QUERIES SEEKING COMMENTS & ANSWERS:

Why has the active core of the Philippine environment movement remained so small
after all these decades? 

Have we been trying to get many other people to be active stakeholders in effective environmental conservation, or have we been too busy and exhausted trying to do all the work?

How can we successfully rebut the excuses we hear from those who just prefer to be apathetic or passive fence-sitters?

We've been disseminating so much information, but it seems so many are not even interested. Isn't it about time we fully addressed the ethical questions concerning collective responsibility?

ANSWERS RECEIVED ON-LINE:

Senders: CORNEL BONGCO (Cavite, Oct. 10); LIA ESQUILLO (Davao City, Oct. 10); ERNIE GONZALES (Pateros, Oct. 12); LODEL D. MAGBANUA (Rodriguez, Rizal, Oct. 13); ROY CABONEGRO (Rodriguez, Rizal, Oct. 14); RENE PINEDA (COCAP, Oct. 15); NINA GALANG (Miriam College, Oct. 15); ESTHER PACHECO (COCAP, Oct. 16); EDWARD STA. ANA (Kilusang Lakas Pamayanan, Oct. 16); AUCHEE VILLARAZA (Creative Space, Oct. 16);

CORNEL BONGCO (Cavite, Oct. 10) EVEN THE DEPARTMENT of Education does not seem to have a clear guideline on how Environmental Education is to be done. Perhaps there is massive ignorance even among policy makers and massive deaths caused by natural calamities have not been associated in a way to the need for more environmental education. Perhaps because this is being treated as an expense and would compete for the amounts that could have been in the pockets of thieves. Perhaps because we have been enjoying the privileges of being in a country rich in natural resources and fine weather without having a clear sense of the responsibility everyone should have. It really starts with one's own family. When waste prevention is practiced and consciously talked about as important When wastage is seen as ugly while taking responsibility is virtuous. When children learn that there is value beyond money. When character is applauded better than anything. When we do not keep quiet when atrocities against common decency is done like when you gently remind people not to throw trash just anywhere else and not to smoke because non- smoking people are offended. When stupidity is not rewarded and decency is. When even the religious had been so quiet as to the indecency of environmental crimes. And even hoodlums in robes concur with stupidity. Probably it starts with disgust or dissatisfaction over the current state of affairs then change could start.  (back)    LIA ESQUILLO (Davao City, Oct. 10) I LIKE THE TOPIC for the next forum. Indeed, effective environmental education is an urgent challenge. It is only when we reach peoples minds and hearts can they be moved to act. And action is urgent to avert the environmental destruction going on around us. Here in Davao City, one strategy we employ in reaching out and educating the public about the different environment issues we carry is through the media -- radio, TV and print. We've had a proactive media advocacy work for the past 4 years. This strategy was instrumental in our winning the ban aerial spraying ordinance in the city as well as our other struggles to protect the city's upland watersheds. It is hard to gauge how effective our media work has been. But when we hear fellow passengers in a jeepney talking about the need for 'buffer zones' beside rivers or a taxi driver expressing fear about the impact of a hydro power plant to the city's water resources; and many other similar scenes that seem to echo our lines, then maybe we can say we're getting somewhere. But then again, environmental activism still leaves much to be desired here. I would be able to physically join the forum on the 17th and I hope to be able to share more about our strategies here in Davao City as well as give everyone updates about our continuing saga to keep toxic spraying planes off our skies. Mabuhay!    (back)     ERNIE GONZALES (Pateros, Oct. 12) THIS KAMAYAN FORUM on Environmental Education is urgently needed in the predicament of the present situation. The once beautiful Blue Earth in the 1960's had turned into color gray today. Despite the global response to the problem from the Rio of 1992 to Johannesburg of 2002, consensus revealed nothing substantial had happened ever since the Rio Conference up to the Johannesburg Conference. The situation of the Planet had turn from worse to its worst. We are in the midst of the planetary scale turmoil of climate change, slowing down of the planetary ocean currents compounded by the drying up of both Arctic and Antarctica, stronger hurricanes due to increase temperature of the planet, and so forth. Today, nations are beginning to feel the effect of this greatest predicament of humankind. Though environmental education had cascaded into the formal curriculum of the academe, what is urgent is the more popular education of the masses. Therefore, this topic of the Kamayan Forum on Environmental Education is very timely and pointed to the exactitude of the present situation.   (back) LODEL D. MAGBANUA (Rodriguez, Rizal , Oct. 13) I THINK THERE IS a whole lot of materials out there on environmental issues. I think some are cleverly done and effective. but as I go around in various parts of the country, it seems that there is still a need for environment 101 sessions. I'm afraid to say that poverty is also a major hindrance. Poverty is the other face of environmental degradation, aside from the exploitation of natural resources by extractive industries, major manufacturing corporations that pollute the air, land and water. When one's family is hungry, it takes a lot of strength to refuse an offer from a middle man -- money to cut trees for lumber or to produce charcoal. But these realities should further inspire us to innovate and try out new strategies. One thing we could do is to work with public school teachers and parish workers who are in the forefront in rural and urban communities. Teachers particularly are overworked and underpaid. They have limited time to innovate or study new materials or revise their 3-5 year old lesson plans. Perhaps we could help design teaching aids that is easy to use and access and are based on the national curriculum per grade level. The idea is that students who may not be able to finish elementary and high school (a harsh reality, again) will be equipped with knowledge and skills to care for the environment and at the same time earn a livelihood through non-timber and food products they can produce in the process or develop a skill for environment services. We could also tap power of the radio which reaches rural areas more than print and television can. radio programs that feature discussion on environment issues with practical applications may truly help. I know of somebody who has stayed healthy despite stress and pollution and has not been very sick. She got her tips on proper hygiene, natural food supplements and exercise from a radio station that feature health related topics. She was able to access health products through information from this radio show. It might be a good idea to maximize radio. As lawyer friends used to say, the burden of governance lies on the governed. An educated and empowered public can serve as a counterpoint to the greed of some individuals and entities that is destroying our natural resources and the living earth. "If there is no wind, row." -- A Latin proverb                                              (back) ROY CABONEGRO (Secretary, Partido Kalikasan Institute, Oct. 14) LUMALAWAK BA daw ang hanay natin? Tuloy tuloy pa ba tayong nangyayaya ng ibang sumama sa gawain natin? Paano ba daw natin kokontrahin ang mga palusot ng ibang ayaw makialam? Madami na daw impormasyon pero mukha konti lang ang interesado sa mga impormasyon na ito. Panahon na daw na harapin ang ethical questions on collective responsibility. Isang bahagi sa problema ay ang sobrang daming tanong. Kaya simplehan lang natin. Ito ay di usapin ng edukasyon. Ito ay usapin ng pagpapaunlad ng ating buhay at proteksyon sa ating sarili at sa mga mahal natin sa buhay (pamilya, kamaganak, kapitbahay, kaibigan, kababayan, etc etc). Ang kalikasan ay di isang bagay na mainam na ayusin at paunlarin pag naayos mo na ang iba pang mas mahahalagang bagay tulad ng trabaho, pag-aaral,atbpa. Ang kalikasan ay buhay mo. Nakasalalay sa kalikasan ang buhay at pag-unlad ng buhay mo. Di mo lang alam. Dumadami ang nakakaalam at nakakaramdam pero totoong konti ang gumagalaw kasi di naman nila nararamdaman na ang mga environmental issues at environmental concepts na ating tinuro ay may kinalaman direkta sa pang araw araw nilang problema - pagkain, pamasahe, pambayad sa bahay, pang tuition ng anak, pambayad sa kuryente, etc etc etc. Di naman nila nakikita at di rin natin naipapakita na ang mga isyu at konseptong ito ay magpapaunlad sa kanilang buhay at solusyon sa kanilang mga pang araw araw na problema. Maraming nakakaunawa sa ibat ibang isyu. Kanina lang palabas ko ng subdivision namin ang nasakyan kung tricycle ay 2 stroke at gumagamit ng 2T kaya ng paarangkada sya sa isang pataas na kalye, puting usok na sobra sobra ang buga nya. Pero hiyang hiya sya dahil toxic daw yun at nakaka dagdag sa global warming. Pinaliwanag pa nya kung paano. Tricyce driver ito nag grade 6 ang natapos. Pero noong tinanong ko sya kung bakit di pa sya nagpapalit ng makina. Gusto daw nya pero mahal eh. Di nya kaya. Narinig na rin daw nya yng electric tricyle pero mahal din daw. Di nya kaya. Ito ang problema natin. Ang green/environmental movement at ayaw tumaya sa pang-araw araw na problema ng mamayan. Ang ating mga tinuturo at ano mang tulong na binibigay natin ay di sagot sa kanilang mga tunay na problema. Ang simpleng pamumuhay at mga maraming gawi na natural sa ating kultura at kinagawian na alam nating sagot sa marami nating malalalim na environmental issues (climate change, waste, etc). Pero maging ito na nagagawa na ng karamihan sa atin (lalong lalo na mga mahihirap) ay kulang naman sa pagpapahalaga nating lahat. Di natin kinikilala ng sapat at di natin nire re-affirm ito ng sapat sa mga gumagawa pa nito upang ma encourage naman silang ipagpatuloy at ituro pa sa iba. Ethical question ikamo? Tama bang gusto natin ng pagbabago pero di tayo naguusap na nibel ng pinakamalalim na tayaan - ang pang araw araw nating mga problema. Paano mapapaunlad ng environment environment work na ito ang kabuhayan ko? Yan ang kailangan nating sagutin at ang mag sagot dyan na kayang gawin kaagad ang dapat nating ituro. Salamat! (back) . RENE PINEDA (President, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution, Oct. 15)   THIS FACILITY is good so as to unclutter and focus group discussions. This month's topic on environmental education is very important -- in fact the most important of all. I'm a product of a public school system. Thru the university and further studies, I may have been blessed, perhaps, to have had the opportunity to widen the scope of my horizon. But my theoretical, pedagogic studies of the ecology and other branches of science, including medicine did not make me what you know of me today. I'm what I decided on; as there are others, too, of the same or better formal education but are not concerned as we are. Is, therefore, the formal education that we know of lacking? No, I don't think so. In fact, basic principles and theories of the environment form a great part of education in the subjects as science, physics, etc. I'm sorry to say that no amount of formal environmental education will change anything. We will self-destruct for as long as we desire and want more than what we basically need. What I believe we should be educated with is how to adhere to the law of the biosphere - the ethics of the cosmos. Don't worry,  this faculty has been practiced and became the way of life of our ancestors, who did not have any semblance of a formal school that we know of. They worshipped a great deal of the environment and its parts. Our history books would tell us all these. And if to you and me, our ancestors' way of life is the supreme environmentalism, then that's the kind of basic education that we ought to adhere to. It's been a long time that we should learn to unlearn what we have learned and leave all else to the biosphere. (back) . NINA GALANG (Faculty, Miriam College, Oct. 15) WHENEVER I ASK my audiences the question: "Who do you think needs environmental education?", inevitably, all the sectors and levels of society are mentioned -- political leaders, media, Church, children, parents, etc. And rightly so. We need a critical mass of citizens who have the paradigm of sustainable development if we are to turn the country around. Those in government and business need it because they make the big decisions that affect big segments of society. Media need it so they would choose news and stories that are relevant to environmental protection. The Church must have it because as the most credible institution people will listen if and when they preach on the morality of environmental issues. Schools should have the tools for it because the next generation is their captive audience; they should be given the knowledge, attitudes and skills to fix and care for the world we are leaving to them.  We who are in environmental advocacy are in positions to target one or the other of the above sectors. above. E.g., Environmental Studies Institute of Miriam College has focused on schools (although we do give trainings to any and all who ask for it.) This is our milieu, we are familiar with the systems, challenges and opportunities in the academe.  Thus, we can readily engage with school personnel whether they are a mix of or specific groups like administrators, faculty, students, service providers etc. This week, we are giving a trainors' training to representatives of the St. paul University Philippines which is composed of all the St. Paul universities, seven of them, all over the country. You can imagine the multiplier effect this project will have considering how enthusiastic and open the participants are. (This is the reason why I cannot attend the Kamayan forum, by the way.)  The Dark Green Schools, a project of the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines is a leap in spreading environmental education. This is an accreditation system meant to give a push to schools to accelerate their "greenness". ESI has been at the helm of this project.  In the same way, media is best greened by fellow media practitioners. Business should be greened by fellow businessmen, etc. Perhaps, however, there is a lack of grounding in environmental theory and perspective. We environmental academics are most ready to provide this. The needed particular approach and skills can be provided by the environmentalists in the respective fields. It should not be difficult to form core groups of trainors for respective professions.  It would be great if we had such a systematic program of environmental education that will cover the entire society this way. In the meantime, let us do what we can in our own turfs. (back) . ESTHER PACHECO (Board Member, COCAP, Oct. 16) ASIDE FROM EDUCATION through formal schooling to disseminate information and obtain active partners for the environment, I suggest that we use the effective smalltime "cell" or discipleship approach that was used by Christ and his disciples. How did they propagate the good news? They each went about two by two winning listeners and advocates by concentrating on the small groups of their families and relatives, acquaintances, small town gatherings. And each converted follower did the same: Spread the good news to another small cell of believers and followers, and so on. When we deal with small groups face to face, we get instant feedback, and we can gauge quickly whether or not we have been effective.This way also we obtain often instantly new advocates for the environmental cause. I, for instance, use for this educational advocacy the instant forum of my own family circle; the reunions and parties of relatives and friends; the bible or prayer groups of which I am a member; the class reunions and informal meetings I have with my classmates of long ago; my town-affiliated circle of e.g., the Baguio Club of Metro Manila; the committees of which I am a member in my own neighborhood association; the barangay meetings I attend; the regular home or office visits I make to neighbors, colleagues and friends; my friends and affiliates on the internet; the publishing groups I belong to; the offices or groups of which I am a consultant. Actually, the possible venues to raise awareness, to obtain lobby support, to recruit member advocates, are innumerable! We only have to be more deliberate in dedicating some of our waking hours to the cause! Actually, the possible venues to raise awareness, to obtain lobby support, to recruit member advocates, are innumerable! We only have to be more deliberate in dedicating some of our waking hours to the cause! (back)  EDWARD STA. ANA (Coordinator, Kilusang Lakas Pamayanan, Oct. 16) PAGBATI SA TULUY-TULOY na pagtitipon ng Kamayan para sa Kalikasan forum. Ipahayag sa lahat ang seryosong usapin ng mga isyu ng kalikasan habang may panahon pa. Kailangang maramdaman ng lahat na ‘di biro ang banta ng pagkasira ng kalikasan. Ipaabot ito sa bawat pamilya ng bawat pamayanan. Ipaalam na di dapat ipagwalang-bahala ang usaping ito kung nais nating makita pa ng susunod na mga henerasyon ang maganda at maayos na bukas.PAGBATI SA TULUY-TULOY na pagtitipon ng Kamayan para sa Kalikasan forum. Ipahayag sa lahat ang seryosong usapin ng mga isyu ng kalikasan habang may panahon pa. Kailangang maramdaman ng lahat na ‘di biro ang banta ng pagkasira ng kalikasan. Ipaabot ito sa bawat pamilya ng bawat pamayanan. Ipaalam na di dapat ipagwalang-bahala ang usaping ito kung nais nating makita pa ng susunod na mga henerasyon ang maganda at maayos na bukas. (back) . AUCHEE VILLARAZA (Head & Faculty, Creative Spaces, Oct. 16) CREATIVE SPACE,0now(on its 5th year, is a progressive pre-school for children ages 2 - 6 years old that offers Nursery, Kinder Jr., Kinder Sr. and Prep. The school trains kids to learn experientially, to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, and to love the process of learning. Likewise, the school supports an environment that inspires knowledge of self, dynamic explorations, social responsibility and a deep appreciation for the natural world through a science and inquiry-based approach in teaching. What makes the school different are its creative movement and nutrition programs. The school kitchen serves freshly prepared organic food everyday! (taken verbatim from my multiply site).CREATIVE SPACE, now on its 5th year, is a progressive pre-school for children ages 2 - 6 years old that offers Nursery, Kinder Jr., Kinder Sr. and Prep. The school trains kids to learn experientially, to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, and to love the process of learning. Likewise, the school supports an environment that inspires knowledge of self, dynamic explorations, social responsibility and a deep appreciation for the natural world through a science and inquiry-based approach in teaching. What makes the school different are its creative movement and nutrition programs. The school kitchen serves freshly prepared organic food everyday! (taken verbatim from my multiply site). The question is timely because just recently during the past 2 months, our thematic studies revolved around the topics of PLANTS and FOOD. Let me just mention that as a progressive school, the way that our curiculum is designed is such that every month, each class goes through experiences about these topics: MYSELF (June), BODY (July), WATER (August), PLANTS (September), FOOD (October), ANIMALS (November), COMMUNITY (January), WORLD (February), EARTH & SPACE (March). A strong Filipino program is interwoven within these topics to make them relevant in the Philippine context. I designed the school curriculum as such because I find that these elements are what children need at present to expand their knowledge of themselves, their immediate context (family & neighborhood child grows up in) and eventually once they start going to school, they should be able to become interested to genuinely learn more about the environment -particularly their role in caring for the earth. As early as preschool, kids need this kind of education that would make them critical thinkers and creative problem solvers who know how to solve problems on their own through sound argumentation careful reasoning. These skills, however, need to be developed in a progressive set up where kids observe and witness cause-effect situations that would train them to see the world through a science-spiritual perspective by making predictions about their investigations, observing the results and making conclusions. I designed the school curriculum as such because I find that these elements are what children need at present to expand their knowledge of themselves, their immediate context (family & neighborhood child grows up in) and eventually once they start going to school, they should be able to become interested to genuinely learn more about the environment -particularly their role in caring for the earth. As early as preschool, kids need this kind of education that would make them critical thinkers and creative problem solvers who know how to solve problems on their own through sound argumentation careful reasoning. These skills, however, need to be developed in a progressive set up where kids observe and witness cause-effect situations that would train them to see the world through a science-spiritual perspective by making predictions about their investigations, observing the results and making conclusions. Everyday, we have experiments that answer a particular question, such as "What is soil made of? or "What conditions do plants need to grow?" or "What happens when we heat milk?" These questions allow kids to ponder and thus become interested in searching for answers, but what is often more appreciated in the end is the process of answering the question, the answer being just incidental because after the answer, the whole process leads to more questioning anyway. When kids are educated using an inquiry method, they learn to be more responsible for their learning. Building knowledge through experience helps the child to construct his own knowledge. When the children understands concepts, the child develops the language to speak and formulate his/her own ideas. When this understanding is present, a child sees the value in being responsible for his actions and decisions.Everyday, we have experiments that answer a particular question, such as "What is soil made of? or "What conditions do plants need to grow?" or "What happens when we heat milk?" These questions allow kids to ponder and thus become interested in searching for answers, but what is often more appreciated in the end is the process of answering the question, the answer being just incidental because after the answer, the whole process leads to more questioning anyway. When kids are educated using an inquiry method, they learn to be more responsible for their learning. Building knowledge through experience helps the child to construct his own knowledge. When the children understands concepts, the child develops the language to speak and formulate his/her own ideas. When this understanding is present, a child sees the value in being responsible for his actions and decisions. Our topics build up from the self - we educate them to learn about their bodies, particulary how the body functions and relates to the space around it, with others and the environment. When they have this basic knowledge, they can make better decisions about what they should eat, and how to take care of their bodies, which is their main instrument in relating to the world. Serving organic food everyday really helps in training the kids to appreciate fruits & vegetables and the value of nutrition, which is basic to an understanding of respect for the body and respect for life. They learn about WATER next, a greatly relevant topic for all kids because of its accessibility to understand & appreciate the properties of water, the water cycle, etc. which are all basic to deepen an understanding about nature's cycles. When they learn about PLANTS and FOOD next, we go more in-depth in studying about the process (and metaphor) of growth all the way to harvest to develop respect for life cycles and to appreciate nature's gifts and bounty, which for me when studied through a science perspective, becomes very meaningful for kids because of all the "little miracles and surprises" that take place when they observe how a seed germinates and grows to eventually bear flowers and fruits for harvest. When they learn about ANIMALS next, they fruther appreciate again the value of life cycles in another perspective and they learn more about caring for the animals as part of the environment. The scope gets bigger and more expansive when they learn about the COMMUNITY and the WORLD. Being a progressive school that values community work, service and love for the environment, all interwoven in a science-based curriculum that develops a deep appreciation for others and the environment, for me - education should lead towards a deep understanding of where things come from and how things come to be. In the end, when they become armed with all this knowledge embodied in "little field trips" and hands-on experiences, they learn to love life, and to appreciate all of Creation, to be grateful for even the littlest things that they see and come across - worms and all. Being a progressive school that values community work, service and love for the environment, all interwoven in a science-based curriculum that develops a deep appreciation for others and the environment, for me - education should lead towards a deep understanding of where things come from and how things come to be. In the end, when they become armed with all this knowledge embodied in "little field trips" and hands-on experiences, they learn to love life, and to appreciate all of Creation, to be grateful for even the littlest things that they see and come across - worms and all. (Ang dami ko pang gustong sabihin pero kailangan ko nang umalis so hope this will do. (Ang dami ko pang gustong sabihin pero kailangan ko nang umalis so hope this will do.) (back) . Additional comments/questions on this forum may still be posted via the Feedback Box below.

Let's build and continually expand the......

regime did not emerge out of nowhere. It was built up painstakingly by the number of ACTIVISTS gradually growing through all those 14 years of dictatorship, not in just the last three years, much less in just the last four days. From a mere handful of silent heroes in 1972, the ranks of the ACTIVISTS swelled to push the political opposition to boycott and effectively frustrate the dictator’s sham polls in 1981; two years later, the multitudes were ready to mourn the martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino at the scale of broad initiative, creativity and defiance they never know before that they could mount.  By 1986, the ACTIVISTS, flying flags of various colors, were ready to depose Marcos.