c;,,-pcric nces and 111oclcs of actions to be open to 01'11er ways of doin~ or looki:ng al things and events. Hence, Lbc danger of presuming to decide in nn nbsolule \Wl)' on the worth of other people's conditions or ideals. Pc11·tncrship requires that participants lenrn to be open-mi nded in order lo sec rind undcrs111ntl thini:;s. events, and people,-. ithout limitntions imposed by prejudices ond itliosync. rnsics. Partners arc expected to po:=:scss the skill lo view things a ncl experiences from each ol'ht:r's perst)Cctivcs to arrive at a more relevant and npprnf)rintc! snlution Ill any problem that concerns them both. Respect and Trust Fo1· persons to he able lo engage in ;111 egalitarian rel;itionship they need lo hnvc respect for each other's worth and trust on the potentialities ;md c,1pabililie s of c:1ch one despite difforl!nc es in beliefs. vnl11cs. and experiences. P:irtnurs may come from 1111 sectors representi ng a cross-section of socio-economic. cultur:il. ed11calional or political backgrounds. These backgrounds may nffcct rho partners' expect:1tions and perception s of each other. A concrete cxnmplc is what can be obsuned duting community assemblies. The poor and the le. ss ed11c1. 1ted go to the mectin~ with the e~pertnrion that the professionals ancl other beller-ed11catcd mcmh<-'rs will nnnirally display their verbal prowess ;md dominate the disew,sion. Likewise, the prnfrssionals v. rill expect the pnor and the less educated to be passive, submissive, anrl subsc'r Yicnt members. These expectatio ns become such a self-fulfilling pr()pbecythatthcdesignatcd partners could not learn to have respect for the capabilities and potentia Uties of each other. Respect and t,,. 1st also form the basic ingredients of a relationship where each partner does not use the other to gel the honor or rewai·d only for himself. Many health p1·ofessiona ls and the organizations Lhey represent are not too encouraged Lo engage in a partnership because past experiences proved that others get the recognition for t J1e success of an endeavor, the efforts and investments of which had been a shared activity in the first place. Failure to earn respect and trust is one major cause why i J1jtial experiences 011 establishing partnership can not be sustained through the working phase of the relationship. A sustained commitment to the partnership is a result ofrespcct and trust that partners earn by-~uch actions as do E. ng one·s share of the work to the best of one's ability, keeping promises and appointments, maintaining a hvo-way commun ication and being sincere and honest with one's relationships. Commitment to enhance each other's capabilities for partnership As mentioned earlier, not everyone designated to engage in a p,irtuership has the necessary skills to do so. Beliefs, values. feelings, idiosyncrasies and prejudices affect the partne1·'s capabilities to initiate and sustain an eg Hlitarian relationship. Partnersh. ip l'equires a co-responsib ility. Participants must constr\l Ct together the foundation of a mutuall y growth~promoting relationshi1) using themseh·es as "bricks". Each partner must be ready to help build up another and he, in turn. should be wi Jli. ng to be helped build up himself. If a member does not havetheeapability necessary for him to perform his share of the work, the partner must be able to develop such capability. Each one must be able to pull up the other to u level of functioning where both of them c. 111 work as co-equals. Each parlner mu. <;t have tl,e commitment tn bring n11t the best in the other as much as he brings out the best in himself. Such a commitment is 111:!cessory to support each other through the grm,ving puins of establishin g a viable p,1rtncrship. 117 