The Enchanting Balete Paradigm


(Herewith is my talk delivered during the opening ceremonies of "ENCHANTING: Idto sa amon sa Balete Photo Exhibit at the Museo it Akean" on October 13, 2012 in Kalibo, Aklan. The photo exhibit lasts until October 29, 2012) 



I go out of my comfort zone today to answer the question, “Why EnchantingBalete”?

I am sorry to disappoint those who assume that it is a brand name. Enchanting Balete is not a brand name like Canon, Yashica or Nikon. We would like to give emphasis on this as we categorically parry off the observation of UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and Pacific, Mr. Richard Englehardt, of the realities of turning heritage sites into mere object of entertainment and commercialism. Neither we venture into falsifying authenticity for the sake of tourism, however you may call it today.

To us, Enchanting Balete is more like the photographer and his handy camera. It is a paradigm through which we see things. It is much like Mr. Roy Escalona and the rest of the Aklan Kamera Organization with their perceptive lens framing ordinary scenes to enable us to see the unseen beauty of daily life. (By the way, the September issue of the Reader’s Digest is still available for those who are interested.) Through it, we are able to appreciate the realities breaking through in our humble town the past decade and discriminate milestones out of the humdrum of community life.

Enchanting Balete is a party bias that allows us to rise from the typecast of a menacing place and inspire our people to approximate that better Balete than yesterdays. We are Enchanting Balete precisely because socio-cultural and economic developments in our town, however humble they maybe, form a prism-like projections converging side-by-side with environmental protection endeavors not just by the government but by a meeting of multi-sector groups. This convergence results to human wellbeing, both personal and communal.

In its totality, Enchanting Balete therefore is a paradigm for sustainable development for us to approximate our vision and mission as a municipality. Thus, we encapsulate such reality in our annual celebration for which SB Patrick will elucidate after this talk—which is to end now.

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