Batangas City Topo Map - True North -
Calumpang River, true north orientation, as captured by Google Earth
Batangas City Topo Map - Inverted North.jpg -
Calumpang River, a "Crack" on earth's surface. Image captured by Google Earth
With over 15 years working in the IT field, designed, developed, and implemented enterprise-wide system solutions, taught computer subjects in a local university, set-up and managed my own IT (software, hardware and peripheral sales) company for several years, did consulting and project management for the IT component of environmental projects; and in the process learning more about the environment and why we should do our share to protect it; and now hoping to be a social entrepreneur for impact maximization.
From this endeavor, I hope to build a network of social entrepreneurs within the next three to five years and my long term goal is to establish Our Small Way Foundation, with global support from governments, private corporations, funding agencies, other individuals, private sector, NGOs and NGAs, people organizations, the civil society and other similar interest groups and foster mutually-beneficial relations in the context of environmental protection.
I first learned of the BiD Challenge 2007 from an article in the May 27, 2007 (Sunday) issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer which read: “Wanted: Business plans for poverty reduction and profit in BiD Challenge”... and the article went on to say "Deadline is on May 31, 2007".
Reading through, it was not the prize money that caught my attention but the possibility of seeking potential investors that may fund the project I had in mind for the last seven years, given that the project is so wide-encompassing in terms of scope and sheer magnitude.
Since 1986, I had the chance to be in some countries outside of the Philippines because of my work as a computer programmer. I had the opportunity to represent one of my former employers to implement solutions for Computerized Hospital Information Systems. My postings in countries in the Middle East and the Gulf States, in particular, struck me the most. From those trips, I found out an incredible and amazing thing: Water is priced higher than gasoline or petrol – and water in these areas is a rare and priceless commodity.
In arid regions of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE, incidence of very rare heavy downpour becomes a celebration. Pools of collected rain water is enough to transform these uninteresting areas into something where local families could pitch their tents and gather together around a bonfire, drinking bitter-sweet newly ground green coffee or minted tea; with side servings of sweet fresh dates (the fruit), and grilling their kebabs to perfection as they watch the rise of the Desert Moon. And these family get-together lasts for some days till the water is all gone.
Though this may look picture-perfect, in reality, I have this overwhelming feeling that my country is better off in some ways, believing that the Philippines has been blessed with abundant fresh water source in different forms; streams, brooks, springs, lakes and including our own Calumpang River. But then again, the sad truth is that our people, including me, has directly or indirectly contributed much to the abuse and destruction of this God-given gift. Since my first introduction to environment-related projects in 2000, I had conceived ideas of finding out ways to rehabilitate, preserve and worked out some plans to encourage our local leaders to declare Calumpang River a protected area, and I am reminded of the idea every time I pass over two bridges located within 1 km distance of each other, one of those we call the Bridge of Promise. The Bid Challenge 2007 may just be the opportunity I was waiting for... and I just hope that seven years may be worth the wait to realize this idea.
My business plan is far from perfect… but I believe it was written with the best intentions, and I hope I was able to get my message across.
