Interview with "Kuya Ding"
("kuya" means elder brother in Tagalog) 
Interviewer: Satsu Kunikane
This month we had an interview with "Kuya Ding" or Fernando Tuscano, who is the longest-served Filipino staff of our association. He joined our association in 1996 and since then is serving as a community organizer.
Q1. When did you meet 21st century association at the first time?
A. I was active in the church's community before. One day Father Ramon Bosh, who is the parish priest of Sta.Cruz, asked me if I could join the livelihood programs as a kind of social worker for the mangyan tribes. Then I decided to join the programs, which are the cooperation of 21st century association and the MIC (Missionary Sisters of Immaculate Conception) or parish. As a volunteer worker I tried to organize the people in some mangyan settlements like Calamintao and Talapa, who suffer the poor community and economy. I gave them many seminars and often worked together in the farm. Then the association employed me after my having served more than half a year.
Q2. What made you decide to join the association?
A. I had two reasons. First mangyan people are very conservative and until now living excluded from the Filipino society because they have little chance to receive the education. I sometimes feel that our government neglects the obligation to protect their human rights. I want to arouse the question: " If we abandon our own people how we can build up the better society? To help them as a co-Filipino is rather our obligation. That's the first reason. Secondly I found that the programs of 21st century association well meet their needs. True, giving education is the best way to develop the society. I decided to apply the association so I can contribute myself to the justice.
Q3. Do you have any idea about how we can promote the education, which is the raison d'etre of our association?
A. Education is not only for students at school. I'm working together with mangyan volunteers everyday, who were once our scholars and giving them training in the farm. For example I teach them how to care vegetables or rice. Especially in the field of agriculture I believe that the best part of the knowledge are acquired through the experiences. "Experience is the best teacher." This is my philosophy. My mission is to teach them the agriculture or know-how of the management through the daily work or on-the-job-training.
Q4. How do you think about mangyan volunteers or their work?
A. They are like my younger brothers or sons. I think they much improved their skills. They have already mastered the elementary knowledge of farming like how to manage the rice paddy around the crop season or plant and care the wide variety of vegetables. But they still need to learn the delicate works or the decision-making. Observing the plants daily or the weather situation and making quick decision are the fundamental of farming but they often do nothing but wait for my instructions even under critical situations. They must realize that their traditional farming known as "kaingin system" or thrash and burn system, which need much less care, is great different from modern farming. I want to teach them modern but ecological agriculture.
Q5. Do you have any plans or suggestions for our future's programs?
A. I'm always thinking what the most suitable agriculture or livelihood for the mangyan people. And what's the more sustainable way, too. Planting more and more fruits trees must be the one of the best solution to kill the starvation, for example. They will protect the mountains and bear the food for the next generation. And I think handicraft business can feed them, too. They are very good craftsmen of rattan or bamboo-made products. But they lack the design and finish works. If we can give them good training to learn these works and management, it will lift-up their meager economy.
Q6. Lastly do you have any message to us?
A. I believe the total dedication to one's job will fuel the development of our society. Thank you!
He is the good interview. And he is the incentive to the better performance of our activities. (Satsu)
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