PASIG CITY – Las Vegas, Nevada-resident Melvin Romano wasn’t worried when he lost in betting that a local governance concept for his hometown in Bicol could best other groups.

“We didn’t lose. We’re just starting,” Romano said after his group Amus Na Kita Oasnon’s (Anko) project wasn’t chosen among the World Bank’s grant awardees in its recently-concluded contest for social development ideas.

Romano was echoing the message sent via mobile phone by townmate Francine Chamorro in New York.