Evaluation by Yvonne Belen

2^nd Igorot European Consultation
Vienna, Austria
29 May-1 June 2003

Evaluation

Collated by Yvonne Belen

1. What were your expectations from the Igorot European Consultation?

a) Widen horizon of  socialization.

• To meet other Igorots in Europe. (4x)
• Meeting new friends. (2x)
• Meeting old friends.
• Getting to know and meet friends and other Igorots/Cordillerans.

b) Learning experiences of fellow Igorots

• To learn about the experiences of the different members from the European communities and how they go about dealing with their problems and difficulties in all aspects.
• Have a conversation about ourselves and how we live here in Europe and exchange experiences.
• Have a conversation with them and share our experiences; like how we adjusted to living and coping in this country we are living in the present.
• To discuss issues happening among Igorots in Europe.
• Exchange of experiences.
• To learn the opinion of others. (2x)
• Exchange of personal knowledge and learning to be more tolerant

c) Culture and values

• Learning about Cordillera culture.
• To understand especially the values of being an Igorot.

d) More knowledge and information

• More information.
• To learn from all the lectures.
• Information
• Enlightenment of the different workshops and lectures presented by the speakers.

e) Fun

• To have fun.
• To have fun and experience.

f) Europe-wide network

• Having a Europe-wide network.
• To bind the Igorots who are scattered all around Europe.

g) Name

• To come up with an acceptable name for our group.

h) New members

• New members will come.

i) Second-generation

          - For the youth – to understand more the culture we’ve got and to be reminded of the importance of being an Igorot. 

j) Programme of action

          - To come up with a consensus from the group in endorsing a programme of action to address the issues of Igorot migrants.

k) Aims of the Igorot European Consultation (IEC) and others

          - To be more enlightened about the aims of the IEC and some historical and cultural background of the Igorot/Cordillera region.

2. Were your expectations met?

Yes             - 16

- It was well organized and very good so my expectations are fulfilled and done.

Partially      - 10            

- The absence of Apo Botengan made a big difference on my expectations.

- I was expecting to see more Igorots in Vienna. On the other hand, I was able to understand my being Igorot out of the lectures I’ve heard.

No              - 1              

Too much talking and too much sitting.

3. What activity did you enjoy most?

                                      #1               #2               #3               #4

Lectures                         2                 7                 10               3

Workshops                    7                 8                 4                 3

Cultural activities          15               5                 5

Sightseeing                     1                 4                 3                 14

Others:

a. Enjoyed the company and generous hospitality of IGO Austria members.

b. Cultural night of course.

c. Birthday party of Dono.

d. Sharing of information and experiences with all our kailians in Europe (one rated it as # 1).

e. Meeting people unexpectedly especially old acquaintances.

4. Which of the activities did you find most meaningful?

          Activity                          Responses

a. Cultural presentation           17

c. Workshop                                     16

d. Lectures/panel discussion               8

e. Sharing                                  2

f. Canao night                                      2

g. Sightseeing                                      1

Others:

a. Establishing links and support with fellow Igorots.

b. Report-workshop on bicultural marriage.

5. How do you rate your participation in all the Consultation activities?

Very good                      7

Good                              20

Poor                               1

6. What will you remember and cherish most in our Consultation?

- Everything will be remembered - the host, the venue, all guests and participants are worth cherishing for.

- Our camaderie as Igorots.

- Concerning the preservation of our heritage/values to be an Igorot.

- The openness of all delegates.

- Interaction made with everyone at this meeting.

- When I attended the workshop of the second-generation.

- Active participation of those who are concerned.

- Workshop and cultural activities.

- Discussion and meeting new friends.

- The planning and establishing an old age home for migrants.

- The discussion, argument, and some unusual stories.

- The exchange of experiences among the participants and their willingness to go on and preserve their culture and adapt to the cultures of their host country.

- Songs, dances.

- New friends.

- Sightseeing and singing and dancing activities.

- Chances to participate as a non-Filipino.

- To be well-accepted as a non-Filipino.

- The meeting of new people, new ideas.

- Sightseeing.

- The clear relationship with each other.

- Camaraderie and the lot of work behind this consultation.

- The canao and the conversation with others.

- Thursday night and the canao night.

- Getting to know each other    knowing that Igorots in Europe cherish the culture of being an Igorot.

- Cultural activities and meeting other Igorots from other places.

- Meeting some unknown relative.

- Meeting (my other) some Igorots (plenty) in a foreign country.

- Sightseeing (although time was not enough).

- The meeting and knowing all the people who attended the occasion.

- Cultural night and being together with kakailian from different countries.

- All sharing, discussion and cultural activities.

7. How do you rate the management of our Consultation?

Very good                      13

Good                              13

Very poor                      1

No answer                     1

Feedback:

Very satisfied, great, fantastic, overwhelming.

8. What topics and activities do you recommend for our next Consultation?

Topics:

1. Second-generation

- More topics that concern youth, both Philippine-born and born outside the Philippines.

- Addressing issues about second-generation.

- Insights from children of bicultural marriage.

2. Culture and Values

- Continue with cultural heritage.

- Cultural heritage Part II, more on Igorot values.

- Ritual practices.

- Study/discussion of Igorot-Cordillera values and cultural heritage as applied to the situation of migrants/immigrants, second-generation, aging.

- What can the Igorot Cordi (BIBAAK-Europe) do to support or aid in the preservation of our cultural heritage?

- More practical demonstration of our cultural practices and tradition, for the younger generation to appreciate it instead of just reading and reporting.

- How do we preserve our Igorot culture?

- How can we help our children to know, understand and practice our own culture?

3. Migrant issues

- Abuse of migrant’s wife.

- Old age pension.

- How do we cope with the different mentality in Europe?

- How do we help each other in case of conflict?

- Integration of newcomers in the host country.

- Obtaining visa for visiting in Europe. Recommendation: maybe work out a petition to the respective immigrant to make it easier for the applicant.

- How to obtain easier way a visa to enter any European country – inviting guest from the Philippines.

- Retirement in the Philippines. (2x)

4. General   

- Same topic as the present one.

- All that were recommended for the workshop and lectures should at least be covered in the next consultation.

- Follow up and continuation of what has been discussed this year, especially on migrant issues and second-generation.

5. Others

- I’ll think it more for sometime and I’ll always get in touch.

Activities

- Possibility of holding a youth summer camp.

- Possibility of hiring a camping site as a cheaper option to a hotel accommodation.

- More outdoor activities (2) and some sports activities.

- One day cultural activities.

- More cultural activities.

- One or two days sightseeing. (2x)

9. What are your recommendations to make our next meeting better and more meaningful?

a. On attendance

- Have more Igorots attend the next consultation

- Invite more participants.

- Convince more Igorots to attend the consultation.

b. On the program

= Content

- To discuss a topic in a workshop that has not been discussed in the program.

- Continue to talk about Igorot values relating to aging migrants.

- There should be more time on discussion of important issues, i.e., aging migrants, passing of Igorot values to the youth, etc., and include topic on solidarity among Igorots.

 - Cultural activities.

- Not too much discussion about the topic “Igorot”.

- Not too much individual speeches.

- Presentation of artifacts, e.g.. kitchen utensils.

- More Igorot songs.

- To continue with the unfinished topics.

= Process

- To add more intermissions between talks.

- To have a separate workshop for youth and adults.

- If possible, I want the children (teen-agers) to participate and they’ll be the ones to ask questions from the elders so we will see if we are really progressing telling or conveying our heritage and value to our own.

- To let our children join in our discussion.

- Watch or be strict in the time limit during discussion.

- More preparation to minimize time.

- Lecture be brief and concise

- Give more time for open forum and discussion.

- Play groups (I’ll be writing you soon).

- Illustration of topics.

- Put into practice the ritual theory lectured to us during the consultation.

- Well-prepared papers circulated to participants before.

- Longer lunch or snack break.

- Not too much individual speeches.

- Too long, too boring.

- Time (more time, not too early for lectures and workshops but also time to see the host country)

c. Second-generation

- To put a separate activity for kids under 12 years old.

- Develop activities separately for youth.

d. Speakers

- Ensure the speakers’ commitment

 

e. For the participants

- Active and mental presence of participants.

- Punctuality (3x).

- Active participation in every activity.

- Observe.

f. Technical

- Informing the attending members to prepare in advance their own activities.

- Give importance to members to do self-help.

- Delegation of other work to people.

- To put activities for the children or have a separate place for them so that the parents will not be disturbed during the conference. Note: during conferences and workshops.

- Find and book a place to conduct outdoor activities.

- Creche for children.

g. Sightseeing

 - To give the guests more time to see the place. (2x)

h. Others

- Same as this time.

- To learn many of the deficiencies and to make out of it the better.

- What are our aims or objectives in forming this organization?  

11. Other evaluation items/points you would like to share:

- The consultation in Vienna is quite meaningful not just being here in this wonderful country but being part of such group.

- To invite more young generation (mate-wise) for young ladies.

- My sincerest thanks and appreciation to the organizing committee, especially Yvonne who had initiated this meeting, develop the program (consultation). Thanks also to the host country, especially Dono and Patrick, members of the IGO Austria who had worked hard to make the consultation possible.

- Good!!! It’s getting more in number.

- Proper delegation and fair share of work.

- We should not be bogged down on defining terminology, i.e., BIBAK but rather devote more time on important issues, i.e., aging migrants, passing on Igorot values to the youth, etc.

- Good program.

- The consultation went on smoothly. Congratulations for the job well done.