GOING FOR NATURE!

November 4, 2006

OUR EPISODES SO FAR

OCTOBER

 

OCTOBER 2:   GOING FOR NATURE!

(PANGANGALAGA NG KALIKASAN, LIKAS PA BA SA KABATAAN?)

 

Voice Out!    

 

Who else would inherit our Mother Earth in the future but the Youth?  In time for the celebration of World Animal Month and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, what would be the best way to welcome October but to Voice Out about the Youth taking care of Nature?

 

JOIN KA DITO!

 

So, where should our young environmentalist and nature crusaders go? MyZoo Volunteers Foundation and the Center for Environmental Awareness and Education (CEAE) are just the perfect organizations for you.

 

Joining LKTKR from Myzoo is Mr. Andrew Galang, 23, vice – president. Myzoo volunteer center is currently stationed at the rescue center in Quezon City and plans to branch out around rescue centers and zoos the country. In 2000, young professionals Kitty Arce and Cathy Chua founded Myzoo Volunteer foundation after realizing the need to change the system of Zoos in the country.  Andrew points out the importance of the educational program that should be implemented in zoos. These animal sanctuaries after all are not here for entertainment and display purposes only but for education. Zoo-goers should be given proper orientation for them to realize the importance of animals because sometimes, people make mockery out of these creatures.

Among the most successful programs of Myzoo is “Zoo to You”, where their volunteers have already toured more than a hundred schools nationwide. They bring to schools “travel exhibits” or live animals indigenous and endemic to the Philippines. Through their effort of bringing these animals, kids get to understand more about them. They even got to bring these exhibits to blind kids who were very much delighted. Andrew believes that our indigenous animals and not only those coming from foreign lands should be re-introduced to the youth.

Myzoo has more than a hundred volunteers with about 30 regular members. The group was awarded as one of the TAYO or Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in 2003. They get strong support from Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Everyone who are willing to commit to the cause for animals and make a change, contact Myzoo Office at 364 – 2469 or text Andrew at 09177960740.

 

Joining us from Center for Environmental Awareness and Education (CEAE) is Froilan Grate, 21, director for communications. Founded in Cebu by a professor in Southwestern University in 1999, the goal of CEAE is to cultivate environmental awareness for students. CEAE has created two programs or curriculums: Project WET, Water Education for Teachers, which tackles water issues on pollution and management and Project Learning Tree, that tackles on biodiversity and forest issues.

Their approach is to tap into teachers and non – formal educators who are willing to implement their programs and to be able to reach out to more students all over the country. The challenge for environmental education is to get the attention and interest of the youth. Their programs are multi-disciplinary; they incorporate environmental issues like pollution to Mathematics and water management to Physical Education.

CEAE has two forms of memberships; teachers and educators from the government, private sectors and volunteer college students who are willing to give their time during weekends. The young volunteers often go to Museong Pambata where they teach street children about environmental issues. Froilan believes that environmental awareness should start at the grass root level especially to kids. CEAE has over 2000 educator volunteers; about 50 go on tour.

CEAE office is located at 18 Granada St. Gilmore Heights, Quezon City with telephone numbers 7217360 and website, www.ceae.org.

What pushed Froilan to join, CEAE? He just woke up one day and realized he needs to do something aside from going to school and going home afterwards. So he looked for orgs where he could join, and found himself supporting environmental cause.

 

BILIB KAMI SA’YO!

 

Cynthia “Chay” Dionco, VOTY Director for Children’s Affairs, is not only a social worker for kids but an environmentalist as well. She’s taught human development and when she moved to Cabriba alternative school, she worked on people engaged in active community experience. Then she worked for Bantay Kalikasan and advocacy officer for Bantay Usok and eventually, Bantay Bata Foundation. She took Human Ecology in UP.

Chay, as a child has always been a teacher at heart, and her goal is to create a positive influence for the next generation. As a teacher and youth advocate, Chay believes that the best we could offer to children is education and the practical use of it, especially when it comes to environment.

In Bantay Usok, Chay handled the text program for the smoke belching vehicles. According to Chay, there should be ten trees for every vehicle to compensate and balance the ecosystem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

YAN ANG EDITORYAL!

TAKE IT FROM THE YOUTH EXPERTS IN ENVIRONMENT!

 

Andrew says that Filipinos should realize the diversity of animals found only in the country. Once these animals lost their habitat, they’re lost forever. According to the law, wild animals should not also be kept as domesticated pets and everyone should follow the law. There are also problems when it comes to Filipinos craving for exotic food like cobras that create imbalance to the ecosystems. 

Froilan believes that one of the most pressing problems is the lack of interest of the people when it comes to environment. There are so many young people who would care about the life and relationship of showbiz personalities and yet not care about nature. We don’t even know that there are 526 species of birds in the country and half of them are native, most of them threatened and endangered. Population is also a big issue for the environment. It is a huge factor for illegal logging and urban development that transforms wetlands to subdivisions.   

Simple tips? Froilan suggests using glass when brushing teeth because 6 billion gallons of water are being wasted. There is a huge shortage of water in the country.  Chay believes that early on parents should inculcate animal interest to kids. Even domesticated animals should really be taken care of. Choy believes that the simplest thing to do of every individual yet could have huge impact is to avoid littering, that has been a successful discipline program in Marikina city.

 

SIDELIGHTS!          

 

Another youth advocate that would truly inspire everyone is 18 - year old, Peter Paul Baltazar, a very active VOTY coordinator and SK councilor of Brgy. Pasolo Valenzuela City.  His physical condition has not hindered him to give service to his fellow youth. He is also a member of KAPANALIG, (Kabataang Pilipino Aktibong Nagkakaisa Laban sa Ipinagbabawal na Gamot) which engages in regular Anti-drug and Leadership training all throughout the nation.

 

RIBYU SA RADYO!

 

Recommended movies for Environmental Advocacy, Brother Bear; Spirit the Stallion of Cimarron; Finding Nemo, Sharks Tale, and Two Brothers. TV shows and documentaries, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet. Places: Butterfly farms in Marikina and Katipunan, Avilon Zoo in Montalban, Malabon Zoo and Manila Zoo.