by Reyn Ortiz

There are so many things that can challenge a team when it comes to achieving a goal in a matter of weeks, but most significantly, we think that our ability to use our connections was being put to the test when we decided to push through with Synergy, a benefit concert we organized to raise funds for our community project.

At first, we were hesitant to commit to spearheading an event like Synergy, given the short time left to prepare for it. We debated a lot, weighing on the possibilities, good and bad. We thought of alternatives, income-generating projects that we could easily pull off, like garage sales, food stalls and even boyfriend/girlfriend-for-rent (which is crazy but in demand at the time). None of our other ideas seemed convincing enough. A garage sale isn't really a hit for most students; we can't be sure how much we're going to earn even if we do have no expenses. Partnering with food establishments doesn't guarantee us big money either, considering that we're just going to have a small percentage from the sales they make. Boyfriend/girlfriend-for-rent is just disgusting. So then, we were left with the idea of inviting different talents into one big show, and our self-doubts. Nobody was the slightest bit sure we can make Synergy happen. But it's just different when you're trying to pull something off for a much bigger purpose than just good grades.

Our motivation, besides graduation, pushed us to do what we thought we couldn't. We were motivated, not just by the idea of a successful project implementation, but also by the bigger picture of our farmers working in better conditions. In 2 weeks, we were able to invite performers, not only UPV performing groups, but legit local artists, as well. Collaborating with Songwriters Philippines Iloilo also widened our circle; then it was easier for us to connect with performers from the city campus.

The whole duration of the event was probably the most stressful time we had as a team so far. We had to make sure that nothing is left out in our final preparations. It was also the worst time for our printers to run out of ink and for our social media accounts to lag. (Seriously, it just had to be the 6th of April?) We were stressed out from praying for the sky not to rain, which was why we were on the brink of breaking down when it started to drizzle. We were stressed out from scolding kids who were playing by the beach, doing limbo under the line of straw we installed to secure our venue boundaries and almost turning the strings into jumping ropes. We also had to improvise and to do last-minute changes in order to save time in setting up. Our time management skills and resourcefulness were challenged to the highest level, and at the time, everybody really embraced teamwork.

We started running out of tables and seats in the middle of the event, so we had to strategize in ushering our audience to their places, and maximize our venue. Some of us even waited tables for the night! It was a whole new experience for us to be exposed to tasks we would never have imagined ourselves doing. Not only are our connections exhausted, but also our ability to take on whatever role just to keep things running and the program flow smooth.

The realization of having made it as a team created an even stronger bond between us. We felt invincible at the time. From scratch, now we're here. Synergy was a success and it was all because of group effort, as the name of the event implies. Producing Synergy felt like a huge team-building activity for us, which, we believe, would prepare us for more challenging situations in the community, that need us to work even harder together. Synergy was a suicide move, but at the end of it, we felt even more alive than ever. Just as long as we don't forget why we started this thing in the first place: all for the unsung heroes of our society, the farmers.