens of our land by becoming “the catalysts of change”. Having to discuss the definition of
the word “catalyst” as “a person or event that quickly causes change or action”, the first thing a
person who advocates change should have to remember that for you to become successful with
your goal, you must believe to yourself, if there one factor that stops you to accomplish
whatever you want to do, that is yourself, and yourself alone. Second, never be afraid to ask
questions. If you do not know something, then ask! That is a privilege that was endowed to us
as a member of the society who is conscious of what is happening around us. Also, the main
goal set is to become the cause of change, be the catalyst of change, and for you to execute
such goal you have to begin with yourself, as our guest said in his speech, “The moment you
stopped learning, changing, exploring, and traveling, that is the saddest moment to have ever
happen”. Introducing change can be painful as he said because the process of change is
violent, painful as it aims to correct ways we have been doing wrongly, it’s never at peace. He
has also discussed the Basic concern or concept in nationbuilding as he thoroughly elaborate
the discussion regarding the difference between “duty” and “responsibility” and how they worked
together, how it was being exercised during different constitution, the 1973 and 1987
Constitution.

Our third guest is an author of two books, also a Commissioner, Sir Jerry Gracio. He
made a fresh approach as he mentioned the “pabebe way” we are living in this generation. He
aimed to advocate such means we could use for us to show our love in the country. That it
starts in ourselves, and it should be extended to our family, to the community and to the country
of solidary citizens. For us to execute change, we should think critically, think outside the box,
see things beyond, in such ways, we could see how we roughly struggle to achieve the goal as
agents for nation-building.
 Our fourth guest is a representative from the Kabataan party-list, Mr. John Carlos Ramos-
Gomez. He tackles how we, as students and as youth could be able to do our part as citizens of
this country. Through being the voice for our will to achieve the development we have been
longing for. He deal with the current status of our country, and on how we can help to solve the
problems that we have today by voting the government officials we wanted to run the country.
The power to change the ways we are living today is by foreseeing the future with good
governance and that is through responsible voting.

The seminar that was organized by the Liberal Arts Society for the CAS students was
indeed successful and worthy as we have learned various viewpoints aimed at fusing ideas to
become the catalysts of change and agents of nationbuilding.

By: Jasmine Sarah Mantilla AB-2B Journalism

Introduction to Political Science POLSCI101 / Professor Enaje