By RACHEL C. BARAWID
June 16, 2010, 12:31pm (www.mb.com.ph)

Unlike other teenagers his age, 16-year-old Emanuel “Em” Bagual already knows how his future will pan out. Em can see himself in the future, most probably as a human rights lawyer, a staunch advocate of the welfare of the marginalized and battered children.

Em is just a college freshman but he is already carrying a big responsibility on his shoulders. At 14, he already had a lot of people depending on him apart from his family, as he started his own organization called Mind Your (M.Y.) Rights in his hometown in Cavite. He also belongs to the Dynamic Teens Company of CNNNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida.

M.Y. Rights endeavors to save abused children from their abusers, mostly their parents who beat them up or force them to work at a young age in unhealthy and dangerous conditions. Em makes these children aware of their rights and empowers them to fight for it. Most of the time, he also bravely confronts the parents, and even brings them to jail. There were times that Em had to face death threats or got beaten up by people who opposed his actions.

Em felt that the best way to strengthen his advocacy and make people take him seriously is to become a lawyer. He also wants to concretize his mission to protect the children by representing them in court.

U.P. FRESHMAN

Last week, Em entered the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines as a college freshman, a first step to making his dream come true. Taking up Community Development as a pre-law course, Em says this will also prepare him well in running his organization.

But like the people he protects, Em also had to fight for his rights in his former school.

For one, he should have been a college sophomore this year but was forced to transfer to UP because his teachers could not provide him and his classmates a record of their grades. In UP, he couldn’t be taken in as a sophomore so Em had to start all over again.

“Medyo nanghihinayang ako na magsisimula ulit ng first year kasi hindi naman mayaman ang pamilya ko. Pero dahil lumipat ako sa UP I expect na magiging maayos ang edukasyon ko. Yung pinaghihirapan ng magulang ko, hindi masasayang,” admits Em.

But paying for the tuition in UP wasn’t easy. In fact, Em was only able to report for class a couple of days before school started because he was still raising money for his tuition.

When this writer talked to him, Em admitted that he only has P15,000 in his pocket and still needed P4,000 more to pay for his total tuition and miscellaneous amounting to P19,000.

“Hindi ko akalain na ganon kataas ang tuition fee sa UP. Kaya ang ginagawa ko pag naiimbitahan ako magbigay ng inspirational talks sa mga schools, corporations, iniipon ko yung fee o honorarium at dinadagdag ko sa pambayad ng tuition,” reveals Em.

RELUCTANT CELEBRITY

What surprised Em on the first week of classes was that strangers who recognized him for his advocacy would come up to him and ask for their photo to be taken with him!

But aside from concentrating on his studies, Em is also planning to promote his cause to other Iskolar ng Bayan.

“I’ll take this opportunity to invite friends, classmates and other youths in UP to start a positive change in themselves.

Tuturuan ko silang isulong ang karapatan nila bilang kabataan. Kung meron silang sariling advocacy, handa ako tumulong. Kung gusto naman nilang sumali sa M.Y. Rights, welcome na welcome sila,” he says.

MODEL STUDENT

While UP is known to be the bastion of activism, Em says he would rather speak up in a different way.

“Kung meron talagang paglabag sa karapatang pantao, kikilos ako pero sa ibang paraan na positibo, yung tamang proseso. Sa tingin ko, hindi lang rally at pagsisigaw ang solusyon, dapat din ay ilagay ang kagustuhan natin sa programa na makakatulong sa iba,” stresses Em.

Em is also ready to juggle his studies and his work at M.Y. Rights. From Cavite, the group’s office has transferred to Novaliches to spread his advocacy to another side of the country. In the years to come, he dreams of reaching all corners of the Philippines.

Em plans to hold his programs for the children and the rest of the slum community in Novaliches during his vacant time and every Saturdays.

He may have a lot of goals lined up for his organization, but in school, Em only aspires for three things.

“I yearn for excellence in my studies. Gusto ko makatapos ng pag-aaral. At sa simpleng paraan, I want to set an example to everyone I will meet,” concludes Em.Unlike other teenagers his age, 16-year-old Emanuel “Em” Bagual already knows how his future will pan out. Em can see himself in the future, most probably as a human rights lawyer, a staunch advocate of the welfare of the marginalized and battered children.

Em is just a college freshman but he is already carrying a big responsibility on his shoulders. At 14, he already had a lot of people depending on him apart from his family, as he started his own organization called Mind Your (M.Y.) Rights in his hometown in Cavite. He also belongs to the Dynamic Teens Company of CNNNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida.

M.Y. Rights endeavors to save abused children from their abusers, mostly their parents who beat them up or force them to work at a young age in unhealthy and dangerous conditions. Em makes these children aware of their rights and empowers them to fight for it. Most of the time, he also bravely confronts the parents, and even brings them to jail. There were times that Em had to face death threats or got beaten up by people who opposed his actions.

Em felt that the best way to strengthen his advocacy and make people take him seriously is to become a lawyer. He also wants to concretize his mission to protect the children by representing them in court.

U.P. FRESHMAN

Last week, Em entered the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines as a college freshman, a first step to making his dream come true. Taking up Community Development as a pre-law course, Em says this will also prepare him well in running his organization.

But like the people he protects, Em also had to fight for his rights in his former school.

For one, he should have been a college sophomore this year but was forced to transfer to UP because his teachers could not provide him and his classmates a record of their grades. In UP, he couldn’t be taken in as a sophomore so Em had to start all over again.

“Medyo nanghihinayang ako na magsisimula ulit ng first year kasi hindi naman mayaman ang pamilya ko. Pero dahil lumipat ako sa UP I expect na magiging maayos ang edukasyon ko. Yung pinaghihirapan ng magulang ko, hindi masasayang,” admits Em.

But paying for the tuition in UP wasn’t easy. In fact, Em was only able to report for class a couple of days before school started because he was still raising money for his tuition.

When this writer talked to him, Em admitted that he only has P15,000 in his pocket and still needed P4,000 more to pay for his total tuition and miscellaneous amounting to P19,000.

“Hindi ko akalain na ganon kataas ang tuition fee sa UP. Kaya ang ginagawa ko pag naiimbitahan ako magbigay ng inspirational talks sa mga schools, corporations, iniipon ko yung fee o honorarium at dinadagdag ko sa pambayad ng tuition,” reveals Em.

RELUCTANT CELEBRITY

What surprised Em on the first week of classes was that strangers who recognized him for his advocacy would come up to him and ask for their photo to be taken with him!

But aside from concentrating on his studies, Em is also planning to promote his cause to other Iskolar ng Bayan.

“I’ll take this opportunity to invite friends, classmates and other youths in UP to start a positive change in themselves.

Tuturuan ko silang isulong ang karapatan nila bilang kabataan. Kung meron silang sariling advocacy, handa ako tumulong. Kung gusto naman nilang sumali sa M.Y. Rights, welcome na welcome sila,” he says.

MODEL STUDENT

While UP is known to be the bastion of activism, Em says he would rather speak up in a different way.

“Kung meron talagang paglabag sa karapatang pantao, kikilos ako pero sa ibang paraan na positibo, yung tamang proseso. Sa tingin ko, hindi lang rally at pagsisigaw ang solusyon, dapat din ay ilagay ang kagustuhan natin sa programa na makakatulong sa iba,” stresses Em.

Em is also ready to juggle his studies and his work at M.Y. Rights. From Cavite, the group’s office has transferred to Novaliches to spread his advocacy to another side of the country. In the years to come, he dreams of reaching all corners of the Philippines.

Em plans to hold his programs for the children and the rest of the slum community in Novaliches during his vacant time and every Saturdays.

He may have a lot of goals lined up for his organization, but in school, Em only aspires for three things.

“I yearn for excellence in my studies. Gusto ko makatapos ng pag-aaral. At sa simpleng paraan, I want to set an example to everyone I will meet,” concludes Em.