Sir Martin's SocSciDos

For those classes with unfinished business and unresolved issues, here is your chance! I am opening the opportunity for all to schedule an encore performance of the Model East Asian Regional Forum. For those not familiar, an encore is an extra performance at the end of a scheduled performance.

So what do I expect? I’ll keep it simple.

Participants will stick to the protocol of the MEARF.

Your primary objective for the encore is to arrive at one – and only one – resolution for each of the three issue areas: climate change, peace and security, and poverty alleviation. However, I am also expecting a fourth resolution. Read on.

How do you come up with one resolution for each? Here are sample titles (some of which you can actually adopt).

• Comprehensive Deal to Lower Carbon Dioxide Emissions by the Year 2050
• The ASEAN Treaty on Combating Climate Change
• Resolution Establishing the ASEAN Security Council
• Resolution Establishing the ASEAN Human Rights Court
• The ASEAN Nuclear Ban Treaty
• The ASEAN 10-Year Program to Eliminate Poverty
• The ASEAN Commitment to Maternal and Childhood Health

And so on! The bottom line now, more than ever, is to really establish common ground. When we ended our forums last week, the classes were actually still at the working paper stage. Now, you will have to rework your various resolutions into just three really comprehensive agreements. It will be inevitable that some countries will not be represented in these agreements; how you forge ahead despite that is something I’m looking forward to.

But before I continue – what is the fourth resolution? Quite simply, I want to see how the class resolves the issue of the proposed countries. Will they become members or not? This I want to see. Note that your resolutions should state why they must be accepted or not. Take note that there is a reason why they aren’t members yet and hence I’d like to see how you address that.

So when can you schedule it?

So far, two sections have scheduled with me.

Dahlia will be tomorrow, 2pm to 4pm. Champaca will be on Thursday, 9am to 11am.

Rosal wants theirs on either tomorrow or Wednesday. I can only do Wednesday. Will 8am to 10am be okay with you?

Sampaguita had theirs in Taal volcano. Kidding! Tell me when you guys want to have yours if you want to. I am offering Thursday, 11am to 1pm.

So what do you guys get?

First, I’ll base your grade on the resolutions produced during the encore.

Second, I’ll give everyone a bonus grade of 50/50 to their quizzes upon successful completion of the encore.

Third, I hope you get the satisfaction of having a little more borrowed time. I feel that the year ended a little too quickly, a little too abruptly. This encore is not just for you but for me too; it has almost been a week and I already miss you all.

Let’s have one more round, shall we?

P.S. Sir, kailangan pa ng business attire? I’ll let your class decide. Impress me.