Last Ten Hours at PAWS

…BECAUSE THIS IS MORE THAN JUST BEING A C.W.T.S CLASS

The hardest word to say, goodbye: My last Ten Hours in CWTS 2

Aldrin O. Soriano, CWTS 2- MRU| Prof. Arminda Santiago, Ph. D.

…A YEAR-ROUND JOURNEY TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP

            It seems like it was just yesterday when our CWTS Professor Ma’am Armi lectured the meaning of citizenship. She stated in her presentation what citizenship means, “[t]he philosophy that citizens should work towards the betterment of their community” (Santiago, 2010, in her notes presented to class).

            Surely, my Citizens Welfare Training Service 1 class last semester is an enlightening course, with the gazillions of readings that will surely equip you become a better citizen. Maybe, having embodying the knowledge that I have learned in class, I have been chosen by our organization the Order of DeMolay in our chapter, to talk about citizenship and about being Filipino. They said that my being in UP qualifies me to speak about the topic. But that reason didn’t come into my mind immediately because all I thought at first are the lessons I learned in my CWTS class, and that of Ma’am Armi. I can’t thank her enough for all the inspirations, motivations, and love that she gave to our class. Cheers to you ma’am!

…APPLICATION OF THE BASICS

            I got excite for another semester full of fun and laughter in Ma’am Armi’s class. This time, almost same faces were sat in the same room. Some were just added. Ma’am Armi said that this CWTS course will be on the application and that being a Mass Communication course; we should come up with a communication product for our selected NGO.  Nobody got to search for more NGO so ma’am said she will just contact those whom she knows.  I actually got excited for the NGOs where we will get our internship-like excursion. And when Ma’am Armi disclosed what NGO will we go and render service, I got excited because I have pets at home, and that I used to love them so much but when my favourite dog died, it was like I became less passionate about pets anymore. Thanks to this NGO I was able revive my love for pets and even their place!

…BEING ON A TEAM FOR ONE CAUSE

            I have to admit my group dynamics lessen if the people do not participate or coordinate that much. But I am very thankful to my groupmates, for understanding everyone in the team. We were tasked to create posters for the publicity materials of PAWS.

            Our group divided the tasks according to what each of us knows. Like for example, JP who is a Fine Arts major and also Katria who knows how to work in Adobe programs, that they know visual and graphic designs.  Natalie took over everything from the management and even the conceptualization of the designs. I really appreciate her because of this project. I was the one who wrote letters, and went to different offices just to get signatures from various people needed for our posters to be posted in different buildings within the campus.

             …OUR CALL FOR ACTION

                        Our group came up with two powerful posters which I personally believe can help students and individuals in the University to know more about PAWS. It is evident to people who I saw reading and smiling as they look at the posters.  It is also becoming a talk-of-the mouth wherein people whom I do not know and just got to walk with them are talking about the posters. I just wish that we can have another set of posters more for PAWS for them to have financial help for the pets in the shelter. The posters are located at the Vinson’s Hall and at the College of Music.

…A DERIVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE ACTION

            It was great to know that my advertising professor Ma’am Eleanor Agulto is also a sponsor at PAWS and that she asked the class to create a publicity material, too for PAWS instead of just having a written examination. I told the class that my CWTS class under Dr. Santiago is also doing a project for the said NGO. It was a chance to narrate my fun and memorable moments with the pets at PAWS. I also shared what Ma’am Anna likes as a topic for the poster to be made since our group was the one who is in-charged for making the posters.

            The class was excited in doing their own publicity materials, too for PAWS and we were required to submit a PSD and JPEG files of our posters as the final requirement in that advertising class.  The poster below is my revised edition of what I was supposed to propose to my CWTS teammates but they already assigned people to layout so I kept this poster for my blog site. However, since our Journalism 151 class required us to create a pubmat, too. I will submit this one to that class.

…BECAUSE REAL PEOPLE HAVE FEELINGS TO HELP OTHERS

            I will always be grateful for this chance to be part a CWTS class which does not only go camping and wall climbing, but a class which embodies the real definition of citizenship training.

            To my classmates, and to Ma’am Armi, thank you very much for a year-round of learning and understanding ourselves for us to delve more into helping others. This CWTS class has helped me know myself more and helped me realize how big the world really is and that it needs more people working together as one for its community.

             This is more than just a CWTS class. This is the real world of real people serving. 

IT RAINED CATS AND DOGS: My first ten hours at P.A.W.S.

The statue located infront of the office of PAWS.

            When our professor in CWTS-2 Dr. Arminda Santiago announced in class that our 20-hour immersion will be at the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, I doubted my capacity to handle dogs and cats. I was a dog-lover before but when my favourite dog died five years ago, I never had a dog to love so I just ignore some canine in our house, while cats keep on scarring me with their paws so I never appreciated them.

Ma'am Anna of PAWS

            During the orientation held on February 7, Ma’am Anna’s statement “Walang asong gala, kung walang may aring pabaya,” really got my attention. It is indeed true, that no dogs and cats will be in the streets especially here in UP Diliman campus, if we are just responsible pet owners. And she said that Spay and Neuter is one of the solutions that can properly manage the increasing number of pets.

Ma'am Anna as she shows us around PAWS Rehabilitation Center

            I asked her during the orientation about the stand of PAWS to animals used in laboratory for scientific experiments, she answered that they are not against it as long as the 3 Rs are observed: Reduce, Replace, and Refine. She said that if you are going to use animals for experimentation, you are reducing the number of animals, therefore you need to replace it, and to refine it. Just like when cutting trees in forests, to properly keep the balance in the nature you need to replace the ones that you cut. Maybe, it’s just a cycle of life which is observed not only in tresst in the forests, but also to animals.

This is Lala as she gets Kina from the kennel.

            In PAWS, I learned so much about dogs and cats- from proper way to introduce yourself to them, to the proper way to bathe these pets. I never imagined there is such a way and manner to introduce yourself to your pets! It’s a special case since our Ma’am Armi taught me how to please cats, while a senior volunteer in PAWS named Lala taught me how to introduce myself to a dog and how to properly bathe it.

The proper way to bathe a dog: Do not wet its head first. 

           

            The afternoon right after the orientation, I came back. My first task in PAWS is bathing Kina- a dog who just underwent spay, thanks to Lala for the proper guidance on how to bathe Kina! After bathing her, I took her for a walk. She is like any other dog who likes running and playing around, but her condition keeps her some sort of uncomfortable so after 45 minutes of walking with her, I brought her back to her cage.

            After my very first task with Kina, I just opted to clean the garden in front of the place where the names of the dogs and cats who passed away are located. I thought that by doing so will make these pets happy, even in such a very simple way. And after that tiring task, I went to the cattery and saw the food bowls in the washing area, so I just grabbed the opportunity to wash those up.

This part of the PAWS Rehabilitation Center touches me most. Love is beyond life.

            I was requested by the partner of Ma’’am Anna who is an alumna of the UP Film Institute, to scoop some soaps. I did it and I was able to scoop a sack of soaps in just one sitting! Because of PAWS, I am learning so much about myself, even this skill which I also consider as a talent, perhaps.

            The second day that I visited PAWS, another senior volunteer helped me out in bathing two dogs! I am thankful to Joneca for guiding me again in bathing Boogie and Miles. These two dogs are the most energetic dogs that I have ever seen, except for my best dog friend, Chubby. After bathing the two dogs, I played around with the other dogs but I was warned that a certain dog bites so I better keep away from it. I got scared so I just transferred but Ma’am Anna requested me to do something.

            I never thought that I will literally get a headache after doing the task given by Ma’am Anna. She asked me to count cats inside the cattery and kittenery according to their colors. These cats are playful and that it has given me headache counting them. On my first try, Ma’am Anna said that she was disappointed because it was far from her record. I got frustrated so I really observed and counted the cats again. On my second try, Ma’am Anna said that it’s almost correct however her records are also questionable so she can’t really decide if I get the numbers right. So far, that’s the most difficult task that I have ever had.

            I arrived at PAWS minutes before 10 in the morning and that made me happy that I will finally complete my first ten hours and will be able to see my favourite PAWS pets again. The last hour of my first ten hours was more on cleaning and doing some errands posted on the to-do list. I cleaned the back of the Multi-Purpose Hall, the cattery, and also the enormous amphitheatre. I got so sweaty on these tasks but it’s all worth it because these pets deserve a clean surrounding. It’s just saddening to know that Ma’am Anna who served as the administrator who checks me, is absent on the day I finished my first ten hours of internship at PAWS, so I just asked the senior volunteer Kuya John to sign my immersion form.

           

            I will forever be indebted to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and to my CWTS-2 class for instilling in me and for cultivating the love that I used to have for these wonderful pets. I will take then lessons I learned to our pets at home. I just wish my best dog friend Chubby is still alive so that I will share to him these wonderful learnings I just acquired at PAWS. To Chubby, this is for you buddy, I miss you!

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society. Be a volunteer now!