“Captivating Capiz” is truly Capiznon

by: Ruel G. Doce

A lot of development planners and managers I know were amazed of the Province’s vision statement. They argued on how “Captivating Capiz” would be a complete state of what the province would be in the next five years. Visioning Capiz to be captivating is an endless effort and thus cannot be confined within the time-frame of the development agenda.

They maybe are correct, but true-blooded Capisnons who know themselves and their province are happy with this perfect vision. Capiz is in an on-going and on-growing process of becoming and thus can never be limited and even goes beyond the concept of time and space.

I have not come across yet with any vision statement of a local government unit as unique as ours. Aside from not following usual standard, ours fully recognizes culture, with all the possibilities it opened, as a tool for development. We understand culture as a system of vital ideas that largely governs and determines the way we related to our inner selves, each other, nature, time and space, the spirit world, work and activity; or life and the world.

Local Government Units in Capiz today recognize the important role of culture in politics or the science of public governance. Culture interprets development, shapes its expression and gives it direction. This principle is clearly explained by Jesus in the Bible: “What father among you will give his son a snake if he asks for a fish, or hand him a scorpion if he asks for an egg? (Luke 11,11-12).

From our vision statement, we can conceive four among our collective traits that underlie our inherent inclination for the preservation of society: Capisnons are highly participative, highly artistic and creative, deeply transcendental, and celebrative of own culture.

Being highly participative, we always demand for collective participation in the creative process and decision-making. We always look for ways to share in any effort for the interest of our community through cooperative actions or social organizations. Our vision statement does not only encourage participatory governance but it positioned everybody into the facilitating arena of self-exploration and self-perfection. LGU-NGO Partnerships in Sigma and some parts of the Province had won national awards and are now attracting domestic and foreign tourists.

Being artistic and creative, Capisnons possess high standard of productivity, not only in arts but in all worthwhile undertakings. Capisnons Jovita Fuentes, National Artist for Music and Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana, National Artist for Theater have significant contributions for the development of culture of the whole world. Our vision statement once again proves our artistic ingenuity for its simplicity, beauty and profoundness.

Being highly transcendental, the vision statement focuses not on what human senses can perceive but of the warmth experience that Capiz can offer. We are highly spiritual yet with a vigorous “joie de vivre.”

Being celebrative of our culture, our vision statement draws out our attribute into their highest potential. Self-actualization reaches its pinnacle only through a celebrative expression of our being. It’s not surprising that our festivals are named from what we identified to be the most visible expressions of our culture. Sinadya sa Halaran of the City and Province, Hil-o hil-o of Maayon, of Mambusao, Caguyuman of Pontevedra and other local festivals bear witness to it.

How Captivating Capiz is is not measured by extent or degree but by the pride we have for being her sons and daughters and by our contributions for her development brought about by our deep appreciation of her. It cannot also be measured by time for everyday Capiz is casting her magic through us who live her ideals.