SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A SHOT

First day of Sustainable Development class, our professor showed picture and asked what we see? Someone said corn plantation, another one said wheat and I said elements that sustain plant life. There was no definite answer to it but she suggested that we look beyond what we see and consider factors why particular image was developed; for the next picture, it was a different story as the invisible became visible. In search for an inspiration to write, I chance upon a black and white image of a family and gradually the illustration showed me link between population, poverty, resources and environment in relation to sustainable development.

Google search: Image of poverty and hundreds appeared; this very picture of the Villapando Family moved me. The family lives in Payatas, in a 20 square meters shanty where in the couple and their seven children dine, sleep and wait for the day to end. An everyday picture became ordinary instead of alarming. What stimulated my personal being was the consistency in the look of their eyes, from the head of the family to the one-year old boy, is an evidence of pain, hunger and innocence to ignorance. Indeed, they are an epitome of poverty part of the 1.7 billion people to live in absolute poverty today, and worst to be part of approximately 25,000 people dying of hunger alone and this number continue to grow bigger every single day. Statistics proved relation of population to poverty a simple equation of the greater number of people means more mouth to feed, more demands of clean water to clench thirst and greater needs of resources that often leads to exploitation of environment to sustain the needs of present without considering the future. 

This leads me to compare the Villapando family to my grandparents who both have the same number of children. Through pictures, I traveled back in time when my mom was still at her puberty stage. Never do I encounter a picture the same with the Villapando’s. Most of the pictures showed my mom beaming with smiles with her siblings; they look healthy, pictures in school uniforms, birthday parties and during graduation. How come my lolo, a jeepney driver and my lola, a plain housewife was able to send all his seven children to school and find ways for them to earn diploma and Mr. Villapando still vague for the future? My grandparents had experienced some struggles; they just aimed to provide the basic needs for their children. I guess my lolo took opportunities and time to his advantage when jeepney was in demand means of transportation and fuel cost less per liter; State Universities providing quality education at no cost and institution on feeding programs dutifully enforce nutrition. While, my lola manages the income wisely; with less resources but clear vision and direction they able to provide a decent life for their children which we their grandchildren had benefited.

Population is a contributing factor to poverty and increases demands for resources utilization; every single day billions of people take more than what they need from the environment without returning the favor and so many have none for them to meet their own needs. In theory, sustainable development is attainable, but in reality, many issues hinder this development. My lolo stood firm for his family, made use of resources around him and the earnings was well managed and allocated by my lola not only for the present needs of their children but of the future generation. Leadership and uncorrupt institution to govern over its people and resources is a huge factor for a successful development. This lead me further realized Charles Darwin once said, “If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin”.

          The World Commission on Environment and Development first officially defined the term “sustainability” as entailing "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Although it means many different things to different people, sustainable development generally refers to sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social progress and equity, all interconnected and operating within the limits of natural resources. 

CEBU CITY : MISHAP (Part 2)

THE MISHAP

            On the third night, our bodies were on rage due to dehydration and needs refueling. After an hour of whole body massage, we decided to get drunk at Mango Avenue since its a few blocks away from our hotel. Very young crowd liven up the avenue and square, couple of bottles here, tequila shot there and we literally hopped from bar A to Z. I am an average drinker and admittedly exceeded my tolerance, thus, decided to excuse myself and leave my friend behind with our new acquaintances.

            Little did I know predator was already lurking behind as I walk back to our hotel; in a dark alley I was startled when someone put his arm around my shoulder asking if I am from Manila. He was a tall young man at his early 20’s, medium built, dark brown wavy hair and admittedly, he was good looking. I simply nodded and he started to introduce himself. With the nature how he talks, I find him friendly, yet keeping my senses well upbeat.

            On premises of Sampaguita suites, I was ready to bid farewell to this fellow when he surprisingly asked me if we are staying at the same hotel. Displaying his dimpled smile, he again put his arm around my shoulder and sigh “what a coincidence”. He cracked some jokes as we passed by security and reception area that I find hilarious. On elevator, it was no longer surprise that we are on same floor and this time alcohol had drained from my body and became vigilant. As the door opened, I gestured him to step out ahead of me and it was a sigh of relief when we went opposite direction as he said good night.

            It took awhile to open the door as I scrambled for my keys. I was surprised when someone pushed the door behind and let himself in. Frozen by the door as I recognized the face of the same person I encountered on my way here. He was offering me a massage, which I refused, I demanded him to get out immediately for my friend is arriving that very minute but he simply smiled, undressed and started playing himself. I am about to run to call security but thorn from leaving since our valuables were in that room. Already on hysteria, the person was pulling me in as he tried to shut the door but fought my way not to be locked inside the room. I could see frustrations in his eyes as he demanded me to handover my wallet to him or the camera he saw we are using back at the bar. I explained to him that I entrusted my wallet and camera to my friend, that aggravated the situation and able to pull me inside the room with all his might. Bearing pain, I used my foot to block the door from completely closing as he started to search my pockets for money, to no avail he eyed my watch and tried to remove it out from my wrist. I saw the phone, grabbed the receiver, and pressed zero and demanded for security assistance by an instant the operator spoke.  

            From aggravated to demonic as this person started cursing and I stared blank waiting to be injured at any cause. Maybe with divine intervention by the Sto. Nino the person just grabbed his clothes without taking anything and went out passing through the exit doors before security arrived. I phoned my friend and found me in alcohol – blood drained color with security. I reiterated what happened and the management was apologetic thinking the person was a friend since we entered both laughing with the man’s arm around my shoulder. We learned from Sampaguita Suites’ team that they had two reported same incidents of what happened to me but unfortunately the victims were brutally beaten and robbed. The management never offered assistance if we decided reporting to authority.

            The following morning we checked out and decided to spend our remaining days at Bohol. On ferry, I also blame myself for drinking too much, for talking to strangers and ignoring statistics, that Police Regional Office 7 website had warned public. I was traumatized but decided not to file complaint to ease myself form further interrogations and hassles it might bring to me. I simply oath not to visit Cebu City again even it is an all expense paid trip. 

CEBU CITY : MISHAP (Part 2)

Prior going anywhere, I really take time to do research about places I am visiting and crime rate tops my checklist. In merry month of December 2009, a visiting friend from Bahrain was flying to Manila for a business trip in Cebu. He handed me task of booking us flight for one week. According to Police Regional Office 7 website, Cebu City registered the highest recorded incidents of 924 of the region-wide Index Crime, followed by Cebu Province with 688 incidents, Bohol with 404, Lapu-lapu City with 271, Negros Oriental with 234, Mandaue City with 161 and Siquijor 24 incidents. Visitors were advised to be cautious for Theft was recorded as consistently prevalent among crimes followed by physical injury and robbery comes third highest. Despite alarming statistics, I simply ignored facts and data for it was a guaranteed all expense paid trip.

  

            I was hands off picking accommodation for my friend’s company had this tie up with Sampaguita Suites Plaza Garcia. I made no arguments with the hotel choice; Sampaguita Suites boasts a variety of elegant rooms that are suitable for couples, families and travelers. In addition, it is ideally located in Cebu City, within close proximity to Basilica Del Santo Nino, Magellan’s Cross, Patria De Cebu, La Nueva Supermarket, Cebu City Hall and much more.

            Since my friend was busy conducting interviews for possible employees by morning, I scouted for potential place to hang out as night falls. I was told that Mango Avenue and Mango Square is where all the bars and nightclubs are located. Variety of strip clubs lining Mango Avenue leading up to Mango Square, a few new establishments, designed in different themes were located at the International Bar Complex, near the convention centre. For someone seeking alternative bars and nightclubs, karaoke and casinos major hotels at Cebu City are to visit.

            We missed Cebu’s nightlife for two consecutive nights as we busied ourselves from sunrise to sunset exploiting the city. This entry entails mishap I encountered but gratified to share some joyous moments with following key landmarks:

Tabon Market

Cebu is famous for dried fish and seafood and Taboan Market is the “IT” place. Jeepneys are available going to this market with signboard displaying “Taboan”. This place is heaven for danggit, dried pusit and even dried mangoes to longanisa, we engaged too much that we had three boxfuls loaded of dried stuff costing us 3,000 php. After two hours, we both smelled dried fish garnering unsolicited stares from people we passed by.

Larsian Sa Fuente

Is a landmark all Cebuanos have been. Larsian famous place for grilled and barbeque located near Fuente Osmena rotunda and beside Chong Hua Hospital. Larsian houses an assortment of carenderias offering fresh meat, fish, longanisa, chicken and anything possible for grilling partnered with Cebu’s hanging rice, puso. For 35.00 php one can have a hearty meal.

Magellan’s Cross

            Close to 500 – year old cross, called Magellan’s Cross is a popular tourist attraction that celebrates baptism into the Roman Catholic religion of the island chief Rajah Humabon, his wife, and some 500 of their followers.

            Magellan’s Cross is right in front of the old Cebu City Hall building, in downtown Cebu near the port area. The easiest way to go there is to take a cab, all drivers know where it is, or via public transport, take a jeepney with signboard “City Hall” or “Basilica”. Within vicinity of Magellan’s Cross-are guitar vendors, shell craft and woodcrafts display, products popular for both local and tourist.

Basilica Minore Sto. Nino

            Just a throw away from Magellan’s Cross is the Basilica Sto. Nino – amongst basilica I had visited and photographed, I find the basilaca’s design unusual for the retalbo as centerpiece with niches and more than dozens of saints adorning it. The whole rests on a high plinth decorated with bas relieves of griffins. Another worth noting in the interior are the curved lattice screens of the choir loft, the stained glass windows and the corn motif decorating the capitals along the nave.

            There was no festivities but I patiently lined up from outside at the ambulatory between church that winds behind the altar of the Sto.Nino image like pilgrim anticipating to touch the cape of this beloved icon of Cebu.

            Candles are not allowed inside the church; however, devotees may light candles at designated places in the ambulatory.

An Uninvited Guest

         In hunt of my transcript of record, I chance upon in hay stacked of files this newspaper dated October 29, 2004. Remembering seven years ago I had this story submitted to Inquirer and was published in their features story in time for Halloween. After reading said article I had this strange feeling as if someone wanted to be remembered. And so …..

            I’m Mikee, 23 years old. I would never forget the night of March 30, 1997, during a graduation retreat of our batch in Silang Cavite. After listening to several guest speakers, we planned to go out in the dark to hunt for ghost, but we caught by priests. We ended up talking about green jokes, relationship, embarrassing stories and future plans.

            During discussion about college, our talk shifted t our classmate Moses. He was a popular, funny and independent person. It was sad because he drowned March 30, 1996 during a family outing. We realized it would be his first death anniversary the following day.

            Then I felt cold despite it being summer. I knew everybody felt the same although nobody reacted, so we decided to end our conversation and slept. I climbed to my assigned place on the bunk bed but couldn’t sleep. My eyes were closed but I sensed that somebody was in the room. I opened my eyes and saw a boy our age by the door. He looked at me like he was surprised at being seen. I panicked and closed my eyes.

            I let minute pass, opened my eyes and saw Moses floating flat on the ceiling, staring at me, our noses almost touching. I shut my eyes again and uttered the Hail Mary repeatedly and heard him imitating me in a mocking tone.

            The following morning I kept silent, thinking people would not believe me. Until now I wonder why Moses had to scare me since we weren’t close friends or enemies. But I pray he would rest peacefully with our creator.

                

DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY - D' GREEN UNIVERSITY

One day I woke up and decided to attend graduate school. Perhaps, boredom of industrial world had crawled up my spine and I terribly miss being student again. Scrambling into my backpack, I reached for my laptop and started scouting for possible school. I eliminated universities at Intramuros, Manila for I practically completed academic years in those great historic walls. I wanted a new environment, something like Hogwarts – extraordinary and enchanting.

            A colleague from San Miguel Corporation taking Master in Arts Teaching English (MATE) demanded to accompany him at De La Salle University in Dasmarinas, Cavite to settle school matters. On road, it was a long boring sight of fields as if I am in a set of Jeepers Creepers part 2. I questioned him why choose a remote place to study when DLSU Manila is much accessible? He just simply replied, “You’ll see why.”

  

Occupying a sprawling 27-hectare campus in Dasmariñas, Cavite, De La Salle University - Dasmariñas is about 30 kilometers south of Manila via the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road and the Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. Entering gate 3 of DLSU-D was an archway with great remnant of brick walls of yet another Intramuros historic genre. I was expecting horse-driven carriages and “guirellas” marching to appear any minute; to my surprise an eco-friendly jeepney in green harmonically honk behind us, which later I learned charges 5php/ student ride to any point within campus.

The buildings on campus are located within two geographical areas - The East Campus and the West Campus designed in contemporary architecture to colonial. Spaces not left idle but an opportunity to live up as so-called “Green University”. Despite summer, I never complained walking from east to west for a long stretch of over-lapping branches created shaded walkway with scenery like of my pc wallpaper. Man made lake spread in very heart of campus and a botanical garden both serve purposes for scientific research, conservation, aesthetic and recreational function brought delight to my senses.

I learned DLSU-D’s strong commitment in environmental preservation with its projects and initiatives. The university had established The Environmental Resource Management and Campus Development Office responsible for the initiation, implementation, supervision and evaluation of all the university’s programs and policies together with its compliance to national government standards related to environmental management and safety, pollution control and disaster risk reduction.  Best examples were (1) Strict implementation of no-entry policy of all kinds of Styrofoam materials (2) Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond Project - serves as venue for more pro-active responses to environmental issues. It draws out mechanisms that systematically involve the La Sallian Family in sustainable reforestation and greening efforts in close partnership and coordination with local communities. 

I am now on my second semester taking MS Environmental Science at De La Salle University – Dasmariñas. The campus breathing with life had awakened my senses and encouraged me to step a notch. Every Saturday with my backpack inspired to be educated and be part of the “Black Out! Green In! – Project Carbon Neutral - An initiative of DLSU-D in response to the impending threat of climate change.