'Laging Handa'

“A Scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” - Lord Robert Baden-Powell

On Dec. 11, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) held its 18th National Scout Jamboree at Camp Pintados de Passi, Iloilo. This year, the theme of the jamboree was “Sustaining Relevance and Strengthening Resilience”. At a time where scouting organizations all over the world are suffering from controversy, dwindling membership, and questions of relevance, the BSP has remained firm in its commitment to make scouting relevant and strong. In fact, this year, the BSP reached its one million mark in membership.

Most of the people in my generation have fond memories of scouting and skills we learned as scouts. Though we may have forgotten many of the things we learned and experienced, there are certain things that have been embedded in our minds such as love for the outdoors and the occasional knots. The one thing all of us remember is that we had fun while learning.

There are many who say that the scouting method of learning is what we need to augment formal education today. Reading, mathematics and science are topics which can be taught outside the four walls of the classroom. For example, certain concepts of biology, physics, and even astronomy can be taught in the wild while camping or doing outdoor activities. Learning by doing is an important philosophy in scouting. Learning by google still has limitations, especially when it comes to skill proficiency. Physical activities that are fun and with an end goal of learning concepts and skills may be what we need to get kids interested in math and science. Hands-on experiments on physics and chemistry can be done outdoors with a dash of adventure.

Scouting is also a good platform for teaching values to kids. The concepts of teamwork, resilience, adaptability and resilience are best learned through outdoor activities. The concept of community through socio civic activities have always been a mainstay in the scouting program. For city kids, the value of occasionally unplugging from technology and spending time with peers doing real world projects can be a remedy for the ills of being fully immersed in technology. Scouting concepts of well-being through activities can also help the rising incidence of teen depression.

Perhaps, it is the age-old BSP motto of “laging handa” or “be prepared” which is most relevant today. For centuries, scouts have been taught several skills to be prepared for emergencies or any eventuality. Sadly, with fewer scouts, these skills are not being taught as widely as before. It is said that many of our kids have no idea what to do in an emergency and even mildly stressful situations. Woodcraft, forest survival, and first aid are skills which many kids lack today.

With worldwide concerns over global pandemics, war, large scale natural disasters (like the big earthquake we are expecting) and even a zombie apocalypse increasing. The prospect of a societal collapse is now seriously being considered outside science fiction forums. There are even survivalist groups in our country preparing for such eventuality.

Can our kids survive an apocalypse or even a mild societal breakdown? What will they do when they pull out their cell phones only to find that the internet is gone? What will they do when they cannot google their way out of trouble? Maybe it is time to actively encourage scouting or perhaps make it mandatory just in case?

This is just my oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.