TANGA…ANGAT

Last November 25-28, 2006, I attended the PACSA, or the Philippine Association of Campus Student Advisers Seminar and Student Leaders Workshop on Student Leadership. I was chosen from our school, being the VP-Internal, with the President and the Student Affairs’ Officer, to attend the said event.
Generally, I can say that the experience in Baguio was good, well…except for the fact that there were many “ehem” there…You see, I am not much comfortable with those calling themselves the “third sex”. But that doesn’t mean that I despise them.
But that is not the point of my blog here. I would like to focus on the title…Tanga…Angat. I came across these two words on the first topic on the second day of the seminar. Our speaker is Sir Al Ian Barcelona. It was a topic on REAL Leadership.
He said in one point of the discussion that, “Look at the words tanga and angat. They have the same set of letters arranged differently, right? But look here…I can say that, ‘Kaya maraming tanga, dahil konti lang ang nag-aangat!’” Upon hearing this, the whole population in the said seminar agreed and clapped their hands in amazement.
I, for my part, was amazed as well. And along with it, I was given an opportunity to reflect on this. Indeed, I think he is right in saying that.
Maraming tanga…konting nag-aangat.
Isn’t it true nowadays?
Maybe.
But I cannot deny the fact that these can be one of the reasons why some of us are feeling down, or even alone. Because they feel that no one cares for them. Or no one gives a damn about them. Isn’t it true that nowadays, people are just living for themselves? I know this is generally seen, yet, somehow, it is true. People nowadays seem to care more about their welfare that that of others. And since I am a person who belongs to the people, I cannot make myself an exception. I admit, sometimes I am only seeking for my own happiness and comfort.
I know…the issue of practicality. Well, others may say that, “How can I give something to someone if I don’t have it in myself?” “Nemo dat quod non habet”. Right. However, how long will you be concentrating on yourself until the time comes that you can say that you can already give to others?
I would like to call on for others who are a stranger to another to cease being a stranger. I would like to call on friends of particulars to spread out and touch those who are left out. Sir Al also said that, “…we are meant to touch another person’s shoulder”. How many times have we done that? How many times have we left our comfort zones to reach out in unfamiliar lands?
Which is greater, those times that we lifted people up, or those times that we push people down? Tayo ba ang nag-aangat, o tayo ang gumagawa ng mga tanga?
This goes out to all…think. Are we the ones who lifts people, or buries them? There is still time to change that. Remember, what we do to other people may consciously or unconsciously affect them, in one way or another. And that goes for ourselves too.
First, let us think…are we those who are the “nag-aangat”, or those belonging to the “tanga”?
Then…let us think, and act in necessity, “Have I been able to lift others, or have I become someone who pushes them down?”
We can never live alone. Who you are is somehow caused by them, and vice-versa.
GOD BLESS EVERYONE!