EKYU LEARNINGS
International Movement of Catholic Students
South East Asia Training Program 2018
Quezon City, Philippines
June 3-8, 2018

News about killings, abuses, poverty, inequality and other forms of injustice are prevalent in our society nowadays. The victims and the families of such injustices, most especially those who are poverty-stricken, have the least capability or, worse, do not have the chance to voice out their stories at all. Thus, oppression and repression of human rights occur even more.

Watching or reading the news is one of the most conventional ways to apprise happenings in the lives of people, but is not the best medium to realize how common it is that injustices occur. Mass media is, indeed, a powerful tool to expose people to the reality of today because of the ease of access. However, it can be biased — showing just one side of a multifaceted story, which is usually in favor of those who are from the upper class of the society.

Given these learnings and the exposure from SEAP 2018, as one of three participants from the Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong Kabataan sa Pilipinas, I realized how the lives of many people can be greatly affected by the influence of mass media: It can either make the truth or break it. There is definitely more beyond the figures we read in written news or the details we see from television. These are truths that need to be sought out.

In all this, as a Christian youth, I am called and expected to live my life just as Christ lived His on earth — helping people, especially those who are poor and oppressed. As what is written in Luke 4:16-19,

“When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

-Jedirah Ruth Quiambao, Pambansang Kapisanan ng Kabataang IEMELIF

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