Bagani: Sowing hope for next-gen PH leaders

‘WARRIOR’ TRAINING The 50 Bagani fellows selected by the Development Academy of the Philippines, together with Sen. JVEjercito (center), the main sponsor of the fellowship program, during its launch on Saturday. —GILLIAN VILLANUEVA

Isnihayah Sumndad, 22, said she found it difficult to speak out against corruption and political dynasties in her province because of fear for her family.

“As a youth leader for how many years, I never spoke about politics in Lanao [del Sur] because of my fear,” Sumndad, a member of the student council at Mindanao State University, said in an interview with the Inquirer.

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But now that she has been selected to take part in the Bagani training program of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Sumndad said she hopes she can develop the courage to speak up about what is happening in Lanao del Sur.

“Our province is [cited] as the poorest in the Philippines because of political dynasties and also lack of civic awareness of the voters. So, I hope Bagani will help me to confidently speak up,” she said of the fellowship named after the Manobo term for “warrior” or “leader.”

‘Influencing governance’

Under that monthlong program launched in Quezon City on Saturday, the DAP aims to develop a new batch of leaders by promoting such skills as management and communication.

The state academy has chosen 50 fellows between ages 18 and 30 who will be trained by professors from Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle University as well as current and former officials, including Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, former Education Undersecretary Alain del Pascua, and lawyer and educator James Ceasar Ventura, who previously served as a commissioner at the National Youth Commission. Sen. JV Ejercito is the main sponsor of the training program.

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Speaking at the launching, Civil Service Commission Chair Marilyn Barua-Yap said the Bagani program seeks to form youth leaders who can transform mindsets in government so it can better serve the public.

“Each of the program’s fellows is not only a participant in a learning fellowship, but public servants who are expected to meaningfully shape and influence the quality of our governance through their respective roles in their respective organizations,” she said.

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‘Polarized institutions’

Just like the “bagani”—a term for Manobo villagers tasked to protect against outside forces threatening their indigenous community—the fellows are also called to serve the public amid the “compounding challenges” facing the country.

In his remarks, DAP Acting president and CEO Leocadio Sebastian cited, among these challenges, “economic instability shaped by successive economic crises” and a “labor landscape being restructured by automation before many have secured their footing.”

Sebastian also noted how the country’s political environment has been affected by “declining public trust and polarized institutions that make stable civic judgment increasingly difficult.”

‘Disarray’

Ejercito said he hopes the training program can be expanded as it can help address problems confronting the government, particularly those in the Senate.

“The confidence is probably at an all-time low. Especially at the Senate, it is now in disarray when before, it was respected. Now, it is really the lowest of lows,” he said.

“But do not lose hope. As long as someone stands their ground, we will fight. The Bagani fellows are here to bring change in our country,” said the senator, who vowed to have more funds allocated for the Bagani program next year.

Sebastian said: “With [the] many problems our country faces, we need leaders who do not put their own interests first [but] who truly feel the hardships of each Filipino.”

Explaining the selection of the Bagani fellows, program manager John Roel Gonzaga said the applicants’ credentials as well as their personality were considered. Each applicant was interviewed and also required to submit an essay, he said.

“When we were screening them, what we were looking for is who among these youths [were] applying not just for themselves but [also] had something to offer,” Gonzaga said. “They have a story. Every time we do interviews, we check what their story is.”

Joshua Echales, who is the same age as Sumndad, said he plans to bring attention to the “sinking” islets in his home province of Bohol and the plight of the residents there.

Narrative to share

Echales wants to understand why some residents continue to live there instead of choosing to relocate, adding that he plans to pursue that topic as part of his thesis.

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“Because sometimes the government thinks relocation is best for the community when in fact it uproots the culture in itself and it displaces the communities psychologically from where they basically grew up,” said the Bagani fellow, who will soon be in his fourth year as he finishes a human ecology degree at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Gonzaga said having a narrative to share is important for the Bagani fellows because they will not just learn from their instructors but also from each other as part of a “collaborative learning experience.”