ANNAlysis

When Sec. Lucille Sering of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) asked me to be an ambassador for the Greeneration campaign, I didn’t think twice about it. My affiliation with the CCC began in 2010, as a youth delegate in the Philippine delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun. That experience opened my eyes and heart (#choz) to how global issues in global warming are. It also inspired me and my better half (sans romance) Kester to write the workbook An Introduction to Climate Change for Filipinos. Now, I work part-time in the CCC as the Project Assistant of the Ecotown Development Framework in San Vicente, Palawan.

My job as an ambassador was to speak in the Greeneration Summit-Visayas in Cebu.

To make the Greeneration “ambassadorship” even sweeter, my co-ambassadors were two of my favorite people in the world, Pie and Bianca.

I decided to make this event the ~debut of my new presentation too. (DEBUT???) I’m back to using Keynote!

From “Rock the Boat,” the new title is “Marine Conversations.” Inspired by Pie, who would always introduce me accidentally as a “marine conversationist” instead of “marine conservationist.” It had a nice ring to it — my work deals with A LOT of marine conversations with the youth, government leaders, and communities.

I was pretty nervous before I stepped on stage during the late afternoon. No matter how many times I’ve given a talk, I still get butterflies (sometimes vultures) in my stomach and throat. The crowd had 900 restless students who had already listened to, like, 6 talks before ours.

I talked about climate change-related initiatives I did back in college and now with Save Philippine Seas (We’re on Tumblr! Are you following us already?).

After my talk was Bianca’s “10 eco-friendly things I try to do (and you can, too!).” If you follow Bianca on Twitter, you’ll see how nervous she was to speak about the environment, because all the talks she’d done before were on youth empowerment, social media, and education. But oh em, she was such a pro! (NOT BIASED.) For someone who did it for the first time, B was more engaging than a lot of experienced speakers I’ve heard. Her talk was so relevant and inspiring. After all, the hardest part about pursuing a climate for change is breaking old habits, and B gave concrete, actionable points for the youth to lead their own greenerations.

Pie, mayor of San Vicente, ended the Summit with a bang. San Vic is a young town that is so abundant with natural resources, both on land and in the water. But like most places in the Philippines, they struggle to protect the environment and develop economically. Pie discussed environmental initiatives they’re doing, with emphasis on the Ecotown Framework, along with the challenges that come with it. At the end of Pie’s talk, she held a pop quiz to test if the students were really listening and gave a 3-day/2-night trip to San Vicente to the winner. NAKAKALOKA.

The open forum that followed with all three of us was HILARIOUS, okay. The audience asked for a “sampol” so Bianca, Pie, and I ended up singing! Pie sang a few lines from her trademark campaign song, “Bakit Pa?” by Jessa Zaragosa. WAHAHAHAHAH.

The highlight was running into one of my former students in the restroom (OF ALL PLACES!). She was my student back in the 1st Bantayan Arts Festival, where my friend Rizzy and I taught environmental education through musical theatre. Now she’s in college and attending the Greeneration Summit. In addition to feeling old (COLLEGE NA STUDYANTE KO NOON!!!!), I was also happy that maybe the seed we planted back in 2010 bloomed into an eco-warrior-in-the-making :)

Here are the three ambassadors on stage with Sec. Sering, now called “Charlie” to the “three angels” :)))))

Thank you, Cebu! Your enthusiasm was infectious!

The next summits are going to be in Cagayan de Oro and Baguio later this year. Looking forward to it!

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, traveling would be it. Go to a new continent and explore your own backyard. Carry the proverbial Philippine flag proudly wherever you go. Traveling will show you how much you know and how much you have yet to learn.

Germany, January 2012

Losing your job could be the best thing that could happen to you, if you choose to see it that way. The more time you spend with the wrong job means less time with the right one. Sharks can be your officemates, dive guides your mentors, and the sea your office.

Photo by Klaus Stiefel

It’s not the number of conferences you go to and funders you meet. What matters more is how you use those connections and funds to serve the people.

Make friends with people you wouldn’t normally make friends with. They might be your next best friends.

With Lynn and Pie in Davos, Switzerland, January 2012

As your network expands, keep your oldest friends closer. They loved you before the titles and awards, when your socks were too high and you hadn’t discovered eyebrow threading. They will keep your feet planted firmly on the ground.

With Mikki in Hong Kong Disneyland, February 2012

With Donna, Ma, and Abet in Skye, December 2012

There’s politics in every work environment. People will judge and people will talk. Put your earphones on and focus on doing an excellent job. Work harder than anyone you know. Submit on time. Rehearse and time your presentations. Don’t just prove them wrong, prove yourself right too.

Don’t gloat about how tired you are and how much sleep you lack like it’s a badge of honor. It’s disgusting.

Your dreams and ambitions can be overwhelming. You will get panic attacks and doubt your capabilities. Breathe. Fear reminds you that you are on to something important. But do not wait for conditions to be perfect. The only way to begin is to begin.

TEDxKatipunan: Modern Day Revolutionaries, June 2012

Evaluate the professional and personal growth that work can offer you. Do not be afraid to say no to certain opportunities. Really. It’s not going to make you look weak. Choose a few things that you can excel at, as opposed to many things you can be mediocre at.

Don’t ever let corporations and politicians turn your advocacies into commodities. Money is just money; it can be earned and raised. Reputations take years to build. Your principles should never have a price tag.

Collaborate.

Take your vitamins, drink more than 8 glasses of water a day, and engage in physical activity. Wear paraben-free sunscreen everyday.

Read.

Enjoy being single. It doesn’t equate to being lonely. Flirt, date, and tease. (And use protection, please.)

Commit only when you’ve gotten to know someone who makes you understand the term “better half.” Relationships are complicated–that’s why there’s no “in a simple relationship” option. They need work. Swallow your pride every now and then. Learn to say sorry and learn to forgive.

Maintain independence. Whatever your boyfriend/girlfriend can do for you, you must be able to do on your own. Just much better.

Fill your life with music. Make several playlists that will serve as soundtracks to your moods and phases: Chill, Good Vibes, Kill Yourself Senti, Angsty, Roadtrip, Dance On Top of the Table, and Karaoke Queen. Share these playlists. People should never be selfish with good music.

Laugh a lot, especially at your failures.

Keep banging your head on the wall. The wall will break eventually.

And trust me on the traveling.

The 2011 version
The 2010 version
The 2009 version

Original lyrics of “Everybody’s free to wear sunscreen.”

I always thought I would be in Silliman University to attend the National Writers Workshop. I was rejected not once but twice (!) because fate had other plans. They turned out to be Great Plans that included testifying in a Senate hearing and teaching in an Arts-Environment Festival.

This week, I find myself in Silliman as a speaker at the 1st National Youth Development Summit (NYDS). The opportunity to be with some 200 youth leaders from all over the country is pretty awesome :) Ika nga ni Katy Perry, “no regrets / just love.”

I felt like a participant during this event and sat in almost all sessions. Tito Tony Meloto, one of the greatest visionaries I know, kicked off the series of talks. His mom passed away before the date, but he wanted to go to the NYDS before the wake because he “lives for the living.”

“I went to the best schools but they didn’t teach me vision. They only taught me ambition,” said Tito Tony. His ambition is now married to an extraordinary vision: to end poverty in the Philippines by 2024. He brought up the World Economic Forum and quipped, “I was the only one old there. I was with Anna, Lynn, and Pie — puro bata. You know why? Dahil ako lang ang 62-year-old na hindi pa tapos mangarap.”

The indefatigable May-i Fabros then talked about women’s health. She shared stories of a 24-year-old with 12 kids (first kid at 13), and a 15-year-old with 3 kids. May-i flew back to Manila right after her talk to attend what would be the historical third reading of the Reproductive Health Bill at the Senate and House of Representatives.

Xiao Chua capped Day 1 with a lecture entitled “Learning From Our Heroes.” He revealed parts of our history that our Araling Pilipino teachers never told us, from photos of Rizal playing dress-up with his friends to etymologies of words that bring new and rich layers to our heritage. I am certain that if all Filipinos had him as their teacher, we would have a deeper appreciation of our past and a clearer direction to our future.

I missed most of Day 2′s speakers because THE Eve Ensler happened to be in the auditorium across NYDS. Eve Ensler is one of my heroes; I’ve read the Vagina Monologues, I’ve seen it on stage, and I’ve seen her TED talks.

Eve stood behind the podium and spoke with no PowerPoint presentation, no props, no fancy clothing — just her and her message to end violence against women and girls around the world. She spoke about her beginnings as an abused child. In her experience, her heart and spirit broke wide and far enough to let more love to enter. Isn’t that a beautiful thought? The overwhelming stories of resilience and hope from the women and men she has met through the V-journey continue to break her and heal her.

Eve briefly discussed how recent events made her think about violence and what caused people to commit acts of violence. She pointed out that violence made her think of love “and how scary it is.” She adds, “The only thing that moves us forward is love. That is the only antidote to violence.” She invited us to open ourselves to love. Eve also congratulated the country for the RH Bill and stated, “The women’s movement in the Philippines is one of the best in the world.”

I went back to the NYDS in time for Mae Paner’s (a.k.a. Juana Change) talk, the last of Day 2. I first watched her in the rally for the National Artists years ago. “Kung may gusto kayong baguhin, kailangan kaya niyo silang banggain,” she declared. Mae also stressed the importance of recognizing one’s weaknesses and finding ways to engage the good and bad sides for constructive change.

Halfway through the year, I started questioning the value of giving talks. I would have 4-6 speaking engagements a month and started to feel burned out. “It’s not like the audience members will actually remember anything I say and DO anything after this,” I thought. From July onwards, I decided to focus on projects in Cebu and Palawan and accept only one invitation a month.

During Xiao’s talk, he compared inspiration to a candle. If a candle fails to pass on the light, it won’t be able to draw a flame from another candle and reignite. He said we had to keep lighting candles and passing on the inspiration, so when our light dims, we can rekindle it. That’s exactly what the NYDS did to me – rekindle my sometimes dimming positivity.

It’s a great time to be alive, lovers. It’s an even greater time to be a Filipino in the Philippines. Let’s set our souls on fire :)

The sea has taken over my life. In a good way.

About 3 weeks ago, I moved into my humble home in Malapascua. I live alone in the second floor of a house which is like a studio apartment with a bathroom. The sink doesn’t work and the toilet has no flush, so the tabo is my best friend. Sometimes there’s no electricity in the morning. When the rain is strong, water forces itself through the window, ceiling, and door. But I’m not complaining — my humble home has a “priceless view” (Siapno, M. 2012). The best part for me is that Divelink, my “suki” dive shop is 3 minutes away by foot. If one of my friends text me and invite me to a dive, there’s hardly any reason for me to say no.

I’m going to be based in Malapascua for the next few months (hopefully more) to pursue my most ambitious project yet: to intensify the protection of Monad Shoal as a working shark sanctuary. The more involved I become with species conservation, the more I realize that it’s less about the species and more about the people who are capable of taking care of the species. The project entails major stakeholder mobilization — talking to dive guides, dive shop managers, teachers, government officials, and law enforcers. I’ll be the first to admit that I am making this up as I go. Luckily, I’m surrounded by an incredible support system. I hope that my willingness to learn makes up for my inexperience.

It has been a struggle to stay positive. There’s been a little resistance, which is expected. Unfortunately for my doubters, hostility only makes me work harder. I will thank these kulugos eventually. It’s more of the upcoming elections that’s putting a dent on my idealism.

One sunny Saturday afternoon, I had to reread parts of my undergraduate thesis for an application. It was about the construction of national identity in tourism materials. The voice of the paper sounded so optimistic, so sure of the value and impact of the study.

That same week was the filing of Certificates of Candidacy. As I read tweets and articles about political dynasties and celebrities declaring their intention to run for public office, I caught myself thinking, “What if I don’t vote?” “What I do doesn’t matter, especially with politicians like those.” It was and will continue to be disheartening to watch this circus called Philippine politics. I wish I could stop caring, but like Chely pointed out, apathy would be the harder choice.

I flew back to Manila last week for a series of meetings, photo shoots, speaking engagements, and projects. I had to present and pitch the shark sanctuary project to potential funders and almost started crying in front of them because I was so, er, emotionally attached (others would call it passionate) to what I do and believe in. It was also very timely to be reunited with the Global Shapers, a group of extraordinary young Filipinos who are constantly paying it forward. Seeing them injected me with inspiration and hope. They remind me that if the people will lead, the leaders will follow.

Given the blessings and opportunities within my reach, apathy would really be the harder choice. Forward we go with these projects:

ImaginOcean on the spot art painting contest held last Saturday, October 13, with Out of the Box Art Project and Moonleaf Tea Shop

The limited edition LUSH anti-shark fin soap, launched Monday, October 15 at LUSH Shangri-La. The shark cupcakes (a sweeter and eco-friendly alternative to shark’s fin soup) were so good! The soap will be sold until supplies last.

Splash Women’s Skimmers with PunchDrunkPanda. Order your own pair here.

As you can see, there is never a boring day. Frustrating, overwhelming, fulfilling, but never boring.

In a recent interview, the journalist asked me what else I wanted to accomplish in my lifetime. At 24 years old, there are still so many. But my answer that afternoon was simple: “I measure how effective I am as an advocate based on the little things. For as long as I still see people throwing trash out of their cars and into the sea, it means I haven’t been effective at all.”

This means that there’s so, so much work to be done.

Sometimes the only mode of transportation is a leap of faith. Lulundagin ko na ito, beybeh.

I am terrified. Not scared, terrified. But if our dreams do not scare us, we are not dreaming big enough.

“It’s about holding tight to what you believe in, putting in more work than anyone else, believing in yourself, and ultimately creating the future you imagine.”