SITTING at a bus terminal or a boarding gate of an airport, you sometimes look around at the busy-ness around you, or you steal glances at a wall clock.
So many people and vehicles are coming and going, departing and arriving, on time or running late, and calm or rushed. You could say we’re always moving – heading somewhere. Where? Why?
These existential questions may not be asked out in the open because of a perceived preference for our pragmatic, more immediate concerns. But isn’t finding answers for direction and meaning a basic human effort?
In the last two weeks, I witnessed what I considered two small but meaningful milestones in the story of sustainability in Negros Island and the Philippines. I am very fortunate and grateful that I have this opportunity to share these stories here, and contribute some insights to our perpetual but necessary discussion of humanity’s search for direction and meaning.
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“Kataw: Women Freediving for Marine Conservation” is a story of eight women in different stages in their careers in science, conservation and development. The women, “ang mga kataw” (the Hiligaynon word for mermaid), trained and got certified for SSI Freediving Level 1 through the support of SSI, Freedive+ from Panglao, and Kapit Sisid, a movement that marries freediving, marine conservation, and community education work.
The project worked on the theme of women’s empowerment and leadership in conservation. The skills associated with holding the breath and diving depths underwater does not only involve physiological challenges, but also the mental aspects of developing courage, strong will, and a sense of calm even in difficult situations.
As these women get capacitated in freediving to continue their work and advocacies, more women will also be more motivated to lead and collaborate for conservation projects such as reef assessments and monitoring for coral bleaching.
Four of the women are established in their paths. Kaila Ledesma Trebol is a marine biologist and artist known for her work in designing educational materials and modules for the Danjugan Environmental Education Program (DEEP) and the Save Negros Foundation-Biodiversity Conservation Center, among others.
Nikki Lizares, who earned her Master’s degree in Education for Sustainability from James Cook University and undergraduate Environmental Science from Ateneo de Manila University, has worked on different sustainability themes for most of her professional life.
Alex Gamboa is an environmental lawyer who has been a Philippine delegate to conferences by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and now works as Manager for Government Initatives in Rare Philippines.
Sef Carandang has over 15 years experience in development work in the country, especially in the themes of women empowerment, food security, and gender and development.
The other four women are starting young in their careers, adding an element of inter-generational exchange so that conservation work is sustained into the future.
Kim Casipe is one of the girls who have contributed to the science work done with the Irrawaddy dolphins of Negros Occidental.
Carmela Ellaga of Cauayan, Maria Lyn Patenio of Sipalay City, and Jhonnessa Castor of Hinoba-an, are three Fisheries scholars currently enrolled in Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC) Binalbagan and working on varying research on fishery management in South Negros Occidental.
By focusing on women freedivers, Kataw aims to redefine traditional gender role expectations, challenge socially constructed differences between men and women, and support gender balance in the fields of science, conservation, natural resource management, and sustainable development.
One of the most amazing insights I have heard from the Kataw freedivers in Danjugan Island last December 1 to 3, is from Sef Carandang. In her many years of empowering other women, she never thought she would need “more empowerment” herself, but going through the freediving certification surprisingly gave her a “deeper” sense of empowerment.
What also inspired me about the unfolding of this story (since I believe the training last week was just a beginning chapter) is the insight emphasized by Kapit Sisid’s founder Tara Abrina and Freedive+ teacher Vincent Sparreboom: They say that Scuba diving is often about looking at the things around you, but in freediving it is looking into yourself.
I feel that those moments spent underwater in one long breath are powerful reminders of what it means to be human and how we are connected to water that supports human life.
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Vox Populi’s founders are based in Australia. But I should say Australasia because of the amazing range where they do their work, or perhaps I should just say they’re from Earth, because all of us could learn and benefit from their mission.
VoPo is here to empower a thriving planet through meaningful experiences, like the Wilderness Impact Adventures they organize around the world. Their most recent expedition was to Negros, where they tackled “Rogue Plastic,” the socio-economic reality and environmental challenge of plastic waste.
In partnership with the team behind Danjugan Island, the Expedition: Rogue Plastic brought adventurers who come from different backgrounds but mostly sustainability, engineering, economics, human psychology and social science, to be open to the local situation of plastic pollution in our coasts, and look deeply into the systems and solutions to deal with this global issue.
I wish to write more about this experience with VoPo in my next column, but let me describe that the most valuable conversation in the expedition is not even on the problem of plastic.
Charlotte Mellis, founder and director of VoPo, asked us to talk about humanity and our desire for more stuff – stuff that are bigger, better, newer, more convenient, or more effective.
Without judgments on ourselves as being consumerist or materialistic, I feel the most important takeaway from strategizing solutions for plastic pollution is that we look deeper into the root causes of discontent, and of the disconnect from nature and our “true nature.”
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The conversation will/ has to continue. You’re welcome to reach out! As I type this rushing to a destination and beating a deadline, I hum the Coldplay song where I got the title of this week’s Into the Deep: “I was just guessing at numbers and figures, pulling your puzzles apart…Questions of science, science and progress, do not speak as loud as my heart.”