I always wished for peace since I was young.

When I think of peace, I don’t just see a word — I feel a warmth in my chest, a soft exhale, a surrender to something bigger than myself. That’s personal peace: contentment with who I am, gratitude for what I have, and trust in the Divine Source guiding every step.

Then I stepped into a mission with the Badjao community, and the picture changed. I witnessed their daily challenges — gathering water from a distant water source, taking a bath infront of other neighborhood, enduring discrimination — yet still they smiled and warmly welcomed us. I saw children laughing, playing, and helping to prepare and store their stockable cassava food, while also noticing the lack of basic necessities. I felt the weight of their reality: survival of the land, endless disputes, and continuous uncertainty about where they belong. For them, peace is simple yet profound: a secure roof, food each day, education, a place where their children can grow without fear. What is normal for us is a luxury for them.

That experience reshaped me. It showed me that peace is not only an inner state but also a collective act of care. Even when systems feel too big to move, presence, listening, and small actions still matter. I also witnessed how women respond differently to crisis. Some are triggered into anger or grief; others quietly hold families together. Behind each reaction is a story, a reason, a resilience shaped by personal history and environment.

Out of these lessons, my dream of “Heaven on Earth” became clearer — not just an idea but a vision of off-grid, sustainable communities where people feel safe in body, mind, spirit, and in their shared home. We envision these communities as a tangible expression of that dream — off-grid spaces where stewardship, interdependence, and mindful living create harmony with nature, with one another, and with a shared purpose.

Along the way, Yugto x Tala began as my own safe, grounding space — a quiet place where I could find peace, reflection, and connection within myself, wherever I might be. Over time, it became a crafted path and living experience where people come together to process their stories, heal through art and share hope within the community.

Amidst the challenges our country is facing, it wasn’t always easy to continue this journey. Yet something kept calling me forward. With the support and presence of the community, I was reminded that gatherings like this serve as a tool for inner peace that radiates outward — a space for connection, storytelling, reflection, and creative expression, even amidst uncertainty.

Through its practices — sharing stories, creating art, and engaging in collective healing — Yugto x Tala carries forward the lessons of care, resilience, and hope, helping transform the ideals of peace and belonging into a lived reality.

“Each story shared, each presence offered, builds a circle of peace that carries hope beyond this moment.