1st Permaculture Convergence

PhilPA (The Philippine Permaculture Association) had it's first convergence, a gathering of permaculture practitioners, designers, and advocates from around the Philippines in Cebu City of February 12-14, 2010. It brought together permaculture advocates and community members from projects in Bohol, Cebu, Manila, Mindanao, Negros, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, and from abroad.

An exhibit entitled: "Redesigning our way of life based on Nature" was held at the Ayala Center in Cebu from February 9-13, 2010. Among the items on exhibit were:
• herb spiral
• rocket stove
• DIY briquette maker
• vermiculture
• container gardening
• growing EM effective microbes
• eco-house using recycled components
• concept sample of composting toilet (closed system)
• rain water collection
• bamboo roofing
• endemic trees (including endangered cebu cinnamon)
• "green" eco-friendly personal and home care products
• organic produce (rice, muscovado, etc)
• bags & mats made with recycled materials

The exhibit was made possible, through the total support of the following individuals:
• Bob Bajenting for the natural farming materials
• Bebe Gacasan of GK for the eco-house
• Rey Balatayo of GK
• JR Balatayo of GK
• Ayna Garcia for the videos
• Mikko Pablo for the videos
• Chris Fadriga for the plants
• Terry Manguerra for the endemic plants
• Wilmer Lopez of Human Nature
• Johanna Estremos of cebu permaculture initiatives
• Norie Napuli of cebu permaculture initiatives
• Archt Badjing Atega & Landscape archi students: Angelica Ragandac, Evangeline Bontilao, Rosabella Aberilla, and Kristina Tan-Ugang
• Lito Barba of GK
• Mayflower Inn, Elicon House, West Gorordo Hotel CSR volunteers
• Chara Pradan Tesch
• Zen Darunday & Bohol Permaculture
• Dada Dharma of Ananda Marga Wellness Center
• Savitiri & Maddu of Ananda Marga

A Permaculture Forum was organized on February 14, 2010 in conjunction with the exhibit and the convergence, based on the challenge: "Are you ready to love Mother Earth again?" Being a very special day, associated with Love, this year Valentine's day happened to be a Sunday, and the Chinese New Year as well. Despite, what organizers considered a triple filter, over 80 persons attended the Forum. Arguably, the most interesting presentation was made by Dada Dharma of the Ananda Marga Wellness Center on the topic of "Inner Permaculture" or "how to maintain the ecology within our body." It was a topic very new even to the permaculture practitioners who came to attend the convergence. A riveting topic, that kept the audience glued to their seats, it seemed like a revelation, how easy and simple it is to remain healthy, the natural way! (a.k.a. the permaculture way)