BOWWBLOG #51: When the Cats Fight and the Fish Disappear: Finding Our Compass in Chaos
How memes, GDP growth, and corporate overwhelm are telling us the same story—and why our response matters
WHAT: The Headlines That Don't Match
This week, I found myself transfixed by a strange paradox.
On one tab: the ICC arrest warrant for Senator "Bato" dela Rosa was unsealed, triggering chaos inside the Senate walls. Leadership shifted overnight. Barricades went up.
On another tab: the Asian Development Bank called the Philippines a "bright spot" in Southeast Asia, projecting 6% GDP growth—tops in ASEAN.
And on my social media feed? Memes. Hilarious, laugh-out-loud TikToks. We have a cultural superpower: finding humor in the darkest realities.
And on my social media feed? Memes. Hilarious, laugh-out-loud TikToks. We have a cultural superpower: finding humor in the darkest realities.
But beneath the laughter lies an urgent question: Are we actually moving in the right direction?
SO WHAT: The Disconnect We Can't Ignore
We are a country moving in two opposite directions at once:
· Economic Track (Moving Forward): Strong GDP, young workforce, resilient industries.
· Institutional Track (Moving Backward): Press freedom at 114th globally. Polarization deepening. Trust eroding.
The old saying captures it perfectly: "Nag-aaway ang mga pusa, nawawala ang isda." When the cats fight, the fish disappear.
While political factions clash, the everyday "fish"—stable prices, affordable food, personal safety—slip away from ordinary citizens.
I see the same disconnect in organizations. Right now, client after client is facing radical overhauls: C-suite shifts, AI integration, reorganizations, redundancies. Leaders and employees alike are overwhelmed. Everyone rushes down hallways with thumbs blazing on smartphones. We arrive at every meeting still mentally stuck in the last one.
We lead hurried, fractured lives. We lose the richness of the present moment.
But here's what I've learned: mindful presence is not a gift for the few. It is a skill we can cultivate. It gives me access to the 5 Cs: Calm, Clarity, Connection, Courage, Compassion.
We cannot stop the "cats" from fighting in the Senate. But we can choose how we respond to the chaos right in front of us.
NOW WHAT: Steering the Ship from Where You Stand
Individual Level
· Action: Practice daily mindfulness—even 5 minutes—to cultivate the 5 Cs.
· Why: You cannot lead others through instability if your own internal landscape is chaos.
Family Level
· Action: Have honest conversations about budgeting and resource conservation at home.
· Why: Reversing "ubos-ubos biyaya" starts at the kitchen table.
Community Level
· Action: Support local networks, neighborhood associations, or independent truth-tellers.
· Why: When macro-institutions fracture, local trust networks keep us safe.
Organizational Level
· Action: Acknowledge the overwhelm. Use transparent communication to pull your team out of chaos and into co-creation.
· Why: Safe, stable spaces at work are anchors during volatility.
Societal Level
· Action: Use your voice, your vote, and your consumer power to demand accountability.
· Why: Economic growth cannot sustain itself on crumbling institutional foundations.
Let's find the grounding we need to lead with focus and compassion—together.
Your Turn: Which of the 5 Cs—Calm, Clarity, Connection, Courage, or Compassion—do you find hardest to access when your schedule is fractured? Share below.
-Susan Grace Rivera
Posted on: May 17, 2026
A Sanctuary for HR and OD Champions
If you are a Human Resource (HR) or Organization Development (OD) leader standing at the intersection of these complex systems—navigating your own overwhelm while guiding others—you do not have to walk these fractured hallways alone.
Join us for HR4HR: Relevance. A dedicated space to cultivate a calm, quiet mind—engaged mindfulness for, by, and about Human Resources. Bring your own agenda!
📅 June 3, Wednesday 🕐 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM📍 The Loft, Makati City 🔗 Register here: https://www.thetlcsolution.com/hr4hr
