Blogger Of Action

.....Are you experiencing extreme poverty? If not, then good for you. Unlike us, some people are experiencing extreme poverty worldwide and no one will be able to help them if we, bloggers, will not take our powerful part. Media can be our toll in making it happen. Let's show our readers that we have the capacity of letting the whole world know that poverty is a virus that infects human lifestyles. We are human... and we have a choice! I chose to be a worthy blogger.

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How about you, will you join our campaign?

...I hope you will.

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Starting It Right

.....Last Wednesday, me and my fellow officers have our team building session at the La Mesa Eco park in Quezon City. But before telling you the entire details, I believe that I haven't told my readers regarding my latest mission. I'm the Architectural Students' Association of the Philippines Incorporated (ASAPhil Inc.) National President. The organization holds different campus chapters around the Philippines. It's another challenge for me to be part of such organization especially the level that I'm into. This is actually lending my services and leadership prowess to a whole new level. This is not about our department and either our school where I'm currently enrolled to. This time, It's about the world outside the school. In a national level to be exact. This is about giving our best in lending our services toward different school chapters.

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.....Now, let's go back to my earlier topic. We had our team building session there and it was conducted by me. The idea of conducting such activity is for my team to realize the world that they're in and for us to be bonded us one. I'm just making sure that before we initiate our activities, we all know our worth and what difference we can contribute for the organization. Let's put it this way, if one would like to change the world, one would start changing his/her personal character; If one would like to understand the world together with its problems, one would simply start understanding his/her own self and problems; and if one wants to learn from the world, one would need to start learning from the nearest person that is part of the world, his neighbors.

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.....To end this discussion, my team did appreciate the activity that we made that day and I'm pretty sure we have a great chance of hitting the target that we're aiming. I hope that you learned something from this post and of course, from this blog of mine. Thank you for reading!

SURP Mania

......Last Wednesday, me and my group of classmates went to the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) in University of the Philippines (U.P.) to research for data that will support our thesis proposals. When we entered their library and started browsing the contents of every books, we all felt awkward. Why? It's because every book contains very important information and it has the possibility to be included in our respected thesis. What's even worse is that we had the hard time of deciding on which of those books will be photo copied and will be passed to our professor considering the fact that we only have a limited budget during that time. Anyways, we'll go there again this Monday for us to gather more data.

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......What's really interesting is that the place is like a haven for us students and professionals taking the field of urban and regional planning for it stores a lot of books and information raging to different kinds of topics. Pollution, traffic, informal settlements, environmental concerns. Just name it, it's there. I'm truly grateful that our generations have the opportunity to have the knowledge invested by different generations who lend their expertise to the field or urban and regional planning. They can truly by named as the leaders this profession.

The Blog Action Day 2008

......I've received an email from the Blog Action Day team and the content of the message is about the Blog Action Day 2008. They contacted me because I was one of their participants last year. Last year's theme is different from this year's because their purpose is to deliver a specific concern each year. Their our theme last year is about the environment while this year, we will be tackling about poverty. Poverty is one of the major concerns of the world for it can hit everyone with its phenomenal impact. I immediately responded from their message by having myself registered to their site. Another day in a part of the history because of this program. Great numbers of blogger around the world will be telling about one issue and that is poverty. Expect a big difference of October 15, 2008 as we, bloggers, do our part in spreading the awareness for everyone to understand. Be part of this movement by visiting their site at http://www.blogactionday.org/. I'll be expecting you to be part of our movement. Let's all unite as one big community of blogger! Involve yourself if, you want to make a difference!

The Super Strikes Again

.....I was riding on a transport bus when for the second time, I saw the crazy man standing with an improvised costume made from our national flag. He's standing at the same place where I last saw him. The only difference is that he's not waving to his audience instead, he's standing-still focusing his attention forward. He exhibited a dramatic post of a superhero-like figure. With that, I got a chance to witness and see the full details of his costume. I noticed that some of his props were improvised knife and gun made from some sort of an illustration board.

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.....Upon noticing his appearance, I can't help but to wonder why this man starts to appear in a public place wearing his improvised superhero suit from our own national flag. He appears to be so proud of it that he even showed his self for everyone to see in a standing-still position. Is he trying to imply a lesson that we do not yet understand? Does he wanted to be the nation's icon in terms of crises? Is he trying to become one of our country's protectors?

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.....For my own point of view and personal interpretations, I believe that this man wants to deliver an important message for each and everyone of us. He maybe crazy but then he has these guts of showing to the people that everyone has the capacity of becoming a hero on its own. Everyone has his/her specific role in this nation. We just need to be vigilant and have our minds open for us to know our part in building this nation. I can't argue with people that wants to emphasize that that man is crazy and what he's doing is just part of his mind's illusion and I don't need to interpret his actions in a deeper sense. I still believe that everything that's happening here has a purpose and meaning driven by those external forces. These forces has their own capacity of letting us know things that we need to do. God, for instance, has his own unique way of telling us his message. Again, people may argue with me through these sets of ideas. All I know for now is that I'm doing my own part in contributing for this country to prosper.

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How about you?... What's your part?

The Speech Of Experience

.....My term as the school's Supreme Student Government President has ended during the Induction Ceremony which was done by the new SSG officers. The event was occurred last June 30, 2008. was given an assignment that time and that is to hand over the key of responsibilities to the SSGs of this school year. Before giving the Key, I delivered my farewell speech. That moment isn't a moment of drama but a time of giving inspirations, motivations, and learning for both SSG and DSG officers. For the benefit of my readers, here's my speech that delivered to them.

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.....To my fellow student leaders, leadership is not a matter of self-interest instead, it is about sacrifices and willingness to serve other people. Always bare in mind that whatever actions that you intend to do, do it for the best of others and not for your own personal sake. And no matter what happen, there will always be critics but try not to be affected by them. Believe in yourself and don’t try to please everybody. Remember you took this responsibility not because you need to please people, you took it because you want to serve these people.
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.....To the new set of SSG officers, congratulations for being part of the family. Always remember that even though you’re compose of ten departments, you still need to work as a group. Try to implement things for the benefit of the school and not for your personal intentions that only your respective departments will enjoy. Try to balance things in a proper manner.

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.....What I've said are some of the principles that a good and responsible leaders should have. I will never have a chance of acquiring those principles without the aid of experience. Experience is one of my teachers and he never fails me.

G.K. Hopping

.....Yesterday, Me, and Monique went to G.K. Talanay and witnessed the DHL Volunteers' Day. They prepared programs that officially starts their build. We didn't witnessed the whole event for we together with Ms. Grace (a new G.K. volunteer) Dr. Erick and Mr. Benjie, G.K. advocates, have our own sets of scheduled appointments for that day. We visited multiple G.K. sites located in different part of Quezon City. We were fortunate to meet, greet, and mingle with G.K. beneficiaries. What we did is some sort of a mall-hopping activity but instead of malls, we where actually visiting villages. Villages that showcased the dream of former squatters, the hope that motivates us the Philippines can rise against poverty and a binding force that shows greatness amidst tons of crises.

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.....It is a fulfilment for me to visit those villages that were created and made possible by people that sees life in a much deeper perspective. Gawad Kalinga, Translated in English as "To give care", is really a miracle that God has sent for the Philippines in order for the Filipinos to see the much greater values that life has to offer. Love, hope, dream, work, cooperation, and a lot of other values were taught by the said organization. It even teaches me to become free. Free from the box where I' once belong. With this post, I'm able to express the joy that comes out from myself that I haven't yet revealed from my past posts. Now, a may officially announce loud and proud that I, MMatthew S. Chua is a G.K. Volunteer! I don't need to wait for the time that I'm going to be a licensed Architect because at this moment, I'm already an Architect... An Architect of hope!

GK At 08/08/08

.....The date 08/08/08 is very significant to most of the people. In fact, some of this year's great events were celebrated during that date. Some believe that it has something to do with luck while others see its value for it can be remembered easily. The opening of the much awaited Beijing Olympics, concerts, launching and many more. I won't talk about the Olympics like most people do instead, I'll talk about the event which I have attended during that specific date.

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.....Me and my fellow volunteer, Moniqu, have attended the launching of G.K.'s Designers' Village Campaign. The timing is just right in presenting to the public its newest campaign and soon-to-be-village for it will eventually become another trademark for both G.K. and the Philippines. The said event was held in NBC Tent located in The Fort, Taguig City (also known as global city). The place was filled with lots of prominent people, famous personalities, professionals, volunteers and etc. All were there excited and showed great interest in witnessing such an event that defies hope. The speakers made the audiences inspired by the time that they started talking and visualizing on one of G.K.'s amazing plans.

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.....It is also a significant event for me not only because I'm part of G.K. but also because of the fact that I'm studying Architecture and we will be of big help in designing the said village together with those top Architects who were also present and showed their willingness to render their expertise in helping G.K. achieve its goals.

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.....In conclusion, the event made people realize that everything is possible when one would initiate to build what he/she has dreamed for. Dreams will always be dreams and no one will know about it unless you'll be telling it. It is good for people to know but it is much better for people to see and experience that your dream became part of the reality.

Inspiration: The Mirror Of One's Self

.....What does one have to do with the other? Will one have the capacity of changing the other through his ways of facing life's trials? Will the other, eventually, responds and appreciates the other? Will he be able to follow the things being implemented by the other? All of these questions are pertaining to a scenario that has something to do with real-life inspirations.

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.....Inspiration is something being acquired or achieved by a person to someone that he/she thinks that that person deserves his/her inspiration. Inspiring someone can be considered as entrusting your life and following what that person had started during his/her entire stay on earth. I'm now pertaining to the deeper side of inspiration. Inspiration is indeed acquired by many people who have touched by that certain person being inspired by them. They tend to follow the deeds of that person in order to achieve a specific goal. Inspiration has something to do with self-motivation for it motivates a person to be someone as equal as his/her inspiration. I'm touched when somebody treated me as one of their inspirations because I know that through me, I'm able to do something great to their everyday life. Of course, I have no intentions of breaking that bond that they have established between the two of us. I don't want them to feel that particular strange emotion where they will experience that breakage. I don't want them to feel regret because of making them realize that I'm not worthy to be followed as a good example. If it is easy for them to be inspired and moved by my rightful yet simple deeds, then it is a lot easier for them to be disturbed if I'll do something that would turn them off.

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.....Remember what I've said earlier, inspiration is a self-motivation. If you are one of the causes that will motivate them do better, then humbly lend yourself to them because you are already attached to their everyday living. It is an honor to be inspired by others and consider it as a reward for doing good and a challenge to do even better for others to follow. Now, let me ask you this question. Do you want to be inspired by others?

Sustainability: Our Key For The Future

.....Sustainability, the solution of today and the language of tomorrow. Sustainability made it's own direction towards the main steam of different fields and practices. Architecture, for instance, is doing what it can in making designs in a sustainable manner. The environmental side is also doing its own unique part. We may not notice the value of sustainability but by far, we may long for its presence once every thing's gone. No one wants to have a world filled with chaos, right? So, let's all do our part in preserving the beauty of our surroundings. It's time for everyone to act! Search for the word sustainability or sustainable on the Internet and find out ways in which you can help. Let's all work hand in hand to protect what we have and inspire others. It's time to use our influence inorder to achieve a much greater goal. Let's all make a difference! Difference will not be around if we don't exert effort because it could be found within each and everyone of us.

What Influence Can Do?

.....Can a person make others do a certain act when they find it unusual? Will somebody be brave enough to stop and guide a group of travelers to take a much complicated path? Does an ordinary man has a possibility of changing the lifestyles of every individual? The answer is yes! How?...The answer has something to do with the word "influence".

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.....You see, influence should be a tool of every individual who believes that he/she has the capability of leading other people. It is some kind of a remote control of every leaders for their followers. If one would decide to let his followers do a certain action in order for them to meet their desired goal, he make use of his influence. Yes, influence will not happen overnight but if you work for it, you have the chance of earning it. Work in a way that one should apply things that he/she teaches and does things that would motivate them [their followers] to follow. I'm not trying to be political or even suggesting effective campaign solutions, all I'm trying to emphasize the power of influence and what it can do. I did chose this topic not because of bragging what I have as one of the aspiring leaders rather, I'm doing this for a much greater cause and that is to educated my readers that influence is one of those factors that affect and create a good leader. Trust me, when one masters this particular tool, it would be a lot easier for him/her to lead his/her people. Influence really is a tool both in leading and serving others. Now, if you want or decide to make a change by leading others, remember to develop your influential capabilities. Influence...Lead...and Make a difference!