Alex Lacson is one of the senatorial candidates that really touched my heart when he shared with us his experiences and his love for our beloved country, the Philippines. He is known to be the author of “12 Little things you can do for your country”. The book was published 2005 & was endorsed by people such as the late president Cory Aquino, Eugenia Duran Apostol (Chair, Worldwide People Power), Ruben M. Tanseco, S. J., as well as Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Alex Lacson gave us a copy of the book during the press conference. I must say every Filipino should have one. I suggest you go to any of the book stores and buy one now. We can all do our own actions to help make our country a better place. Alex Lacson believes so, and I believe so too.

I asked the humble senatorial candidate about his book and what he can tell us about it. He stood up and started sharing how he started writing the book, what inspired him and how the book influenced other people and institutions…

Actually if you noticed..you have there, the flyer, my slogan is no longer bagong pinoy, bagong pag-asa. We changed that already, this is an old tarpaulin. Nilagay na namin dyan ay “bagong storya”. So, ang kinuha na namin na slogan, ng campaign slogan is bagong storya.

And why bagong storya kinuha naming campaign slogan? In fact, people have become curious of that. Bakit bagong istorya? Because actually we want to bring out the new story of the Filipino, like the new story of our people. The story of The Filipino who has faith in the Filipino. Yung naniniwala sa Filipino, yung naniniwala sa kakayahang Filipino. Yung tingin niya sa bawat Filpino, ay parang kapatid. Muslim ka man, Kristyano ka man, na naniniwala na kaya natin. That’s why bagong istorya siya.

Why the book? Ito po yung book, the message of this book is really very simple that we are the builders of our own greatness, that we write our own stories to people. That if you want the Filipino people to become great, If you want the Filipino to become respectable, if you want the Filipino to be a world-class citizen in the eyes of the world, then we have to do something about it. So, ibig sabihin, itong 12 little things, every Filipino can do, these are small acts of patriotism, small acts of heroism, that every Filipino can do to help our country. I really believe kahit mahirap na Filipino may magagawa siya sa bansa natin. Mayaman ka man, nasa ibang bansa ka man, may magagawa ka parin.

That’s why in the past 4 years I have been also invited to speak in several communities abroad because they want to do something to help our country. The essence is really that, small acts of heroism, small acts of patriotism for our country. And it has really connected with our people. In the past 4 years, every year, umabot na ng 200 spekaing engagements ko because of this book, walang press release, walang promotion, on our own lang talga. Ang ibig sabihin, they love this country and they want to do something. So nakita nila, 12 little things, kaya ko rin ito. ginagawa rin nila, minomodify nila. 12 little things ginagawa nila 15 little things teachers, 12 little things teachers can do to help our country. Sa ateneo, 12 little things every Atenean can do to help Ateneo in our country. Mali lang ng konti dun dahil nauna yung ateneo. La salle also came out with something like that, St Paul also came out with something like that, and even Siliman.

It’s the little things. Little things. It’s about small acts but great faith. Great faith that with the little things we do we just have to believe that the big change will come. Because essentially all the change that we see in the world, in history, they all start with small changes.

Diba, yung landslide, bago siya naging landslide it’s a snowball — nagsnosnowball siya, maliit, naggagather siya, nagpipick up siya ng other things, palaki ng palaki [until it becomes a landslide]. All change really begins small.. all the big change that we need in our country really have to start small somewhere to create the big change we’re looking for you just have to have faith.

In fact, if you recall, there was that famous book by Malcom Gladwell, The Tipping Point. Actually I was reading that book while I was writing this book (12 Little Things). I was reading that. And from cover to cover the story of Tipping Point is a story of small changes, how the small changes results into big changes.

There was one story there, I think it was in America. A group of doctors they were trying to find a way to raise the awareness level of the members of the community kung saan mataas ang diabetes. Ang ginawa ng mga doctors, nagbigay sila ng seminar. Ang dami umattend. But how come nag offer na sila, and after the seminar, they told the attendees to go to the hospital and they were told that they would be given free medicine. But after the seminar, less than 20% of those who attended, went to the hospital.

And the doctors said, kung worried sila about yung level of diabetes, how is it konti lang pumunta sa hospital?

They conducted again a seminar but this time around, they provided a map na paano pumunta dun sa hospital. So, when they provided a map, nakita yung mga audience, ah ito pala how to get to the hospital. Instead of 20% of the attendees attending, this time around, more than 80% went to the hospital. Why? because of the map. That little detail of the map, made a big difference.

So little things, little things.

Read the rest of the article at Blogwatch.ph.

References:
Video – http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=88F687CEED537ECF
Pictures – http://www.flickr.com/photos/rochellesychua/sets/72157623281647590/