The Filipino Chaplaincy of Wellington is looking to assist new migrants by acting as a conduit for those who want to help, and match them to those who need help. One thing we as a family experienced when we were also new to the country was the challenge of acquiring the basic necessities (we only had clothes and camping utensils when we arrived!). Strangers (and good friends since then) came to the rescue and gave us stuff we can use temporarily. Much of the stuff we received though are in very good condition and we still have these til now. But I digress...
Showing posts with label advocacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advocacy. Show all posts
06 June 2011
KASAGIP Friendship Meeting, 25 June
KASAGIP Charitable Trust is inviting Filipinos in the Wellington region to attend their Friendship Meeting, the aim of which is to organise volunteer efforts towards helping fellow migrants, especially the new arrivals, to make new friends and provide assistance. If you are new to the country, you are most welcome to join us.
This free event will be on
25 June 2011
at the Johnsonville Community Centre
at 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Learn more about KASAGIP Charitable Trust at their website.
This free event will be on
25 June 2011
at the Johnsonville Community Centre
at 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Learn more about KASAGIP Charitable Trust at their website.
28 March 2011
Earth Hour 2011
We had a feeling of deja vu last Saturday as we turned off the lights a few minutes after we started dinner. My wife pointed out that last year, we were also having dinner when we turned off the lights, and we also just finished watching American Idol at that time.
We had a relatively quiet Earth Hour; I was planning to put up the tent in the lawn so we can watch the stars but the weather had other things in mind. So stay put inside the house we did.
But telling our Earth Hour story is not the reason why I am writing about it, though.
This event has been running for quite some time now, but there are still some people who do not get the point of it all. They say turning off your lights for one hour is not going to do anything at all, and that you need to do something more substantial in order for your efforts to have an effect.
"The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step."
Earth Hour is that single step. When you realize that something as simple as turning off your lights is doable, then you may realize that it isn't so bad at all if you turn off the lights in the room where no one's using it, or properly shut the faucet so it's not dripping, or don't use the hot water on the tap all the time. These things add up to, and if everyone is made aware of this, then together we can all make the change happen. That's where the + comes in the logo. Earth Hour, beyond the hour.
We had a relatively quiet Earth Hour; I was planning to put up the tent in the lawn so we can watch the stars but the weather had other things in mind. So stay put inside the house we did.
But telling our Earth Hour story is not the reason why I am writing about it, though.
This event has been running for quite some time now, but there are still some people who do not get the point of it all. They say turning off your lights for one hour is not going to do anything at all, and that you need to do something more substantial in order for your efforts to have an effect.
"The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step."
Earth Hour is that single step. When you realize that something as simple as turning off your lights is doable, then you may realize that it isn't so bad at all if you turn off the lights in the room where no one's using it, or properly shut the faucet so it's not dripping, or don't use the hot water on the tap all the time. These things add up to, and if everyone is made aware of this, then together we can all make the change happen. That's where the + comes in the logo. Earth Hour, beyond the hour.
15 March 2011
09 March 2010
Earth Hour is on 27 March 2010
Show your support and turn off your lights for one hour, Earth Hour, at 8.30pm on Saturday 27th March 2010.
Learn more about Earth Hour and activities you may participate in for your region in our world at the Earth Hour website.
12 September 2009
Bluefin Tuna an endangered species
The next time you plan to order your tuna sushi or sashimi, think again: the bluefin tuna is an endangered species. While the World Wildlife Fund has identified the Mediterranean bluefin tuna as an endangered species, its other cousins such as the North Atlantic bluefin tuna, the Pacific bluefin tuna and the southern bluefin tuna have also seen alarming population decline. The fish is being caught mainly due to the huge demand for the delectable Japanese dishes sushi and sashimi.
The alarm was raised since 2006 of the rapid decline of bluefin tuna population but had been largely met with inaction. What we need now is awareness that this fish is in danger of extinction and WWF has recommended temporary ban on its fishing. Not controlled fishing, not fish farming, but a ban on the trade of Atlantic bluefin tuna.
While we are undeniably at the other side of the world, technological developments in the systematic fishing, freezing and transportation of goods worldwide has made distance a small hurdle. So we have to make sure that we do not consume Atlantic bluefin tuna by checking the source (by asking the manager of the restaurant where their tuna comes from, or checking the label of canned goods). If in doubt, don't purchase/order; the Pacific bluefin tuna is also being overfished so why not steer clear of tuna altogether? Let's do our part and be vigilant of bluefin tuna products: fresh, canned or cooked.
Related links:
World Wildlife Fund (and photo credit)
Greenpeace calls on governments to support a ban on Bluefin Tuna Trade
23 July 2009
Volunteers needed for eDay
From the eDay website:
eDay is seeking volunteer assistance to make eDay 09 possible in Wellington. For now, eDay is the most sustainable approach to collecting, rehoming and safely salvaging from what is otherwise the fastest growing waste stream in our landfills.
If you have time to give on the 12 September, please contact Lucie and Mike. The day promises to be rewarding, fun and based on previous experience, a little bit frantic! In order to run it though, eDay needs volunteer support.
Also, please ask around and invite others who may be interested in helping. It can be more fun doing this with people you know and groups are welcome!
Recycling electronic waste (e-waste) enables the recovery and reuse of valuable materials and ensures toxic materials are not buried in our landfills - so it's better for our environment.
eDay is a cars-only drive-through recycling event which gives you the opportunity to recycle old computers or mobile phones in an environmentally sustainable way.
Over 16,550 cars dropped off 87,056 items during eDay 2008. A total of 946 tonnes of e-waste was diverted from our landfills. This year we hope to divert over 1,000 tonnes of e-waste from New Zealand landfills.
eDay 2009 is to be held on Saturday 12th September 2009.
eDay is seeking volunteer assistance to make eDay 09 possible in Wellington. For now, eDay is the most sustainable approach to collecting, rehoming and safely salvaging from what is otherwise the fastest growing waste stream in our landfills.
If you have time to give on the 12 September, please contact Lucie and Mike. The day promises to be rewarding, fun and based on previous experience, a little bit frantic! In order to run it though, eDay needs volunteer support.
Also, please ask around and invite others who may be interested in helping. It can be more fun doing this with people you know and groups are welcome!
17 July 2009
The Green Home Guide by Popular Science
Do you want to do your bit towards conserving energy and helping out in staving global warming? Here's a guide to help you at with what you can do at home: The Green Home Guide by Popular Science.
Simply share your name and email address, and then you can have access to the Guide for free! And what better news is there?
12 May 2009
40 Hour Famine
The World Vision 40 Hour Famine is a fundraising event that started in 1975 as an action towards helping famine-stricken Ethiopia as 10,000 New Zealanders banded together to raise $265,000.00.A person or a group can participate registering at the site and by doing, or doing without, something they will find difficult to do for 40 hours. Famine participants then ask people to sponsor them for this endeavour. You can also become a volunteer for the event itself and help out in promotions and follow-up with collecting funds after the Famine weekend.
Proceeds for this year's 40 Hour Famine event will go towards providing nourishment to the impoverished children of Bangladesh, and will happen on 22-24 May 09.
If you are looking to support a Famine participant, may I suggest supporting Rev. Robin Palmer, who will do his custom famine for 40 hours.
40 Hour Famine needs all the help it can get to raise awareness and funds so spread the word and support the Famine participants for the sake of the impoverished children of Bangladesh.
28 March 2009
Time's up
So how did our Earth Hour celebration in Wellington, New Zealand this year go?
We promptly turned off all lights and the TV at 8:30PM right after the American Idol, and we headed off to our room. We decided to ring up a couple of our friends to greet them on this momentous hour. We are happy to say that they, too, were celebrating Earth Hour by turning off all their lights. This phone exchange lasted for more than half an hour. We had to hang up with our second conversation when they said they were going to say the rosary.
And why not say the rosary too? So my wife and I whispered the Glorious mystery while Jo-Lo slept soundly. When we were finished, only a couple more minutes were left of Earth Hour.
We turned on the TV at 9:30PM to watch the remainder of the weekend movie feature, Armaggedon. The irony was not lost to me as we watched a movie about saving the planet. And just like that, it was "time's up."
I hope that others have also found value in this exercise, that simple acts like turning off the lights and plugging off appliances when not in use can make a difference. I hope our Earth is still a looooong way off from its own "time's up." Because we don't really have anywhere else to go when global warming takes a turn for the worse.
We promptly turned off all lights and the TV at 8:30PM right after the American Idol, and we headed off to our room. We decided to ring up a couple of our friends to greet them on this momentous hour. We are happy to say that they, too, were celebrating Earth Hour by turning off all their lights. This phone exchange lasted for more than half an hour. We had to hang up with our second conversation when they said they were going to say the rosary.
And why not say the rosary too? So my wife and I whispered the Glorious mystery while Jo-Lo slept soundly. When we were finished, only a couple more minutes were left of Earth Hour.
We turned on the TV at 9:30PM to watch the remainder of the weekend movie feature, Armaggedon. The irony was not lost to me as we watched a movie about saving the planet. And just like that, it was "time's up."
I hope that others have also found value in this exercise, that simple acts like turning off the lights and plugging off appliances when not in use can make a difference. I hope our Earth is still a looooong way off from its own "time's up." Because we don't really have anywhere else to go when global warming takes a turn for the worse.
17 March 2009
28March2009, 8:30PM is Earth Hour
Time flies...
I still vividly remember around the same time last year back in the Philippines. My officemates and I have been planning for this 5-day vacation since December, and we were finally living the dream that beautiful month of March. Our trip lead us through the whitewater rapids of Cagayan de Oro, their night market, the pineapple farm in Bukidnon, and on the beautiful island of Camiguin. It was in the hot springs of Camiguin that we found ourselves the night of Earth Hour. Yep, even while we were on vacation mode, I wanted us to celebrate Earth Hour. For one thing, it's because it's the first time this was being celebrated in the Philippines.
With a stroke of luck, there was actually a power failure on the hot springs resort so cutting back on power usage was easy. But being a resort, they would have some sort of emergency power on hand and so our company used a lone light bulb to light up our picnic table. Not exactly 100% electricity independence but we did what we can. Actually, we did not have that bulb on for much of that hour...
And that is how my first Earth Hour will always be truly memorable for me. Now, here I am in New Zealand with my family, a second Earth Hour worth celebrating and remembering.
Show your support for Mother Earth! Learn more at the Earth Hour site.
18 February 2009
Reuse in Wellington
It is surprising that a lot of things that are still in good condition can potentially end up in the rubbish bin here in Wellington. However, thanks to the conservation awareness efforts of the Ministry and through the efforts of charitable organizations, a lot of these get a second life in the form of used goods that people can buy at a discount.
When you need something for your house (a table here, a chair there, some clothes, appliances perhaps), check out garage sales which are run by families getting rid of excess stuff which can run from four hours to a couple of days, particularly during the weekends. This is advertised in the Trade & Exchange paper which is available from your local dairy, or at the community bulletin board in your nearest grocery store.
You can also take a look at the goods offered by organizations whose profits benefit the less fortunate. Take for example the Salvation Army Family Stores. They sell quite an assortment of goods, from dinnerware to tables chairs, beds and clothing. The Sallies, as they are more popularly known, use the proceeds from their shops for their community work. They have quite a presence here in the Wellington area, and there is bound to be a Family Shop in a major town. You can even have a free stuffed toy for your kid when you shop here.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society also runs a similar drive; their shops are called Vinnies Shoppes. There is one such store in Johnsonville. They sell clothing at a dollar each, but they also have plates, bric-a-brac, furniture. You can also volunteer your time in helping out run the store. Just approach their counter and ask how.
And then there's the Trash Palace. It's a recycling center located in Porirua. This is quite a large place, and they have lots of stuff on sale. Right in front of the store is a Free Stuff area, where you can get plates, cuttlery and books that you can simply get and drive home with. Or, enter the store and get to find a lot of stuff that you can still seriously use for a long time.
This is the free stuff area.
Many of these chairs are still structurally sound. You just need to upholster them.
As they say, "one man's garbage is another man's treasure." But in this time of environmental crisis (and shall I add, recession?), I saw a slogan in one of the stores here that is more appropriate: "refill, not landfill." Wait, that's hardly appropriate. Ummm... you get my drift.
When you need something for your house (a table here, a chair there, some clothes, appliances perhaps), check out garage sales which are run by families getting rid of excess stuff which can run from four hours to a couple of days, particularly during the weekends. This is advertised in the Trade & Exchange paper which is available from your local dairy, or at the community bulletin board in your nearest grocery store.
You can also take a look at the goods offered by organizations whose profits benefit the less fortunate. Take for example the Salvation Army Family Stores. They sell quite an assortment of goods, from dinnerware to tables chairs, beds and clothing. The Sallies, as they are more popularly known, use the proceeds from their shops for their community work. They have quite a presence here in the Wellington area, and there is bound to be a Family Shop in a major town. You can even have a free stuffed toy for your kid when you shop here.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society also runs a similar drive; their shops are called Vinnies Shoppes. There is one such store in Johnsonville. They sell clothing at a dollar each, but they also have plates, bric-a-brac, furniture. You can also volunteer your time in helping out run the store. Just approach their counter and ask how.
And then there's the Trash Palace. It's a recycling center located in Porirua. This is quite a large place, and they have lots of stuff on sale. Right in front of the store is a Free Stuff area, where you can get plates, cuttlery and books that you can simply get and drive home with. Or, enter the store and get to find a lot of stuff that you can still seriously use for a long time.
This is the free stuff area.
Many of these chairs are still structurally sound. You just need to upholster them.
As they say, "one man's garbage is another man's treasure." But in this time of environmental crisis (and shall I add, recession?), I saw a slogan in one of the stores here that is more appropriate: "refill, not landfill." Wait, that's hardly appropriate. Ummm... you get my drift.17 December 2008
Be a volunteer in Wellington
New country, new people, a fresh start. It can be a very exciting time especially in the first month when the trip feels like an adventure and discovering fellow Filipinos, making friends, and going to the usual tourist haunts make it truly look like a holiday.
But as the days roll into a month, you will realize just how different New Zealand is from your home country. Well, for one thing, there is a lot of good things I see here. Fresh air, greenery, great people. But since you will be joining the workforce soon, you are still unsure of how you will fit in.
Well, here's a truly simple yet beneficial idea: volunteer! Volunteering has its inherent advantages: you can try new skills (or stick with what you know), get to interact with the local people, and start contributing to the development of the community! The variety of things you can do is limited only by your sense of adventure.
I am currently performing volunteer work as webmaster and user support at CommunityCentral. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to apply things I have learned while managing multiple websites in my previous job, and at the same time learn new applications. (Oh, and if you are a member of a not-for-profit organisation, or simply interested in the volunteering community and would like to subscribe to informative newsletters, join CommunityCentral! It's free.)
There are other roles waiting to be filled as well. You can become a host at a Community Center, help with food preparation in a kitchen, plant trees in the countryside, write newsletters and articles for a community site, teach English, care for animals, do gardening and lots more.
Plus, the registration procedure is 100% painless! :-) Excited to volunteer? Volunteering New Zealand is where I was able to get my volunteer role.
Head on to their website and click on "volunteering opportunities" to get a list of roles available. Then, you can register online as I did but the next day I also decided to go directly to their office instead. It's very near the Civic Center (where the Library is located). In fact, I would encourage you to visit their office but call first so you can set an appointment.
The people in the office are very helpful and accommodating. Many of them are volunteers too! The process is really simple. You need to fill-up a form, after which the coordinator will interview you to gauge the amount of time you have for volunteer efforts and your interest. Then, you will be shown some open roles. It will be great if you check the website and identify roles you want so you can share this immediately. You may only have an hour or so with the coordinator, so if you can save on the time searching for roles you like, they can help further by making introductory calls to the organisations you have identified and then they will pass the call to you to introduce yourself and say that you are interested in volunteering for them. A schedule will likely be made for you to meet them for interview. You will then be given a print-out of the list of jobs you have identified so you can personally follow-up.
Note that in some jobs, there may be specific skills that they would like you to possess already so don't lose heart if you are not selected for the role. It's just that most likely they organisation is also being run by volunteers and part time workers and that they do not have a structure for training people. Just move on and contact the other roles in your list.
I heard that they are looking for somebody who is interested in bone carving. I am curious to find out if I can volunteer in that...
But as the days roll into a month, you will realize just how different New Zealand is from your home country. Well, for one thing, there is a lot of good things I see here. Fresh air, greenery, great people. But since you will be joining the workforce soon, you are still unsure of how you will fit in.
Well, here's a truly simple yet beneficial idea: volunteer! Volunteering has its inherent advantages: you can try new skills (or stick with what you know), get to interact with the local people, and start contributing to the development of the community! The variety of things you can do is limited only by your sense of adventure.
I am currently performing volunteer work as webmaster and user support at CommunityCentral. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to apply things I have learned while managing multiple websites in my previous job, and at the same time learn new applications. (Oh, and if you are a member of a not-for-profit organisation, or simply interested in the volunteering community and would like to subscribe to informative newsletters, join CommunityCentral! It's free.)
There are other roles waiting to be filled as well. You can become a host at a Community Center, help with food preparation in a kitchen, plant trees in the countryside, write newsletters and articles for a community site, teach English, care for animals, do gardening and lots more.
Plus, the registration procedure is 100% painless! :-) Excited to volunteer? Volunteering New Zealand is where I was able to get my volunteer role.
Head on to their website and click on "volunteering opportunities" to get a list of roles available. Then, you can register online as I did but the next day I also decided to go directly to their office instead. It's very near the Civic Center (where the Library is located). In fact, I would encourage you to visit their office but call first so you can set an appointment.
The people in the office are very helpful and accommodating. Many of them are volunteers too! The process is really simple. You need to fill-up a form, after which the coordinator will interview you to gauge the amount of time you have for volunteer efforts and your interest. Then, you will be shown some open roles. It will be great if you check the website and identify roles you want so you can share this immediately. You may only have an hour or so with the coordinator, so if you can save on the time searching for roles you like, they can help further by making introductory calls to the organisations you have identified and then they will pass the call to you to introduce yourself and say that you are interested in volunteering for them. A schedule will likely be made for you to meet them for interview. You will then be given a print-out of the list of jobs you have identified so you can personally follow-up.
Note that in some jobs, there may be specific skills that they would like you to possess already so don't lose heart if you are not selected for the role. It's just that most likely they organisation is also being run by volunteers and part time workers and that they do not have a structure for training people. Just move on and contact the other roles in your list.
I heard that they are looking for somebody who is interested in bone carving. I am curious to find out if I can volunteer in that...
14 October 2008
Rubbish collection, New Zealand style
One of the first things we learned about living in New Zealand is their rubbish collection. Rubbish is more commonly known in our country as garbage. So if you're having a conversation and you hear them declare that what you're saying is a load of rubbish, it's not a compliment. Bwahuhuhu!
For an orderly rubbish collection, you need two things: a council bag and a kiwi bin. Council bags are huge, yellow plastic bags where you place your non-recyclables in. It costs around $9.00 for 5 pieces, and can be bought at grocery stores (ask for it at the counter). You are allowed to load up to 15kg per bag. More guidelines are printed on the bag itself.
Next is the kiwi bin. If you're renting a flat, your landlord should give you one. But if it's not available, you can buy this for $10 at the Library. It's a green, plastic container into which you place your recyclables such as paper and bottles (plastic and glass).
There is a schedule for rubbish collection; you need to ask about this from your landlord, neighbor, or from information centers such as the library. In our case, it's on Mondays at around 8:30AM. We bring out our rubbish after 5:30PM on Sunday. The collection team for general rubbish collection is different from the recyclables team.
For houses that generate a lot of rubbish, you need a bigger bin. This type is collected on Tuesdays in our area.
I believe that this method of rubbish segregation works because you have a visual of where to put your recyclables and non-recyclables. And since collection is once a week, people are motivated to dispose properly of their refuse or else they'd have a smelly kitchen or backyard.
Supporting the rubbish collection scheme are campaigns to make your own compost out of biodegradable stuff from the kitchen. Some gardening stores even offer tutorials and you can buy your supplies from them to start and sustain a worm farm of a compost heap.
The council bag and kiwi bin concept may not work in our country, but we can still follow a similar theme in garbage segregation and actively support backyard composting.
Oct 16 update: I learned that you do not need to buy a kiwi bin for your recyclables. A clear plastic bag will do, and they will collect it. I haven't seen a lot of transparent plastic bags, though. I wonder if the more popular white ones will do.
For an orderly rubbish collection, you need two things: a council bag and a kiwi bin. Council bags are huge, yellow plastic bags where you place your non-recyclables in. It costs around $9.00 for 5 pieces, and can be bought at grocery stores (ask for it at the counter). You are allowed to load up to 15kg per bag. More guidelines are printed on the bag itself.
Next is the kiwi bin. If you're renting a flat, your landlord should give you one. But if it's not available, you can buy this for $10 at the Library. It's a green, plastic container into which you place your recyclables such as paper and bottles (plastic and glass).
There is a schedule for rubbish collection; you need to ask about this from your landlord, neighbor, or from information centers such as the library. In our case, it's on Mondays at around 8:30AM. We bring out our rubbish after 5:30PM on Sunday. The collection team for general rubbish collection is different from the recyclables team.
For houses that generate a lot of rubbish, you need a bigger bin. This type is collected on Tuesdays in our area.
I believe that this method of rubbish segregation works because you have a visual of where to put your recyclables and non-recyclables. And since collection is once a week, people are motivated to dispose properly of their refuse or else they'd have a smelly kitchen or backyard.
Supporting the rubbish collection scheme are campaigns to make your own compost out of biodegradable stuff from the kitchen. Some gardening stores even offer tutorials and you can buy your supplies from them to start and sustain a worm farm of a compost heap.
The council bag and kiwi bin concept may not work in our country, but we can still follow a similar theme in garbage segregation and actively support backyard composting.
Oct 16 update: I learned that you do not need to buy a kiwi bin for your recyclables. A clear plastic bag will do, and they will collect it. I haven't seen a lot of transparent plastic bags, though. I wonder if the more popular white ones will do.
15 May 2008
New 7 Wonders of Nature
There are two sides of the coin when it comes to tourism: on one hand it generates a much-needed livelihood for the enterprising folk; and in the other, there is always that possibility of having our natural resources become ravaged by human carelessness.
I have seen too many instances where the bad side is the norm.
Take my hometown of Baguio, for example. Just last year, I can simply go to the bus terminal and get a ticket for the next trip within the hour. It has been around three months now that I get a ticket for at least three hours later. That's even during the weekdays. In Baguio, you can see a lot of construction going on. The more recent area threatened by "human development" is the woods located near the Convention Center and UP. I have, in the 70s, seen these grounds planted with pine tree saplings and saw it grow into what it is today: a beautiful green area where trees stand tall and proud. The fight to preserve this piece of land is now threatened because the people don't know enough about what is going on (or do they simply not care?). While this land can be bought by the local government, mindless politicians would rather opt to pass bills giving them the power to buy cars for their private transportation over much-needed garbage trucks or preserving our natural heritage. Everybody, not just the people of Baguio, should be made aware of these things and we should take action to curb the practices of these people who have nothing in mind but making money and thinking about their own welfare.
Another case: Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna. In the late 90s, me and my officemates were able to get a chance to visit this area as a weekend getaway. We had to trek for a couple of hours to reach the falls. And in the site itself was just a couple of campers enjoying the serene beauty of nature. But during that time, we were already walking on a dirt road that was bulldozed to create a road going directly to the descent to the falls. I am not against convenience and enjoyment of nature by everyone, but you should see the amount of garbage left by picnickers! Amidst the cool, clear waters are shampoo sachets, junk food plastics, and bags with various bottles and tin cans. Why can't people be more consious of their surroundings? Even Mt. Banahaw's holy grounds are not spared. Garbage is dumped between the rocks surrounding Sta. Lucia Falls.
We don't even have to look far. Right here in Manila is the Arroceros Forest Park which was being nurtured for over ten years and then in the change of mayorship, policies were suddenly overturned, trees were uprooted and we now have an eyesore of a Department of Education Building right inside the forest preserve. How ironic is that?!
But I still yearn for the time when Filipinos will know how lucky they are to have these gifts through learning and travel.
It is my fervent hope that, in getting the world's attention to our more popular natural resources that we will see how lucky our country truly is in having these riches and that a concerted effort will happen in keeping these places free of garbage and human destruction.
So please vote for our candidates to the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World. Vote to open our eyes to our natural wonders and widen our horizon to truly see these trees which give our oxygen to breathe on and our oceans that give us food for nourishment without expect nothing from us in return but respect.
Visit the New 7 Wonders of the World website and you get to vote for 7 candidates. 3 of these nominees are our own:
Chocolate Hills
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Tubbataha Reef
In order to vote, you need to input your e-mail address, then vote for your 7 Wonders. You can vote for a nominee only once! Voting ends on 31 Dec 2008. I will wait for a little longer to get more Philippine sites listed in there.
I have seen too many instances where the bad side is the norm.
Take my hometown of Baguio, for example. Just last year, I can simply go to the bus terminal and get a ticket for the next trip within the hour. It has been around three months now that I get a ticket for at least three hours later. That's even during the weekdays. In Baguio, you can see a lot of construction going on. The more recent area threatened by "human development" is the woods located near the Convention Center and UP. I have, in the 70s, seen these grounds planted with pine tree saplings and saw it grow into what it is today: a beautiful green area where trees stand tall and proud. The fight to preserve this piece of land is now threatened because the people don't know enough about what is going on (or do they simply not care?). While this land can be bought by the local government, mindless politicians would rather opt to pass bills giving them the power to buy cars for their private transportation over much-needed garbage trucks or preserving our natural heritage. Everybody, not just the people of Baguio, should be made aware of these things and we should take action to curb the practices of these people who have nothing in mind but making money and thinking about their own welfare.
Another case: Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna. In the late 90s, me and my officemates were able to get a chance to visit this area as a weekend getaway. We had to trek for a couple of hours to reach the falls. And in the site itself was just a couple of campers enjoying the serene beauty of nature. But during that time, we were already walking on a dirt road that was bulldozed to create a road going directly to the descent to the falls. I am not against convenience and enjoyment of nature by everyone, but you should see the amount of garbage left by picnickers! Amidst the cool, clear waters are shampoo sachets, junk food plastics, and bags with various bottles and tin cans. Why can't people be more consious of their surroundings? Even Mt. Banahaw's holy grounds are not spared. Garbage is dumped between the rocks surrounding Sta. Lucia Falls.
We don't even have to look far. Right here in Manila is the Arroceros Forest Park which was being nurtured for over ten years and then in the change of mayorship, policies were suddenly overturned, trees were uprooted and we now have an eyesore of a Department of Education Building right inside the forest preserve. How ironic is that?!But I still yearn for the time when Filipinos will know how lucky they are to have these gifts through learning and travel.
It is my fervent hope that, in getting the world's attention to our more popular natural resources that we will see how lucky our country truly is in having these riches and that a concerted effort will happen in keeping these places free of garbage and human destruction.
So please vote for our candidates to the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World. Vote to open our eyes to our natural wonders and widen our horizon to truly see these trees which give our oxygen to breathe on and our oceans that give us food for nourishment without expect nothing from us in return but respect.
Visit the New 7 Wonders of the World website and you get to vote for 7 candidates. 3 of these nominees are our own:
Chocolate HillsPuerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Tubbataha Reef
In order to vote, you need to input your e-mail address, then vote for your 7 Wonders. You can vote for a nominee only once! Voting ends on 31 Dec 2008. I will wait for a little longer to get more Philippine sites listed in there.
09 April 2008
Snippets
Do you notice anything out of the ordinary in my photo below?
While trying to see what made us take the ordinary-looking photo above, I'd like to share some snippets of information for the week...
Elegant wine glasses at 35 pesos each!
Yep, you read it right. These wine and margarita glasses are a steal at 35 pesos each from The LandMark along Makati Avenue here in Makati. Of course, at this price you would expect these glasses to have some minor defects, such as bubbles. But they are really not so noticeable, especially if it's going to be used at a busy party. Plus, it won't hurt so much if a guest accidentally breaks it. We bought some to be used for drinking water. We'd feel like eating in a restaurant even when at home! :-)
Short Sharp Showers this month of April
That's this month's Do the Green Thing task. Well, this will be easy compared with last month's where I had to go meatless. Of course, the tasks does not only apply for the month it was assigned to; you have to integrate it into your daily living. But that said, this month's task is very doable, especially since I usually rush for work in the morning and I have been taking short sharp showers for the longest time already. This will be a walk in the park. Chicken feed, even. haha!
While trying to see what made us take the ordinary-looking photo above, I'd like to share some snippets of information for the week...
Elegant wine glasses at 35 pesos each!
Yep, you read it right. These wine and margarita glasses are a steal at 35 pesos each from The LandMark along Makati Avenue here in Makati. Of course, at this price you would expect these glasses to have some minor defects, such as bubbles. But they are really not so noticeable, especially if it's going to be used at a busy party. Plus, it won't hurt so much if a guest accidentally breaks it. We bought some to be used for drinking water. We'd feel like eating in a restaurant even when at home! :-)
Short Sharp Showers this month of April
That's this month's Do the Green Thing task. Well, this will be easy compared with last month's where I had to go meatless. Of course, the tasks does not only apply for the month it was assigned to; you have to integrate it into your daily living. But that said, this month's task is very doable, especially since I usually rush for work in the morning and I have been taking short sharp showers for the longest time already. This will be a walk in the park. Chicken feed, even. haha!
27 March 2008
Planting season
One weekend in Baguio City, I decided to visit the Orchidarium to visit our dear friends who sell plants there; my friends and I been their customer since way back high school (that's over 20 years ago). The Orchidarium is like a secret garden for us; there are only a few people about even on weekends. And the variety of plants and flowers are wonderful to behold!
Anyways, we were there just to visit and take a stroll. But soon I was in animated conversation with our suki, who I have not seen for a long time. I finally gave in to temptation and bought a couple of miniature rose bushes. I wondered if they had spice plants for sale? Yes they did! I bought basil, rosemary, and mint. Wow, the smell of these plants are simply delicious.
Back home, I gathered up some milk cans and proceeded to punch holes at the bottom for drainage. Jo-Lo was on hand to help out.
Next, I placed some medium-sized stones at the bottom, followed by smaller ones.
I also bought some soil from the Orchidarium. This is gardening soil, conditioned with compost and fertilizer.
I placed some soil to cover the stones and measured the depth such that the plant I will be placing will have some space from the lid and the soil will not overflow. I removed the black plastic from the plant and saved it for later, arranged it onto the can, and filled the hollow side with soil.
Ta-daaa! Miniature roses and spice plants to beautify our veranda.
Plants and flowers were something my friends and I did back in high school, and it's such good therapy to do it again! Very relaxing. Plus, it's a great way to recycle cans! I might try my hand with some other plants as soon as Jo-Lo finishes another can of milk!
Anyways, we were there just to visit and take a stroll. But soon I was in animated conversation with our suki, who I have not seen for a long time. I finally gave in to temptation and bought a couple of miniature rose bushes. I wondered if they had spice plants for sale? Yes they did! I bought basil, rosemary, and mint. Wow, the smell of these plants are simply delicious.
Back home, I gathered up some milk cans and proceeded to punch holes at the bottom for drainage. Jo-Lo was on hand to help out.
Next, I placed some medium-sized stones at the bottom, followed by smaller ones.
I also bought some soil from the Orchidarium. This is gardening soil, conditioned with compost and fertilizer.
I placed some soil to cover the stones and measured the depth such that the plant I will be placing will have some space from the lid and the soil will not overflow. I removed the black plastic from the plant and saved it for later, arranged it onto the can, and filled the hollow side with soil.
Ta-daaa! Miniature roses and spice plants to beautify our veranda.
Plants and flowers were something my friends and I did back in high school, and it's such good therapy to do it again! Very relaxing. Plus, it's a great way to recycle cans! I might try my hand with some other plants as soon as Jo-Lo finishes another can of milk!
17 March 2008
Earth Hour: 8:00-9:00pm March 29, 2008
On 29 March 2008 the Philippines will join countries around the world as we literally "turn the lights out" for Earth Hour - an event that will fuel awareness on climate change and prove that when the people of the world work together, they can make a difference in the fight against global warming.
Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the evening on Saturday, 29 March 2008. WWF invites you to participate by shutting off lights for 60 minutes, organizing your own "lights-out" event or by forwarding this mail to your friends, workmates and family.
Launched in Australia on the 31st of March 2007, Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour. This massive collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.
YOUR participation will go a long way in spreading the message that we, as individual droplets working collectively - can create an impetus far more powerful than the mightiest of rivers. For more information, log on to the WWF Earth Hour page at: www.earthhour.org.
If you want to learn more about how else you can help make Earth Hour in the Philippines a success, reply to this email or drop us a line at (632) 920-7931, (632) 920-7923, or (632)920-7926
Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the evening on Saturday, 29 March 2008. WWF invites you to participate by shutting off lights for 60 minutes, organizing your own "lights-out" event or by forwarding this mail to your friends, workmates and family.
Launched in Australia on the 31st of March 2007, Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour. This massive collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.
YOUR participation will go a long way in spreading the message that we, as individual droplets working collectively - can create an impetus far more powerful than the mightiest of rivers. For more information, log on to the WWF Earth Hour page at: www.earthhour.org.
If you want to learn more about how else you can help make Earth Hour in the Philippines a success, reply to this email or drop us a line at (632) 920-7931, (632) 920-7923, or (632)920-7926
14 March 2008
What's for lunch?
For friends and those asking how I am doing so far with my Green Thing task for month, thank you for your concern. I am quite happy with my veggie meals. Admittedly, there were times when there are no veggies on the menu so I eat whatever there is. But for most of the time, I skip the meat.
Friday is a nice time for those who want more veggie in their diet because people are more likely to serve green things on this day. Being a predominantly Catholic country, the Philippines generally observes abstinence from meat during the Lenten season to commemorate the death of our Christ. This practice has extended outside of Lent, and on Fridays you can usually see mung beans in the menu.
So I had mongo for lunch, and this egg-and-tomato dish called tulchas from Pampanga. I have requested for this particular item from the cafeteria in our building because it has been years since I have tasted this. For a simple dish, it's really good!
Yes, I know eggs are animal farm produce as well but I'm not going 100% vegan anytime soon anyways. But I think my effort in skipping the yummy bopis and other meat items deserve a count, so I'm heading over to The Green Thing and have it included in my CO2 savings!
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