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Block S2 (!?)
GK 1MB
In the aftermath of EDSA People Power, things haven't changed much. A lot of people are saying it just got worse. Many administrations have come and gone since Cory, yet there is still widespread crime and poverty in our country. Veterans of the EDSA People Power today are either rallying again or have thrown away their hope for the country entirely. But while everywhere else people were having demonstrations and rallies—many that turned a little violent and had to be dispersed by police—in QC Memorial Circle and several GK sites all over the country, another revolution was taking place.
In the spirit of the EDSA People Power, more than 500,000 youth, plus 500,000 balik-bayanis soldiers, teachers, volunteers, and many more were joined together in spirit as they celebrated GK 1MB in many different places here and abroad: Northern and Central Luzon, Mindoro, Batangas, Manila, in the Visayas, Mindanao...And while the program may be different for each site that held a a GK 1MB celebration, the battle cry was the same nonetheless: bring down poverty and corruption in the Philippines.
Ateneo de Manila had its GK 1MB build at Payatas Trese (P13), bringing 40-50 Ateneans and alumni to a morning of nation-building and interaction with the inhabitants of the GK Village. There were many newcomers who, though inexperienced and unused to such strenuous work as lifting blocks or digging ditches, still had a lot of fun. The build ended in an afternoon of sharing and reflection between the volunteers and the local SIGA group; but the day was far from over.
At 3PM several GK groups from different congregations and universities including the Ateneo converged at the Quezon City Memorial Circle for the nationwide GK 1MB celebration. Among the other GK-Youth groups present were University of the Philippines, De la Salle, University of Santo Tomas, Philippine Normal University, Mapua, Youth for Christ sectoral groups, and many more. Though there were reservations before February 25 to cancel or postpone GK 1MB with all the things that were happening at the same time—anti-administration rallies and demonstrations—it was able to push through with attendance amounting to about 20,000.
GK 1MB at Quezon City Memorial Circle culminated in fiery speeches from the GK-Youth representatives, talks by various speakers including Tito Tony Meloto himself, and after that many of the country's top bands including Dicta License, Sponge Cola, Cueshe, and Bamboo went on stage for a night of festive rock music, singing the tunes of the youth.
Despite all fears and doubts, it was shown that day that GK workers and volunteers have the courage to step up to the challenge of nation-building in the face of risk and uncertainty; and this was not just in Manila. The GK-Youth Ateneo contingent deployed to handle the GK 1MB celebration in Central Luzon (including Nueva Ecija) risked disruption from the local NPA group. Fortunately enough, nothing bad happened, and GK 1MB in Central Luzon pushed through with great success, with several contingents going on a long Martsa ng Bayan to the celebration site. Estimates were about more than a thousand attendees.
©2006 GK Ateneo. Jez Panaligan. All Rights Reserved