an epiphany of sorts

I was contemplating on using my blog for raising the awareness and consciousness of Filipinos on the Philippine environment, specifically biodiversity. According to a study commissioned by an environmental NGO a few years back, the awareness of Filipinos on the environment was dominantly broader in the brown issues (e.g., solid waste, air pollution). While the green and blue environments also showed up in the collective consciousness of Filipinos, biodiversity was known the least, constituting only 1% of the total samples. This meant that Filipinos barely knew about biodiversity and its importance--in fact, people don't know what it means when asked most of the time.

And so, in the six years of being in conservation work, I thought maybe I could use my blog (aside from my writing on my personal journey in life) for the purpose of letting more people know about biodiversity. Somehow the blogging concept got to me (thanks to Malu and Gabe really for pushing me), and I thought blogging has been increasingly becoming popular among Filipinos. Blogging could be used to bring biodiversity information closer to the general public through its relatively informal and interactive medium.

Also, there are many blogs concentrating on specific themes such as politics, investing, entertainment, food, etc. However, there are hardly any local blogs focusing on environmental concerns. To fill in that void, I knew, was a great opportunity waiting to happen.

Somehow the idea of doing it by myself became apparently too great for me to do alone. What if I invited other people--bloggers or writers who are Filipinos, and are similarly passionate about the environment as I am--to join me in this crusade? The idea was ringing in my head. I was excited because I knew I had realized the opportunity, and with that kind of excitement pulsating in my imagination, I wanted to get to work as soon as I could. I told Rina about it, and she concurred that we ought to do it.

I set myself to inviting people and friends I knew well (or even barely) who were willing to volunteer their time and energy to write about biodiversity in a fresh way. This experience itself of seeing people join under the banner of this endeavor was already fulfilling. Other than myself, nine other people intended to contribute (although I still plan on inviting other people to join the current team). It was at this point where I realized that our various experiences and competencies, our diversity so to speak, spoke of what we wanted to advocate--uniqueness and diversity. But our common goal tied us together, like the multitude of different species existing in the world belonging to the same macrocosm.


So today, the International Day of Biodiversity, we launched the Samu't Saring Buhay blog, of which the name was appropriately derived from the Filipino term for "biological diversity." It is my hope that through our endeavor, a day of small beginnings, would result in more Filipinos knowing what the term "biodiversity" means, or hear of it not only in academic textbooks but rather even in the common places in our everyday lives.

[Photo credits: Katie Hampson: Polillo Forest Frog (Platymantis polillensis); Edwino Fernando: Forest topview; Rhonson Ng: Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jeffreyi); Ocean World: Coral reef; Albert Mamora and Julie Barcelona: Rafflesia in Sibalom Natural Park (Rafflesia speciosa); and Don De Alban: Sunrise at Bongao Peak in Tawi-Tawi, Spiny Hill Turtle (Heosemys spinosa), Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)]

finale finally

That's right. WOOOOOHHHHHHOOOO! Three days to go!

I feel it in my gut that this upcoming episode will be the finale of finales--that's considering that they've never disappointed their viewers to begin with. I know I'm not. I wonder if they'll be able to transcend the intensity of episodes 18 and 20, or if they'll ever bring closure to the loose ends and questions of the Heroes storyline. And speaking of closure, who do you think will remain between Peter Petrelli and Sylar as the evolutionary progression of the species? Place your bets now!

the beginning of the end?

In the words of former Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, "It will be the beginning of the end if we lose this coming May elections," of which she meant that if the pro-administration candidates dominate the next Congress, the government will believe that they can now do anything that they want and would stop at nothing to blatantly push for their personal gains. And so she admonished her audience during an election seminar on Monday last week to not let this ominous possibility go unchallenged for the sake of this country.

I believe her words that the the forces of good and evil in the country are engaged in an epic battle, such that the outcome of the elections would be the culmination and turning point--and that if evil triumphs, the country will enter dark times of which the end is uncertain and the effects are catastrophic. News during the past weeks have seen a lot of election-related violence; rival parties have been at each other's throats ever since the election campaigns started. And I don't even know where to begin re-telling you of Soliman's warnings--especially so since she has already seen how strings are pulled by government to satiate its whims--of the machinations of the Arroyo administration to win and dominate the next Congress. I heed her words, not because I trust her completely, but because I only need to look around me and I see the signs happening all around me.

Is the beginning of the end already imminent? Personally, I hope not. I truly hope not. Nakakatakot isipin. I would like to think that my singular and personal commitment to be involved would contribute in tipping the balance for good. I am trying as much as I can to saturate myself with election lore so I can make the wisest decisions I can ever make in my life at this time. I've used my blog in the hope that its readers would know what I've discovered. I've volunteered for an independent election quick count. And tomorrow evening, my three female housemates and me would be discussing about senatorial candidates in an attempt to determine the bases for why we are (or why we are not) voting for them. While these are good and necessary, I've also just realized that involvement should not just begin and end at pre-election efforts. I should be constantly vigilant and watchful of those people whom I've elected to represent me in government even beyond the elections.

But can my (or any) sole effort be worth anything? I mean, I'm just one person and singularly I know I am a negligible statistic. I guess the only comforting thought is that I know that there are other nameless individuals out there who are in the same crusade as I am. My only hope is that our numbers and commitment would be enough to turn the tide.

-o0o-

In the talk of Dinky Soliman, she explained the Black & White List Campaign, which sought to identify and classify candidates from 100 congressional districts as either "black" (to mean we should not vote for these people) or "white" (as those whom we should vote) on the basis on the candidate's track record on the impeachment complaint against GMA, the amendment of House Rules, and Charter Change.



Take Manny Pacquiao who is running for congressman in the 1st district of South Cotabato, for instance. He's in the black list. Why? He is under the administration's fold and is pitted against incumbent Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who was one of those who adamantly voted against dismissing the impeachment complaint. Ain't it a wonder that administration is strategically placing "winnable" candidates against more credible lawmakers who are strongly opposing GMA? For Pacquiao, I'm all for his good intentions and desire to help people. But if he's only going to serve unknowingly as a pawn to corrupt politicians, he might actually do more harm than good. He'd be better off as the Pambansang Kamao.

Anyway, visit their website if you would like to see their listing or know more about them and their reform agenda. They also have a black and white listing for party list groups.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke