“Sometimes the best way forward is to remember what already makes us strong.”

In Barangay Kauswagan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, the future didn’t begin with a list of problems to fix—it started with stories, laughter, and a rediscovery of strengths.

That’s what happened during a two-day Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Workshop, where leaders and residents traded the usual “problem checklist” for a fresher question: What’s working—and how do we build on it?

Two Days, One Heartbeat

The SEA Sibagat Team guided participants through conversations that felt less like planning sessions and more like family gatherings. People swapped stories of resilience, recalled small victories, and realized their strongest resource was not money or machinery—but the community itself.

Barangay Chairman Salvador Toloy Jr. didn’t just attend; he immersed himself, shoulder-to-shoulder with his council. His presence was more than symbolic—it was a living promise that leadership in Kauswagan is about listening, showing up, and co-creating.

Flipping the Script

Traditional planning often starts with: “What’s wrong here?” But Kauswagan chose to ask: “What’s right—and how do we grow it?”

One participant shared with a grin, “If we’ve already overcome typhoons, conflicts, and hardships, surely we can handle building the future together.” That single line set the tone, reminding everyone that every scar is proof of strength, and every story is a seed for tomorrow.

From Voices to Vows

By the end of the workshop, it was clear this wasn’t just about talking—it was about committing. Every dream voiced became a shared vow. Leaders and residents pledged to steer Kauswagan’s future with unity, inclusivity, and sustainability at its core.

Here, progress isn’t imported.

It’s cultivated.

Grown from within.

Carried forward by the people who call Kauswagan home.

A Compass for Tomorrow

The plans crafted during those two days are more than documents—they’re a compass, pointing the barangay toward a future that reflects its heart and aspirations.

And as Chairman Toloy quietly demonstrated through presence more than words:

“When communities chart their own vision, change doesn’t just appear—it endures.”