Go Go NGOs: Sportsfest of Partners in Development

They were careful as someone crossing an iced-over stream. Alert as a warrior in enemy territory. Courteous as a guest. Fluid as melting ice. Shapable as a block of wood. Receptive as a valley. Clear as a glass of water. – Lao Tzu

            In September 2000, a fitting prelude to the Sydney Summer Olympic Games was the Iriga Non-Government Organizations (NGO) games hosted by the Foundation of Our Lady of Fatima Center for Human Development (FACE) in its 25^th anniversary. Eight teams from different NGOs gathered together and participated in the most-awaited annual 3-day event in the world of NGOs in Camarines Sur. If the Olympics is a celebration of humanity in sports, the NGO games as a whole is a celebration through sports of our commitment to humanity. Same spirit, same soul, same shared goal.

            NGO workers assigned anywhere from far-flung areas to office-based or combination of both doing anything including everything displayed their skills in traditional and non-traditional sports. Invariably, there were no discriminating distinctions among participants. Directors, managers, officers, clerks, organizers, all development workers played each other without these labels. Unlike in the Olympics where superiority connotes wealth and inferiority which points to poverty of certain countries, the NGO games were manifestations of equality at its culminating point. One against one; adversary in the games, partner in development work. Indeed, there was no first, just a leader and tail ender among equals.

            After all the cheerings and jarrings, the frustrations of could have-been and the joy of winning the science of opposing and the art of conceding, the psychology of congratulation and consolation, the beauty of teamwork and the vanity of each team, the Ateneo group of NGOs composed of Center for Community Development (CCD), Community Development Foundation, Inc. (CDFI), and EAGLES emerged as the overall champion. While the Ateneo group brought home the bacon, others went home deserving the rest yet thinking of the next day’s report, meeting and area visit. 

           In the mind of the worker, there is no time to lose in pursuit of real change in the sign of our times since even little reform takes time. It is written in every action, in speech and in reason that the worker can have the time of his life so long as it accords justice, common good, and equality. The event was a welcome break for all NGO workers but the shadow of impeding work inescapably loomed in the guise of Mt. Asog.

            Looking back, those three days in Iriga City were of all sorts of sports fest, a jubilee, rejuvenation, and a reunion rolled into one in the engaging social milieu of the NGOs in Camarines Sur. It is undeniably well recognized the contributions of NGOs to development efforts everywhere especially in Camarines Sur. Most often than not, they are effective and competent in their endeavors to effect change. And gradually the system is taking a form bonded by the civil society. On this hopeful note, I end with a congratulatory message to Ateneo-based NGOs.