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Childhood
Years:
John
Ryan Largo, the Founder of the Human Development International
was born in Cebu City, Philippines on December 28, 1950.
His childhood days were spent mostly in various places
as the family moved from one place to another due to
his father's business. Often his father brought him
in his trips in the 7,100 island-country that he welcomed
with much enthusiasm for it gave him the opportunity
to see places.
Enticed by the government campaign
for people to migrate to Mindanao, the family moved
to Durumawang, Lanao Del Norte where his father opened
a 1,000 hectares of farmland on a lush virgin estuarine
forest blessed by rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.
It was at this place, at the age of 4 that he started
to slowly understand the world around him as he accompanied
his father deep in the forest or with other kids to
catch mud crabs, fish and wild fowls. He easily adapted
to the environment and learned how to trap wild fowls
and one time, he planted and harvested rice on a paddy
near their house to the amazement of his parents.
His exposure
to nature played a vital factor in his development that
would later manifest as he grow to adulthood. These
are memories itched in his mind that he treasured that
have become the very pillars of his personality. One
time he will recall that incident, when his father was
carrying him, and both fell into the muddy swamp as
his father lost footing on the fallen logs used as pathway
toward their farm house. He said that at impact they
made a big splash and noise where it sent giant mud
crabs and other aquatic animals, monkeys and birds scampering
to safety that instead of thinking on the predicament
they were in, both laughed as they saw wildlife scampering
to safety. Unfortunately, this fun filled adventure
came into halt when the volcano "Hibuk-Hibuk"
at Camiguin Island miles away from the mouth of the
river where their farm was located erupted and sunk
the family’s 1,000 hectares farmland. Fortunately,
the family was on another place at Ozamis City visiting
relatives but even so, the city was also affected by
the eruption with electricity and water facilities rendered
inoperative. One night, the family has to run for safety
when their house was rocked violently by successive
tremors that forced them to sleep in their front yard
as almost all residents did in the nights that followed
since volcanic tremors have become frequent.
School
Years:
With
their farmland sunk the family returned back to Cebu
City in central Philippines where he started schooling.
After he finished grade 1, the family moved to another
island, - a pattern that will be followed in the ensuing
years that found him transferring from one school to
another. He was a slow learner that his parents hired
a tutor and since then, he became an honor pupil in
his primary and elementary grades; and a consistent
academic scholar in high school and college. He was
enrolled in one of the three prestigious state universities
in the country. That time he exhibited great desire
to learn that books became constant companions and library
a place to visit often where at that time internet,
cell phones or electronic calculator was a farfetched
reality. Besides being a diligent student, he always
found time for extra-curricular activities. He played
basketball, tennis, mountain trekking, etc. and was
a soccer varsity player. He was a black belter in Karate
and Judo; and acquired skills in other forms of martial
arts like arnis, "chako", etc.
In boy scouting
he excelled in skills competitions, e.g. chariot relay,
monkey bridge, knot tying and others; and scored second
in a test that made him Vice Mayor of Davao City during
the Boy Scout Week Celebration. In the Reserved Officer
Training Course where he took both the 2-Year Basic
Course and the 2-Year Advance Course, he held the highest
rank and post as "Cadet Colonel and Corps Commander".
He was the "Grand Chancellor of the ROTC-WATC Cross
Sword Fraternity"; and topnotcher in the class.
He topped the Philippine Army ROTC Summer Cadre Training
at Camp Evangelista, Philippine Army 4th Military Area
in Cagayan de Oro City that made him an Outstanding
ROTC Cadet in the Philippines. In his senior year in
the ROTC Advance Course he took constabulary and police
science where he excelled in subjects like criminal
investigation, criminal law and other related subjects;
and earned units in Criminology. He did not only finished
Electrical Engineering but also electronics and communications
courses; and was among the pioneering Electronics and
Communications Engineers in the country. He topped government's
board licensing examination. He was part of the key
organizers who established the Institute of Electronics
and Communications Engineers in the Philippines - Mindanao
Chapter and was among its Board of Directors and elected
as Board Secretary.
Professional:
He worked in
the radio-television industry and was adept in the construction
and installation of broadcast studio and transmitter;
as well as in the production and operation of a broadcast
station; and became a Chief Engineer of a broadcast
facility. He taught in various colleges and universities
in engineering, mass communication, maritime and aviation
electronics courses. He was Head of a college, Director
of an educational Media Center and Director of the Government
Skills Outreach Training Program of the then, the National
Manpower and Youth Council in Region XI (now TESDA)
and was a member of the testing board in the issuance
of trade skills license in electronics and communications.
Likewise he was a media consultant of the Commission
on Population XI and NMYC XI's out-of-school youth training
program. He became a director in television and stage
presentation; - and established his own company, the
"Media Research and Promotion of the Philippines"
in the 80's producing weekly radio-television program,
advertisements and info campaign plugs; and conducting
media research work. Further was a military cadre instructor
in the ROTC Advance Course.
United
Nations Service:
In
mid 80's he joined the United Nations Volunteer Program
as a UNV Specialist. His varied expertise made him candidate
to many post vacancies, e.g. as an information scientist
in Jamaica; an engineer in Sanaa Airport in Yemen, and
others. Finally he was sent to a UNDP-UNESCO Project
at the Open University of Sri Lanka in '85 as a "UNV
Communications Specialist" and worked with U.N.
Consultants from the Open University of Germany, the
BBC Open University in U.K. and local counterparts.
He played a key role in establishing the Open University
Media Production Centre and the training of the staff
and faculty in the production of multi-media distances
education materials for the Open University's distance
education program. He produced educational films for
the OU, e.g. Mangoves of Sri Lanka, Open University
an Education for All, Salt Marsh, Irrigation Models
and Petrocarps in collaboration with the Peradenya University
in Kandy, and others which were aired on national television.
His film, "From Darkness to Dawn" produced
at the University won in an international film documentary
competition highlighting the celebration of the International
Year of Shelter and Housing that year. His contribution
to the development of the Open University of Sri Lanka
(OUSL) was cited by its Chancellor and the UNDP Resident
Representative in Colombo. Prior to completing his two
year stint at OUSL he was offered a post as a "communication
officer" at the International Atomic Energy in
Vienna, Austria and at the United Nations Statistical
Institute for Asia and the Pacific in Tokyo, Japan.
His background in electronics and communications compelled
him to take the UNSIAP post where he set-up its production
unit. He produced statistical training materials for
the Institute and the national statistical training
centers at ESCAP member countries (Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific) and participating
countries in the UNSIAP program, e.g. selected countries
in South America, Africa and the breakaway Republic
of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The
films he made were widely distributed and used in national
statistical training centers, e.g. "Human Development",
"Poverty Statistics", "Infant Mortality",
"Informal Sector" and others. This includes
"Crop Cutting Survey" which he made with the
collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries of Japan. His work found him collaborating
with the UNSIAP host agencies, e.g., the Japan Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Management Coordination Agency and
the Bureau of Statistics. His contributions were cited
by national statistical offices in the ESCAP Region
and participating countries; the BBC-Production Center
at Melton Keynes in U.K. and above all, William Draper
III, the then UNDP Administrator based in New York who
sent him a note of citation through the UNDP Liaison
Office in Tokyo.
He taught in
the training conducted at the institute on subjects
like Statistical Presentation, Principles in Training
Presentation and other related subjects; and assisted
participants in their project work presentation, - an
important requirement in the 3-month Statistical Analysis
Course and the 6-month Practical Statistics Course attended
by various nationalities. He was also sent on an official
mission to member countries and to the United States
to establish collaboration with the Department of Public
Information at the U.N. Headquarters. He was also a
staff of UNDP "human development program"
in Tokyo which found him working with experts and consultants
on human development from other countries and at ESCAP
Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand.
THE
FOUNDER’S LEGACY AT DAVAO GULF – THE CREATION
OF THE DAVAO GULF MANAGEMENT COUNCIL his contribution to the people of Davao and the preservation
of the gulf.
John
Ryan Largo is the very person who advocated and worked
for the creation of a Davao Gulf Manage Council aimed
at unifiying policies at the Gulf and a platform where
stakeholders can deliberate and address problems confronting
this important marine resource and coastal communities.
He did have a tough time lobbying various stockholders
to support the idea and so with the Bureau of Fish and
Aquatic Resources who has already established the the
then existing Davao Gulf Authority comprising of City
and Municipal Mayors of communities along the Davao
Gulf to a Council that will be composed by all stakeholders
of the Gulf giving everyone a say on its future.
He spearheaded
the Social-Economic Assessment conducted on all cities
and municipalities along the gulf that became the position
paper in holding the Davao Gulf Summit Meeting in the
late 90s where in said historic meeting all participants
representing all sectors signed the testament signifying
the creation of the Council as planned. Largo’s
hard work and dedication has paved way to the creation
of a Council comprising of various local government
units, central line government agencies, NGOs, academe,
people’s organizations, and others; where today
continue to benefit of the work of this person and marine
life ecosystems’ preservation.
Largo, said that
his efforts that led to the establishment of the Davao
Gulf Management Council also carries the name of the
Save Davao Gulf Foundation, Inc., which he was then
a member of the Board of Directors/Board Secretary and
the Philipine Coast Guard Auxiliary Southeastern Mindanao
where he was then the Chief of Staff and a Squadron
Commader. Aside from being the Chairperson of the Human
Development International whose staff played a vital
role in the creation of the DGMC.
Founder Philosophical
Point of View:
John
Ryan Largo, the HDI Founder despite his accomplishments;
having traveled to many countries; brushed elbows with
dignitaries and head of states, etc., has remained a
person that's humble and devoid of "self-centeredness".
He is a person who never talks about himself and other
people; he is a person who talked more on ideas and
philosophy that one will be enthralled of the depth
of his memory and knowledge; and how he perceives things
with objectivity and clarity that's free from influences
and biases.
He is a person that has transcended
far beyond the common psyche, due to the vast knowledge
and experiences he has accumulated in his travels; interaction
with various nationalities; exposures with different
cultures and beliefs; having witnessed many sufferings
of people and the destruction of our natural resources
and environment; and as a person who always search for
truth as to have that mind that is free from negative
conditionings and wrong notions of the past.
He believes that character and one's
dream determine what a person or group of person will
become in the future. It is on this reason that the
Human Development International has put great importance
on character in its work towards fostering a high level
of human development. Members of the HDI Vanguard Corps
for Peace and Development looked at HDI more than a
typical organization. They regard it as a "way
of life" that helps one molds or instills a strong
character conducive to achieving goals and a fulfilled
life.
He believes that life is too short,
uncertain and a continuous search for truth that one
must chart his course in his journey through time that's
free entanglements and conflicts that will enable him
to spend every moment of his life to the fullest and
find fulfillment - that's in consonance with nature's
law and processes; as well as respect to other beings
and observance of one's innate obligation as caretaker
of the Living Planet Earth.
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