The Universe and its gods and goddesses were reading my blog when I posted my ambitious “25 things to do before I’m 25.” On Saturday, June 16, 2012, I get to cross off one more thing from that list: speak in a TEDx event.
I am a HUGE TED fan, okay. All the videos in my iPad are TED talks. I have even more in my MacBook’s iTunes. By being one of the 6 speakers in TEDxKatipunanAve, it will be a chance to ~give back~ to something that has changed my life and the way I think.
The 3-men team behind this event went all out, with a beautiful site, meetings with each speaker, and a very tight theme and concept. For Filipinos, the word “Katipunan” weighs so much. It’s tied to our history, the celebrated Philippine Revolution, independence, freedom, justice, and democracy. I’m thrilled to be sharing the stage with someone who’s like my sister, Pie Alvarez, and people I admire from afar, like Dylan Wilk and Maria Ressa.
Today, the spirit of the Katipunan comes alive once more.
We invite you back to the birthplace of revolutions
To listen to new voices
with new things to say
To set new spirits on fire
To open up new perspectives
And inspire new dreams
We rekindle the fire of the Katipunan
With new revolutionaries
Facing new challenges
Facing them head-on with their ideas
Ideas that are worth spreading.
We invite you to Katipunan
To witness new revolutions.
I would call her Gabriella Tala–Gabriella after the first female Filipino hero and Tala because it’s Tagalog for star. “So ang nickname niya, GATA,” concludes her Ninang Gold.
She would be a hippie, my friends say. She would be born with fins, others predict.
She’d be my most constant travel buddy. I’d take her to different provinces around the Philippines, as my parents did every year from birth to present. She needs get to know her country before meeting others.
Bantayan Island, Cebu, 4 years old
Since most of my work takes me to coastal areas, I’d let her run around the shore barefoot but remind her to put booties on before walking any further. Stepping on a sea urchin is ouchie. I would know. I’d put a life vest on her every time she wants to go to the open sea, because there are down currents and riptides that can take her away from me. I’d watch her touch seashells and starfish (BASTA ‘WAG LION FISH!!!!!) and gently tell her not to bring any home. She’s able to see them because we left them there. I’d encourage her soak the sunshine, but only after lathering her skin with sunblock to protect her from the unforgiving UV rays.
As she grows older, I’d tell her that being fit is more important than not being fat. Genetic lottery says she’s going to inherit the curves and valleys of the hips and butts of the women in her family, so she has to embrace them. “It’s okay, Gata,” I’d comfort her. “Studies show that having a big behind may be good for the health!” I’d gladly pay for soccer/dance/gymnastics/basketball/yoga lessons–any kind of activity that will allow her to explore the many things the human body can and cannot do.
She will never, ever see any kind of whitening products near me, which I hope shows her that being brown is beautiful.
When we begin the more mature kind of body talk, I won’t use euphemisms and say “bird” instead of penis and “flower” instead of vagina; they’re body parts, just like fingers and toes, and there should be absolutely no shame in saying such words.
She’d have a healthy diet of current events, music, literature, and theatre. She’d watch musicals starring Tita Hyena and Tita Mofie (known to everyone else as Caisa Borromeo and Kakki Teodoro, respectively). She’d appreciate Oxford commas and ampersands, and know the difference between Arial and Helvetica. She’d sing or dance to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Avicii, Kaskade, Lea Salonga, and Up Dharma Down. She’d have a well-informed opinion about everything from tobacco control laws to the latest celebrity breakup.
I believe that mother-daughter relationships are synonymous to love-hate relationships. People say daughters turn out worse than their mothers, so I can only imagine what kind of nightmare she’d be. When we fight, she can run to any of my 7 best friends (Ninang Mariel, Ninang Gold, Ninang Donna, Ninang Abet, Ninang Ria, Ninong Juancho, and Ninong Enzo). They made a pact with me that they’d kidnap her and feed her ice cream when things aren’t okay. After we cool down, I’d remind her that I’m only mad because I love her, and that she should be worried if I don’t get mad because it means I’ve stopped caring about her growth.
If and when she loses student council elections or cheering competitions, I will be waiting at home with Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream or Turtle Pie from Conti’s. Or Nutella crepe. Or a mojito. Whatever will make her feel better.
I really, really hope she’d want to go to the University of the Philippines like I did, because it exposes one to different realities that other schools won’t. But if she doesn’t, I’ll get over it after one night of mojitos (without her seeing or knowing, of course) and support the succeeding plans. She can major in Moleculary Biology and Biochemistry, Fine Arts, Music, or Business… Whatever her heart desires. If she tells me her choice is based on possible lucrative opportunities or what society says is right, I’d say, “Baby, don’t give a fuck about what other people say. Do what you love and love what you do.”
I’d listen. Always.
There’s not much advice I can give when it comes to boys. These things she needs to learn by herself. All I can teach her is to love herself first, and that a boyfriend should never complete her, but instead complement her completeness. I’d be open about the different methods of contraception too, because we can’t let that hot date turn into a due date (Santos, A. 2011).
And if she falls in love with a girl, that’s fine too. She’d grow up seeing my many many gay friends with their partners, so she’d understand early on that love is love, and it’s about being with the right person and never about gender.
I’d love her. I’d love her without agenda. After all, I didn’t have her so I could pass my genes to someone, or so someone could take care of me when I’m older. I’d love her in a pick-you-up-after-midnight-when-you’re-drunk-and-rub-your-back-while-you-throw-up kind of way. I’d love her least at birth, and let the love grow exponentially each day.
Note: This entry was inspired by Sarah Kay’s TED Talk with the same title. I am not preggerz. I do not have any plans of having kids. Ever. True story.
This is for my mom, whose butt I inherited. I would be so blessed if I could also inherit even 1/4 of her brains and backbone.
I did my interview running on caffeine and love. Jetlag ang lola. ERRATUM: NOT ALL SHARKS ARE ENDANGERED. A lot are, though.
I was quite nervous about presenting in front of 500 Netherlanders. I didn’t know what their humor was like, so I was bracing myself for dead air after my punchlines. Keri naman.
The 50,000-Euro prize money will go to a shark sanctuary in Malapascua. It’s something that I had been dreaming about for awhile, and now I have the resources to make it happen. It’s not about the money though, but about making the world dance (thanks Jessie J!).
My approach to conservation involves multi-stakeholder cooperation, so there’s a lot of work ahead. Lots of marine conversations happening with scientists, dive shop owners, tourists, Bantay Dagat (sea wardens), residents, and national and local government officials. I wasn’t formally trained to build marine protected areas, so I’m making this up as I go. The last few months have been a flurry of meetings, journal articles, brain jamming, and panic attacks. The latter, I think, is one major indicator that something is SO important to you — tears! fear! panic! self-inflicted pressure! more tears!
Luckily, I have a great partner-in-love, Carlie. I’m also surrounded by such positive and encouraging people who are so willing to share their expertise and networks. It’s kinda like having a kick-ass thesis partner, thesis adviser, and panel. The contribution of project to the country is more important than my “final grade.” (In hindsight, that was my mindset when I was writing my undergrad thesis, minus the kick-ass thesis partner since I did my work of heart by myself #foreveralone) (I got a flat uno for my thesis, by the way. Just putting it out there.)
Whenever people ask me if I think the project can happen, I say, “Yes. To the core of my bones. Why else would I be doing it?”
When I’m not in or by the sea, I’m thinking about it, dreaming about it, or making plans to protect it. After 3 months of unemployment (!), I finally found projects worth pursuing–all of which are related to marine conservation. One’s with a national government agency and local government unit, one with a multi-national company, and another with an NGO. And of course, my own baby, the shark sanctuary in Malapascua! (These projects also serve as my excuse for not blogging as often as I should.)
I’m thrilled that May is the official Month of the Ocean (official kasi may Presidential Proclamation No. 57 #legit). It’s a good reason to create events for the Philippine seas. The Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau has all sorts of activities lined up for this month, and everyone is invited to be part of it!
I’ll be out of reach for the next week because I’ll be underwater most of the time for a dive expedition, but when I fly back to Manila on May 8, I head straight to the UP Marine Science Institute for this:
And guess which talk I’m giving? Why, the one one on algal blooms of course! HAHA ASA. I’ll be the last speaker, on the “Role of social media in conservation.” :) Entrance is FREE but only the first 150 participants can go!
Save Philippine Seas will also have several happenings (HAPPENINGS??? WHUT) this month. We’re turning ONE on May 26! Can you believe it? We’re almost one year old! We’ll be celebrating by launching our mobile site and mobile app and launching our new website, among others. We are so blessed!
We hope to see new and/or familiar faces during some of the events!
CNN’s “Eye On” is a series that takes you to different countries around the world, highlighting influence and innovation. We showcase interesting places and intelligent people who have the potential to change our world.
At the end of April, we’re visiting the Philippines. We’d like you to share the sights and sounds that you think capture the true flavor of the country. Send us your photos, or put yourself on video and tell the world what the Philippines is really like.
The best stories and videos will be featured on CNN’s Eye On website and on TV. The deadline for submissions is May 11.
As I write this, there are only 78 iReports and 13 iReporters.I’ll dedicate some time on Thursday to send reports and photos! Let’s work together and up those numbers, shall we? The Philippines isn’t the social media capital of the world for nothing. Let’s collaborate and put the country in a positive light :)
My current favorite place in the Philippines: San Vicente, Palawan
Anna Oposa graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a degree in BA English Studies in April '11. She is a freelance writer, performer, scuba diver, and yoga practitioner. Anna is best at being an ambassador of good vibes.
