As one who was born and raised in a city within a forest, I grew up believing that the eleventh commandment is Thou Shall Not Litter. You can just imagine my horror when I started living in Manila and witnessed some people just throwing trash everywhere. From where I came from, we had no excuse to litter because you cannot walk ten to fifteen steps without encountering a trash bin. Hence, my birthplace was consistently the Cleanest and Greenest City in the country when I was growing up.
I count myself lucky to have grown up in such an environment, where aside from knowing where to properly put our trash, people just innately have a sense of accountability towards the conservation and protection of our natural resources. Personally, I feel that it's the least I can do in return for the chance to live in such a beautiful place. Maybe it's just provincial pride or something, but I really think that Palawan is a paradise on earth. But of course it won't stay that way if we don't keep pushing for awareness of environmental issues.
Last night I attended an art exhibit/music fest fundraiser dubbed EndDanger, by Artists for Nature which is this group of wonderful individuals who lent their artistic talents towards a noble cause--environmental conservation and protection. Works of various artists were on display, showcasing different species of Philippine wildlife that are on the verge of extinction if we don't take immediate steps to protect them now.
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| Pawikan (A Race to Life) by Mike Garcia |
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| Visayan Wrinkled Hornbill by Henri Peneyra |
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| Philippine Tarsier by Henri Peneyra |
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| Palawan Peacock by Marky Alvarado |
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| Golden Crowned Flying Fox by Ray Anthony Jauculan |
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| The exhibit will run until Feb. 08 at Conspiracy Garden Cafe in Quezon City |
Aside from the wake up call for action and drive for awareness that these paintings provided to the exhibit-goers, all the proceeds of the event would actually fund a Pawikan Watchers training program launched by the Save Philippine Seas movement, which benefits a group of volunteers whose mission is to spread the word and lead by example, that hey, it's not cool to harm the turtles, okay? The Philippine turtle is actually one the most threatened species of marine life in our country. Not convinced by my mere words alone? Watch the video below to see how these critters struggle against all odds.
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