Some projects stretch you.
Some leave you with lessons and memories that outlast the project.
And some leave you with friendships and people you know you’ll carry with you long after the work is complete.
Developing a National Circular Economy Framework and Roadmap for the Philippines has been a bit of all three.
As International Expert for Strategy & Policy, I’ve had an incredible experience and the privilege of working with a wonderfully diverse international team across GOPA Worldwide Consultants and GOPA Tech.
International projects have a particular way of testing you.
Late-night calls across time zones.
Intense eight-hour online workshops.
Preparing for a major national-level event while working across three countries.
Things get done as planned — and sometimes they really don’t. And there are moments when you quietly think, “What was I actually thinking?”
Yet somehow, those are often the moments you remember.
Preparing for the High-Level Inter-Agency Roundtable, which brought together national leaders – Cabinet Secretaries and their respective representatives, was one of those moments. There were unexpected twists, sighs and laughter in between, and countless small acts of generosity that kept the team going when things got tough.
I’m particularly grateful to Lyndsay Chapple, whose leadership, trust and steady hand helped us navigate the inevitable storms and keep moving forward.
And to the whole team Brianne Cueco-Inocencio Erica Cardoso Zoilo Jr. Andin @lisa antonio Nele Sophie Kapp Marcus Plahusch Flaviu Pop Richard Gary Pigon @casey mondragon Vesna Lavtizar, PhD — thank you.
Different countries, experiences and perspectives, but somehow one team.
Thank you for fuelling each other when the energy was running low, challenged each other when it mattered, and made a demanding project genuinely enjoyable.
There is no doubt about the importance of a National Circular Economy Framework and Roadmap — one designed to evolve and remain relevant for years to come.
But so are the stories we collect and the friendships we make along the way, which outlasts the original encounter that brought us together.
CirularEconomy NationalFramework NationalRoadmap ThePhilippines
