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As Manny Pacquiao takes them Vol. I, No. 07 * 13 December 2008
 By JCI A / Mem. CERWIN T. EVIOTA, CNT, NG 2006 Charter President QUINTUS Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet and Philosopher just before Jesus Christ was born, known more in English literature as Horace, said: “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant” Such character is boldly demonstrated by our Pambansang Kamao, Manny Pacquiao, in almost all of his fights, especially when he is pressed to the wall (literally, the ring in the boxing arena). While he truly fought like a gladiator when he conquered the Golden Boy of Boxing last Dec. 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Manny was the dominant force against Oscar de la Hoya. Yet Pacman was a different story before that.
Bestworks We were watching Pacman’s fights over beer, lechon and baboy damo (wild pig meat) during our annual Christmas gathering at Imagine Music and Spirits last night, Dec.12, with our partners in BESTWORKS Events & Sports Management Corp. It's a venture whose name we took from the 6th tenet of the JCI Creed, “That service to humanity is the Best Work of life.”  Formed in December 2003 after a Christmas reunion, the company is composed of the 2001 and 2002 Board of Directors of the Cebu Jaycees, the award-generating team under JCI Sen. Gino C. Gonzalez and under JCI Senator-in-waiting Lyndon L. Fermo, respectively.
Gino, the Best of the Best Chapter President in the Philippines in 2001 and the Most Outstanding JCI Member in 1986, is our Chairman and CEO, while Lyndon, PRIME graduate and 2003 NEVP, our GM. GINO Gonzalez & Patrick Divinagracia. Most of the same group is composed of the same veterans that started JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel, with Gino and Lyndon serving as advisers during the charter year in 2006. They are: - Joven M. Ecarma, Jr. – 2001 Membership Development Commissioner, 2002 VP Development; and our 2006 Charter Auditor
- Eli T. Espina – 2001 Government Affairs Commissioner (GAC), 2002 Community Development Commissioner (CDC); and our 2006 Charter PRO
- Lloyd A. Bantiling – 2001 CDC, 2002 VP Programs; and our 2006 Charter BOD Member
- Eric Martin M. Taghoy – 2001 New Member, 2002 GAC; and our 2006 Charter BOD Member
- ICE “Ice Baby” T. Eviota – 2001 and 2002 Special Operations Officer; and our 2006 Charter Associate Member (until now)
The rest are: - Patrick C. Divinagracia – 2001 and 2002 Treasurer
- Vee C.D. Abellana – 2001 Member and 2002 Youth Affairs Commissioner, and 2007 JCI Cebu EVP.
Adopted into the company by 2004 was Jover C. Alforque, Jr. – 2001 VP Programs, 2003 Secretary-General (1st Sem) and 2003 EVP (2nd Sem). He swore in as new member of JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel in 2007. BESTWORKS in 2001 Cebu Jaycees BOD & Commissioners. Front row: Lloyd (center); 2nd row: Jover (extreme left) and me (extreme right); 3rd row: Gino (center) and Lyndon (right); and last row: Joven (3rd from left) and Eli (extreme left). Like JCI projects As BESTWORKS, the company, we organized and promoted the first conference of Cebu Basketball Federation (CBF) in January and February 2004, bringing the league to the grassroots in every barangay in Cebu City at the time. We also orchestrated the 2004 National Maritime Week for the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the players of the shipping industry, working from August of that year until the actual activities in the last week of September, an event that could not be equaled until today. We would jokingly describe the CBF conference like an inter-chapter Olympics in JCI, and the Maritime event like a JCI Week celebration. Actually, they really were, only in a wider magnitude, bigger responsibility, broader in scope and, not like when you are still in training in JCI, we cashed in “A LOT!” As each of us got busy with our respective individual professions, we haven’t had done any other project since. But we gather every Christmas to claim our annual dividends (Yes, our money continues to grow. We have three bankers in our fold!) as we guzzle in cases of beer. Pushed to the wall
The BESTWORKS pack is a product of adversity, especially that we started in JCI while the Cebu Jaycees ebbed low and in crisis in 2000.  We chuckled when we watched the video of Manny Pacquiao Friday night in his fights as we partly saw ourselves in him during the times we were challenged, and even pushed to the wall.
Our record in 2001 and 2002, both in terms of projects and activities conducted and in the awards we reaped in the Area and National levels, speak of how well we turned the adversities into opportunities. LYNDON Fermo & Lloyd Bantiling at Imagine Music & Spirits. You could draw lessons when you see again Manny fight against South African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba on June 23, 2001 and the Mexicans, starting with Emmanuel Lucero on June 26, 2003 when the world started to notice a rising star, especially after he conquered Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 15, 2003. The same is true when his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 11, 2004 ended in a draw, and when he lost to Erik Morales by unanimous decision on March 15, 2005, the fight that changed Pacquiao for good. He executed in his next seven fights all the best fighters of Mexico, including Morales, twice on Jan. 21, 2006 and on Nov. 18 of the same year, and Marquez only on March 15 this year. You’d see the best in Manny coming out when he’s pressed by his opponent. Resilient Like in Pacquiao’s journey in the ring, we in JCI face perennial challenges as we expose ourselves in the various projects we do. We put ourselves in opportunities that make us learn and do things better after, much more when these experiences become adversities and we get to “survive” it and “ride out the crisis." We get to drive the best in us. Eventually, we become resilient.  Like Pacman, the veteran Jaycees from what is now JCI Cebu in the BESTWORKS pack had No Fear in taking the CBF and Maritime projects. The guys were already resilient. They were ready to grab the opportunities, even if it involved a lot of money, other people’s money.
VEE Abellana & ICE "Ice Baby" Eviota watching Manny Pacquiao in action. Exposed to the ins and outs of project management, they could anticipate eventualities. They could pro-act, much more as they work as a team, complementing each other. To you, in JCI, especially those who are still new, abhor not when you find yourselves in adversities, difficult situations that you face when you get to handle tasks and work with fellow JCI members in projects, even when you seem to feel like being alone. If not yet, involve yourself more until you face a difficult situation. It will be just like when Manny practices at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Hollywood, CA, the ALA stable in Talamban or the gym of Rex "Wacky" Salud in Punta Princesa. Fear No Hardship To those who have started to feel the pinch, like our members in JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel now who are handling the current full-packed December projects, embrace the circumstances with a brave heart. Fear no hardship. These adversities will draw out your best potentials. Eventually, you gain confidence. You emerge a great leader. A true leader finds opportunities in adversities. Rather than wallowing in misery, self-pity and hopelessness, rise to the occasion and face the adverse situations.  Like real soldiers, especially during the era of the swords, spears and arrows, who enthusiastically go forth into battle, great leaders rejoice in adversity. They thrive in facing challenges one after the other. And they find more meaning in their life.
Take adversities as your stimuli, something that will make you stronger, wiser and more determined than ever before, as Manny Pacquiao takes them. Doing so, you’ll gain confidence and be more calculating. With such skill, that will eventually evolve as part of your character, no one can stop you -- not even death -- from making an impact on others and the world around you. You get to Be Better. All the more can you create positive change.
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