“At first, I did not have much knowledge about what kind of organization SAMASA was or what program would they offer. All I knew was it was under the University and it normally participated in a particular form of activism, not knowing what kind of activism that was. My perception of the organization immediately changed after an enlightening meeting with Atty. Susan Villanueva and Ma’am Eileen Matute. I gained a sense of respect for it and right away felt a sense of enthusiasm about the CWTS program and serving the organization. I found out that SAMASA is an organization that fights to maintain the truth about the happenings during Martial Law and also aims to counter historical-revisionism efforts from misinformed and ignorant people.
Our group decided to represent SAMASA online through the form of memes, display pictures, and write-ups. We believed that the biggest thing we could offer to the movement was our being millennials and familiarity with the current trends and what kind of media would effectively catch the attention of the people the most. Aside from this, we were also able to contribute to on-the-ground activities like the SAMASA auction and a very fulfilling and eye-opening visit to the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. After all that we have done under the program, I can sincerely say that it was a worthwhile experience and will always be grateful for the opportunity.”
Jericho Lomoljo
“Interning at SAMASA was a great opportunity but looking deeper, in a span of 4 months, there were so much more than the projects. There were so many learnings, realizations, and enlightenment of the nationalistic heroes within all of us.
And for the last 4 months, it didn’t mean just work but also 4 months of love for the country. The learnings we gathered and the people we met will always be in our lives forever and we will forever be thankful that we met them and were able to hear their firsthand stories about martial law and their sufferings and how they recovered from it. I will always be touched on how these heroes fought the good fight of faith and sacrificed their lives for the freedom we are experiencing today. With all of these, I can assure that I will help protect our human rights, preserve history and refrain from historical revisionism. I would like to encourage other millennials to open their eyes with the truth and stand for what is right and just.
The SAMASA internship experience will always be a memorable one because we were actually exposed to the truth and they have equipped us with knowledge to continue on fighting for our country. This internship has truly left a mark in my heart and I will always be forever grateful for the experience.”
Meeka Rabonza
“In complete candor, I have to confess that I have no prior idea what SAMASA is as an organization. Truth be told, it was the first time I heard of such organization in the university. However, I kept a go-do attitude and my curiosity got the better of me to get to know this organization better. Upon asking the upperclassmen of my college, they mentioned that they do a certain brand of activism that is distinct from others. Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued.
All became clear when we had the honour of meeting Atty. Susan Villanueva and Ma’am Eileen Matute who explained to us what the organization is, its objectives, programs, and ideals. Upon hearing that we were enlisted to propagate their fight among the youth, we brainstormed right away how to target the millennials and the Filipino people our age through the most efficient means possible. It was an experience like no other which made us think creatively on how to convey their message through social media and other pertinent methods of information propagation.
It was a completely rewarding and definitely a fulfilling experience to have had the opportunity to intern at SAMASA. It has opened our eyes on social issues, both then and now, enlisting us to fight for the rights of our countrymen and against impunity and injustice. It has enriched ourselves as citizens of this nation.”
Aaron Sta. Maria
“The CWTS internship under SAMASA was more than just the usual training one gets. What our team worked on for 4 months do not just serve as outputs and deliverables for a required course. These were springboards to achieveing a greater purpose in the activities themselves, which is to ignite the nationalistic senses within the millennials through imparting to them the values and history SAMASA stands for. I believe this sets our internship apart from the others, because SAMASA is an organization that relates to all filipinos through revisiting history and the injustices that took place. SAMASA has a cause that digs deeply into humanistic integrity towards justice, fairness, and peace.
Personally, being exposed to this kind of environment that involves dealing with people who offer their lives to this endeavor, made me realize that the Martial Law period isnt something we should just treat as a fragment of history. This period has engraved in many Filipinos’ hearts intense fear and pain, but also ignited their spirits, pushed them to their limits to fight for what was right. It was a period of a nation’s unity in disparity, and the internship helped me magnify myself into this, and saw the beauty of it.
I am thankful for the CWTS training program, for it turned out my personal growth here is something i would carry forth in the future. And I am certain the values I’ve gained from it shall be passed on to others.”
Kim Vicente
Group 23
UPSE NSTP: Tatak Econ 