N Insights
By Doc Ian Mark Q. Nacaya
Perspectives on Leadership and Community Life
When I stood before an international audience at the European Conference of the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) in Prague, Czech Republic, and presented my research on disaster recovery governance and ecosystem-based adaptation, I found myself asking a simple question:
What brought me here?
The easy answer would be my research paper. Others might say it was my doctorate degree, years in public service, or my experience in governance and development work.
But as I reflected more deeply, I realized the answer began much earlier – during my teenage years.
As a young person, I developed an unusual fascination with champions and outstanding individuals. I read the lives of saints, pioneers, innovators, and leaders who made meaningful contributions to society. Their stories taught me discipline, perseverance, humility, and purpose.
I also followed sports closely. I watched championship teams in the PBA, such as Sunkist, Alaska, and Ginebra. More than the games themselves, I was interested in understanding the mindset of winners. What made them excel? How did they prepare? How did they respond to failure?
Without realizing it, I was collecting lessons from people who succeeded in their chosen fields.
Over time, those lessons became part of my character.
The discipline of champions taught me preparation. The resilience of pioneers taught me persistence. The faith of the saints taught me that success must be grounded in a higher purpose.
These values accompanied me through different stages of leadership, from serving as SK Chairman, to becoming President of Liga ng mga Barangay, and later serving six terms in the City Council of Cagayan de Oro, including three terms as Majority Floor Leader.
Yet, I also understood that public office is temporary.
Long before my political career was nearing its conclusion, I knew I had to prepare for life beyond elected service. That realization led me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and eventually a Doctorate in Public Administration.
Looking back, that decision opened new doors.
The academic journey allowed me to collaborate with researchers and fellow scholars. It enabled me to engage in research, writing leadership books, teaching, and consultancy work. More importantly, it allowed me to combine theory with over two decades of practical governance experience.
Then came an opportunity I never expected.
The Ecosystem Services Partnership issued a global call for research abstracts focused on environmental sustainability, resilience, and community well-being. I submitted my study, titled “Ecosystem-Based Adaptation as Adaptive Infrastructure: Reframing Disaster Recovery Governance in Climate-Vulnerable River Basin Systems.”
When the acceptance notice arrived, I felt both honored and humbled.
By God’s grace, I was given the opportunity to present my work in Prague and share lessons from the Philippines with researchers and practitioners from around the world. Standing there, representing not only myself, but also the City of Cagayan de Oro and our country, was a deeply meaningful experience.
And once again, I asked myself:
What truly brought me to Prague?
The answer was not the conference itself.
It was the small decisions made many years ago.
The choice to read rather than waste time. The choice to study people of character. The choice to admire excellence. The choice to prepare long before opportunities appeared.
Those choices accumulated quietly over the years until they eventually led to doors I could never have imagined as a young boy.
To our youth, I offer this simple message:
Your future is being shaped today.
The books you read, the people you admire, the habits you develop, and the values you embrace will influence where life takes you tomorrow.
You may not know exactly where your journey will lead. But prepare anyway.
Learn continuously. Build your character. Pursue excellence. Strengthen your faith. Develop your skills.
Because one day, you may find yourself standing in a place you never imagined possible.
And when that day comes, you will realize that extraordinary opportunities often begin with ordinary choices made early in life. Sometimes, a conference in Prague begins with a young person choosing to learn from champions.
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