I am no fan of boxing, but I agree with someone dear who said, “Manny (Pacquiao) showed the world how having perseverance, patience and passion despite the lack of resources can mean reaching your dream.” One is never too young or too old to have a vision of the life that one desires.
As an environmental advocate, I have always believed in the power of the youth to effect reforms while in the journey to build the nation. The phenomenal Save Tañon Strait Citizens Movement (STSCM), powered largely by young professionals and students, was key in bringing home the point that oil drilling in the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape destroyed the lives and livelihood of the people and the already threatened habitat of whales, dolphins, fish and marine resources. The STSCM members’ enthusiasm, creativity and passion fueled the many successful campaigns ranging from environmental education to policy-influencing, despite meager funds, as everyone was a volunteer.
I was in Siaton, Negros Oriental last week, amazed by young professionals doing magnificent work and marching on in organizing a life-changing SEA (Sea and Earth Advocates) Camp. The SEA Camp is a joint project of the Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and the United States Embassy, which brings together selected young Filipino leaders who are 18 to 23 years old. It aims to “empower young seatizens as leaders in conservation.” There are three regional camps, with one each in Luzon (Batangas) on April 15-21, Visayas (Negros Oriental) on April 27-May 3 and Mindanao (Tawi-Tawi) on May 9-May 15. Each camp has 5 days of fieldwork, workshops, mural painting, snorkeling, scuba diving and ecotourism activities. After each camp, the participants get to propose a project that could be funded and implemented.
Anna Oposa, co-founder of SPS and Project Director of the SEA Camp invited me at the start of the year, to speak during the panel session, “Overview of the Philippine Seas,” on the topic “Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns.” With the latest Supreme Court decision annulling the Service Contract that allowed the destructive offshore drilling in Tañon Strait, it was perfect timing to speak about the ruling, its implications for a stronger protection to our fragile ecosystems and environmental rights, and the crucial role of the STSCM members, especially the youth and other partners in pushing for the advocacy to restore the ecological health of the Tañon Strait, amid the odds.
Dr. Angel Alcala of Silliman University, known as the Father of Marine Protected Areas, shared his vast knowledge and expertise with youth leaders on the status, issues and threats of our oceans. He also shared that in his younger days, he and his friends would camp in the venue, the serenely picturesque Balanan Lake. We had a chance to speak about the Tañon Strait saga. His endearing words were “Continue the advocacy.”
We were privileged to hear from the young leaders and fellow speakers, who were as inspired that soon 90 “seatizens” will follow the footsteps of young and visionary leaders in the mold of Anna Oposa and her team mates, Kim and Jean.
Having a SEA Camp was a personal dream come true for Anna. She shared in her Letter of ‘Appreseaation’ that “When I was 18 years old, I made a wish upon a star(fish) that one day I would get to organize a youth conference focusing on the Philippine environment. I didn’t know I would get into marine conservation then, since I was still set on becoming a Broadway star (seriously!). In the years to come, I had the privilege of participating and speaking in conferences all over the world, from Batangas to Brazil, and kept folders of programs and worksheets to serve as my reference for this dream.
Sometime in 2012, I even created a concept note and draft program for this youth conference. It frustrated me that only youth from higher socio-economic classes had opportunities I had, and that many of the youth conferences in the Philippines were Manila-centric and had such low expectations from youth (i.e., “Let’s create an action plan!” with no follow up). I refused to accept that the Philippines, my little archipelago, a country touted as the center of biodiversity on land and water, did not encourage meaningful youth participation in conservation.”
That ferocious determination paved the way for the SEA Camp to be a reality, to the benefit, initially of 90 youth leaders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Anna notes that “Perhaps changing the mindsets of 90 individuals is but a drop in the ocean, but I believe that building their knowledge and confidence will create waves of change in their corners of the Philippines.”
Having been part of some of the activities, read the module and imagining the tremendous preparation such regional trainings require, hats off to Anna, the SPS and the US Embassy for the marvelous work on the SEA Camp and in helping empower our talented youth to lead in the conservation movement.
Superb work, Anna. Mabuhay!
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