You rarely hear of people who turn 24 and in the running for a seat in the city Council; or studying law and teaching medical courses at the same time; or, in the case of Casmer Ampaso, juggling all three together. Such is the exuberance of youth, and Casmer puts this privilege to full use that her track record reads like it’s been enriched for more than 24 years.
“There was a stage in my life when I just wanted to work in an office and sit on a swivel chair,” Casmer grins, “But through time, I realized it’s nice to get out of your comfort zone and do things out of the ordinary.”
Late in 2009, she accepted a friend’s invitation to attend a meeting of a new political movement that sprung from the shared grievances and aspirations of a venturesome group of Ormocanons. The extent of her willingness to set foot into the unknown was put to test when she was asked to be the youth representative of the group’s slate for Council Seats in the 2010 Elections.
“I joined Kaabag because it carries a new perspective on governance that I strongly agree with. I also share its vision for Ormoc. But it took a while before I accepted their invitation to run for Councilor. I live a simple life. I didn’t want to complicate it.”
Ultimately, her decision would not hinge on what such enterprise would demand of her life, but what it could do to a long-running dream. “I always knew somebody with clear intentions should stand for the youth and take care of their needs and rights,” Casmer shares.
Rest assured this is not just a hazy, flat concept she randomly picked up. Having served as Chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan in Brgy. San Pablo and as Secretary of the local SK Federation, Casmer knows where she is coming from. During her 5-year term, she encountered mini-mirrors of the traditional politico that equates public infrastructure with success in leadership. “Most of the projects they approved are those that are beneficial to them, projects that are immediate and can be seen,” Casmer says.
As an alternate, she utilized her post to extend the education she got at the Girl Scouts and the Red Cross to her fellow youth. “What I learned being a volunteer, I applied to my service as SK Chair.” She organized First Aid symposiums and clean-up drives, and facilitated livelihood projects for out-of-school youths, for whom she seems to have a very soft spot for.
“There are so many talented and skillful youths in Ormoc – and many of them not in school – but they are not offered the opportunity to develop themselves. Instead they turn to gangs, drugs or anything that gives them a sense of identity.”
But she is quick not to generalize all gangs or fraternities as only good for nothing. “Let’s not dismiss the potential of these brotherhoods. We can take advantage of their organization for the city’s socio-civic projects or events. Let’s help them make a clean image of their groups.”
This sympathy and the resolute vow to change things will certainly go a long way in the city Council, but Casmer is aware that it is a long stretch from her experience at the SK. What helped her make up her mind were the inspiriting words of the Dean at the Western Leyte College of Law, where she is currently having her post-grad studies.
“He knew I have a strong inclination towards service so he suggested organizations that will allow me to practice my profession as a nurse and serve the public at the same time. He was scared of what politics could do to me. But in the end, he told me I should follow what I want.”
So on November 30, with 8 members of the Kaabag, Casmer filed her Certificate of Candidacy for the City Council. Apprehensions were building up inside, but a fellow Kaabag reminded her that they all had an open window until December 14, in case any of them decide to jump out of the race.
That window would prove to be most attractive exactly two weeks later, when Casmer received a confirmation from her agent that her request for a US working visa has come through. “But my mind was set already by December 14. And I’m the type of person who sticks to what I have set my mind on. I know it’s a wasted opportunity, but I want to make a difference and see changes, not just in my life.”
This propensity for altruism derives from a powerful experience during the Ormoc flashfloods, when she was only 5 years old. In the flurry of the raging waters, Casmer was separated from her parents and rescued by a neighbor that she only knew by face. It was a traumatic time that had emotional aftershocks whenever even the slightest of drizzle would fall. But the Casmer that emerged from it would grow a heart that always paired compassion with action.
“That neighbor made me realize the importance of helping other people,” she recalls. The droves of NGO workers that arrived seemingly out of nowhere to distribute relief goods and offer medical services also imprinted a sense of mission in her. “I wanted to become one of them.”
This childhood episode would have a bearing in many directions she would choose to take growing up. While at the Ormoc City National High School, she volunteered with the Red Cross; in Nursing School at Cebu’s Southwestern University, she got herself actively involved with Tsinelas, a non-governmental slipper-for-every-child crusade.
Law was never part of the plan but, “It coincides with a desire to be able to fight for my rights, and give people the same freedom.”
Weighing at the same importance as the youth in Casmer’s platform are issues concerning Ormoc’s women. On top of her list is prostitution, which she says remains a dark cloud in the city’s landscape. She refers to a place near the Public Market that runs by the street name ‘Langub’ where pimps operate. “As long as there are places like this, prostitution will always be the last resort for destitute women. It’s the government’s job to provide rightful alternatives.”
She mentions administration effort to organize workshops and supply materials for its baranggay livelihood projects but says it’s futile in the end as there are no intermediaries between them and the market. “During our baranggay visits, women have approached me for assistance. I see they are very empowered but just don’t know how to carry it out.”
Casmer explains that her choice to have all these on her plate at the tender age of 24 was driven by her exposure to how hard life is and the desire to affect change. She could have chosen the swivel chair or jumped out of the window, but instead, she sets out to teach us how to maximize one’s young life in the service of many.
Casmer, 4th from right, is the only girl in the Kaabag line-up in the 2010 Elections for Council Seats. After the votes have been casted, she ranked 5th among them. But only one of these kaabags got a seat.
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