April 30 and May 1 Eco-events

Do Filipino children still look forward to May? Do they still get excited each day, looking for beautiful flowers, to offer to Mama Mary during the happy month of May? Or have our children forgotten about the beautiful, natural world out there, waiting for them daily?

Have our children lost their appreciation for our beautiful earth because their attention and time have been eaten up by commercialism, by too much computer games?

Do our children prefer to live in a virtual world of games and computers, rather than in the big, wide, wonderful world of nature?

Not only our children though. What about the adults?

Do our people still have time to appreciate nature, to smell or even notice the beautiful, assorted flowers each day? And their scents and fragrance?

Do people notice how beautiful a bright sunny day is, especially one accompanied by the cool winds of May? Do they notice how blue the sky gets, how everything else seems to have deeper colors during this time of the year?

Then, there are the beaches inviting all to abandon all cares and just let the tides and waves carry their burdens away, even for just some precious moments.  Ah, the feel of the sand, the uneven temperature of the waters, the various sea treasures that one comes upon… There are those who love the warmth of the sun on their skin too!

How many children are brought back to their rural hometowns to enjoy the splendor of nature? To enjoy the taste of freshly picked fruits or of freshly prepared local delicacies? How many are brought back to enjoy the fiestas, not only the banquet so lovingly prepared by families and relatives, but the happy moments of laughter and joy of reunions?

If life is more difficult now and trips to provinces and hometowns are expensive, how many children are brought by their parents to natural settings in urban areas?

For sure, there are parks and natural areas that can still be interesting areas for children to learn and enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature where they reside or close to their homes?

Otherwise, perhaps, you may wish to call any of the confirmed environmental groups for their summer programs for kids and adults? Introducing children to learn from and appreciate their natural environment can be a very important step to encouraging them to take care of and preserve nature.

Or for those of you who are interested to know more about certain best practices in sustainability and resiliency of local communities, you may wish to participate in a roundtable conference to be held at the Rajah Park Hotel on the 30th of April from 8 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon.

The event was conceptualized during a discussion with Camotes Vice Mayor Al Arquillano last month. He mentioned that he suggested the theme of their next UN meeting at Bonn, , Germany on the 10th of May to focus on the best practices of participating countries for community sustainability and resiliency. It was then that the idea of documenting local best practices to share in that global forum was born.

The RCE-Cebu (Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – the first to be accredited by the United Nations University for the Philippines) has organized the event together with PEJC,  Philssa, CPaG, the Presidential Office of Political Affairs, UC Law, UP Cebu and Fidec. Special thanks and appreciation are due Ms. Catherine Ruiz, Atty. Golly Ramos, Dr. Weena Jade Gera, and Atty. Ian Manticajon as well for this event.

Vice Mayor Al will share their experience in Camotes, together with Atty. Ian Manticajon who will discuss about the RCE-CEBU experience of promoting  ESD to protect Camp 7 forest community in Minglanilla. Cebu Coalition for Food Security Chairperson Roberto Bajenting will share about community sustainable farming, waste management and technology.

In the afternoon, household and community-business initiatives on the theme of sustainability and resiliency will be shared by former Cebu City Councilor and Chair of the Environment Committee Nestor Archival and a representative of both Brgy. Luz and the Ayala-Cebu Holdings Inc. Other partners from CPAG, Philssa and other civil society organizations are expected to share their inputs as well for this very timely, urgent eco-event. A tour to Camotes, with VM Al and the Camotes residents will follow the next day, a beautiful relevant back-to-nature experience to welcome the coming of May!

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