im joel lee from cebu, the philippines.
i discovered permaculture through my sister Edna who came across the movement in New Mexico USA during a summer alternative house design project. personal interest was making my own electric car. but in the process of my research i came across Peak Oil issues, and became disillusioned by the way many things are today. my sister asked me to check permaculture once again. after that "disillusionment" i quickly comprehended how permaculture is a movement that seeks true sustainability thorough a partnership with nature. that was in late 2007.

in Feb 2008, with my sister Edna and nephew Mikko, i took up an introduction to permaculture with Bert Peeters who has a development site 90 km north of Manila, named Cabiokid. Upon our return to Cebu we started at once on an Urban permaculture site,which we named KGZ for Kamagayan Green Zone. in March 2008, i headed to NSW to take up a permaculture certificate course with Geoff & Nadia Lawton at PRI, Diversity Farms in the Channon.After the PDC i was able to attend the APC 9 held at Sydney and got to meet many of the dynamic inspiring people who are leading the permaculture movement worldwide.

Currently, i am putting permaculture into practice in many ways. Our family business enterprise: 3 economy hotels, apartments/business locations for lease, etc is using the permaculture paradigm. we have adopted the vision: "sharing our sustainable way of life". Then we are developing two permaculture sites: one in the city 1200 sqm urban garden, and a 4 ha rural site by the mangroves, named KPAF for katunggan permaculture adventure farm, which is being developed as a "Nature Sanctuary for Life Changing Adventures". I have also been organizing permaculture introductions and trainings. Currently with 4 other learning guides, we are going through a second PLG (permaculture learning group), which is a thorough introduction to permaculture design over 8 modules. our cebu permaculture group has already organized the first ever permaculture convergence in the philippines in collaboration with the other permaculture practitioners in the country. that was in feb 12-14 2010. we are looking forward to a second national convergence event.