My FLP DaysTwenty Years Ago...

I wrote about the BKK, FLP and NDCP a couple of weeks ago. Who would ever think that Batch IX FLP will be relived again? Some of my classmates are now here in the States - Baby, Nida & Roy. We finally got in touch. We all got excited again - reunion sa Pilipinas next year. That was 20 years ago.. I wrote about that..coincidence na magkatugma-tugma uli kami?
I am posting our class pictures. My memory is kinda blurred on names - but I remember the faces. I will be able to name them in due time.
I am also posting our barangay immersion group. The whole class was divided into groups and we, as a group, were assigned in places na nangangailangan ng tulong ( hah - parang alam namin kung anong tulong ang kailangan nila). The whole purpose of the exercise was for us, as NDCP scholoars, would apply our classroom know how to alleviate the plight of our kapwa pinoy ( a big HAH again).
Anyway, my group was specifically assigned to Jaen, Nueva Ecija. To people familiar with Jaen, alam na ninyo ang aking ibig tukuyin.
The group came in cold - parang andoon kami para mag diagnose ng sakit at tapos magbigay ng ikagagaling ng bayan. We went around observing - sabi ko nga coming in from the cold. Nagmukha kaming mga turista - kulang sa camera.
We met up with the barangay people. Nakinig kami at nagmatyag. Siyempre meron na kaming kanya-kanyang foregone conclusion kung ano kailangan nila - something na ikabubuhay nila, to that effect.
Surprise, suprise. Nakinig kami ng husto (FLP trained us on that real well). Hindi ikabubuhay ang kanilang primary concern. The town was needing a common townhall na pwede silang mag-meeting at mag-usap-usap kung ano ang kanilang ikabubuti. They needed a building structure to "house" their plans - their dreams- their aspirations.
The group could have pushed what we THOUGHT they needed. We were knowledgeable hindi ba? MALI.
Cez Liporada - isang mabuting kaibigan from Baguio & I were tasked to write the report - the bacon we needed to bring back to NDCP. Amidst coffee, Marlboros and Philip Morris sans laptop or computer, typewriter meron, nagawa ang report.
Sana tinago ko ang copy nito para balikan at basahin ko uli; pero malabo ang huling pahina na na-carbon paper. Lumabo na rin ang aking alaala kung ano ang aming pinagsusulat sa particular na report na iyon. I do know that, that trip was a fruitful exercise. The FLP teachings did not go in vain.
Salamat Baby for initiating the reunion. Salamat Nida for the pics. Roy - tatawagan pa rin kita.