{"id":4495,"date":"2025-04-17T08:08:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T00:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/?p=4495"},"modified":"2025-04-21T08:09:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T00:09:56","slug":"wmsu-sibika-hub-successfully-concludes-democracy-talks-heroes-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/?p=4495","title":{"rendered":"WMSU Sibika Hub Successfully Concludes \u201cDemocracy Talks: Heroes Series\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), through its Extension Program and the Sibika Hub led by Project Leader Assistant Professor Betsy Pearl P. Parangan, successfully conducted a series of civic education initiatives titled \u201cDemocracy Talks: Heroes Series.\u201d This youth-led initiative, initially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Asia Foundation (TAF) through the Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) project, served as a platform to educate and inspire students to become active participants in democratic processes across Zamboanga City and the wider Zamboanga Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The WMSU Sibika Hub, designed to be a central platform for civic resources, networks, and school-based programs, aims to empower young individuals to contribute meaningfully to their communities. The \u201cDemocracy Talks: Heroes Series\u201d celebrated the lives and legacies of four Filipino heroes\u2014Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Gabriela Silang, and Emilio Aguinaldo\u2014each known for their role in the nation\u2019s fight for freedom and justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Dr. Jose Rizal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The series opened on January 31, 2025, with a deep and reflective discussion on Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. The event featured Dr. Ryan D. Biong as guest speaker, who brought Rizal\u2019s legacy to life with insightful narratives on his contributions to intellectual freedom and peaceful resistance. Students were encouraged to emulate Rizal\u2019s ideals of patriotism, critical thinking, and civic responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Andres Bonifacio<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 21, 2025, the spotlight shifted to Andres Bonifacio, regarded as the Father of the Philippine Revolution. The session was held at the ILS AVR and welcomed Senior High School students from Claret School of Zamboanga City, Pilar College of Zamboanga City, and WMSU. Guest speaker Atty. Ayshia Fernando Kunting, a noted historian, delivered a compelling presentation that highlighted Bonifacio\u2019s revolutionary spirit and the many forms of modern-day heroism. The event reinforced the importance of courage, sacrifice, and advocacy among the youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Gabriela Silang<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third installment, held on March 7, 2025, featured Gabriela Silang, a revolutionary leader and symbol of female empowerment. The event, attended by students from WMSU and Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University (ZPPSU), was led by guest speaker Ms. Nova Altoveros. Her talk focused on Silang\u2019s leadership during the colonial resistance and her relevance in today\u2019s movement for youth and women\u2019s empowerment. Students were encouraged to take inspiration from Silang\u2019s bravery and to take active roles in civic engagement and leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Emilio Aguinaldo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The series concluded on April 11, 2025, with a session on General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Republic of the Philippines. The culminating talk, held at the ILS High School AVR, once again featured Dr. Ryan D. Biong, who offered historical insights into Aguinaldo\u2019s presidency and contributions to Philippine independence. The event served as a meaningful finale, reinforcing the values of leadership, patriotism, and civic involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cDemocracy Talks: Heroes Series\u201d successfully brought history to life and reminded young learners of the enduring values of democracy. Through the lens of the nation\u2019s greatest heroes, students were empowered to reflect on leadership, representation, and the responsibilities of citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WMSU and the Sibika Hub extend their gratitude to all resource speakers, school partners, and participants who contributed to the success of the series. By encouraging dialogue and action, the initiative underscored that democracy is not merely a historical concept\u2014but a living, evolving force shaped by informed and engaged citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the series concludes, the Sibika Hub remains committed to its mission of civic education and youth empowerment. The message is clear: heroes do not only belong to the past. They are being shaped today in classrooms, communities, and conversations. Democracy lives on\u2014through the actions of the youth. (Dr. Carl C. Dagalea)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), through its Extension Program and the Sibika Hub led by Project Leader Assistant Professor Betsy Pearl P. Parangan, successfully conducted a series of civic education […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4496,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4495"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4495"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4498,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4495\/revisions\/4498"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wmsu.edu.ph\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}