by John Vincent Balustre
Translating vision into action, Mx. CASS Hannah Valerie Acama introduced her advocacy project termed "ABEL", crusading for senior rights and elderly care, during the recently concluded ‘MAGCASSAMA Para Kay Lolo at Lola’ discussion and open forum held at CASS New Building Learning Commons, on April 4, 2024.
Notably, the same dialogue is consistent with the key activities enclosed in her advocacy project ranging from panel discussions and open forums, outreach programs, publications concentrated towards the concerns of seniors, and research endeavours.
“We can only advocate for something if we know what something is,” Acama said, emphasizing the need to cultivate a culture of awareness that will eventually empower stakeholders and volunteers to step up for the cause sparked by salient conversations.
Likewise, Acama also recognized the absence of mainstream discussion on issues surrounding senior rights and scholarly ventures to the development of elderly communities. As a response, she envisioned creating publications concentrated towards the concerns of seniors and research endeavours with the platform she has together with the growing ABELkada team.
Coupled with collaboration from other organizations and government agencies, she also expressed intent to set in motion various donation drives, visitation, and psychosocial activities, providing elderly people with their social needs while at the same time making them feel that they are “able, not incapacitated.”
Meanwhile, students gauged the feasibility of her advocacy project in terms of its fruition amid budgetary constraints.
For now, Acama banked on “organizing a network of people”, and collectively “using this energy” to expand further the cause. Such is in alignment with the program’s resource speaker, Atty. Colmenares’ suggestion on the sustainability of the project zeroed in on anchoring it on communication campaigns that thrive immaterial of the limits of funding.
When asked about the specificity of the beneficiaries considering that the conditions of the elderly vary from one another, Acama encouraged students to see seniors through individual lenses. On the same premise, prioritize those who are economically disadvantaged yet without disregarding part of the community, regardless of conditions, who may still need assistance such as psychosocial services, for instance.
On the curation of the advocacy, Acama revealed that while it is her first time to step up in making this pursuit an organized advocacy, even prior to joining the competition, she was already exposed to the plight of the elderly by working with her Aunt, a barangay councilor, and accommodating elderly people on senior assemblies.
‘Although ABEL is new, I must say, the idea has been rooting on me,” she said.
Moreover, she acknowledged the privilege of starting the advocacy project and the responsibility of the platform given to her.
“ABEL means breath but it won’t go into air, I assure you. It will transcend into action and, of course, I won’t be able to do it without you,” she added.
When asked why she chose to advocate for the elderly, seemingly unusual from the slate of sought-after and student-centred advocacies her fellow aspirants have been championing, Acama expressed the desire to defy the bounds of what she could do.
“What I am doing right now is transcending my influence beyond the borders of this institution. We do not isolate what we can do. We do not isolate our influence in the visibility that we have in our campus, [or] in our community. We should extend beyond it,” she aptly expressed.
However, she made clear that the heart of the advocacy is students pushing for the welfare of the elderly, asserting how student-centered it is in such a manner.
Mx. CASS Hannah Valerie Acama is set to represent the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) in the upcoming Mx. IIT Influencer, one of the highlights of PALAKASAN 2024.
Translating vision into action, Mx. CASS Hannah Valerie Acama introduced her advocacy project termed "ABEL", crusading for senior rights and elderly care, during the recently concluded ‘MAGCASSAMA Para Kay Lolo at Lola’ discussion and open forum held at CASS New Building Learning Commons, on April 4, 2024.
Notably, the same dialogue is consistent with the key activities enclosed in her advocacy project ranging from panel discussions and open forums, outreach programs, publications concentrated towards the concerns of seniors, and research endeavours.
“We can only advocate for something if we know what something is,” Acama said, emphasizing the need to cultivate a culture of awareness that will eventually empower stakeholders and volunteers to step up for the cause sparked by salient conversations.
Likewise, Acama also recognized the absence of mainstream discussion on issues surrounding senior rights and scholarly ventures to the development of elderly communities. As a response, she envisioned creating publications concentrated towards the concerns of seniors and research endeavours with the platform she has together with the growing ABELkada team.
Coupled with collaboration from other organizations and government agencies, she also expressed intent to set in motion various donation drives, visitation, and psychosocial activities, providing elderly people with their social needs while at the same time making them feel that they are “able, not incapacitated.”
Meanwhile, students gauged the feasibility of her advocacy project in terms of its fruition amid budgetary constraints.
For now, Acama banked on “organizing a network of people”, and collectively “using this energy” to expand further the cause. Such is in alignment with the program’s resource speaker, Atty. Colmenares’ suggestion on the sustainability of the project zeroed in on anchoring it on communication campaigns that thrive immaterial of the limits of funding.
When asked about the specificity of the beneficiaries considering that the conditions of the elderly vary from one another, Acama encouraged students to see seniors through individual lenses. On the same premise, prioritize those who are economically disadvantaged yet without disregarding part of the community, regardless of conditions, who may still need assistance such as psychosocial services, for instance.
On the curation of the advocacy, Acama revealed that while it is her first time to step up in making this pursuit an organized advocacy, even prior to joining the competition, she was already exposed to the plight of the elderly by working with her Aunt, a barangay councilor, and accommodating elderly people on senior assemblies.
‘Although ABEL is new, I must say, the idea has been rooting on me,” she said.
Moreover, she acknowledged the privilege of starting the advocacy project and the responsibility of the platform given to her.
“ABEL means breath but it won’t go into air, I assure you. It will transcend into action and, of course, I won’t be able to do it without you,” she added.
When asked why she chose to advocate for the elderly, seemingly unusual from the slate of sought-after and student-centred advocacies her fellow aspirants have been championing, Acama expressed the desire to defy the bounds of what she could do.
“What I am doing right now is transcending my influence beyond the borders of this institution. We do not isolate what we can do. We do not isolate our influence in the visibility that we have in our campus, [or] in our community. We should extend beyond it,” she aptly expressed.
However, she made clear that the heart of the advocacy is students pushing for the welfare of the elderly, asserting how student-centered it is in such a manner.
Mx. CASS Hannah Valerie Acama is set to represent the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) in the upcoming Mx. IIT Influencer, one of the highlights of PALAKASAN 2024.
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