The Leader in Me

                                                      The Leader in Me

By Dennis B. Lacsam

According to my research, the right of every Filipino youth to free education is upheld under the Philippine Constitution of 1987. However, the nation's system of education continues to be hampered by high dropout rates and mediocre performance on national and international achievement tests.

The same fundamental challenges that have affected Philippine education since colonial times now exist. Poor student performance, meager teacher quality in a system where teachers are at the focus of the learning system, outdated learning materials, excessive centralization, and insufficient financial resources are just a few of these.

If I will be given a chance to become one of the heads of any branch of government office, for sure, I will choose to become the Secretary of the Department of Education because I want to make a solution to the prevalent problems in the education sector which I mentioned above.

As the department's chief, I will make sure to uphold and be honest about my vision for the educational system: one that supports cultural diversity, is free of prejudice, provides a secure environment and upholds human rights, and develops qualities, abilities, and aptitude among others.

And since my major duty is to exercise control over the entire department, I will advise the President on pertinent matters related to education by promulgating rules and regulations necessary to carry out the objectives, policies, functions, plans, programs, and projects of the Department. Likewise, I will exercise disciplinary powers over officials and employees in accordance with existing laws by formulating and enforcing a management control system to measure and evaluate performance.

      With all these in mind, I know I will become an effective leader, and all the education stakeholders will be benefited from my goals and leadership styles. This I accept as true is the most important contemplation a leader should consider for education is something that no one can ever take away from a person – a gift that provides him/her stability, security, equality, and protection for him/her to be a useful part of society, and a contributing member as well.

Seven Lakes: San Pablo City’s Immeasurable Treasures

In the evening of March 15, 2008, GMA 7’s Sine Totoo aired a shocking eye-witness documentary entitled “Alaga” about the deadly parasites known as schistosomiasis that plagued the river and killed the townsfolk of Trento, Agusan del Sur. In that dreadful, deplorable, and disgusting exposure, Kara David, the host of the program interviewed the residents – mother, father, and children all with yellowing eyes and skin and stomachs that rival of those women seven months pregnant. Some of them could no longer stand nor speak while others simply awaited death because of the life-threatening disease. For the said network, the revelation was another milestone because that unforgettable episode brought them as Finalist in the prestigious New York Festivals. But for millions of TV aficionados who have been shocked by the story, it was indeed alarming and tremendously upsetting.

Ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon to all of you.

I started my speech with that disturbing eye-opener for I want all of you to picture the tragic scenario. Just try to imagine if that same phenomenon will happen to our most treasured seven lakes, which we, San Pableños, consider as our enormous sources of life and livelihood, without uncertainty, survival in this city for majority of inhabitants would be in extreme jeopardy.

Friends, maintaining clean and safe water in our rivers, lakes and oceans remain one of our utmost national and global challenges and responsibilities. It is heartrending to know that over the recent decades, uncontrolled population growth, deforestation, land conversion, intense fisheries, rapid industrialization and urbanization had produced massive changes in our bodies of water and its watersheds. Many of us have unfortunately lost respect and apprehension for water and Mother Nature. Water, the lifeblood of human race, has been abandoned and contaminated to the limits.

In the local scene, DENR reported that none of the country’s 158 major rivers was clean enough to drink in their natural flowing state. Of the 421 rivers in the country, 50 were considered biologically dead. And, only horrible creatures that cause diseases could be found in these rivers due to their rotten condition.

Just recently, massive fish kills in lakes Taal, and Talisay in Batangas and Sebu, in South Cotobato due to high concentration of nitrite and ammonia, toxic substances found in animal wastes from local piggeries and factories have been reported. According to the distressing news, the sight of colossal dead and floating fish left not only local fishing community but the entire nation dumbfounded. It is so depressing to know that the lakes that are home to teeming water creatures have become a dumping ground of man’s toxic wastes.

Friends, even though the said catastrophic occurrence did not happen in our renowned seven lakes, we don’t need to express amusement and gratefulness because according to studies, our lakes are also threatened by human intervention and exploitation, most especially Lake Sampaloc, which is located right at the center of the metropolis. Quite a lot of illegal settlements, prohibited fish pens, commercial and business infrastructures on the shoreline have proliferated on some of the lakes causing increased pollution and severe environmental problems.

Ladies and gentlemen, we can do something about this problem. If the government has its role in preserving our lakes, then we must also have our own. We have to be aware that our passivity with the problems concerning with our lakes means accepting that we are ready to face whatever ill-fate is coming in our way. Let us all work hand in hand in various ecological conservation efforts by giving primary importance to the environment-related problems.

Folks, let us all keep in mind that our majestic seven lakes are not only eye-catching tourist destinations for it also supports a multitude of beneficial uses. Thousands of fishermen and their families depend on it for livelihood, and a thriving fishpen industry in our lakes contribute approximately thousand metric tons of fish annually to the fish supply of our city and nearby provinces. The water resources of the lake, as well as the tributaries that drain into it, are sometimes used for irrigation, power generation, recreation, domestic water supply, and a navigational lane to a thriving water transport industry that serves the lakeshore communities.

The hard lessons of history are clear; a nation that fails to plan intelligently for the development and protection of its precious waters will be condemned to wither because of its shortsightedness. Let us all be ecologically sensible. We still have time to do something about this problem before it is too late. The protection, preservation, rehabilitation and sustainable development of our lakes are actions of general interest. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of leading a healthy life in human dignity.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need an intelligent and compassionate approach to solve the problem from all sides. We have lot of ways to meet our energy needs. We must educate the people, we should require the scientists to create new technologies, we ought to oblige the engineers to generate the networks, and we should strengthen every resident of this city to be aware of how precious our lakes are. We must understand that everybody has to be involved in a very firm and assertive way. Each one must treat the lakes as the most important things in the world, the most valuable natural resources.

My dear San Pableños, it is indeed true that Sampaloc, Bunot, Palakpakin, Kalibato, Mohicap, Yambo and Pandin popularly known as the Seven Lakes of our city are our most indispensable resources but we have to bear in mind, that these heavenly possessions will be gone instantly if we continue to think of them as commodity and not as necessity.

Today, as we campaign and struggle for the preservation of our lakes for the future of San Pablo, let this meaningful reminder from a Native American Proverb becomes our guiding principle in life. “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”.

Dawn of the New Era

“Towards a Philippine Statistics System Responsive to Emerging National and Global Challenges”

by Dennis Lacsam



“In ancient times, they had no statistics so they had to fall back on lies.”

Deeply assessing this verbatim pronouncement by the noted Canadian economist, writer and humorist Stephen Leacock, made me realize this bewildering thought. If there was no impeccable method for making wise decision in the face of doubt and ambiguity in the olden period, how did the early forms of government combat their problems effectively like perpetual poverty, rapid population growth, heinous crimes, and deteriorated or impoverished general welfare of the people?

Respected members of the panel of judges, fellow participants, coaches, friends, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant morning to all of you.

I started with a remarkable analysis for I want all of you to feel how complicated life then without statistics. Just imagine if that same old fabricated routine of reasoning would be applied as a resolution in the major problems of the different sectors of our society today, without certainty, life would be filled with immeasurable confusions and complexities that may lead to the country’s economic, social, psychological, biological, physical, and political mayhem and stagnation.

Friends, for many years, statistics has been an indispensable tool for nation building. More than being a branch of mathematics concerned with collecting and interpreting data, it is now widely applicable to an extensive range of academic disciplines including natural and social sciences, government, and business. Because of its dynamism, it is therefore important to note its significance to the overall well-being of the people in the world.

In the Philippine scene, the National Statistics Office is responsible for producing and providing quality statistical and civil registration products and services. Being the major statistical agency of the government, its vital role is to make use of numerical facts effectively relating to groups of individuals or experiments. In coordination with the Commonwealth Act No. 591 where the Bureau of Census and statistics was created, its powers, functions, and duties include compiling and classifying all statistical data and information and publishing the same for the use of the government and the people, preparing for and undertaking all censuses of population, agriculture, industry and commerce, and conducting investigations and studies of social and economic problems and conditions.

Friends, although we have a strong organization that monitors and compiles various numerical public products and services, it is imperative that we must expand the horizons of our statistical system to be responsive to the emerging national and global challenges. The benevolent support of different organizations, whether government or non-government, that conduct their own surveys and market researches to be of service to the people is an indispensable act to alleviate tribulations and confusions in upgrading the quality and standard of the statistics in the country.

Ladies and gentlemen, in order to improve all of these works, we need to be confident about our statistical system by focusing to a more comprehensive, innovative, and forward-looking census and survey strategies that aim to reduce poverty, stimulate local investments and job creations and enhance individual, different group and institution’s empowerment. Likewise, we need knowledgeable and skillful statisticians whose expertise would not exclusively be devoted in thinking inventive methodologies for the statistical system but in envisioning on how they could become a catalyst of change for the country’s progress. They must always put in mind that a slight misuse of statistics can produce serious errors in description and interpretation that can lead to demoralizing, damaging and devastating decision errors to the various sectors of our society. And if these things happen, the statistical system which is a primary tool for nation building, with its emphasis on unity and solidarity would be in extreme jeopardy.

But friends, the propensity to innovate the effectiveness of our statistical system is essentially a function of factors relating to the roles of the state and the people. This can only be achieved if everyone realizes that statistics is profoundly connected to our human survival and plays an important role in our lives. Let us all remember that we, as citizens of this nation have different roles to fulfill as responsible members to the community. Let us involve ourselves in census and survey activities by actively participating in the endeavors of the statistical system to have an accurate, precise, and efficient analysis for the country’s growth and progress. Let us not be like those people who close their doors or let their dogs chased or hound census and survey’s emissaries resulting to inexact, fraudulent and reliable data and records.

As I end my speech today, let me express to you the same words of encouragement that distinguished John F. Kennedy summoned in his inaugural address as former United States President in January of 1961 – “Do not ask what your country can do for you… ask what you can do for your country!” These sympathetic words call to action, it triggered an urgent response – a change of attitude from unhelpful to hopeful, a spirit of shared interest and selflessness that can make us feel like all citizens boarded together in a single ship of state paddling towards a Philippine Statistics System responsive to emerging national and global challenges.

WATER FOR YOU AND ME: How Far Can We Go?

by Dennis Lacsam


It was on March 25, 2001 when Julia Roberts was proclaimed Best Actress in the Academy Awards for her portrayal as Erin Brockovich, an unemployed single mother of three who fought for the world’s largest utility for dumping 370 million gallons of hexavalent chromium into unlined ponds in Hinkley, California, a deadly toxic waste that poisoned the residents in the area. For Julia Robert’s fans, it was one of her most remarkable performances that brought her to Hollywood’s super stardom. But for millions of movie aficionados who have been touched by Erin Brockovich’s life and struggles for clean water, it was indeed heroic and humanitarian.

Ladies and gentlemen, today, we have reached consciousness and apprehensions that man on earth must instantly stop his destruction on any body of water around him for water is truly a valuable natural resource – the uppermost indisputable need of every living creature on the planet. Its importance cannot be estimated for it is an indispensable element to life and society – a main source of nourishment and energy, a raw material for productive activities, a way of transport, and a determinant factor for the preservation of the ecological balance.

Water is a fundamental part of our lives. Human survival is dependent on water. The water we drink literally becomes us since such a large percentage of our bodies is water. We need plenty of fresh water to stay healthy. Aside from aiding in digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and removes toxins and other wastes. It also lubricates our joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord from shock and damage and conversely, lack of water can be the cause of many ailments.

Plants and animals can’t live without freshwater, because all organisms are made up mostly by water. A tree for example is about 60% water by weight and most animals are about 50-65% water.

No industries will survive without water’s help for it is used as a raw material coolant, a solvent, a transport agent, and as a source of energy. It turns the turbines of hydroelectric plants that produce electricity for light, heat and power for factories and communities. Thousands more liters of water are involved in the manufacture of plastics, glass and fabric components. It seems infinite to detail its dynamism in our life, in our environment, in our existence.

For thousands of years, humanity has been aware of the importance of water. In Rome, a couple of thousand years ago, it was considered to be one of the biggest crimes to pollute the water. Unfortunately, a few of us deem the importance until it is in limited supply. Man seems to destroy water through his greed for what he believes to be his personal survival.

In our advanced and modern society, it is effortless for us to forget how completely we depend on it. We believe that we have to sacrifice everything including the water of this planet we inhabit in order to continue the progress and our so-called welfare. We are rapidly destroying water's life-giving capacities. Increased population, industrial wastes and agricultural chemicals are contaminating our water sources. We have unfortunately lost all respect and deference for water and Mother Nature. Water, the very lifeblood of humans, has been neglected and tainted to the limits. Deadly pesticides and other harmful chemicals contaminate our watersheds. The seas and the great rivers that are domicile to teeming water creatures have become a dumping ground of man's toxic wastes.

Today, some 1.5 billion people live without access to drinking water. Nearly 2 billions do not have access to proper sanitation. According to the World Health Organization, 30,000 people die each day from drinking polluted water, 6,000 of which are children. The planet's water resources are becoming increasingly fragile due to over consumption and pollution. No wonder why water is a prime commodity these days. The proliferation of distilled water neighborhood vendors and the popularity of bottled water are testaments to this problem.

But, have we noticed that endless serious campaigns against the factors that brought about our water crisis such as deforestation, improper waste disposal, and the like seem to be useless? Water crisis, an alarming issue, remains an issue until now. And let’s face it, the problem remains a problem.

We, young people have to open our eyes. We have to be aware that our silence means accepting that we are ready to face whatever ill-fate is coming on our way. Can’t we do anything about it?

The government has its role in conserving water resources, then we must also have our own. We should not stop thinking and putting into actions the most effective ways to preserve and protect our water supply.

Friends, the challenge is on you and me, on all of us. Let us be responsive to the call where the answer lies only on our hands. Let us develop consciousness, a sense of preservation, and a sense of responsibility. Let us treasure one of the miracles God has bestowed upon us, the life giving water.
The time to act is now, or it will be too late! Remember that water is life, and without it, we can never go far.

WATER: Gift and Responsibility

by Dennis Lacsam


“The earth was formed out of water and by water”. This verbatim pronouncement in Peter 2 3:5 of the Holy Bible proves that even long before the olden times of creation, water is with God and God is with water. To show Almighty’s love to humanity, and by his prodigious hands, He landscaped and provided the universe with all the things, things which every part is believed to be “all water”.

Ladies and gentlemen, water is much more than we know. Although it may appear colorless to our naked eye, flavorless to our taste buds, or odorless to our olfactory, there is much more to know about this ancient substance that supports and sustains humanity for thousands of years. It has been proven that the water in its natural and healthy state of purity and integrity is an intelligent and highly responsive substance to all other forms of life.

In most religions, water is considered an absolute purifier. Major faiths incorporate washing into their rituals. It is used from baptism, the innermost sacrament of Christianity to the ritual bath performed for the dead in religions like Judaism and Islam. It seems effortless to mention its vitality in our being for it does not only cleanse our body but symbolically cleanses our soul.

As we all live together on this water planet, in our water bodies, we are inherently and naturally attracted to healthy water. We love it, we play in it, and we holiday near it. Our affinity to this precious resource is undoubtedly inimitable. Scientists and researchers continue to show us that our thoughts affect our own vibrational energy, which directly affects the structure of the very water within our bodies and in our environment. It is therefore no longer a theory, that the water, like everything else, has consciousness. No wonder why this enigmatic substance is an indispensable element in our existence.

Water, no doubt, is an essential part of our lives. Human survival relies on it. It is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, removing toxins to wastes, converting food into energy, cushioning joints, hydrating skins, protecting tissues and organs, and empowering the body’s natural healing processes. A living creature could not survive without the bag of water inside its mother’s womb that protects and nourishes it for nine long months, and conversely, lack of water in the body can be the cause of countless ailments.

Cities and communities have proliferated where water reserve is overflowing. Quality water has become a prerequisite ingredient of our nation’s progress and improvement. The flowing water spins a turbine generator, which then generates electricity. The spent water coming out of the turbine can still be used for irrigation or water supply for homes. Water dynamism in our survival seems endless, but is this really our foremost concern? The infinite uses of the valuable resource God has abundantly bestowed each upon us?

Friends, water quality is a growing global concern. It is heartrending to know that polluted water and inadequate sanitation kill two children every thirty seconds worldwide; and, that the water we drink which literally becomes us since a large percentage of our bodies is water, is the same water that poisons the future generations. Many of us have unfortunately lost respect and concern for water and Mother Nature. We are rapidly destroying water’s life-giving capacities. Water, the lifeblood of human race, has been deserted and contaminated to the limits.

In the local scene, DENR reported that none of the country’s 158 major rivers was clean enough to drink in their natural flowing state. Of the 421 rivers in the country, 50 were considered biologically dead. And, only obnoxious creatures that cause diseases could be found in these rivers due to their rotten condition.

Just recently, massive oil spills in Semirara and Guimaras have tainted our watersheds. It is so depressing to think that the seas that are home to teeming water creatures have become a dumping ground of man’s toxic wastes.

Friends, let us strengthen our relationship with the miraculous element that gives us life. Remember that our concern for water is a public and patrimonial obligation. The protection, revaluation, and sustainable development of the water resources are actions of general interest. The right to use water, as well as the corresponding duties resulting from the water resources protection and conservation shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of the present law. The human right to water is essential for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights.

Let us actively involve ourselves in taking care of our environment, our nature, our water. We should not stop thinking and putting into actions the most effective ways to conserve and protect our water supply. Using too much or wasting water should have some kind of feeling or sense of concern – some sort of responsibility and a sense of discipline. We must treat water as the most precious thing in the world for us to understand its true worth. Let us be economical with water! Don’t waste it! We still have time to do something about the water problem before it’s too late. Let us give water a healing hand. Let us not wait for the ill-fate to come our way. Let us be responsive to the call so that the prediction in Koran, the war of the twenty-first century is the fight over water, will never become a reality.

Ladies and gentlemen, remember that when God created the universe, He said fence! He created us human with the highest intellect among His creations to guard all the worthy things He has given us including the valuable water we inhabit. I therefore say, that it is our sole responsibility to protect water, God’s ultimate gift to humanity, for water means LIFE.

Watersheds and Drinking Water: Our Responsibility

Taun-taon ay sumasali ang aming paaralan sa paligsahan sa talumpatian na iniisponsoran ng San Pablo Water District Association. Ito ang ikatlo sa piyesang Ingles na sinulat ko sa tulong ni Mrs. Lydia Nuque tungkol sa kahalagahan ng tubig sa buhay ng tao. Sa piyesang ito nanalo sa District at Provincial level ang aming estudyante na si Jhoanne Carla Omagap. Sa kasamaang palad, hindi na siya nakarating pa sa National Level sapagkat natalo na siya sa Regional Level Competition pa lang na ginanap sa Diamond Hotel. Bagamat hindi namin tuluyang nayakap ang tagumpay, buo ang aking paniniwala na ang tunay na kabuluhan ng talumpati ay ipahayag ang mensahe nito sa maraming tao upang pakilusin sila sa isang partikular na paksa. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit isinama ko ang piyesang ito sa aking blog.

Please take time in reading because I genuinely believe that water is truly our accountability.

WATERSHEDS AND DRINKING WATER: OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Be alarmed as you try to picture this scenario in the movie, The Tuxedo of Jacky Chan. In this terrorizing motion picture, the villain’s intention is to sabotage the world’s water supply by adding an ingredient that will cause the victims to dehydrate and die; a sinister maneuver so that people will only depend on the bottled water he invented in order to live. In reality, isn’t it true that we can be the villains of our own story when water is concerned?

Ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon to all of you.

It is actually quite astonishing for me that our affinity to water as a prized liquid is absolutely incomparable. Water, like religion and ideology, has the power to move each and everyone of us. We adore it, we play in it, we write, sing and dance about it, we holiday near it and we fight over it. As we all live together on this water planet, in our water bodies, we are inherently and intrinsically fascinated to healthy water. Isn’t that amazing?

Water, with no uncertainty, is an important part of our being. Its significance cannot be estimated for it is a fundamental element to life and society – a major source of nourishment and energy, a raw material for practical and productive activities, a way of transport, a determinant aspect for the preservation of the ecological balance and an integral part of the public patrimony. It is also effortless to mention its dynamism in our bodies for it plays a major role in our overall physical health and spiritual well existence.

The countless uses of the miraculous element God has given us seem endless. However, is this really our concern, the infinite uses of water in our lives? Is this all that matters?

We should be aware that today, many of us have regrettably lost respect and concern for water and Mother Earth. We are recklessly destroying water’s life-giving capacities. Water, the lifeblood of human race, has been deserted and contaminated to the limits. It is so ironic that we cried over the rotten body of a dead criminal thrown in our dams for we fear that it makes our water dangerous for drinking but we care less for the abundant seas and great rivers that are domicile to teeming water creatures and yet become a dumping ground of our poisonous wastes.

Friends, poor water condition is a growing global concern. It is heart-breaking to know that the water we drink which gives us life is the same water that kills the future generations.

According to the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, an estimated 1.1 billion people have no access to safe drinking water, 2.5 billion lack proper sanitation and more than five million people die each year from waterborne diseases such as malaria, cholera, dysentery, schistosomiasis, infectious hepatitis and diarrhea – ten times the number of casualties killed in wars around the globe. The world is running out of potable water and a major policy initiative to guarantee freshwater as a human right is required.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we need a global approach to solve the problem from all sides. We have a lot of ways to meet our energy needs. We must educate the people, we should require the scientists to create new technologies, we ought to obligate the engineers to generate the networks, and we should strengthen every human being to be aware of how precious water is. We must understand that everybody has to be involved in a very firm and assertive way. Each one must treat water as the most important thing in the world, the most valuable natural resource. And so, let us not be extravagant so that this cherished commodity will never run out. We cannot afford to be negligent about water for a simple fact that in human consumption there is only limited amount of it in this planet.

The hard lessons of history are clear; a nation that fails to plan intelligently for the development and protection of its precious waters and watersheds that sustain it will be condemned to wither because of its shortsightedness. Let us all be ecologically sensible. Be economical with water. Don't waste it! We still have time to do something about this problem before it is too late. The protection, revaluation and sustainable development of the water resources and watersheds are actions of general interest. The human right to water is essential for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights.

Now is the time to do what we ought to do. Let us be superheroes in ourselves and make this world we live in a better place. The challenge is on you and me, on all of us. Let us be responsive to the call where the answer lies only on our hands. Let us all have a common goal of stopping the ill-practices of contaminating our water supply and watersheds. Let us develop consciousness, a sense of preservation, and a sense of responsibility. Let us treasure one of the miracles God has bestowed upon us, the life giving water.

Ladies and gentlemen, remember that when God created us human, He endowed us with the highest intellect among His creations to guard all the worthy things He has given us including the valuable water we inhabit. I therefore say, that it is our sole responsibility to protect water, God’s ultimate gift to humanity, for water means Life.

Today, as we campaign and struggle for clean water, let this meaningful passage by a critically-acclaimed author Jane Scrivner becomes our guiding principle in life – “The waters of life run through me, love and light!” A word for word pronouncement that will prove, that water, truly, is the blood in our veins.