I read this article over and over again. A prize-winning essay of Jonathan Rodriguez Unchuan of Cebu ’s Sacred Heart School for Boys during the Visayas Region, “4th Ramon Magsaysay Student Essay Competition.” He has somehow touched my inner spirit. He spoke with dignity and full of courage.

His speech paralleled with reality. The importance of a voice. Something to be lived with. Profound and concise thoughts which everybody ought to reflect on themselves. It is not for somebody but for every Filipino who fell asleep for so long. Wake up and let your voice be heard.

With not much ado, let us listen to Jonathan Rodriguez Unchuan as he renders his piece entitled, “A VALUE OF A VOICE“:

Charles Caleb Colton once said, “Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.” Silence is sometimes used by man to escape responsibility and humiliation. Silence is caused by fear. This fear overcomes the fool even when he knows the silence has to be broken. This was the case of China when SARS broke out. Fearing the disruption of important national meetings, China’s health minister kept the breaking out of SARS quiet.

In April 2003, China’s health minister already knew of the alarming growth of Sars victims but he still remained silent even when he knew how desperate the situation was. Other health officials also kept their silence. Silence about this issue was then the popular thing. Everyone kept it secret. The people who knew about it were already afraid of making a stand. Fearing any punishment, they too kept silent. However, one man decided it was enough - Dr. Jiang Yanyong.

Dr. Yanyong wasn’t going to take this lying down. Joining the People’s Liberation Army, this doctor became the chief surgeon.

Dr. Yanyong, or Magic Scalpel, a nickname he earned for performing the most difficult of cases, had already retired when the Sars virus spread. He saw the great need to break the silence. He wrote the press revealing to them all the figures and he revealed the truth about the deadly Sars virus. Now came the hardest part. He signed his name on the letter. This is proof that he was the one that came forward with the truth. This is proof that he went against health officials’ warnings to stay quiet. He went against the popular practice of submitting to fear. And let me tell you, results could be seen.

The whole world was now alarmed by the truth. Doctors from other countries went to China to help. The Chinese government fired the health minister and in about a month’s time, the killer virus was contained, preventing further damage, damage that could have caused millions of lives worldwide.

Dr. Yanyong was rewarded. He gained the title, “China’s pride” but even with this title, he remained a humble man. He commended the fast action of the government to fight the virus not mentioning his own contribution in the eradication of the virus. Dr. Yanyong, even after preventing the spread of the virus to other countries, simply tells us that, “If I see a human life at stake, I will intervene.” Humble, brave, caring, and wise, this man has truly deserved the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

As I read his story, I was moved by his bravery. I was told that in China, going against the government was considered a suicide. Dr. Yanyong even signed his name. By doing that, he dug his own grave. I asked myself why he signed his name. He didn’t have to. He could’ve just written all the information in the letter and sign it anonymously. Nothing would’ve happened to him had the reaction of the government been unfavorable. Then, a lesson I learned from a priest came crashing down on me.

He said, “You shouldn’t be ashamed to do what is right. You should only be ashamed if you know what you are doing is wrong.” And that’s what I saw in Dr. Yanyong. The brave doctor followed his conscience and did what he knew was right and he did it without shame.

He is, to me, a solid example if bravery. Dr. Jiang Yanyong never knew he would win in the end. All he knew was that what he did was right so without thinking if the effects would be favorable, he signed his name in his letter to the press.

Thinking about how to imitate his example, I looked at my current position as a member of the Student Council. I am in the perfect position to make change. In my life, I may never save another person’s life but I believe that if I speak my thoughts and act on them, I can make a difference whether it is big or small.

In the past years, I have felt that the Student Council hasn’t paid much attention to the concerns of the students. I have always felt that the decisions they make are made by them. The majority of the students are left unheard and helpless. Now that I am in the student council, I will make sure that the students are heard. It is their school, too, and they deserve to have a voice in the decision-making. Now, before the council makes any big decisions, they give survey forms to the students so that each student can express his or her thoughts to influence the decision. This way, the students will learn to run their school.

I don’t want to be like the health minister who made the decision to let everyone keep quiet. I want everyone to speak their minds just as the brave doctor did. I want them to do it without hesitation or shame because I believe that the Philippines is full of smart and remarkable people. They just don’t want to speak up because they are afraid. If the Filipinos would just speak up, they would be able to run their own country. We wouldn’t have to depend on other countries for support. I may be just encouraging students to speak up but I am also encouraging the future leaders to speak up. As the old saying goes, great things start out small. I will do my best to speak up and encourage others to do the same even if I have to do it one person at a time.

I have learned a lot from Dr. Jiang Yanyong and I hope to relay what I have learned to my fellow youth. I wish to follow his example of bravery in speaking up because I know that my voice is important, my voice can make a difference and most importantly, my voice doesn’t cost a single centavo.

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Isn’t it true? Those who value their country must speak with pride. One famous line says, “For evil to triumph, it is enough for good men to do nothing.” Again, speak up and let your voice be heard.