It is time to ‘link up’

“We are all joined to each other like links in a chain. Lift one link and others are raised with it.” - Dr. Arlene K. Unger from her book, “COURAGE”

“Let’s Volt In!” – Voltes V

Link up is the act of connecting or putting together. As a phrasal verb, link up in common usage is to join other people or organizations for a particular purpose. It is a common phrase but one that has deep meaning and relevance for individuals or society in the light of recent events.

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine who wanted to run in the upcoming barangay elections and challenge the incumbent asked my advice on the first step in organizing his campaign team. I told him what an old mentor once taught me -- link up. A former student who just left the corporate world and wanted to do business on his own sought my advice on how to get started. I gave him the same answer -- link up.

An old classmate who is semi-retired asked me what he could do with his spare time. I told him to do link ups and volunteer work. Lastly, another friend of mine recently told me that he was suffering from a mid-life crisis and that he felt lost lately. Knowing that he was an introvert like me, I told him to try and … you guessed it -- link up with old friends.

In politics, linking up with old friends, colleagues or with other people who believe in the same things is often the best way to start organizing your political or “campaign” team. In business, linking up also gives you access to fresh ideas, news that you don’t see in the media, opportunities, openings and the occasional loans.

People suffering from boredom or even mild depression often find relief in meeting up with old friends and doing activities that they mutually enjoy. Even if no concrete objective is achieved, linking up often gives us the pleasures of social interaction. In fact, I heard of an old friend who linked up with a group who does social media group bashing. Their current target is the social media personality who did the “Ama Namin” remix. They realized that bashing as a group often brings results. I heard that this did wonders to his mild depression.

There are problems facing our nation that can also be helped by people linking up. I have seen individuals and organizations recently linking up to do volunteer work with communities and groups to provide assistance on matters involving food production, small and medium scale and livelihood enterprises.

Recently, I accompanied an NGO group of businessmen and entrepreneurs provide start-up funds and materials for mobile livelihood projects. So Far, they have visited fifteen communities and conducted training and assistance projects.

In regional geopolitics, we have seen recent regional link ups for trade like RCEP and other bilateral and multilateral trade treaties that allow mutual economic interests to be achieved. Mutual defense cooperation between countries to achieve common goals are now being made. Scenes of navy vessels from different countries conducting joint exercises in international waters are now a common sight.

It is time to consider aggressive link ups as an effective tool for many things.

This is my oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.