Am happy to share my thoughts about this Pinoy youth issue on what CHED called as "oversubscribed courses" published at Manila Times, September 8, 2011.
Mga kaibigan, read on and tell me what you think!
THE RECENT call by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines for students to avoid five oversubscribed courses (education, nursing, business....
SERVIAM: Service & Leadership By Dr. Clarence M. Batan, sociologist
Click to download this working speech entitled,SERVIAM, reflecting my views on service and leadership prepared for various schools, colleges and universities. This module was first presented during the 31st Annual National Convention and Seminar-Workshop for Campus Advisers and 15th Annual National Convention and Seminar-Workshop for Student Leaders, November 26-29, 2010 at Teachers Camp, Baguio City.
Pinoy Youth & Globalization By Dr. Clarence M. Batan, sociologist
Click to download the working speech entitled, A Reflection on Pinoy Youth & Globalization,prepared for the 2nd Mid-year National Convention and Seminar-Workshop for Campus Advisers and Student Leaders on July 28-30, 2011 at La Carmela de Boracay Resort, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, with the theme “Strengthening Campus Advising and Student Leadership Amidst Global Challenges”.
A Call to Share “Batong Bahay” Book Sharing Project By Dr. Clarence M. Batan
I wrote the book, Batong Bahay, to capture the sociology of my own family. After its formal release by the UST Publishing House last February, 2010, the first batch of readers including friends, relatives, teachers and students and some unknown individuals generally found the book to have captured the inner-workings of the ordinary Filipino family’s everyday struggles, conflicts, tensions and “little” victories amidst the ailing backdrop of poverty in the Philippines. I received numerous comments that Batong Bahay served as aninspiration and reflected human values that constitute the dynamics of Filipino life in the contemporary global world.
This sentiment was shared by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his letter to me:
“Natitiyak kong ang Batong Bahay ay magsisilbing inspirasyon para sa ating mga kababayan upang mas bigyan nila ng halaga at pagmamahal ang kanilang mga pamilyang lagi nating kaagapay sa pagharap sa hamon ng buhay at sa pagkamit ng ating mga pangarap.” (I am certain that “Batong Bahay” will serve as an inspiration to our fellow Filipinos in upholding the value and love to their respective families who are their beloved partners in facing life challenges and in fulfilling their dreams.)
In this regard, I am launching the Batong Bahay Book Sharing Projectto provide donated copies of my book to various school libraries, government, non-governmental and private learning resource centers and organizations, and selected individuals. The primary goal of this project is to inspire fellow Filipinos to develop a reading culture and encourage the writing of folk and local life histories.
To date, I have personally shared almost 300 free book copies to various organizations and individuals. Each book costs Php 220.00 (roughly US$5.00).
If you are interested in buying/donating a Batong Bahay book under your name, or the name of your organization, please contact me at cbatan@hotmail.com or call/text 0906-528-0027 or 0933-934-8964. For North America, please contact Maria Rocy Tendencia at mrpt20@yahoo.com or call 1-902-404-7965.
Batong Bahay music video on YouTube
I am very pleased to embed the YouTube version of "Awit ng Batong Bahay" (below), the song of my recently published book. Limited copies are available at National Bookstores nationwide. If you are interested, place an order so that more copies will be printed. Or, contact me at cbatan@hotmail.com so that when I get to visit your schools, I could bring some copies. Just email me if you want to invite me to your schools.
Bicol Youth Congress By Dr. Clarence M. Batan, sociologist
Christmas Home By Dr. Clarence M. Batan, sociologist
There’s something about returning home,
after years of travels and studies.
There’s something about reunions
where once more, I get to touch, hug,
embrace, kiss and chat with my loved ones.
I thought I lost them but they told me,
“I was never forgotten!”
And I ask why?
“Because of the remittances and gifts
you always send us especially
during Christmas time”.
I chuckled and told my family:
“Now that I am here with you,
physically present and the present is just me;
will our Christmas be alright?”
And without hesitation, they all say, “Yes!”
For this year, the gift
this holiday season gives my family
is not distance nor absence –
but my being home.
November 29, 2010: My PACSA experience
For the third time, I was invited by the Philippine Association of Campus Student Advisers to be their plenary speaker before more than 1,400 national delegates at Teachers' Camp, Baguio City last November 27, 2010.
I will never forget the experience of getting an extraordinary attention from extraordinary students and campus advisers. All of them melted my heart and inspired my soul to continue the ordinary things that I do and the special sociological ideas that define my being.
LAST JUNE 9, 2010, six days before the formal opening of classes in the Philippines, 72 children from Kasile Barrio School in Talim Island (Binangonan, Rizal) benefited from the Building and Bridging Education (BaBE) School Project sponsored by the United Church of Christ (UCC) – Elmsdale Pastoral Charge and some generous benefactors from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada. This BaBE School Project envisions building a relationship of goodwill between the Canadian and Filipino children by establishing a bridgeofhope to the less fortunate children of Talim Island whose community is still recovering from the damages brought about by typhoons and floods last year. (Click here or the title to read the full blog.)
Over the past few days, I attempted capturing in words what transpired during my thesis defence. But for some reason, I found the experience very difficult to describe – somewhat telling my deep self to shut-up, to stop writing. The sentiment just wanted me to listen and to feel. I was deeply overwhelmed by the experience. Everyone who witnessed the defence was telling me that it was a huge success! But for me, it felt unreal. It felt like a dream.
(Click the title to read the full blog)
Generosity from afar By Marilyn Smulders
PhD student Clarence Batan rallies his department to raise money for flood victims in his native Philippines. (Click image to view article.)
From Halifax to Talim Island, Philippines:
A breeze of generosity for flood victims
By Clarence M. Batan
(PREVIEW) ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN FAMILIES from the flood-affected fishing village of Barangay Kasile, Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal, Philippines benefited from the $1,085.00 CAD donation, which I generated from the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University. There were also friends, both known and unknown to me, who sent donations upon learning about this fund-raising initiative. For this, I am so grateful for the trust and generosity of people who took part in this project.
(Click this image of rice cavans to see the full report in PDF.)
The community relief project was implemented last October 29-30, 2009 through the assistance of Mr. Jefferson Aquino, a colleague from the University of Santo Tomas, and the leadership of my local research assistants, Ryan Daita and Carol Ceremonia. For three weeks, I facilitated the money transfer and preliminary coordination with the local community officials and volunteers through online banking, emails, text messaging and online chats. The implementation of the project was delayed due to two storms (named: Parma & Ramil) that immediately followed the destructive Typhoon Ketsana (local name: Ondoy). Again, these typhoons brought heavy rains and winds to Rizal province; making travel to Talim Island unsafe. For more report click the image above.
Damaging flood in the Philippines and my research site
Yesterday morning, I was interviewed by Don Connolly and Elizabeth Logan on their radio program, Information Morning at CBC Radio One (90.5) about the damaging flood that struck the Philippines last September 26.
(Click the image to listen to the radio clip.)
While the condition of my family and relatives is relatively good, after this flash flood and two typhoons (storms), Talim Island, the community where I do my research needs urgent help. I came across this news link entitled, ‘Ondoy’ brings windfall to lake fishers(http://inquirer.net/specialreports/ondoyreliefdrive/view.php?db=1&article=20091005-228418 ), which specifically urged relief workers to reach Talim Island. Salvador France, the local fishing organization (Pamalakaya) vice-charman explains that “the victims in Talim seemed to have been forgotten. No relief operations have been conducted or relief goods delivered to the island”.
Talim is about 30-40 minutes boat ride from my residence at mainland Binangonan, Rizal. The surrounding barangay (villages) around the fish port are still submerged into 2-4 feet of water making the travel to Talim more difficult. My family members confirmed that the water level in my research site rose beyond normal level and some families need assistance.
I am in touch with my local research assistants to identify those families who are severely affected by the flood. I hope to generate enough funds to help them.
My intention in having this website is not to advertise myself or my work, but to examine how many of those who have access to the Internet get to discover my existence. To date, I have a good number of online interactions as by-products of this website.
One was with an undergraduate student of the University of Santo Tomas (Manila, Philippines) who discovered my research works through googling. He was writing a thesis about the media and the Filipino youth and sought my help on the subject matter. With this, I realized that a website can be a powerful tool in ‘bridging connections’ among those who share similar interests.
I, too, have had rekindled conversations with old friends who re-discovered me over the net, and new friends who shared fascination with the works that I have done or are currently doing.
Overall, I view this process likened to ‘growing-up’. This is because I have yet to really understand the technical logic of maintaining a website and exploit the power it endures.
What this website offers are links to my personal blog, biography, creative works, current research, selected publications and picture gallery. I may still be on the margins of this virtual world, but should you find this website interesting, please let know, email me. I look forward to hearing your comments, my virtual friends.
Over the past few days, I attempted capturing in words what transpired during my thesis defence. But for some reason, I found the experience very difficult to describe – somewhat telling my deep self to shut-up, to stop writing. The sentiment just wanted me to listen and to feel. I was deeply overwhelmed by the experience. Everyone who witnessed the defence was telling me that it was a huge success! But for me, it felt unreal. It felt like a dream.
