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Intentions, Actions, and Results

In a point and time where the world stands witness to the effects of disaster, famine, war, and disease, it is important to look at how we intended to help, how we acted on this intention, and how our actions brought results in the lives of people whom we wanted to help and reach out. Oftentimes, we think, that doing good is enough, but I argue that this isn’t so. There are many questions we need to answer ourselves. Figure 1. The Famous Villar Lunchbox Good Intentions A good intention alone is not a good barometer to determine the desirability of a development intervention because it does not necessarily make a development project good nor does it condition a good result. First, a development project, even when imbued with good intention, may result to actions that are not responsive to the needs of people assisted. It is in this case that it is important to know who decides on how intentions are translated into actions - the one with the intent or the on

So when do we start talking about climate change?

(This is an excerpt of the paper "Its Just a Buzzword from Above...." which Michael Canares presented in the most recent conference of the Development Studies Association of the United Kingdom, held at the University of Ulster, Coleraine Campus, Northern Ireland on September 2-5, 2009) The review of local development plans of 60% of the municipalities in Bohol, Philippines revealed that climate change concerns are not incorporated into the plans. What the plans contain are environmental projects and policies that are not necessarily related to climate change issues, or drafted not with climate change mitigation and adaptation in mind. There has never been a climate change vulnerability assessment conducted, nor discussions related to mitigation and adaptation policies. Thus, it would seem that climate change as a global problem is never a local concern, precisely because of the reason that there are significant knowledge gaps that constrained problem recognition and solution.

TBTK Ok?

The recently concluded Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) is not just a plain social affair, as the aftermath of the festivities showed. A week after the final activities of the TBTK gathering, Vice Governor Julius Herrera questioned the manner by which the event was organized by the TBTK group Chair Betty Veloso-Garcia, who incidentally is related by affinity of political rival Congressman Edgar Chatto. A beauty titlist in the 2006 Miss Bohol International also accused contest organizers of not being true to their promise regarding a travel award that she should have received. TBTK organizers retorted back, highlighting not only the success of the affair but also the purity of their intentions. Indeed, TBTK is one unique organization. It “works as a steering committee that would handle activities related to the international homecoming and reunion of Boholanos.”. It is claimed by organizers as a means of “retracing the roots of Boholanos who have long left the land and are now

Demolition Man

I can still remember the 1993 American film Demolition Man where Sylvester Stallone faced off Wesley Snipes in a science-fiction-war-thriller movie set in 2032. The forces between good and evil, between light and darkness, is captured vividly in the film while it puts forward the idea that one can coexist with the other even in the mind of a single person. In movies of this plot, the protagonist is always the one at the fold of the law, the one that is just, the one who asserts its rightful power against the other. But as I write this piece, I no longer refer to that police officer played by Stallone in the movie. I refer to one person who has, after all these years, shown what political will is all about. I must admit I am never a fan of this man. I was very critical of his administration when he ‘ruled’ the island of Panglao when I was still studying university. But he is the modern-day Demolition Man. His name is Benedicto ‘Dodong’ Alcala, three-term mayor in the municipality of Pan

The Lords of the Ring

(as you read this piece, bear in mind how the arguments can be located in the political landscape of Bohol) Introduction Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Hatton in their recent fight gained several descriptions attached to our political development as a nation. National dailies said that his victory once again “unified the nation” or that it showed that “the Philippines still has hope”. Even the Bohol Chronicle said that “we have not had this high feeling since EDSA 1986”, and that “Boholanos back pacman’s politics”. The Philippine fanaticism in boxing as a sport dates even beyond the time that Gabriel “Flash” Ilorde was proclaimed by the WBC as the “greatest world junior lightweight champion in WBC history” in 1972. Records show that the Philippines had its first international champion in 1925, at a time at which the country was experiencing its painful journey towards autonomy from the United States regime. Coincidentally, it was also the time when local politicians seemed like boxing c

Space

There is one big reason why I cannot stand living in Singapore – space. Limited, constricted, and limiting space, that is. I realized this when I stayed at a condotel in Makati where all the features of a house are squeezed to fit a 36 square meter floor area. I cannot imagine raising my son in this very limited space – no trees to climb, no grasses to keep his feet moist and dirty. I cannot probably sleep for the fear that my son might accidentally fall from the 21st floor where I live. Sometimes we fail to acknowledge the fact that in Bohol, we have so much space still (though Tagbilaran may have become crowded in recent past). A physical space to move around is important to one’s psycho, social, emotional and spiritual health. Physical space gives you a certain degree of freedom – to walk around, to run around, shout and give vent to all sorts of emotions. The movie Revolutionary Road showed Kate Winslet running to the forest to vent her anger and frustration. In the same movie, Leo

A Search for Entrepreneurship that Creates the Needed Change

I have the good fortune of attending again another United Nations conference; this time around in the historic city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland , where one of the most recent ‘successful’ peace-making processes in the modern day world is reported to occur. The conference is sponsored by the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research and focused on two distinct themes invariably linked into a progression – conflict and entrepreneurship. Around 25 individuals were invited for the conference. The batch was composed of economists, psychologists, political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, among others. Statistically speaking, roughly 40% are young professionals like me while the rest are experts in their different fields. Interestingly, I am one of the 3 people who has not finished or started his Phd yet. Yesterday’s (20 March 2009) keynote speech was delivered by Professor Zoltan Acs of George Mason University. Zoltan Acs was one of the pi