A sample of Proyekto Pilipino, for you! Father Tito Caluag takes the lead in a new style of civic education through “Proyekto Pilipino: Mga Talakayan sa Sibika at Pulitika ni Fr. Tito Caluag at Tropa.”
Joining Fr. Tito in this weekly discussion are distinguished historians and thinkers—Manolo Quezon III, Dr. Leloy Claudio, and Carlo Santiago. Manolo is a TV host, writer, and former Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. Leloy is a cultural historian, author, and professor at the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies at UC Berkeley who recently led the Rappler video series “Basagan ng Trip.” Carlo is a writer, entrepreneur and member of the Anastacio Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to the understanding and appreciation of the Filipino experience through storytelling.
A public affairs program done with the Conscience Collective, “Proyekto Pilipino” features discussions about historical events and current issues to build a culture of valuing and understanding and help Filipino citizens in discerning their rights and obligations in the upcoming polls. Conscience Collective is a non-profit organization established by Fr. Tito with Manolo, Leloy, and Carlo that aims to engage in partnerships and projects that contribute to an indelible, pervasive, and continuing transformative change championed by a consciousness of conscience.
“Proyekto Pilipino” airs on Jeepney TV (SKYcable channel 9, GSAT channel 55, and Cignal channel 44) every Sunday at 6 pm with replay on Mondays at 6:30 am. The show will also air on SKY cable every Friday at 7 pm and every Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm. It will be streaming on the Conscience Collective Philippines YouTube channel on Thursdays at 7 pm.
A sampling of Proyekto Pilipino:
Episode 36: Moro, Katutubo: Premiered Nov 10, 2022
“Hindi po uncivilized ang mga Moro. Siguro ’yan ay one of the greatest injustices to describe them. Sa katunayan, mula pa sa pre-colonial Philippines, ang mga moro ang unang lumaban sa kolonyalismo.”
In any project, just like the project of nation-building, challenges and disagreements between people from varied backgrounds and culture remain an important issue to resolve. Why do we treat the Moro people as enemies? What is the root of the dispute between Moros and Christians? How can we resolve our differences to move forward as one Philippines?
We try to answer these questions in this episode, where Fr. Tito Caluag and his trio of distinguished thinkers—Manolo Quezon, Leloy Claudio, and Carlo Santiago—talk to a member of the Moro people, Prof. Yasmira Moner. She is an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science and Program Director of Gender and Development at the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology.
“Ang tunay na diversity, hindi pwedeng tino-tolerate mo lang ang ibang tao. Kailangan tanggapin mo sila ng buong puso at kalooban, at doon tayo makakabuo ng mas mabuting kinabukasan.”
Episode 40: Kapwa Mo, Bayan Mo, Mahal Mo: Premiered Dec 8, 2022
“Pinakadakila ang taong wala nang maibibigay ngunit maghahanap pa rin ng paraan para makapagbigay.”
Humanity is built on communities. And building a nation entails forging connections with others, creating relationships, and fostering a sense of oneness. While it’s easy to be focused on ourselves in a time when it’s so hard to survive, some people are making it their mission to help others so they, too, may help more people. This cycle of goodness and generosity multiplies, so that more people are equipped to contribute to nation-building.
In this episode, Fr. Tito Caluag, Leloy Claudio, and Manolo Quezon talk to Edralyn Tagalogon and Francis Eric Paro, learning facilitators from the Alay Kapwa Community Schooling (AKCS) program, to learn more about what they are doing to give out-of-school individuals another chance to pursue their dreams and build a better tomorrow for themselves, their families, and their fellow Filipinos.
“Hindi lang second chance, pero multiple chances dapat. Hindi dapat natin sinusukuan ang ating mga estudante. Hindi dapat sinusukuan ang ating bansa.”
Episode 41: Pera O Bayong: Financial Literacy and Inclusivity: Premiered Dec 15, 2022
“Dapat tayo ang kumokontrol sa pera, hindi pera ang kumokontrol sa buhay natin.” Only 25 percent of adult Filipinos are financially literate, according to a survey conducted by an international credit rating agency this year. And when we’re living in financially challenging and turbulent times, we need to be as financially literate and healthy as we can. This is why the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has been hard at work to create financial literacy modules for people from all walks of life. In fact, they underline that the more vulnerable population are the ones who should be more dedicated to learning more about saving and budgeting, since they are the most affected by emergency financial situations.
In this episode, Fr. Tito Caluag and his trio of distinguished thinkers—Manolo Quezon, Leloy Claudio, and Carlo Santiago—talk to BSP officers Arnel Adrian Salva and Jeniessa Espinosa to discuss financial literacy and inclusivity. We will try answer the questions: Ano ang risks at opportunities ng saving at investing? Kailan ka dapat magsimulang mag-invest? Kapos na nga kami, paano pa kami magse-save?
Episode 42: Maharlika Fund: Premiered December 22
“Ang basic definition ng isang sovereign wealth fund ay may surplus na kayamanan ang isang bansa. Ang tanong ngayon ay may tunay bang sobra ang Pilipinas upang ilagay sa fund na ito?”
The Maharlika Fund was just passed by the House of Representatives, and is now pending for debate in the Senate. This bill has been very controversial and has met heavy opposition because of its contentious source of funds, risks for corruption, and delicate timing given the recent wealth fund scandal in Malaysia and a looming economic recession brought by the pandemic.
In this new episode, Fr. Tito Caluag and his trio of distinguished thinkers—Manolo Quezon, Leloy Claudio, and Carlo Santiago—talk to Filomeno Sta. Ana, co-founder and coordinator of policy research and advocacy group Action for Economic Reforms, to help us understand what this fund really is about. In a time of extreme volatility, is the Maharlika Fund something that our country needs? As tax payers, how can we be more informed and critical about policies that will not just affect us, but the generations that will come?
“Sa buhay, ’di maiiwasan ang risk. Pero pera natin ang gagamitin dito bilang mga taxpayer. Kaya may karapatan tayong magtanong at alamin ano ba talaga ang gustong gawin ng Maharlika Fund.”