2nd of 4rth: Sabakan Inc. : Strategizing its advocacies

SABAKAN STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP

Casa Emsa, Pagadian city; August 9, 2007

August 8, 2007/ Day 1

Participants to this strategic workshop arrived at the venue around 9:05 a.m.

They started the session with an opening ritual and sharing of words, an oriental practice infused into the organization to develop deep sense of reflection.

In gathering their expectations, the following were raised:

• Smooth flow
• Revisiting organizational vision, mission and goals
• Clarify and review the impact evaluation of Sabakan
• Gather ideas on how to be more effective
• Specific
• The facilitator should be more skilled in handling this strat- plan
• Participants should be cooperative to have more creative approaches for this planning

Chic presented the flow of activities.

Day 1: August 8, 2007

a. overview of strategic planning plan steps in formulating the strategic plan;

b. revisit the VMG and identify the current objectives, programs and projects

c. environmental analysis (who are our partners)

d. resource analysis (what do we have?)

e. external and internal assessment of organizations

Day 2: August 9, 2007

a. strategic decision-making and decision-making policy formulation, development evaluation, selection of alternatives and formulation of 5-year plan

b. strategy implementation of one year operations plan and budget

Day 3: August 10,2007

a. measurement and control of programs; monitoring and evaluation system

b. end of activity evaluation

WORKSHOP 1: REVISITING SABAKAN’S VISION

Participants were divided into groups to answer the question: “what is the vision of Sabakan.”

As they discussed about this, they considered the following Important Point of Reflection:

1. is there a need to involve men in this cause?
2. the presented visions were formulated in accordance to staff’s years of engagement in this advocacy. Are there differences from its creation up to now? Compare the similarities of vision per group and compare and contrast it with the formulated vision years ago?

The session ended at 11:55 a.m. and they returned to a formal session at 2:15 p.m.

Out of collated visions presented in a workshop earlier, the following key words are gathered “a peaceful, life-giving, gender sensitive-community, families and churches…enjoying better relationship.”

They also gathered all words that describe Sabakan as an organization. These are as follows:

• still growing
• nourished by our own well
• firm
• strong roots
• staff has strong commitment
• helping parents to make home safe
• with extended arms
• a star

Participants also identified that they need to enhance their organizational practices relating to ritual-—an oriental exercise or activity for reflection.

They also recognize the need to be sensitive with parish mechanism and structures.

All of these relates to women reality. To validate these, the following questions are raised:

How grounded are we in Sabakan?

• Is this 10-year old vision of the organization reflective of Christianity?
• Is the use of government language hindering the infusion of new idea to the church such as “gender-fair society?” The language has strong preference to the poor and marginalized people akin to the church?
• What is the reality of women today?

Below are the answers of the participants after they group themselves for a workshop to answer the above questions.

GROUP 1	GROUP 2	GROUP 3
-multiple burden -emotional burden -physical abuse -emotional dependence	-sumbunganan sa bakak ug pasalig -woman is purely for procreation -financial depreciation -multiple burden -less or no voice in terms of family decisions -limited role in terms of work/community -second class citizen -sex object -for domestic roles only ex. Housekeeping	-double burden on work -post routinary work -females are dependent to unfaithful males -most women have no time for recreation -minimal female layworker participation in the church -many people serve the priests than nuns. -women have extended roles -most males have higher positions than females.

But despite and inspite of these, there are still many women who are able to:

· Free themselves from abuses

· Empowered women; no longer emotionally dependent

· Women who found strength with other women

· Women who can relate to her situation

· Women who are able to share with other advocates

· There is increasing response to address VAW

· Increasing awareness to challenge dominant view of men; vigilant

There are also other realities of women that give hopes to other women.

What are these realities within the surrounding of women that can help empower them? These are high percentage of educated women than men; or, the increase of number of women to church rituals as manifested in acolytes, sacristans, lay-workers and in apostolates.

Thus, it is important to use APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY to now more of these positive realities to give more strength and hope. These are also manifested in different ways even within dominant realities though no longer applicable today. There are values that can be harnessed from the “light and shadows” of this realities.

The session ended at 6 p.m. They had creative oriental-way of reflection afterwards.

They watched Mr. Bean movie for relaxation at night before they slept.