Association for Appreciative Inquiry - Philippines: Its Rebirth

Sixteen AI-enthusiasts and learners gathered last 30 January 2015 for the re-launch of the Association for Appreciative Inquiry (AAI). They had hearty conversations about AI... never mind if the association was 'on vacation' for almost 4 years. The enthusiasm and practice of AI grows slowly but steadily. This group of sixteen included the following: Mario Guanzon, Lilibet Amatong, Marie-Paul de Luna, Pauline Guanzon, Carlo Zarate, Fr. Dick Rocha, Jamie Gotangco, Andrew Sy, Liza Inciong, Edzel Ramos, Pearl Bernardo, Marissa Cos-Alcantara, Allan Torres, Leenchie Bacarra, Michael Lu and Rosalina O. Fuentes.

There were three topics taken up: where to now for this reborn association, preparations for the 2nd Asian AI Summit and election of officers.
Where to now, AAI-Philippines? The association needs to step up its advocacy of AI. Truly, continuous learning continues to be a main engagement of an AI-practitioner. This is where SAIDI Graduate School of OD becomes a support to the association with its regular, monthly learning sessions contextualizing AI in the practice of Organization Development. This arrangement has been gaining a solid following among AI-enthusiasts. Such being the current landscape of AI in the Philippines, the group saw the great opportunity for AI in the world of social movement. Concretely, AAI hopes to push the practice of Positive Language, Positive Action, Positive Networks, Positive Self-image for Nation-building. These pathways are ambitious, but AI indeed invites that stretch that can lift us up beyond our imagination.

Lilibet Amatong and Apple de Luna are leading the preparations for the 2nd Asian AI Summit . What to watch out for? 23-24 October 2015! Roadshows are silently moving on to megaphone this upcoming event. More announcements are coming. Please be inn the loop and do volunteer to be actively part of the working groups.

The attendees made up the participants of the general assembly of the reborn AAI. They 'elected' the new batch of AAI-leaders. The election encouraged 'claiming' a role where one can best serve. And they introduced Team-Leadership. So here are the team-leaders for every office.

The President: Dr. Mario Guanzon
Two Vice-Presidents -

External: Ms. Leenchie Bacarra
Internal: Ms. Pearl Bernardo

The Secretaries: SAIDI-Dean's Office & Pauline Guanzon
The Treasurers: Dr. Marissa Cos-Alcantara & Ms. Jamie Gotangco
The PRO's: Ms. Lilibet Amatong & Allan Torres
The Adviser: Dr. Rosalina O. Fuentes

There is great hope that Dr. Mario Guanzon's team will bring new life to AAI. After the long 'vacation' of the association, it must have stored a ball of energy and passion for the next level of the practice of AI in the Philippines.

-Rose