Light of Peace in San Enrique: The Road to Inner Peace Town

Students and parents meditate in Catan-agan Elementary School
(Photo Credit: MMI)

What does it take to create an Inner Peace Town? Or some would even change the question and ask if it is possible to have one. After working with the people of San Enrique in the Province of Iloilo for about a couple of months already I can truly say that it is possible albeit challenging.

Leaders from the Church, San Enrique Local Government Unit, Academe, Barangays
and MMI light candles to celebrate the 10,000 Brightness

Challenges. Now that was a very common thing  encountered in the course of  the project and even now that the Light of Peace in San Enrique is fast approaching. Yes, there were a lot of challenges

Light of Peace in San Enrique: The Beginning

It may be fate or destiny. Hon. Ramona Go, the Mayor of San Enrique, calls it providential. I am referring to the first meeting of Mayor Go and the Director of Middle Way Meditation Institute - Iloilo (MMI), Ven. Burin Thitakusalu. I have heard the story told several times but I also would like to share it with those who do not have an inkling about it.

I first heard about it from Ven. Burin himself. It was when we were choosing the schools to be included in the list of model schools for the Inner Peace Leader Philippines Project. He wanted to include San Enrique Central School which is a small one unlike the other schools which are quite big in terms of area and population. He said he knew personally the Mayor in this tiny municipality in the Province of Iloilo. He then proceeded to narrate how he was approached by Mayor Go in the airport

Lighting Up San Enrique

It was only last year when I got to have a chance to join the Light of Peace in the Philippines and that started the ball rolling. After that I told myself that I won't miss the next ones and that's exactly what I am doing right now - getting involved in another Light of Peace in the Philippines event. How different is this though from the previous ones?

ISAT - U Light of Peace: Young People Working To Attain World Peace

The year 2015 is indeed auspicious for Iloilo Science and Technology University or ISAT - U. The institution's status has been elevated to university after a grueling process. At the same time, it has been declared as the first Inner Peace University. To celebrate these achievements, a U Light of Peace was held last June 30, 2015 and with more than a thousand people, mostly students, in attendance. The MiddleWay Meditation Institute - Iloilo, the organizer of the Light of Peace events, headed by its Director, Ven. Burin Thitakusalu, and the university's administration under the leadership of Dr. Raul Muyong, ISAT U's first president, worked together to ensure its success.