Voices in my head

Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan” (The youth is the nation’s hope), said our national hero Jose Rizal.

In an era where the main preoccupation of the youth is surfing the Internet and playing videogames, Rizal’s words seem to be sounding the death knell of our country.

Schools and families encourage children to strive for excellence, to get an education in order to build a solid foundation for future careers. Rarely are kids urged to study so that they can make a difference in the world _ the quest for education has revolved around satisfying the needs of just one person, never the nation, the environment or the less fortunate.

One problem is the presentation of these societal problems. No one wants to hear about the poor, the hungry or the dying trees and animals. It’s simply much too depressing in an already gloomy time. 

I suppose I was made more aware than students at other schools about the impact of education on sustainable development because my old school, O.B. Montessori Center, Inc., was pretty active in holding seminars and workshops on the subject, as well as providing aid to those who could not afford to go to school.

It was a commendable endeavor, but very few students had their hearts in it. This year, however, the school administrators have finally hit the right note in presenting the problems of poverty and environmental destruction to the youth — through music.

That’s music and dance, a tactic that has similarly been used by many international organizations to raise people’s interest in the problems plaguing society. Riding on the tailcoats of the resurgence of Michael Jackson’s popularity, the school produced a spectacle which featured several of Jackson’s songs in addition to other inspiring tunes.

Dubbed “Voices of Youth Toward A Sustainable Future” (or “Voices” for short), this musical about the voices of our youth to protect and preserve our planet hopes to raise awareness on such issues as the human impact upon nature, war and discrimination, poverty and illiteracy, and how the youth can help in solving these problems.

The program featured various segments of the youth, from the fledglings to the striplings, while their parents and their parents’ friends watched in awe of the extravaganza.

The costumes were all-out, the stage set-up was minimal which consequently highlighted the fact that the kids performed really well (and I’m not saying this just because I graduated from the same school!).

It is rare for a school musical to be both entertaining and socially relevant. Voices achieved this by simply putting together some of the most recognizable songs spanning several generations and letting their lyrics float in the air for everyone to breathe in and absorb into their consciousness.

I Am But A Small Voice and What the World Needs Now speak of love being an instrument of peace and harmony. From a Distance reminds us that though God created the world we live in, it is our responsibility to take care of it. John Lennon’s Imagine condemns poverty as the worst form of violence. I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, that wonderful song adopted as a cola jingle decades ago, still sends the same message of peace, while What a Wonderful World conjures images of a perfect idyllic world. And to emphasize the role that education plays in nation-building, The Greatest Love of All was given a school makeover.

The rest of the songs were Michael Jackson hits. Who knew that some of the gloved one’s music could be so socially relevant and current? The selection of such songs as Rhythm Nation, Black or White, Man in the Mirror, Earth Song, and Heal the World was sheer genius. It brought to the fore what I’ll call the three ecological P’s — protecting, preserving and patching up the environment — and how we could do this individually or as a community. Kudos to OB Montessori CEO (and STAR columnist) Ms. Sara Soliven and Voices director Gus Aldeguer for such a coup!

My old school has always been producing wonderful musical projects, but this year really takes the cake. Why? Because this time, it’s not just about prancing around onstage wearing a cool outfit that looks great for photo ops — the school has actually succeeded in teaching the kids, Rizal’s hope for the nation, that although talent and education can get you fame and money, it can also be used to spark a change that can heal the world.

And all this starts with responsible education. As the Voices program clearly underscored, “Through education… we overcome poverty, we become responsible citizens, we give our children a better life, we build a sustainable future.”