Lessons from Peru's former President, Dr. Alejandro Toledo and Gawad Kalinga

Today, I attended a symposium entitled: Social Justice in Health: Local to Global at the University of Arizona.

I also presented a paper on Gawad Kalinga entitled Save the Poor Save the Environment, Save the Environment Save the Poor: The Gawad Kalinga Social Movement on Community Development. This is my third presentation on GK in the past three weeks.

In the symposium, the keynote speaker was former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo who led Peru from 2001-2006 and was very successful in reducing poverty, inequality, and exclusion (PIE) through various creative and commonsensical means. Peru's social and economic indicators speak for Alejandro's success.

I liked his talk. First, he calls himself an "accident" in that meeting two Peace Corps volunteers eventually led to him, a sheep herder and shoeshine boy, studying at the U. of San Francisco, eventually earning a PhD in Stanford, teaching in Harvard and Stanford, working at World Bank and other top agencies, and culminating with becoming Peru's most effective president. He said that his "accident" should be normalized for all Peruvians and Latin Americans.

The other point is that his effectiveness at governing lay not really in his academic credentials (an understatement), but rather in his inexperience in politics. Not being a professional politician enabled him to reduce military spending by 23% to the shock of his generals and reallocate the funds to social services, including education. He was also able to forge a fair and free (not lopsided) trade deal with the U.S. and expand trade deals with the E.U., China, and India. Hence, Peru's outstanding economic growth and poverty reduction numbers.

He emphasized to the American audience that political INexperience is NOT a barrier to effective governance. We had a laugh at his "meddling" in U.S. elections.

During the open forum someone asked him about the need for family planning in Peru. His answer was full of wisdom. Dr. Toledo said that family planning should be taken in its whole context. It is not simply about providing contraceptives. Rather it involves providing the information in a socially acceptable manner. It is about education. It is about health and nutrition. It is about improving the household situation. It is about poverty reduction. It is about choice and freedom. But choice and freedom is made and attained respectively only when a person or the family is healthy, has access to affordable nutritious food, is not poor, educated, and is earning a decent living. He added that higher income societies usually have smaller families. Thus, family planning is best implemented within a context of total human development.

What does all of the above have to do with Gawad Kalinga and Harvey Keh?

First, Dr. Toledo, Barack Obama, the highly successful "Life is Good" clothing chain or even charismatic movements share one thing in common, the message of HOPE. Excluding the charismatic movements, the first three emphasize that the power of HOPE, combined with positive energy, creativity, and hard work will lead to success. If it works in business and in politics, why not in social change?

HOPE is the key word in a world full of elections in the next two years. I think the Hope message resonates well with voters. HOPE will probably get you elected, but it is certainly needed in CHANGE.

Second, social movements work best when they don't let organizing get in the way of mobilizing. Both go together, but one should not be at the expense of the other. Harvey Keh calls for greater vigilance against graft and corruption. Yet, he doesn't show us how and defaults to values transformation, which, incidentally, is a core initiative of GK. He calls for more honest officials. We're all calling for that, but the real question is how do we get from here to there? Keh's irony or bureaucratic "iron cage" is that he heads two organizations, and is a ranking officer of a third. As some have noted, what is an organization if it cannot mobilize and deliver SOCIAL CHANGE?

The current state of Philippine "opposition" politics is that they fail to appreciate the transformational value of GK . In failing to do so, they miss out on the opportunity to provide transformational and charismatic leadership.

Dr. Toledo said that democracy is useless if there is no SOCIAL and ECONOMIC democracy. Democracy works best if the PIE is reduced, PIE being poverty, inequality and (social) exclusion. Democracy is strengthened when the citizens are engaged. They are engaged when they have a roof over their heads, when they have access to healthcare and nutritious food, when they are earning a living, and when they are educated. Democracy is multidimensional.

Pre-colonial societies in what is now the Philippines were ruled by datus or chieftains who attained their status in two combined ways namely, leadership and bravery in conflict and leadership, intelligence, and creativity in engendering a peaceful and prosperous community. It was not an either-or, but an AND of: physical security and economic well-being.

Thus, any group that seeks to challenge the incumbent administration, rightly or wrongly, needs to present to the Filipino people their roadmap for political, economic, and social democracy.

If one wants to tear down the house that is the Philippines to drive away an "unwanted guest", please make sure that the house to be re-built can withstand 265 kph winds, has running water and flush toilets, has a beautiful garden, and is near schools, health centers, and places of work. Please also make sure that meaningful work is available and that the neighborhood is peaceful...

In reality, no one, no organization, no institution has presented a model of social change that is comprehensive, holistic, scalable, replicable, self-sustaining and importantly ADAPTABLE to different contexts than what GK has proposed and is proving with each passing day.

Dr. Toledo's Peru has shown what an inspired, positive, and creative political leadership can achieve. His is a model of leadership at the pinnacle of POWER. Filipino politicians would do well to probably follow in Dr. Toledo's foot steps if they think they are up to the task.

GK, on the other hand, provides for servant leadership from the ground up. It is a bottoms up approach to development in the near absence of effective governance. Dr. Toledo's wish and aim is for the likes of him, an "accident of history", becoming the norm.

GK is showing how future Dr. Toledos will be formed. It would do well for Dr. Toledo to consult with GK.

Lastly, the brouhaha over the alleged Vatican displeasure of GK's "overemphasis" on social work is belied by the annual solicitation letter I get from the Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson for the numerous social works they are engaged in the diocese. The list is long, the beneficiaries numerous, the goals ambitious.

Is the Bishop overextending himself?

Should I report him to the Vatican?

For groups such as Couples for Christ or even the Roman Catholic Church to retain membership they need to increase their social works. Afterall, that is what AGAPE is really all about, loving the most vulnerable in society as Jesus did. CFC then is on the right track with its Gawad Kalinga ministry.

While Arizona may be in a unique situation because of the xenophobic immigration issues and the sexual abuses scandals of the clergy, I have noticed the increased activism, social justice, and social works initiatives of the Catholic Church here.

There are unmistakable 'signs of the times" especially in the field of social change. GK has read these signs well and acted on it. Massive mobilization of volunteers, talent, and resources. Sharing and caring. Servant, heroic leadership. Looking into ourselves and recognizing our greatest assets. Treating the poor as partners in development. Tapping cultural traits of padugo, bayani, bayanihan, bayan. Claiming the true definition of faith and patriotism. Discerning the yearnings of the Filipino diaspora for a progressive Philippines. Channeling the "legacy" angst of the elite into nation-building. Harnessing peace as a productive force. Making 'convergence" work effectively. Melding the "science and spirit" of community development. Showing the effectiveness of adaptive management. Finally, laying the groundwork for what the late Fr. Horacio dela Costa said about "recapturing the bureaucracy."

GK stalwarts Boy Montelibano and Tony Meloto said that GK will appeal to certain people and that all GK needs to do is "build it and they will come."

I agree. I believe that revolutionary/ disruptive social change is really through culture work that is creative, positive, optimistic, and charismatic. GK best exemplifies this.

How do you fund FUN?

Someone asked; How do you fund fun if you don’t want to work?

My response was, as Tito Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga likes to say;

"When you choose a spouse or lifetime partner, choose someone who shares your vision and can FUND the vision!"

Seriously, there are ways at looking at the funding issue.

In the economically "developed" world, their post-industrial, high tech, service oriented economy has generated tremendous wealth and enormous needs. By wealth, there is so much lying around that a talk I recently attended noted that American philanthropy amounts to 2.6% of GDP and that is for the US alone. Planned investments in cause oriented programs/investments are on the rise. How do you tap into the Gates and Buffet donations of $80B???

In terms of enormous needs, two aspects readily come up. The first is the aging and retiring boomer population with still some purchasing power. Counting in the tens of millions in the next few decades, they will have health, medical, and recreation needs and demands, which a creative and innovative service provider can profit from. Can the Philippines become an ideal retirement haven for the world? How about short-term medical services or as an offsite medical education center for American and European medical students? Can we entice American and European doctors to set up office, part-time, in the Philippines? Can we offer BPO services to the medical field in terms of imaging analysis, telemedicince (a booming field), and more enhanced medical transcription services?

The second aspect relates to philanthropy again. Those who have achieved the so called American Dream dream of giving back and leaving a legacy. They are looking at noteworthy programs from education to the arts to space exploration to medical research to inner city revival to adopting kids from Africa. You name the interest and there is someone willing to fund it.

Thus, Gawad Kalinga has sent Dylan and Anna Wilk to spend six months in the US to tap into this reservoir of goodwill and bulging wallets. BTW, there are an estimated 300,000 Am-Fils that will be of retirable age in the next few years. Where will they want to retire? What will they want to do? What kind of legacy do they want to leave behind?

For example, in a recent Township Developing Summit hosted by UP, Ateneo, and GK, an Am-Fil, Robert Sanchez, walked up the stage during lunch and expressed his support for GK. Robert is a San Diego techpreneur who recently sold his company for $50M. He now heads another tech company. During that lunch, he told the Mayors in attendance that if they provide the land for a GK village, facilitate permitting, and shoulder the horizontal site development, he will pay for the construction of the village homes (from 50-100 homes per village).

And he was willing to shoulder up to 100 villages ( a home costs $1,200).

Next year he is working on organizing an Am-Fil Networking Conference in the Philippines in the hope of bringing up to 1,000 of them to look at the Philippines and hopefully support GK. He expects to get a commitment from each one of them to build a GK village.

I think there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people who enjoy making money and enjoy more giving it away. They are looking for worthwhile projects and partners.

In GK Towerville, Bulacan, expat alumni UST doctors have funded hundreds homes there that they are now looking at setting up a hospital for the GK beneficiaries.

What do you think is the economic multiplier effect here?

A techpreneur partners with Gawad Kalinga beneficiaries and Rotary to set up a for-profit Internet cafe and business center franchise in GK Poveda, Taguig, Metro manila.

The second aspect is that for us who are in the Philippines (or who are returning), we are lucky if we have a good paying job. If not, there is no other way but either migrate or go into business. Entrepreneurship is what Gokongwei recommended in his speech. That is what many Chinoys are doing. That is what the Concepcions are promoting in their NegosyoPinoy movement. That is what Almonte is saying in his new book and in his previous articles. Let the market be the agent of social revolution.

Li Lu, one of the famous Chinese student dissidents of the Tienanmen Square massacre, who eventually went on to Columbia University and is now a partner in Himalaya Capital, once said that it is business that will engender change and reform in China. A burgeoning middle class will start to demand reform and democracy.

And so it is with the Philippines. If you are currently working now and not earning enough, turn your hobby into a sideline. If you like writing, try selling your articles to newspapers and magazines. If you support a cause, start a foundation or volunteer and increase your social network. At the very least plant vegetables and grow fruit trees at home so you can save, eat, and possibly sell nutritious fruits and vegetables. You can even grow vegetables in pots and in mini-hydroponic packages (retails for $150). An agripreneur from Negros Occidental said recently that you can earn up to 1M Pesos a year from an integrated organic farm operation using just 3,000 sqm. Check out GK’s first organic urban farm of that size in GK Selecta within the Cainta Munisipiyo.

With business outsourcing many of the work they do, consulting and part-time jobs especially for business, environment, and training studies and assessments are available in Manila.

The cousin of my wife is into alternative fuels. He bought a conversion kit from the US that runs on used cooking oil (SVO). He reversed engineered it and has been experimenting on this for the last year on two old diesel Mercedes Benz. He has driven to Zambales without any hassle. He hopes to get a local engineering firm to manufacture his conversion kit (no need for a factory, share the opportunity).

Metro Manila is a 12M, possibly 20M (daytime pop), market. In the provinces, adventure tourism and basic infrastructure provide exciting business opportunities. We need to focus more on business and business ethics, rather than on politics. We can achieve more reform if we can afford to pay for talent that will “confront” the corrupt and the powerful.

I asked a Pinoy entrepreneur why he was still gung-ho about the Philippine economy. Aside from the economic good news lately, he said that even when there are problems, these problems offer quite a number of business opportunities. Indeed, there are profitable solutions to any problem.

In Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, the mayor saw the need for an alternative road that would bypass the congested provincial highway. He also wanted a boulevard that would rival Dumaguete’s famed Rizal Boulevard. The only thing was he had 750 squatter families on the seashore by the planned boulevard. He partnered up with GK and relocated all of them. He now has a six-lane boulevard with a nearly white-sand seashore that is four-barangays long (like Roxas Blvd). He got a GTZ loan (German aid agency) to pay for a P10M wastewater treatment system that uses bamboo reeds. The cleaned wastewater goes to an overhead tank which is also the welcome arch and is used for irrigation and firefighting. Expect this area to become something like Waikiki Beach in the coming years (which means there are business opportunities here, right now).

We need to dream big and we need to have passion. The world should be our playground- and market. Having fun is great, but “doing” fun, as Burt Rutan of Spaceship One noted, can lead to exciting discoveries and practical applications.