TORONTO, CANADA
ROSEMARY “BUBU” ANTONIO-ANDRES
2016 marked a year of what many viewed as a cry for CHANGE. An attempted coup in Turkey, a shocking vote for Brexit, and two unexpected votes for Presidential candidates in the Philippines and the USA both ran on a platform of CHANGE. People worldwide were unhappy, disappointed, frustrated, and tired of the status quo, and I was somewhat joining that bandwagon.
In 2015, I became a member of the Global Board of Directors of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)*, for a three-year term. 2016 marked a year of a personal challenge for me, and, rather than hide; I chose to do something and drive change. In Feb 2017, I chose to run for the Global Chair of EO.
It is the Global Chair’s responsibility to choose the organization’s theme for the year, and for my year, I wanted to share a piece of our culture, the heart of our culture, Bayanihan. I researched how it could be related to people worldwide and discovered that Bayanihan actually has its equivalent in almost every culture! Wow, what a heartwarming discovery that was…that at the heart of almost every culture, we all believe in the value of helping our neighbors without expecting anything in return. That truly inspired me and sustained me as I traveled the world to ask our members to share the gift of EO with as many entrepreneurs as we can.
Below is an excerpt from my speech in Toronto.
I have applied to learning to my BUSINESS….., and with the help of my Forum, I applied to learning to ME as a human being and a mother, which has had exponential impact… the learning and intimacy in our Forums help us rise like a Phoenix seeking heights unimaginable…
This story is familiar to you, the details are different. The spirit is the same.
There is a spirit that is EO, a thirst for learning.
And. You know. My husband and I were overwhelmed after that fire… absolutely gobsmacked….overwhelmed by… what… happened …next….
Friends and family were quick to offer cash, loans, property to loan against, we were overwhelmed by the love. Our community did not stand on the sidelines and offer thoughts and prayers, they rolled up their sleeves and lifted us toward a new future. We were overwhelmed by the LOVE. LOVE in action.
This story is familiar to you; the details may be different. The spirit is the same: a spirit in EO of a community of love … of help… of action.
THIS, my friends, is the spirit of EO that we can’t get anywhere else. A spirit of resilience, grit, growth, learning, boldly going, and community. Brotherhood and sisterhood. A connectedness. Love.
Wow. That is WAY too many words to describe us, though. I mean, it is a list of words that describe a feeling…. This feeling that is EO.
Bayanihan
Our community. This spirit. Hmmm, what is one word that describes all that…
I am a proud Filipino; we are known for our hospitality, dedication to the community, and the spirit of cooperation- we call this spirit Bayanihan.
Go ahead and practice that word out loud. C’mon guys… Bayanihan
This word describes a beautiful act in the Philippines: when a rural family moves their home, their house moves with them. A traditional Filipino house is made of natural materials like bamboo and leaves and is called a Bahay Kubo.
Their community comes together in unity to move that HOME,
with nothing expected in return….
The Bayanihan spirit IS EO. We have this natural willingness to help each other… AND be there for each other. We are vulnerable enough to accept experience sharing and collective action. We have small moments in the corners of events that last a lifetime … often joyous, sometimes hard… but they are all Real.
And let’s be blunt about what Bayanihan is for all of us here. We are entrepreneurs. We do not just sit and hold hands on a rock next to a river and gaze at the sunset…
In 2020, the Philippines is faced with many unfortunate events – we began with the Taal volcano eruption, followed by the quarantine and lockdown to fight covid19 that basically crippled each one of us, our freedom, our jobs, and our businesses. As if it wasn’t enough, floods and devastation were added to the list. Yet, we remain resilient and steadfast in our faith…. for we know that God does not give us challenges we cannot overcome, difficulties we cannot handle, and most of all, He remains with us. He sends us our angels on earth, and He has carried us when we could no longer walk. In turn, we must believe in our duty, responsibility, and commitment to one another to help each time we can, without expecting anything in return. That is, again, the spirit of Bayanihan.
Christmas is our time to be grateful and to give, more so this year. “Tayong lahat ay may Pananagutan sa isa’t isa.” (We are accountable to one another.) I pray that the spirit of Bayanihan inspires all of us to remain committed to help one another through the crisis and beyond.
At the heart of the Christian message is the building of community and a deep concern for the public good, out of love for one another and our country.”
ONE REALLY VALUABLE PEARL, FR. RUBEN M. TANSECO, SJ
*Entrepreneurs’ Organization is a global non-profit organization, “whose stated mission is to “engage leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow.” it was founded in 1987 and was formerly called Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization (YEO).