Renzo Part:

Opening

(1ST SLIDE: LM 2020) Layuning Makabayan) A Christian existentialist by the name of Martin Boober once
said that every day is a grace-filled encounter with the Lord. The presence of everyone in this room is a
manifestation of graces and you, our distinguished panelist, made this event grace-filled. And with this we greet
you a good morning.
We are the Junior Bedan Law Circle of the Department of Legal Management. Our thrust from this year takes
queue from the words of former President Fidel Valdez Ramos: “The true challenge for each of us as Filipinos
is to go about our daily tasks by being at our best in whatever we think, we say and we do, and by living with
others in peace, harmony and empathy whenever fortune may take us.” Hence, we bring to you LM 2020
L.M. = Layuning Makabayan

(2nd Slide: Nation Building) In line with this we present to your our commitment to Layuning
Makabayan for the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2019-2020.

Tej Part:
(Slide 14: OPLAN ELEXSYON) Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution states that
sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.
What does this mean? This means that the foundations of a strong nation lies on the will of the
people to govern themselves. This manifested through the exercise of the universally
recognized right to suffrage.

(Slide 16: COMELEC – SCHOOLS) Thus last 12 September 2019, JBLC in cooperation of
the Commission on Elections, launched one of the only two off-site campus registration of
voters in the National Capital Region, catering to students, faculty and employees of the
University as well as residents of Manila from Districts 1 to 6.
(Slide 15: OBJECTIVE SLIDE) Through the help of the University administration and other
partner organizations, we opened the gates of San Beda to the students of neighboring schools
and residents from the 6 districts of Manila.
In sum, we were able to empower a total of 142 citizens through this voter’s registration project.
This represents more than a hundred lives and interests-more than a hundred voices will be
heard and take part in the voting.

(Slide 17: DOCUMENTATION) Oplan Elexsyon is not only a manifestation of our freedom
of choice but also represents that we live in a democratic and republican state.

Hence, on November 16, Oplan Eleksyon became a prequel to a latter endeavor-

(Slide 22: PUBMATS OF MODEL CITIZENSHIP) social media etiquette and discourse by
discussing fact checking on existing social issues.

(Slide 23: OBJECTIVES) Project Citizenship coincided with the launching of thrust of LM
2020t by the Legal Management Department which stands for “Layuning Makabansa”. In the
same launching, Green Project, that tackles the environmental aspect of nation building was
also continued for its second consecutive year.
Monica Part:
A model citizen does not only focus on himself and his countrymen, a model citizen also cares
for the land he walks on. As inhabitants of the nation there should be a healthy environment
convenient for the people in which they exercise their rights.

(Slide 18: GREEN PROJ) This year we recalibrated the Green Project by partnering with
additional organizations to complete the Waste Audit conducted last year. In completion of this
project, JBLC is all set in collaborating with the office of innovation and research.

(Slide 19: FACTS) With the results of our waste audit, we have quantified that food scraps
contribute the most to the wastes inside our university, papers and plastics coming in second
and third respectively. With this data, we are now a step closer in our long term goal of
providing a comprehensive research on the environmental status of San Beda University. We
aim this research paper to be useful in formulating better environmental policies like waste
management and segregation.
(Slide 20: GP – DOCU) As Bedans we should practice environmental consciousness because
we are not just bystanders, we are world changers and this is us, doing our part.

Balinas Part:

At this point, allow me to (Slide 3: Lingkod Laya) re-introduce our project (Lingkod Laya)
through the story of Lorna Pregoria--- a detainee of Manila City Jail. Because of the many times
we’ve talked, I have started calling her Lola Lorna. She is already 61 and is suffering from a
heart disease. Despite her age, she is exposed to dismal jail conditions. Lola Lorna had already
served the sentence for the crime that she allegedly committed. However, one cannot just go out
of jail, after serving one’s sentence. There is still a rather complicated process for actual release.
Lola Lorna remains incarcerated because of the simple reason that no one follows-up her
release order. I can still vividly remember the first time I talked to her; she was in tears asking
us desperately for help since she did not want to spend another Christmas in Jail. Lola Lorna is
just one of the faces of our inadequate judicial system, and the problems it create. Lola Lorna is
the problem that our project aims to address.
(Slide 7: Creativity) Manila City Jail’s population in 2018 hit a staggering 6,400. It has a
congestion rate of 601%. What does this mean? Well, it means that a a cell designed only for 50
persons, with zero to no proper ventilation will fit more than 200 inmates in one time. It means
that water supply good for 50 inmates would have to be shared with a hundred and fifty more. It
means that jail resources would have to be stretched beyond limits. It means an easy transfer of
communicable lung diseases.

(Slide 8: Merch Pubmat) Through this project, I have personally seen many times, that our jail
facilities look like a can of sardines: dark, packed, dirty with a stinky odor. And the problem is
that, there are only 2 paralegal to process the release order of 6,400 detainees. And this is a ratio
of 1paralegal :3200 detainees. Sadly, this has been Lola Lorna’s world for 2 years now. It is
against this harsh backdrop that our project Lingkod Laya was born.
(Slide 4: Impact) The first two years of Lingkod Laya saw many milestones that we are proud
of: We made case follow-ups for more than 200 detainees; We were able to extend medical
assistance to more than 100 sick detainees, with free medicines; We have empowered hundreds
of detainees in our Paralegal Talks; We have given sanitary kits to almost a thousand detainees;
But the fact that we are most proud of: In the two years, We have successfully released 84
detainees: 28 from last year and 56 this year. We would like to believe that the 84 freed
detainees, are not just numbers. These are 84 real people. These are 84 humans with different
stories of struggles and survival. These are 84 former inmates who have hopes and dreams.
These are 84 former detainees who were given another shot at life.

(Slide 9: Volunteerism) We have 30 volunteers and 56 this year.

(Slide 9: Volunteerism AGAIN) It is only 37 days before Christmas and I am thinking about
Lola Lorna. we will make extra efforts, within my capacity, for Lola Lorna’s release. Because,
we hope that like you and me, she is going to spend her Christmas with her family. At 61, in the
twilight of her life, that would be the best Christmas gift she would probably receive.

Julian Part:
(Volunteerism) Being a volunteer who conducted interviews inside Manila City Jail as a
Lingkod Laya Volunteer made me see the unimaginable condition of detainees. This pushed me
and my colleagues further invested in our cause. Indeed, we are happy to continue with Lingkod
Laya in its second year. However, we know it’s not enough until the voices of these countless
detainees are heard. It is through this advocacy where we searched for a platform where we can
lobby for detainees’ rights. Thus, our journey towards becoming part of the TAYO began.

(Slide 10: TAYO SLIDE) TAYO stands for the “Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in
the Philippines”. It is the highest award giving body that recognizes the contributions of youth
organizations to nation building: This is the organization-counterpart of the Ten outstanding
young men, and the ten outstanding students of the Philippines.

(Slide 12: Who can join) REACHING THIS FAR in a big competition is like passing through
the proverbial eye of the needle. This year’s edition of TAYO started with 600 applicants and
nominations. This 600 applicants were told to send a project proposal of an ongoing program In
this initial stage, JBLC submitted the framework of Lingkod Laya. The original 600 was
trimmed down to 271.
(Slide 11: Tayo process) In this stage, the 271 organizations underwent a rigorous field
validation. For Lingkod Laya, the TAYO Committee sent validators to interview our officers,
volunteers, jail officers, court staff and former detainees we have helped inside Manila City Jail.

(Slide 13: Documentation) After the Field Validation, the TAYO Committee was able to
choose the top 40 Outstanding Organisations to proceed to the Regional Finals. The NCR finals
was held in Ateneo de Manila where they staged the Panel Defense between the best
organizations in front of our country’s top youth leaders. We had to defend the principles of our
Advocacy through 5 fronts: Creativity, sustainability, volunteerism, resourcefulness, and
Impact.
(Slide 24-26-27-28-25: AWARDS OF LM TO TAYO PUBMAT) This is the first time after
two decades that San Beda’s College of Arts and sciences made its presence felt in the TAYO
Awards, and in successfully doing so we am humbled to say that San Beda one of the 20 most
outstanding organizations in the Philippines To proceed to the top National Finals this February
2020, to defend once more in front of the senate of the Philippines, the seat of Advocacy and
the heart of Nation Building.

Closing
(LAST SLIDE – QUOTE) LM 2020 – Layuning Makabayan
Again, we are the Junior Bedan Law Circle the home of 267 strong and brave students of the
Department of Legal Management, and we are ready to partake in nation building.
At this juncture, panelist may I direct your attention to the screen as we play our audio visual
presentation.
AVP
Thank you. We are now ready to entertain your queries.