Keeping in mind the story of a young boy found on "About CYDFI
Philippines on CYDFI: The Reason for Being" who apparently got some
help to continue his education learned to value the opportunity life had to
offer despite some insurmountable challenges he encountered in his
pursuit to have a better future in life. Some of the principles generated
from his story may be emulated by the CYDFI Scholars to ascertain their
success and have a meaningful life.The Foundation claims to demonstrate
and gives connotation to each layer of the spiral feature of the shell as
necessary ingredients of principles (see, Fig. 1) to nourish the youth
become a healthy person in mind and spirit.The following discussion are
some of the principles underlying SWREM Theory, for an in-depth
understanding of the Scholarship Program Model of the Calantas Young
Dreamers Foundation, Inc.
Philippines on CYDFI: The Reason for Being" who apparently got some
help to continue his education learned to value the opportunity life had to
offer despite some insurmountable challenges he encountered in his
pursuit to have a better future in life. Some of the principles generated
from his story may be emulated by the CYDFI Scholars to ascertain their
success and have a meaningful life.The Foundation claims to demonstrate
and gives connotation to each layer of the spiral feature of the shell as
necessary ingredients of principles (see, Fig. 1) to nourish the youth
become a healthy person in mind and spirit.The following discussion are
some of the principles underlying SWREM Theory, for an in-depth
understanding of the Scholarship Program Model of the Calantas Young
Dreamers Foundation, Inc.
(1) I am who I am...
I am an intelligent and caring person, full of dignity as a human being, being at my best self in search for meaning in
life. I am a person with potential capable of doing things to effect the quality of my life. My potential is like a seed
when planted in the garden of life can grow and bloom. It can further grow and bloom with good and right amount of
nourishment and with the water of life. I am a seed that needs support to grow and develop into a tree to bear fruits
for others to eat. Just like a good tree, I can be of good use to others. You can only discover me for who I am when
you begin to unmask yourself behind the prism of your life that tends to give color on people you meet along your way.
You don't seem to see the goodness in their hearts for your eyes are blocked by your prism in life. A lot of us have the
tendency seeing another for what he can be and not for what he is. If you will use a simple magnifying glass, not
necessarily a powerful one, you will discover a painful truth that we tend to "objectify" the person by reducing him into
the "what-ness" rather than "who-ness" of his personhood. Whatness connotes a material object that is devoid of feelings
and is considered inhuman. Human as we are, we tend to reduce human being into the level of thing. For when we use the
term "what", this connotes a thing. A person is not a thing. A thing doesn't have feelings. A person does have feelings. He
can get hurt by our insensitivity. The fact that "what attitude" is oftentimes used in the circle of our daily conversation,
unconsciously, we are guilty of this unmindfulness even disrespect to the dignity of the person as a human being. " What
he can be" can also mean to say that we are more interested into the things what the person can do rather than "who this
person can be" to connote sensitivity and respect to his dignity as a human being. More so, on the issue of "what he is"
rather than "who he is" can have a mix interplay that often leads to further "objectification" of his personhood. When we
make attempts to understand a person with respect to his personhood, we have to be aware of his dignity by having at the
back of our mind, "who he is" and not "what he is", So every time you see a person sitting next to you, you see a person
because "he is for who he is and not what you think he is". When you learn to see a person for "who he is and not for
what he is and what you think he should or can be", you will discover the splendor and beauty of every person you meet
in your life. We can only begin to see the splendor and beauty of every person if we allow ourselves to let go of the prism
in us that gives color effect to every person we meet along the way. Persons are like gifts who are wrapped differently:
some are tight, some loosely and some beautifully. If we accept them as gifts, we may be able to find the beauty and
meaning in these gifts wrapped differently because they are for who they are. "I am who I am" is the nature of what
makes a person, a person is and his personhood elevates his dignity as a human being that calls for our utmost respect
and sensitivity to his needs and concerns.
(2) Potentiality...
Unfolding to understand the very nature of man is like unfolding the potentiality innate in him. It is man's nature to have an
innate potential. This potentiality needs to be tapped, nurtured and nourished. Potentiality is like a seed that needs to be
planted in the garden, nourish it with necessary ingredients to make the seed grow slowly as you water and take care of it
till it grows into fullness of maturity. This potentiality is like a power when unleashed into the universe could create ripple
effect to generate personal and community growth and development. Cognizant to the fact that a person is he "who he is
and not what you think he is or can be" situates him to better understand his nature as he truly is. Devoid of the prism that
tends to block us from seeing his nature brings us to a realization that he is himself a potential and full of potentiality. This
potentiality in him is innate and is powerful because he is himself a power. This power has to be harnessed by the person
himself and nourish it with direction through good education. Power is powerless without a direction through good
education. Power is powerless without a direction. Potentiality remains useless without being fully developed and put
into use. Every youth has a potential. This potential in him should be nurtured and nourished with good nutrients to
make it grow and sustain that growth into fullness of maturity. When the youth reaches the fullness of his maturity, his
potentiality will be seamlessly unfolded and can become who he wants to be and become. That is his potentiality. He has
the power to make things happen.
(3) To Become...
This third layer of the shell may be seen as a person who reaches a level of awareness that he is an individual being who
has the potential to become. "To become" as a concept is closely associated with potentiality that connotes of a power
coming out from the self emanating from the "potentiality". It has the capacity to generate a steam to propel itself into
a direction and may lead to a realization of achieving its goal and objective of becoming of what it wants to become.
Meaning, when a youth enters into the CYDFI Scholarship Program, he is in a situation where he has the confidence
of making it through the scholarship program, being aware that he has the power generated from within him. This power
from within is very critical for him to recognize as this will give him the courage and inspiration to move on and confront
the many challenges that he is going to encounter in the pursuit of achieving a successful career in life. Consequently, he
sets his mind into doing his best to ultimately achieve what he wants to accomplish academically through the CYDFI
Scholarship Program. "To become" as an action word is another ingredient of a healthy seed of CYDFI Scholarship in the
making. For if the recipient of the scholarship comes to a point of becoming aware of this principle "to become," then he
has a tool to become successful in life through the CYDFI Scholarship Program, "helping him help himself, thus being
able to help others when his due time to help comes"
(4) Who I Want To Be...
A person is he who is and who has the potential to become of who he wants to be. This is the height of a realization that a
person has a dignity and as such is a declaration of his dignity as a human being. This dignity is imbedded in his ability to
exercise his will, his choice, his freedom. This dignity is what makes a person, a person is. When a person loses his ability
to exercise his freedom, he has lost his dignity. The lost of his freedom is his choice and not something taken away from
him. Freedom is lost when a person refuses to be responsible as a consequence of his actions. Being responsible is like a
masterpiece of artwork broken into pieces because the artist refuses to acknowledge that his artwork is a masterpiece.
Meaning, in exercising my freedom I could decide to acknowledge or refuse to acknowledge the merit of my artwork.
When I refuse to acknowledge, I exercise my freedom negatively and this is called "freedom from" and when I exercise
to acknowledge the merit of my artwork, I exercise my freedom positively and this is called "freedom for". When you
exercise your freedom negatively, you are said to be irresponsible because you refuse to acknowledge the merit of your
artwork. And you are said to responsible because you acknowledge the merit of your artwork. You are said to be
responsible, too, because you have the ability to respond to a call. The call is like a vocation for you to become who you
want to be in life, "Who I want to be?" and this becomes your destiny. Destiny is a truth about how you respond to your
"call" on "who I want to be".
(5) Self-Esteem...
When a person has reached a level of consciousness and is more aware of his individuality that "he is for who he is
and has the potential to become on who he wants to be", he has come to a point of experiencing his self-actualization. Self-
actualization is the end product of a process in man's search for meaning in life and this search for meaning in life is
meant for an individual to develop his potentiality to the fullest so he could enjoy the very essence of his existence and
can become capable of transcending the realities of his life. As an individual person, he begins to feel good about himself
as he is going through the process of change, rising above himself as he explores all his possibilities and experience the
potentiality in him, making him feel empowered and experiencing the power within him that he is capable of doing
anything. Now, it becomes a matter of choice whether he would use that power within him "for" or "from" an
articulation of his choice. It is almost a distinct possiblity that when a person utilizes his choice positively, that he would
start feeling good about because this is the time when the person begins to learn to become "other-centered" as he learns
to recognize his own individuality. Self-esteem may be defined as how good you feel about yourself and a good recipe is
to learn to become "other-centered".
(6) Aspiration...
Feeling good about oneself doesn't happen by any chance neither caused by a coincidence nor a supernatural act but by
every effort made by an individual in working hard to become a better person as he begins to recognize his innate capacity
to become who he wants to be. This is his self-esteem. His self-esteem drives him to aspire and begins to work on his
aspiration no matter what the cost may be. As his self-esteem propels him to become who he wants to be, he becomes
eventually a spirited and inspired person. A spirited person is one whose self-esteem is high, as they say. A dynamic
person is one who never gets tired and never dares to retire for he always finds time to do anything to cause a positive
change upon himself and those around him. He is and becomes a change agent or an agent of change. And an inspired
person is one who experiences of being a self-propelled, self-motivated and self-steamed, causing him to cause motion of
his life for he always finds himself engaged in doing something positive and productive to make a difference of his life and
those around him. This is his aspiration. He always tries to reach out for others to affect them positively by doing
something good for them that cause him to feel good about doing. Any individual whose self-esteem is high enables him to
aspire and look forward to attaining for his aspiration, that is "to become who he wants to be" in life. Aspiration is a ray of
hope in man's life guiding him like a compass to finally direct him as he strives working hard to reach for his destination.
"I aspire to be who I want to be" because it makes me feel good about who I am, an individual with dignity as a human
being.
(7) To Direct My Life...
As the person enters the consciousness of his aspiration, he begins to become more aware that his aspiration is
not something given but to be discovered that it is already "within" him as a person. A person aspires because his
consciousness provides him the opportunity to explore and direct him as he sees it fit reflecting his values, needs
and concerns as an individual and social being. When a person sees the flicker of light in his horizon reflected by his
aspiration, he is in a position to smooth sail the direction of his lofe. There may be some barriers that may come his way,
but being aware that he has the capacity to transcend them, he could still steer his direction somewhere he wants to direct
his life. And, that is his choice.
(8) Choice - Freedom...
A person who has the consciousness of "who he is with a potential to become of who he wants to "be" will make him
feel good about himself and eventually, would enable him to aspire to improve himself. In the process of pursuing his
aspiration, he is evidently exercising his ability to make a choice. Making a choice is an exercise of one's own fundamental
right, nothwithstanding his right to be free. This freedom being the ideal reason why so many braved the shore ready to
give up their life for the beloved motherland in times of war is innate in every person as a rational being. There are two
ways in which a person exercise his freedom and these are "freedom for" which is an exercise of freedom positively and
"freedom from" which is an exercise of freedom negatively. An exercise of "freedom for" is the best tool to help direct a
person's life. The exercise of freedom is the best expression of one's innerself especially when you make a choice to
direct your life either for good or otherwise.
(9) To Do Good for Others...
"To do good for others" is an ultimate choice that any individual is capable of doing. His capacity "to do good for others"
is evoked from "within", emanating from the core feeling of wanting to do something for others. There is always a
burning desire connected with the intention of making a big difference in the life of others "by doing good for others".
Sometimes, it is not easy to do good for others. You may mean well but you could always be misunderstood for your
good intention of doing good for others. Doing good for others "can be" as challenging as not when you're not
doing anything at all. But making a choice "to do something good for others" will certainly make a big difference.
"Doing good for others" is always a matter of choice. It is an exercise of your freedom. It is a reflection of your choice
to express your freedom positively. So, as a human being, the height of your responsibility is to exercise your freedom
"to do good for others". This is what is meant to be "socially responsible" and the vision of the Calantas Young Dreamers
Foundation, Inc. The Foundation translates this "doing good for others" in the following mission statement:
I am an intelligent and caring person, full of dignity as a human being, being at my best self in search for meaning in
life. I am a person with potential capable of doing things to effect the quality of my life. My potential is like a seed
when planted in the garden of life can grow and bloom. It can further grow and bloom with good and right amount of
nourishment and with the water of life. I am a seed that needs support to grow and develop into a tree to bear fruits
for others to eat. Just like a good tree, I can be of good use to others. You can only discover me for who I am when
you begin to unmask yourself behind the prism of your life that tends to give color on people you meet along your way.
You don't seem to see the goodness in their hearts for your eyes are blocked by your prism in life. A lot of us have the
tendency seeing another for what he can be and not for what he is. If you will use a simple magnifying glass, not
necessarily a powerful one, you will discover a painful truth that we tend to "objectify" the person by reducing him into
the "what-ness" rather than "who-ness" of his personhood. Whatness connotes a material object that is devoid of feelings
and is considered inhuman. Human as we are, we tend to reduce human being into the level of thing. For when we use the
term "what", this connotes a thing. A person is not a thing. A thing doesn't have feelings. A person does have feelings. He
can get hurt by our insensitivity. The fact that "what attitude" is oftentimes used in the circle of our daily conversation,
unconsciously, we are guilty of this unmindfulness even disrespect to the dignity of the person as a human being. " What
he can be" can also mean to say that we are more interested into the things what the person can do rather than "who this
person can be" to connote sensitivity and respect to his dignity as a human being. More so, on the issue of "what he is"
rather than "who he is" can have a mix interplay that often leads to further "objectification" of his personhood. When we
make attempts to understand a person with respect to his personhood, we have to be aware of his dignity by having at the
back of our mind, "who he is" and not "what he is", So every time you see a person sitting next to you, you see a person
because "he is for who he is and not what you think he is". When you learn to see a person for "who he is and not for
what he is and what you think he should or can be", you will discover the splendor and beauty of every person you meet
in your life. We can only begin to see the splendor and beauty of every person if we allow ourselves to let go of the prism
in us that gives color effect to every person we meet along the way. Persons are like gifts who are wrapped differently:
some are tight, some loosely and some beautifully. If we accept them as gifts, we may be able to find the beauty and
meaning in these gifts wrapped differently because they are for who they are. "I am who I am" is the nature of what
makes a person, a person is and his personhood elevates his dignity as a human being that calls for our utmost respect
and sensitivity to his needs and concerns.
(2) Potentiality...
Unfolding to understand the very nature of man is like unfolding the potentiality innate in him. It is man's nature to have an
innate potential. This potentiality needs to be tapped, nurtured and nourished. Potentiality is like a seed that needs to be
planted in the garden, nourish it with necessary ingredients to make the seed grow slowly as you water and take care of it
till it grows into fullness of maturity. This potentiality is like a power when unleashed into the universe could create ripple
effect to generate personal and community growth and development. Cognizant to the fact that a person is he "who he is
and not what you think he is or can be" situates him to better understand his nature as he truly is. Devoid of the prism that
tends to block us from seeing his nature brings us to a realization that he is himself a potential and full of potentiality. This
potentiality in him is innate and is powerful because he is himself a power. This power has to be harnessed by the person
himself and nourish it with direction through good education. Power is powerless without a direction through good
education. Power is powerless without a direction. Potentiality remains useless without being fully developed and put
into use. Every youth has a potential. This potential in him should be nurtured and nourished with good nutrients to
make it grow and sustain that growth into fullness of maturity. When the youth reaches the fullness of his maturity, his
potentiality will be seamlessly unfolded and can become who he wants to be and become. That is his potentiality. He has
the power to make things happen.
(3) To Become...
This third layer of the shell may be seen as a person who reaches a level of awareness that he is an individual being who
has the potential to become. "To become" as a concept is closely associated with potentiality that connotes of a power
coming out from the self emanating from the "potentiality". It has the capacity to generate a steam to propel itself into
a direction and may lead to a realization of achieving its goal and objective of becoming of what it wants to become.
Meaning, when a youth enters into the CYDFI Scholarship Program, he is in a situation where he has the confidence
of making it through the scholarship program, being aware that he has the power generated from within him. This power
from within is very critical for him to recognize as this will give him the courage and inspiration to move on and confront
the many challenges that he is going to encounter in the pursuit of achieving a successful career in life. Consequently, he
sets his mind into doing his best to ultimately achieve what he wants to accomplish academically through the CYDFI
Scholarship Program. "To become" as an action word is another ingredient of a healthy seed of CYDFI Scholarship in the
making. For if the recipient of the scholarship comes to a point of becoming aware of this principle "to become," then he
has a tool to become successful in life through the CYDFI Scholarship Program, "helping him help himself, thus being
able to help others when his due time to help comes"
(4) Who I Want To Be...
A person is he who is and who has the potential to become of who he wants to be. This is the height of a realization that a
person has a dignity and as such is a declaration of his dignity as a human being. This dignity is imbedded in his ability to
exercise his will, his choice, his freedom. This dignity is what makes a person, a person is. When a person loses his ability
to exercise his freedom, he has lost his dignity. The lost of his freedom is his choice and not something taken away from
him. Freedom is lost when a person refuses to be responsible as a consequence of his actions. Being responsible is like a
masterpiece of artwork broken into pieces because the artist refuses to acknowledge that his artwork is a masterpiece.
Meaning, in exercising my freedom I could decide to acknowledge or refuse to acknowledge the merit of my artwork.
When I refuse to acknowledge, I exercise my freedom negatively and this is called "freedom from" and when I exercise
to acknowledge the merit of my artwork, I exercise my freedom positively and this is called "freedom for". When you
exercise your freedom negatively, you are said to be irresponsible because you refuse to acknowledge the merit of your
artwork. And you are said to responsible because you acknowledge the merit of your artwork. You are said to be
responsible, too, because you have the ability to respond to a call. The call is like a vocation for you to become who you
want to be in life, "Who I want to be?" and this becomes your destiny. Destiny is a truth about how you respond to your
"call" on "who I want to be".
(5) Self-Esteem...
When a person has reached a level of consciousness and is more aware of his individuality that "he is for who he is
and has the potential to become on who he wants to be", he has come to a point of experiencing his self-actualization. Self-
actualization is the end product of a process in man's search for meaning in life and this search for meaning in life is
meant for an individual to develop his potentiality to the fullest so he could enjoy the very essence of his existence and
can become capable of transcending the realities of his life. As an individual person, he begins to feel good about himself
as he is going through the process of change, rising above himself as he explores all his possibilities and experience the
potentiality in him, making him feel empowered and experiencing the power within him that he is capable of doing
anything. Now, it becomes a matter of choice whether he would use that power within him "for" or "from" an
articulation of his choice. It is almost a distinct possiblity that when a person utilizes his choice positively, that he would
start feeling good about because this is the time when the person begins to learn to become "other-centered" as he learns
to recognize his own individuality. Self-esteem may be defined as how good you feel about yourself and a good recipe is
to learn to become "other-centered".
(6) Aspiration...
Feeling good about oneself doesn't happen by any chance neither caused by a coincidence nor a supernatural act but by
every effort made by an individual in working hard to become a better person as he begins to recognize his innate capacity
to become who he wants to be. This is his self-esteem. His self-esteem drives him to aspire and begins to work on his
aspiration no matter what the cost may be. As his self-esteem propels him to become who he wants to be, he becomes
eventually a spirited and inspired person. A spirited person is one whose self-esteem is high, as they say. A dynamic
person is one who never gets tired and never dares to retire for he always finds time to do anything to cause a positive
change upon himself and those around him. He is and becomes a change agent or an agent of change. And an inspired
person is one who experiences of being a self-propelled, self-motivated and self-steamed, causing him to cause motion of
his life for he always finds himself engaged in doing something positive and productive to make a difference of his life and
those around him. This is his aspiration. He always tries to reach out for others to affect them positively by doing
something good for them that cause him to feel good about doing. Any individual whose self-esteem is high enables him to
aspire and look forward to attaining for his aspiration, that is "to become who he wants to be" in life. Aspiration is a ray of
hope in man's life guiding him like a compass to finally direct him as he strives working hard to reach for his destination.
"I aspire to be who I want to be" because it makes me feel good about who I am, an individual with dignity as a human
being.
(7) To Direct My Life...
As the person enters the consciousness of his aspiration, he begins to become more aware that his aspiration is
not something given but to be discovered that it is already "within" him as a person. A person aspires because his
consciousness provides him the opportunity to explore and direct him as he sees it fit reflecting his values, needs
and concerns as an individual and social being. When a person sees the flicker of light in his horizon reflected by his
aspiration, he is in a position to smooth sail the direction of his lofe. There may be some barriers that may come his way,
but being aware that he has the capacity to transcend them, he could still steer his direction somewhere he wants to direct
his life. And, that is his choice.
(8) Choice - Freedom...
A person who has the consciousness of "who he is with a potential to become of who he wants to "be" will make him
feel good about himself and eventually, would enable him to aspire to improve himself. In the process of pursuing his
aspiration, he is evidently exercising his ability to make a choice. Making a choice is an exercise of one's own fundamental
right, nothwithstanding his right to be free. This freedom being the ideal reason why so many braved the shore ready to
give up their life for the beloved motherland in times of war is innate in every person as a rational being. There are two
ways in which a person exercise his freedom and these are "freedom for" which is an exercise of freedom positively and
"freedom from" which is an exercise of freedom negatively. An exercise of "freedom for" is the best tool to help direct a
person's life. The exercise of freedom is the best expression of one's innerself especially when you make a choice to
direct your life either for good or otherwise.
(9) To Do Good for Others...
"To do good for others" is an ultimate choice that any individual is capable of doing. His capacity "to do good for others"
is evoked from "within", emanating from the core feeling of wanting to do something for others. There is always a
burning desire connected with the intention of making a big difference in the life of others "by doing good for others".
Sometimes, it is not easy to do good for others. You may mean well but you could always be misunderstood for your
good intention of doing good for others. Doing good for others "can be" as challenging as not when you're not
doing anything at all. But making a choice "to do something good for others" will certainly make a big difference.
"Doing good for others" is always a matter of choice. It is an exercise of your freedom. It is a reflection of your choice
to express your freedom positively. So, as a human being, the height of your responsibility is to exercise your freedom
"to do good for others". This is what is meant to be "socially responsible" and the vision of the Calantas Young Dreamers
Foundation, Inc. The Foundation translates this "doing good for others" in the following mission statement:
- To empower indigent but deserving talented youth living in abject poverty in Philippine rural areas like
Barrio Calantas and Nabuclod Aeta Community in Floridablanca, Pampanga through a Scholarship
Program Model with a methodology called SWREM Theory In Action that is designed to help them help
themselves so they can help incoming scholars leading to breaking their cycle of poverty as they learn
to become socially responsible, with implications not only to personal but community growth and
development; and to promote replication advocacy of said model in other communities beginning with
Benedicto, another barrio in Floridablanca.
| Principles of SWREM Theory In Action |
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