Publishing a book on the two-year SE journey

Once the team of Marilyn, Pat, Amy, and Tonette set off for Manila in the afternoon of May 21, onboard the Mariners Canaman Van, carrying the bundles of folders and boxes of various reports, including financial to submit to the CHEd Central Office-Office of Planning Research and Knowledge Management (OPRKM), I knew the feat was going to be historic—history in the making. Printed copies of the envisioned book that chronicled the two-year Social Enterprises Development (SED) were with them. Entitled Social Enterprise Development: The Bicol Experience (2023-2024), this book is a comprehensive account of the SED’s pioneering work in developing social enterprises across disaster-prone communities in the Bicol region, and it is a book waiting to be shared with the world.

A few days before their trip to Manila, I stayed inside the office to review the final preparations. CHEd’s last communication to the MPCF Canaman President was that the publications should be copyrighted. It came as a marching order. Publishing the SED journey gave the school and its partners a sense of rightful ownership and pride. It is also empowering, as it brings the experiences of all the individuals and communities involved in the SED project to life and directly connects the group with the readers. The night before the trip, I did the book cover, Canva-aided, with all the inspiring prompts to get the book in beautiful form. The team left confident they would make it to the submission deadline the next day.

The SED project, a pioneering research and community-based development endeavor, aimed to cover the diverse aspects of social entrepreneurship across disaster-prone communities in the Bicol region. The two-year project, ‘Developing Social Enterprises for Economic Resilience of Disaster Survivors in Bicol,’ has set a new standard in the field. The recognition accorded to the project through the Regional Development Council (RDC) Resolution and the successful convening of the Regional Social Enterprises Summit (RSES), despite destructive weather disruptions, inspires the future of social entrepreneurship. The project’s inclusion in the Coalition of the PRESENT (Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship) Act, a national lobbying group, is a testament to the rightful clamor of the poor and vulnerable people, the primary stakeholders for whom we implemented this project.

The immeasurable support of various partners, including five HEIs – the Central Bicol State University in Agriculture (CBSUA), Bicol University (BU), Naga College Foundation (NCF), Bicol State College in Applied Sciences and Technology (BISCAST), and the two Mariners schools led by the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) in Canaman, Camarines Sur, and the MPCF in Legazpi City, Albay, the private sector and regional government agencies, has dramatically bolstered the project, a humble testament to its credibility and potential impact. Any people-centered project succeeds through collaboration between the government, the private sector, the academe, and the communities through their people’s organizations. We are only halfway there. This project aimed for inclusivity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate change and critical socio-economic challenges after the global Pandemic, followed by a series of disasters, such as SF, dengue, and flooding. The people and their SEs continue to navigate these challenges but are now more knowledgeable and resilient.

For a predominantly agricultural region that continues to grapple with the harsh realities of climate change and impoverishment of 33% of a population of 6,082,165 in all its six provinces, the SED project saw two higher educational institutions (HEIs) -one in maritime school and the other, agricultural - engaged with a grassroots-based volunteer non-government organization, in a trailblazing RDE endeavor that resulted in 20 significant researches and policy papers. These research and policy papers resulted from implementing sustainable social enterprises in the region. It studied 13 SE groups from among 50 SEs encountered in Camarines Sur and Albay, involving more than 5,000 people who underwent work orientations, multiple skill training, participative meetings, planning sessions, assessments, and conferences.

Yes, the study’s results exposed us to serious challenges. Still, they also opened up tremendous possibilities for collaboration. They inspired other institutions to act in a way that is an example for others. The project leaders and implementers from this partnership, with their indefatigable and scholarly approach to the project study, devoted significant time and resources to collecting data and conducting participative mechanisms to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the dynamics of social enterprises in disaster-hit communities. They tirelessly chronicled the processes, developed or used new methods or techniques as they identified significant trends, set forth new ideas, and adapted mechanisms to reduce uncertainty and risks for needed change.

The detailed documentation of the development processes and the publication of these experiences and RDE studies constituted a considerable source of insights and lessons. The book, therefore, attempted to fill in the gaps and seek solutions to the long-standing problems of poverty and disaster in Bicol. By publishing the journey into a book, our mission was to draw lessons, learn, and begin a discourse. With the studies done, we can inspire and connect neighbors in nearby communities in disaster-prone regions. The transformative impact of the SED project has made it a truly memorable and meaningful journey, offering hope and optimism for the future.