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Jay A. Carizo
Iran has always been a theater of conflict. In the 4th century BCE when it was still called “Persia”, Cyrus the Younger recruited at least 10,000 Greek mercenaries with a straightforward mission: march into Persian territory, win a political struggle against King Artaxerxes II, claim victory, and return home rewarded. But the plan failed and Cyrus was killed in battle. The Ten Thousand was then left stranded deep in hostile territory—leaderless, surrounded by enemies, and far from home.
The Greeks retreated and this story was documented by Xenophon, one of the Greek mercenaries who responded to Cyrus’s call, in a book titled “Anabasis”.
The modern-day Persia is again at the crossroads of war and power with the world as its battlefield. The escalating tensions and confrontations between the United States and Iran have threatened key oil routes disrupting global supply chains and driven fresh volatility in global energy markets. For a country like the Philippines which is heavily dependent on imported fuel, the effects are immediate and far-reaching. Rising global oil prices quickly translate into higher domestic fuel costs, increased transportation expenses, and upward pressure on the prices of basic goods. The strain has been felt on the ground, including renewed calls for relief measures and transport-sector action. And, just like the Greeks in Anabasis, we find ourselves navigating a situation we did not initiate, in a terrain we do not control.
The Greek mercenaries did not expect to retreat. Similarly, Filipino families did not expect sudden, repeated increases in fuel prices. Yet both situations share a common turning point -- The original plan no longer works.
Budgets are then recalibrated, travel is reduced, and livelihoods are strained. The shift is subtle but profound: From planning to coping, and from growth to survival.
In Anabasis, survival became possible only when leadership stabilized. Xenophon helped provide direction, purpose, and communication.
In contrast, leadership uncertainty today—marked by public disagreements and mixed policy signals—creates confusion. In times of crisis, uncertainty at the top cascades downward, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the heaviest burden.
If there is a level of governance that can respond with immediacy and clarity, it is the Local Government Units (LGUs). LGUs operate closest to the lived realities of citizens including the transport operators and drivers struggling with fuel costs, market vendors adjusting prices daily, commuters trying to manage their daily budgets, and families stretching their limited incomes.
In this context, LGUs are not merely implementers of national policy. They are frontline institutions of stability and response. They can provide targeted assistance to vulnerable sectors, strengthen price monitoring and local market regulation, support localized production systems to reduce dependency on long supply chains, and promote alternative and more sustainable transport solutions, among others.
The crisis also underscores the relevance of the Adapt + Innovate Leadership Program of the Galing Pook Foundation. The Program is anchored on the framework that in times of disruption, leadership must move beyond routine governance. It must learn how to adapt swiftly to immediate shocks, direct resources where they are most urgently needed, and deploy short-term relief measures without losing sight of systemic reform.
Just like in Anabasis, Xenophon and his fellow commanders confronted precisely this kind of challenge. After the collapse of their mission, they had to abandon the illusion of a fixed plan and instead respond to reality as it unfolded which included changing routes, reorganizing their ranks, negotiating with hostile groups when possible, and fighting when necessary, all to keep moving and eventually reach the sea. For today’s leaders, especially in government, the message is unmistakable: survival in a crisis depends not only on endurance, but on the ability to adapt under pressure and innovate in the face of uncertainty.
The second is to innovate—by developing new systems that reduce vulnerability, investing in sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and creating long-term solutions to recurring crises. Galing Pook programs have consistently demonstrated this shift from short-term response to systems change. In the energy sector, for instance, the Municipality of San Luis in Aurora has shown how local governments can generate renewable power through its Dimanayat Micro-Hydro Power Project. Similarly, Barangay General Malvar in Santiago City, Isabela, has advanced a “Solar Power Revolution,” using solar energy to support community needs and reduce dependence on external power sources. These initiatives reflect a broader transition—from reacting to crises to building resilience against future shocks.
Beyond energy, Naga City’s Kaantabay sa Kauswagan program addressed urban poverty through community-driven solutions. Marikina’s flood management and urban systems show how preparedness reduces vulnerability. And if the targeted beneficiaries cannot go to the government centers to receive the services, then the latter goes to the residents as the case of Dungog Kariton of Poblacion, Tupi, South Cotabato or the Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties (TUCAD) Program of Goa, Camarines Sur. These are examples of leadership that moves beyond reaction and toward resilience.
Adaptation ensures survival. Innovation ensures that the same crisis does not repeat with the same intensity.
The oil price increase is not an isolated issue. It reveals deeper structural concerns heavy reliance on imported energy, limited local buffers against global shocks, and slow transition toward alternative energy sources.
These vulnerabilities mean that every external disruption—whether geopolitical or economic—translates quickly into domestic hardship. Hence, what we are facing is not just a price issue, but a systems challenge.
The enduring lesson of Anabasis is not simply that the Greeks survived. It is that they learned to reorganize, adapt, and move collectively through uncertainty.
For Philippine LGUs, the challenge is similar: They must move beyond reactive measures and build systems that anticipate and absorb shocks. They must also strengthen local economies and reduce external dependence
The Ten Thousand marched toward the sea to survive. Today, we navigate rising costs and uncertainty.
The question is no longer simply how to manage oil prices. The real question is: how do we lead through disruption?
National leadership must provide coherence. LGUs must anchor stability and innovation. Communities must move together.
As Anabasis reminds us, we may not control the terrain—but with effective leadership, we can still chart a path forward.