VIDES PHILIPPINES Report August 18, 2007

1st Question: What are your countrys common goods?

Common Goods are assets / wealth that should be accessible to everybody and preserved for future generations. The following are the Common Goods in our country given to us by God: 1. HUMAN RESOURCES People are the greatest resource of our nation. We take pride in our happy disposition. We have high literacy rate, we are skilled, we are diligent workers. Children are our future. We have a lot of young people in the Philippines and they are our hope. Our country is a child-friendly nation, focusing especially on the education of the young. Through this, we build on our future. 2. STRONG FAITH IN GOD Our faith carries us through difficulties. We are guided by the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and our Mother Mary in our ordinary daily life. While it is true that the majority of Filipinos are Catholics, there is freedom in the expression of faith. In spite of diversity of religions, there is mutual respect and interfaith dialogue. 3. NATURAL RESOURCES God has blessed us with rich natural resources: water for drinking, irrigation, household use, electricity (hydro-electric power from falls); forests; scenic spots; minerals; aquatic resources; wildlife; vast tracts of land 4. CULTURE AND TRADITIONS We represented this through the Bayanihan an old traditional practice in the Philippines of helping a neighbor move his house (nipa hut) from one place to another by putting the house securely on bamboo poles and letting the men carry the house on poles on their shoulders. This image depicts our strong sense of community and family. Respect for elders Rich cultural heritage Spiritual heritage Preservation of indigenous groups 5. MORAL VALUES Sanctity of marriage and family, strong family ties, religiosity of the family. For us, the family is the most important foundation because it is

the basic social institution. Every childs basic education begins with what he/she learns in the family Modesty in appearance and actions Purity Protection of life in all its stages Spirit of sacrifice is very strong Resilient attitude capable of bouncing back immediately

6. NETWORKING AND COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIPS Peoples organizations and civil society, government organizations, nongovernment organizations, and faith-based organizations have a strong and viable network for the protection and development of women and children. Our country has several programs which are in line with the MDGs Our church has sensitized the faithful via multi-media (DVDs and reading materials) regarding the Compendium of the Catholic Social Doctrine The Philippine Church has launched the Pondo ng Pinoy which is a concrete expression of solidarity, based on the theology of the crumbs, where no one is so poor as not to be able to give anything and no one is so rich as to be incapable of receiving anything.

2nd Question: What are your proposed strategies when you go back to your own country?
1. Echo this seminar entitled The Young People and Common Goods: A Patrimony to be Saved as soon as possible. 2. Intensify advocacy campaign beginning with participants of the programs of VIDES Philippines (street camps in 6 areas in Manila and Busina Mo, Dunong Ko Mobile Education Project) by organizing activities in connection with the countrys celebration of National Childrens Month in October 2007. 3. Propose Barrio Fiesta theme for next years volunteers mission camp in order to showcase Filipino culture and tradition.