When my friend Michael asked me to join the program two years ago, I was doubtful. Would I accept the challenge of building a healthier Philippines? I visited the church, prayed over it. I also observed the constellations, and consulted a fortune teller.
Joining Ideas Positive is the best thing that has happened to my life. It brings out the best in me, taps my creativity, and supports my personal advocacy. Ideas Positive is the perfect platform for members of the youth to bring their ideas into reality.
When my friend Michael asked me to join the program two years ago, I was doubtful. First, I didn’t really have the courage to be part of something big and daunting. Second, I believed that building a healthier Philippines is for adults only, and that it’s in fact the job of our government.
“I have to study. Graduating from college is my priority,” I told him.
Then he did something totally unexpected. He knelt down in front of me (I was shocked but I knew it wasn’t a proposal because he is gay), then delivered a statement that struck me to my inner core.
“If not you, who will stand for them? We only live once. Don’t fail the generations ahead of us. What will be your story in the end?”
It was the most difficult examination of my life. Would I accept the challenge of building a healthier Philippines? I visited the church, prayed over it. I also observed the constellations, and consulted a fortune teller.
I gave Michael my bravest “YES” and great things happened. Team WAYA was formed. We joined Ideas Positive Run 3. Through our positive idea, we eradicated diarrheal diseases in a tahong (mussels) harvesting community in Brgy. Lacturan, Dumangas, Iloilo. It wasn’t an easy journey. We experienced difficult obstacles brought about by unscrupulous people. We experienced losses. We cried, we shouted; we revolted, and we won!
Since then, I never ceased helping build a #healthierPH.
Now, as a volunteer ambassador of Ideas Positive, I continue to influence more youth to join Ideas Positive in the Visayas. This is my own advocacy; it’s like saying ‘thank you’ for all the transformation that I achieved throughout the program.
Last year, together with my fellow ambassadors, we influenced more than 100 youth in Visayas to join Ideas Positive. Asking the youth to join the program is very difficult now that you have to position above teleseryes like On the Wing of Love, hit kalserye AlDub, their campus love life, theses and examinations.
My atomic bomb is always the statement that I learned from my best friend who encouraged me to join:
“If not you, who will stand for them? We only live once. Don’t fail the generations ahead of us. What will be your story in the end?”
Charibel De Pedro is an Ideas Positive Area Ambassador for Mindanao. She was a member of Team WAYA, Grand Champion of Ideas Positive Run 3. She is also a private duty nurse at the Medical City. She loves going to the salon, networking and traveling.