THE store of wisdom does not consist of hard coins which keep their shape as they pass from hand to hand; it consists of ideas and doctrines whose meanings change with the minds that entertain them.” - John Plamenatz, Political Philosopher
Puerto de San Juan, San Juan, La Union - Two ancient proverbs, like pieces of broken pottery when joined, form a beautiful whole.
In a learning session, such beauty is appreciated by capturing and combining pieces of information to expand our consciousness of something, the environment we live in, and our universe.
For instance, Aristotle, Greek philosopher and scientist was known to have originated the old proverb: “One swallow does not a summer make.”
American philosopher and ecologist Aldo Leopold improved on this ancient adage. He agreed that “one swallow does not make a summer, but he added his observation, “one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the spring.”
Such is the appreciation and processing knowledge - the joining of pieces of data and information to understand and convey meaning to people in their own times.
Knowledge is not static. Among human beings, it affects the way we live and is a work in progress.
Indeed, there is so much knowledge today that you cannot just take it for granted. It has always been part of social governance but now more than in any other time of history, knowledge has become a critical capital.
Knowledge and its management are not made by perfect people (Are there any?), but by common folks, who are, in many ways broken and needful of its benefits.
Knowledge is originated and evolved as people experience and act on its benefits. Processed this way, it has an individual and communal face and characteristics.
In the Cordillera, good and best indigenous practices are developed through time and are implemented by family members, relatives, clan members, and the community to implement their enterprises and projects.
One can never make a judgment against a community best and good practice without knowing and understanding how the people in the community are doing it. But what is best and good in one place may not apply in another.
At the CHARMP2, we originated the idea that our beneficiaries can be involved in the implementation and monitoring of sub-projects in the field.
The actions in pursuit of this proposal were anchored on the participatory nature of the Project.
In consultation with Project stakeholders, we developed strategies and methodologies to guide the implementation of the desired ideal. Soon, the Barangay Project Monitoring Evaluation Team (BPMET) came into being, with members who are mostly project-beneficiaries.
Throughout the implementation of the CHARMP2, the BPMET and its roles and activities became a good practice in project implementation.
It has since been scaled-up vertically and horizontally in the quest to improve the management and operation of sub-project implementation.
Knowledge and its products are constantly being challenged from within and without. That is its dynamics or it fades into obscurity.
In Benguet Province, particularly in Kapangan, where the best CHARMP2 BPMET evolved, the community and local government unit (LGU) have seen the many benefits of involving beneficiaries in monitoring development projects. They have passed barangay and municipal ordinances institutionalizing and sustaining the BPMET and its activities.
At the CHARMP2 and now CHARMP2 Scale-Up, our beneficiaries are our people who are constantly engaged in capturing knowledge to improve their living conditions. They need our help and support in this area which is part of their quest, and ours too, to improve their living conditions.
In spite of the challenges, it should make us all proud what the Project operatives and the community beneficiaries in Kapangan are doing to improve their BPMET and effectively participate in agricultural and rural development pursuits. They are now in the process of preparing the documents and guidelines for the operation and activities of the BPMET to be done for the whole municipality and the province as a whole.
They are committed to the constant processing and conglomeration of knowledge and best practices for the advancement and sustainability of a beautiful whole, a province-wide BPMET.