Live at Karangalan

Editorial
N. Perlas, 29 January 2005

Many are asking. After all the preparation and the expectations, how did the Karangalan Event turn out? Let us listen to a distillation of what dozens of participants had to say personally or thru SMS messages that flooded the organizers starting from the very first day of the event.

Overwhelming Success

“The event is just the beginning! But today is already goose-bumps day. . . . . This conference is blowing me away! . . . . I am energized!

“What a production it was. . . It was great! . . . . It’s a TAKE OFF! . . . . The energy was so positive and really hopeful. Just what we all need at this time. . . . I am looking forward to the next.  . . . . I am so thrilled and so moved! . . . . The happiness was indescribable!

“Congratulations on the success of Karangalan. It made a great impact on us, and, I'm sure, on many others.  My most intense and lingering reaction is I feel I've come out of a retreat (though I haven't been to a retreat for 40 years), cleansed and recharged.  My friend feels the conference and festival was a form of therapy for the Filipino soul. 

“I could not stop thinking of the event. At 3 am, this morning, a very interesting idea came to mind . . . . I am so excited about it.” . . . . Now there is the need for action! There is no turning back! . . . . The realization of dreams happens because the dreamers dare to keep on dreaming!”

“The ship is easing out of the construction dock and onto its mission to go where no Pinoy ship has ever gone before! How exciting to be part of the crew on this voyage of discovery. How good to see its spirit. Its potential. . . . Let’s get this thing to warp drive! Onward to excellence.

“We feel it's important to share the fruits of the conference with those who were not there. . . .  I was totally blown away by it!”

The comments speak for themselves. The Karangalan event exceeded expectations. For sure, it was not perfect. There were organizational imperfections that will surely be addressed in the next event. But these were inconsequential to the ultimate effect of releasing the creative energies of the more than 2000 people who attended the event, energies geared towards the societal transformation of the Philippines. Even those who did not attend are already becoming infected by the enthusiasm of those who have been energized by the event.

Ingredients of Success

What were the ingredients of success? There are many but a few main ones stand out.

First was the diversity of the participants. They came from all walks of life. They constituted a kind of microcosm of Philippine society. The diversity strengthened the impression that we had definitely reached beyond those who are already “converted”. There were businessmen mingling with activists, a strange sight, as both normally find themselves in opposite sides of the trench. There was a huge delegation of 28 local government leaders from Escalante City led by their mayor, who was the Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines for 2003, and they mixed with artists, students, journalists, and others. The diversity gave the strong sense that the concern for a better country will reach a critical mass and cascade beyond the participants of the Karangalan event. One could often here many people saying, “Panahon na!” “Truly, the time is at hand!”

Second was the potent combination of brilliant lectures and superb artistic performances. There is no doubt about it. Once the heart and the mind are in tune with each other, the impossible becomes reachable. Not only reachable, but imminently attainable and doable. Here, the saying, “the heart of the revolution is the revolution of the heart”, reached a heightened stage. So much so that it become totally clear that a peaceful cultural revolution will precede, support, and sustain the large-scale process of societal transformation.

Third was the aesthetic juxtaposition of harsh realities challenging the future of the country and the widespread excellence in so many walks of life that could adequate address the challenges that would drag down the country into oblivion. There were so many stories of overcoming huge challenges against all odds that it empowered people to vision again a better country they can create together.

There was the story of Naga City that had 115% higher per capita income than the national average and with a much higher quality of life than Metro Manila. One could easily see the Philippines transformed if the urban centers of the country, including Metro Manila, took on the example provided by Naga City.  

There was the story of rural schools, where vehicles could not enter due to poor roads, but nevertheless overtook the best Metro Manila schools in English, science and math proficiency. Participants immediately saw the importance of “grounded optimism”, a focus on excellence that addresses real needs of the country.

Last, but not the least, was the grace the Karangalan event received from close to 200 volunteers of all kinds. Their selfless devotion was a source of inspiration to many. Many worked quietly worked on the sidelines but their impact was writ large on the aesthetic coherence of the event. Without them, there would be no Karangalan. They have become the symbol of what it would take to turn this country around, selfless devotion to a higher purpose beyond the immediate preoccupation of instantaneous gratification and rewards so pervasive in the decadent culture around us.

The Future of Karangalan

The Karangalan event became the breeding area for dozens of new initiatives that have surfaced. There will be more Karangalan events at the regions, in additional, to the national Karangalan event in the last weekend of January 2006.

Plans are already being drafted for a Karangalan Education Summit. Mainstream media wants to dovetail its own strategic initiatives with Karangalan. Discussions on a network of alternative media reaching close to a million people, have started. A global Karangalan Fund is in the works. Two Karangalan events focusing on poverty eradication is already being finalized. Imagine Philippines, a 5-year nation-wide change process, of creative and visionary dialogues based on Appreciative Inquiry, has been launched with very strong support from participants. And there are more.

Ugat Cogon

Early on Karangalan is sending this message: Karangalan will not be “ningas cogon”, or a brush fire, that has great flames of enthusiasm but which cannot be sustained. Rather, it will be an “ugat cogon”, a network of relatively quiet and invisible (to the eye of the public media) initiatives radically altering the very foundations of Philippine society.

The journey to a better Philippines has started. And from time to time, we will report on developments.

It is happening! Stay tuned.


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