flashback 2012: graduation

10 October 2012 - 35 students from the Buhisan Watershed finished their 20-day course on basic plumbing and tile-setting and are now ready to take on other income-generating jobs aside from charcoal making.

Congratulations, mi bois! :)

Backpacking Buhisan 2A: Toong

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The second day of my backpacking trip had the most challenging route I’ve ever taken so far.

Whatever notion I had in my mind that since I had experienced some mountain treks for years I would be totally ready for this certain day, ALL OF IT was wiped out the moment I saw what I was really up to. Also, Buhisan may be part of the entire Central Cebu Protected Landscape but it is totally different from the Mananga Watershed—which I frequent. Buhisan’s mountain ranges are mostly rocky AND slope-y, and if you are not careful, you’d easily slip down and hurt yourself. But with the officers and members of the Toong Volunteer Farmers Association with us, I had enough mental leeway to experience the day meaningfully.

Toong is one of the smaller barangays located within the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve. And since most of its land area is particularly mountainous, most of these locals have to contend to living and establishing farms on slopy areas. It’s amazing how these locals are so used to running on these trails with their big baskets (locally called a bakat) on their backs, relying on nothing but their leg power to ensure their safe and balanced tread back to the barangay proper where they would transport their produce to the marketplace.  And it equally makes you glad that the IFS technology is really intended for these farmlands since its format prevents soil erosion and siltation to the dam.

Compared to Dulhogan, it took us an entire day to monitor and document seven farms—that speaks how far the farms are from each other (we actually crossed more than two mountains). It gave me a complete immersive experience since I had time to rest on some of the houses of our farmers, prepare food and eat with them during lunch (that chicken left a great aftertaste for days) and just listen to their life stories.

See entire gallery on my Posterous

Mansanitas

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I once pondered on the beauty of a profession, probably because someone dear to me has asked it for so many times in so many ways for the past years.

And for so many times and in so many ways, I've tried to answer her. Most of my answers were half-baked, though, probably because I was also not too happy with the way things have progressed in my profession.

(At that time, I blandly called profession a 'job sans happiness'.)

The breakthrough came today, at 5:02 PM, as I looked beyond my office window with my office mate, marveling at a mansanitas tree.

Do you know that a mansanitas does not grow that easily? my office mate shares. I tilted my head towards her direction, silently telling her I was listening.

A mansanitas tree does not grow from its seeds. Neither does it grow from its fruit. And it simply cannot grow from its cuttings, although its wood is of fine quality.

The mansanitas fruit has to be eaten by a specific bat species first, and only from this bat's 'poo-poo' can a mansanitas land on the earth and multiply.

This is why you should always protect any mansanitas tree that you see; after all, the bats are getting hunted because people always mistake them for the dark arts simply because they are nocturnal, she adds, as we both looked wistfully at the tree, which I now stare with different eyes.

Things are usually taken at face value, especially in this day and age where life passes you by in a snap that it leaves you less time to appreciate it.

So try to pause, and try to look at the things around you, discover it once more. Relearn it. Explore it. Until it becomes an entirely different thing altogether because you tried to understand it in a way that only your heart and mind combined can.




That is why I believe I am blessed when I can experience learning and exploring new things out of something so common in every day of my life.

This is the beauty of my profession. What is yours?


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Pitter-patter

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I once loved the rain.

And I loved the memories it evoked. I remember my childhood, me wrapped in blankets, basking in the warmth and comfort the rain brought as the pitter-patter lulled me to sleep. Some other times, I would look at the drops which managed to kiss the windowsills as I drink my cup of hot chocolate, speculating on such a wonder of nature.

Other times, I write poems about it. Sometimes, I am not alone in the writing.

My fascination with rain took a drastic turn as my life progressed and was distorted by both traumatic and painful experiences I only wish to forget so I could move on.

In all those times, I feared the rain, and the thunder (for it was too loud to keep my secret hurts) and the lightning (for it can never hide the truth). In those times, I wished it would never rain, for it meant another person's pain, suffering...tears.

And now, as I experienced another downpour, this time relatively safe in the shelter of our home, I can not help but remember EVERYTHING that happened yesterday, and the Saturday before that. Of how the rain howled blood and swallowed the wails of so many victims from a foreign bus held hostage because there are still victims of negative circumstances.

Whatever is being said and done, I will still blame the situation, and never the person.


And how can I forget my own demise, as I looked up the forest dappled sky, swallowing both rain and sweat as I frantically sauntered back from a hilly slope of Cantipla for another bout of our reforestation caravan. The rain showed me no mercy and drenched me completely, and I was lucky enough to develop a common sense to bring additional clothes on this trip, or I'll end up soaking the car seat.

And the experience made me realize what, exactly, we are fighting for. Made me remember why we even bother.

The trees grow lovelier when graced by the rain.

After all is said and done, the pitter-patters on my windowsill remain a bringer of luck.

Such is the wonder of life.

Let's all begin anew.


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Extraordinary

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It still continues to amaze me how I am brought to the right people at the right time, in the right place, for the right reasons.

Last Friday, on the 20th, I assisted one of our senior officers in awarding a plaque to one of our new member companies. With one of our executive committee members, also an executive of one of  Cebu's prestigious banks, we went to the office of said new member company and discussed possible partnerships between our organization and their company.

To say that I was impressed by what they are initially doing within the company is an understatement.

Allow me to take you back to the present image our BPO industry is projecting, based from the observations of both professionals and ordinary citizens of our place.

We mostly see employees of BPOs doing any or all of the following:
(a) they drink alcohol
(b) they party heavily
(c) they spend money unwisely

And some of the reasons that may cause these are:
(a) they want to destress
(b) they don't originally live in Cebu and, thus, look for other means to spend their free time
(c) they love to award themselves for the humongous salaries that they have by spending

Sadly, if you look at the more mature/older people's perspective, this is a sad state which they believe could be a price we have to pay for development.

But not for this company, which we got to meet on a closer level. They may be a BPO, but they believe in the holistic development of their employees and are already organizing activities and events that would harness their other skills and develop their spiritual, mental, physical and social abilities.

One of which activities is to gather these employees for more worthwhile activities like reforestation events, coastal cleanups, feeding programs and many more.

They are also looking up at organizing a scholarship program for their employees' families, and that is just one of the things on their list.

Now this is extraordinary. And I'm blessed to see things like this unfold before my very eyes and be inspired myself to do my very best.


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Real Beauty

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There were hundreds of high-class vehicles, vintage or not.

Men celebrate beauty of their counterparts.

Speed, prance, lift, drift...lots of clicks and shots.

It was all about beauty and camaraderie.

But for me, these are what mattered the most.

 Batteries donated for the Motolite-PBSP

Balik Baterya Program

After all the events that transpired in three days, the 186 batteries donated by these clubs still show that these people have hearts, that at the end of it all, they also are doing something for a good cause.

With these transported to Philippine Recyclers, Inc. by Motolite, we have 186 less batteries to worry about polluting our environment.

We also have 186 batteries which will help fund an additional Learning Resource Center, a mini-library schoolchildren can use to make their learning easier and more meaningful.

All because these clubs simply took time to care and pitched in the donation.

That, for me, is real beauty.


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The city fights back

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Not a long time ago, the army worms staged war against the city of Cebu, using all of Buhisan's teak leaves as their victims of mass destruction.

Now, the city fights back.

It has been found out that there are only five forest wardens for the 29,000-hectare CCPL. Without the city counterpart, the tanods only get an honorarium of Php 100.00 a month.

And the Buhisan Dam now serves around 150,000 cubic meters of water compared to how much it is originally designed to provide - 500,000 cubic meters.

MCWD and CUSW is seriously considering the gradual removal of teak trees, which will be replaced with indigenous trees. This will help promote biodiversity in Cebu and save water at the same time.

SWCF has ideas, too. Selectively log and replace, they say. Sell the teak which will be slowly replaced with indigenous trees - it's one of the finest pieces of lumber - and use the proceeds for any community-based projects.

If the city is seriously looking at Buhisan as an ecotourism site, they have to have the birds.

The Php 2 million royalty courtesy of MCWD must also be pushed, they added.

Law enforcement should be strictly implemented, which would take a lot of political will. The barangays should be involved in all this. Community organizing is a must.

There will be more meetings after this, but I am sure we are all heading towards the right direction now.

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Building sustainability (2 of 2)

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PNP's thrust is not only law enforcement but also environment protection.

The police force in Lapu-lapu City has 45 certified scuba divers.

“The community really needs a livelihood program. If they have no food to eat and have nothing to do, they will have an evil mind.” - BFAR

ABS-CBN comes up with a community-based stewardship program - starting with Tongasan, Olango Island.

Cordova is not even considering the conservation of their bacasi (eel).

Danajon Reef is the only double barrier reef in the Philippines, the Indo-China, and probably the world.

Through a MOA with the Bohol provincial government, the Koreans are planning to cover 1 million hectares of the ocean, where Danjon Reef is also located, with seaweeds. This may cause an imbalance and tragic death to various marine species.

Some people are already eating corals while some fishermen are already using chlorine for the bacasi.

IK stands for indigenous knowledge.




I suddenly developed a love for meetings.

(LINC-CRMG Stakeholders' Meeting)

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Building sustainability (1 of 2)

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I had the privilege of attending the One Cebu Sustainability Business Summit at the Cebu International Convention Center. Since I was only able to catch up on the second part of the affair, the inputs I gathered from the event were a little limited.

From the talks I was able to attend, I can see that the summit was eventful, and very informative.

Let me just take you to a few of the insights that stuck on my mind from the talks of these prestigious speakers.



From Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga:

1. Gawad Kalinga was able to build 207,000 homes all over the Philippines.

2. Sustainability is about trust.

3. We have failed to address the issues of the social justice in a peaceful way.

4. People who heed power and positions have a disconnect to the people from the bottom of the pyramid.

5. The rich is not the enemy of the poor. The poor is not a burden of the rich.

6. There is no absence of generosity, only a lack of trust.

7. It makes good business sense to end poverty.

8. Filipinos can actually end poverty in this country.


From Emmanuel Aligada of Globe:

1. Most SMEs see technology as difficult and expensive.

2. Technology, for SMEs, is something they do not need.

3. LOTSA PIZZA is one of the SMEs Globe was able to help through the SMS mechanism.


From Jun Palafox of Palafox Associates:

1. The Philippines ranks first in marine biodiversity and music.

2. Los Angeles is a 60-year old mistake in planning.

3. Singapore is as big as the island of Guimaras; even Laguna Lake is bigger than Singapore.

4. An association of architects vowed that by 2030, they will all design buildings with zero carbon footprint.

5. One hundred eighty (180) of our 400 rivers are already dead.

6. Look for old Spanish churches. They make sure that the tabernacle does not get flooded.

7. The waterfront is another ideal opportunity for urban planning.

8. Vertical urbanism is the way to go—it eats up less space.


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Worms stage war

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Autumn in the Philippines? Or a disastrous case of climate change?

We passed by the road towards Toong, Buhisan, Cebu to visit our assisted cooperative there.
What we see is this, instead.

My officemates call it the wrath of the army worms.
They feed on teak leaves until they suck on whatever life is left of the leaves, leaving their skeletal remains behind.


This is such a sad, sad, sad phenomenon.
Even I would not like our autumn to arrive this way.


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