In Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, where the mountains stand still but the hearts never do, a group of ordinary people gathered for their weekly Kamustahan. But this wasn’t just any feel-good catch-up session—it was soul-deep. It was healing. It was real.

These are the growing fruits of the Inner Conditioning Workshop (ICW), a core pillar of the IPAT-SIAD program by Solution Ecosystems Activator (SEA) Inc.—a movement that believes real development doesn’t start with cement or capital but with the human heart.

This week, the participants cracked open not just their thoughts, but their memories and fears, anchored on the timeless wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

From Plan-Maker to Path-Finder

For Manelyn Herbolingo, this verse wasn’t just a quote—it was a lifeline once scribbled in a high school letter. A planner by nature, Manelyn’s well-mapped life once collapsed like dominoes. The pain made her question God’s goodness—but those same cracks led her closer to Him. Now, she walks forward, resilient and fearless, finally on the path she was meant to take.

The Beauty of Not Knowing

Gisyl Perater reminded everyone of something crucial: life doesn’t always make sense—and that’s okay. We often depend on our own knowledge and forget that the clearest road sometimes begins when we let go of the wheel. When we allow God to drive, she said, life feels safer, lighter, and—dare we say—more hopeful.

The Air We Forget to Thank For

Myrna Buera, in her quiet wisdom, told a parable: of a wealthy man who cried—not because he couldn’t pay his million-peso hospital bill—but because he had spent 95 years breathing air for free without ever thanking God. In that moment, everyone paused and breathed deeply. Sometimes, the simplest things are the most sacred.

Teenage Truths and Sacred Surrender

Mariel Benegian, still in the thick of teenhood, confessed that letting go of control isn’t easy when the world tells you to figure everything out. But she’s learning—faithfully—that God’s plan often trumps our best-laid schemes.

The Language of Trust

From Richard Gonzales’ heartfelt reflection in Filipino to Pia Ubac’s thoughtful take on spiritual discernment, one thing was clear: trusting God isn’t passive. It’s a bold decision to believe, to listen, and to walk, even when the fog hasn’t lifted yet.

These Kamustahan moments in Sibagat are more than emotional check-ins. They are exercises in inner governance, preparing citizens who aren’t just skilled—but grounded, self-aware, and spiritually anchored.

That’s the heart of IPAT-SIAD: participatory development that flows not just from barangay halls, but from brave hearts like those in Sibagat—hearts that are learning, week by week, to let go, to rise, and to trust the process.

Because in the grand ecosystem of change, the greatest revolution is the one that happens within.