Although we, are now adults, we still maintain the juvenile traits of the child in us. We experienced this when we had our staff development entitled “Green Teambuilding” last January 22-24, 2013 in Zambales. In the team games that the staff played along the seashore in Iba, Zambales, each member struggled very hard to outdo the other teams in the running, solving a puzzle, filling -up a big bucket with sea water, and beach volleyball. Ms.

This sign caught my attention during our teambuilding activity at Rosa Farm in San Antonio, Zambales. It was posted atop the entrance of a 50-60 m2 garden planted with various vegetables with a “bahay kubo” in the middle. Being an e-Extension coordinator, my first impression was that the garden (might be) was being managed or grown using high technology (electronic) farming gadgets. So I further investigated. At a closer look, the garden showcases the beauty of a diversified farming system complemented by the use of recycled potting materials like plastics and old tires.

It was New Year's Day and quite unlikely, I was already going on a trip, though for a more personal reason. That's another blog story really, but it was that which brought me to experience first-hand how it was to sleep over at NAIA Terminal 3 -- how to experience being like our regional coordinators, our agricultural extension workers from the Visayas and Mindanao. Yes, the AEW also flies! And can sleep in airports.

The event was held in January 2012 but I missed posting about it. So here it is in December, retro mode of course.

It's ATI's 25th anniversary, quite an auspicious day for giving out awards, a perfect day for receiving one. But what's with the ABBA song? Later.

It was a usual week-long celebration, but this time ATI honored 25 of its institutional/individual partners. I felt esteemed to be one of them.

The citation reads:

It’s been a busy year, to say the least. No doubt our training center is not alone in saying this. Perhaps the entire ATI network can honestly say that it has been a year of work, work, work.

Relevance in the midst of all the drudgery – therein lies the challenge.

Sometimes (or too often?) our work becomes too exacting, demanding, or mandatory, that we forget we should look not just on the numbers, but also particularly on the results – what people really need, not just report indicators.

Dear lord,
One year is about to end
Since you had made me a steward
Of a noble duty and responsibility...
For the LGU Agri-Extension Workers, the farmers, the rural women,
the youth, the indigenous people, and the farmer-scientists
Because of your concern for them,
You mandated me to teach appropriate skills and technologies,
and entrepreneurial capabilities,
You asked me to organize them or strengthen their organizations;
You asked me to instill in them the value of dignified labor,