What We Do
We're on a mission to impart change by connecting peoples through letters. In a nutshell, Dearest Sagada is a not for profit but a youth-led initiative and is seeking to create a crowd sourced vision for Sagada.
What is Dearest Sagada?
What we plan to take shape.
DEAREST SAGADA is a campaign that aims to collect tons of letters from interested, concerned and involved citizens with Sagada connections, about their message for the future of Sagada. This is inspired by the Service Design Thinking which involves the people in its planning and organizing, to strategize all the components attached to the given service to improve quality and interface between the providers and the recipients. So Service Design Thinking works with the grassroots and elevates the status of those who are directly (and indirectly) affected by a service.
One of our benchmarks is the DEAREST SCOTLAND CAMPAIGN launched in 2011. Like the DEAREST SCOTLAND campaign, the DEAREST SAGADA is a platform that enables the free expression of ideas and thoughts, feelings and expressions from people who have something to say. It comes in the form of letters, handwritten or digitally-made. Why letters? It’s innovative, it is more personal, and isn’t it more meaningful to write letters to the ones you care about?
So yes, you say that the DEAREST SAGADA is just about you talking to someone you care about. But what is important is we want you to write your letter to Sagada.
Why are we doing this and why Sagada?
Our reasons.
One of the reasons why we decided to adopt this project is because we want to usher change in a new way. And yes, it is timely because we, as a nation, and as a municipality, will be electing our new batch of leaders who we hope will keep the legacy of making Sagada one of the best places to live in. Isn’t it great to write to Sagada and express what we feel about her? But more than it being connected to politics, we are doing this because we want the people to connect deeper with Sagada, and establish a more meaningful relationship enveloped by a deeper sense of care not just for today but for the future. Sagada is just a small start (well because one of the initiators is from Sagada), but we will slowly expand and include other areas. We love Sagada, many people do. So let us join hands and shape the best Sagada. The DEAREST PHILIPPINES will be launched soon too. If you want to know more about our campaign, or if you want to forward your own and want to connect, feel free to contact us through dearestsagada@gmail.com.
How does it work?
What do I do?
It’s actually simple. We are already providing you a template to work with. You can find copy of this template in the website, or in our Facebook page Dearest Sagada. Just download, print out, compose your letter (handwritten or typed, but we really do love to see your handwriting), and send it back to us via email or post. If you want us to send you the hard-copy version, send us an email with your name and mailing address.
What should be the content of a letter?
What should I write?
You can also write basically ANYTHING (you read that right)! You can write as much as you want or a word is just enough. Tell a story, a dream, a vision, an experience. You can be poetic, romantic, amusing, serious, provoking, or angstful. We trust you with that, but please do start with Dearest Sagada…
Our Aspirations.
What do we want to achieve?
Well, first of all, we want your letters, as many of them as possible. Once we receive your letters, we will have them catalogued and will be available for viewing though our website. More than that, we hope to exhibit your letters in the future, of course in Sagada, and we will invite the entire community for a reading session with friendly discussions (probably over cups of overflowing coffee – who wouldn’t love that?). We also aim to compile your letters in a book. Finally, we will work with the locals especially the youth in the creation of events to follow-up your letters.
Throughout the year we will continue collecting and archiving your letters (let’s see how many volumes we can come up with). Later on, with our team of young people from the community, we will work together to analyze common themes from your letters.
Write Your Letter
There are many ways for you to participate and write your letters.
Send us your letter back.
Here are two ways:
Digital lover? Scan, photo, or save your files in pdf and email us at dearestsagada@gmail.com.
Love the snail mail? We do too! Send us your letter to:
Dearest Sagada
P.O. Box 219
2600 Baguio City
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