a trip to Comval

If I were to borrow Ma'am Inday's affirmation -- even if it's bordering on cliche -- everyday you'll learn something new. Perhaps not new as in new new but something that will prove useful somewhere along the road called life. And of course, without stretching it, you only get to experience this with people way beyond your years.

I went to Compostela Valley, particularly in Monkayo, for a prep meeting with the IP datus last Tuesday. We had the actual meeting in Davao here today with Dr. Walter Brown of Philex Inc. which turned out to be the president of the shoe company W. Brown. I learned this also while on the way to ComVal. I have heard Dr. Brown's name ever since I got here, but even if the obviousness was screaming at me in the face I didn't know until then.

We were also supposed to go to Diwalwal, the conflict-torn mining community, which up to now, hasn't found its peace. But there was an enormous storm brewing so it was postponed. The IP community there unfortunately are at a losing end. Though there are initial undertakings there geared towards community development. One datu confessed that despite decades of toiling, they haven't got a single gram of gold ore which is in the very heart of their ancestral domains. Sadly, they have become beneficiaries for a long time when in fact, they should be partners. They too, should be emancipated from such mentality in order to for them to move forward.