P P P A A A L L L A A A W W W A A A N N N C C C O O O N N N S S S E E E R R R V V V A A A T T T I I I O O O N N N C C C O O O R R R P P P S S S ( ( ( P P P C C C C C C ) ) ) a a a n n n d d d C C C A A A R R R P P P U U U S S S i i i n n n c c c o o o o p p p e e r r a a t t i i i o o o n n w w i i t t h h h t t t h h h e e C C i i t t y y G G G o o o v v e e e r r n n n m m e e e n n n t t o o o f f P P P u u u e e r r t t o o o P P r r r i i n n c c c e e s s a a a a n n d d d D D D e e e p p p a a a r r r t t t m m m e e e n n n t t t o o o f f f E E E d d d u u u c c c a a a t t t i i i o o o n n n ‐ ‐ ‐ C C C i i i t t t y y y D D D i i i v v v i i i s s s i i i o o o n n n O O O f f f f f f i i i c c c e e e “ “ T T T A A A G G G - - - U U U L L L A A A N N N S S S A A A T T T A A A G G G - - - A A A R R R A A A W W W ( ( ( R R R a a a i i n n n y y y D D a a a y y i i n n S S S u u u m m m m m e e r r r ) ) ) ” ” T T T H H H E E E M M M E E E : : : “ “ “ B B B a a a t t t a a a ‐ ‐ ‐ b b b a a a t t t a a a M M M u u u n n n d d d o o o k k k o o o ’ ’ ’ y y y T T T u u u k k k l l l a a a s s s i i i n n n a a a t t t P P P a a a g g g b b b a a a b b b a a a g g g o o o n n n g g g K K K l l l i i i m m m a a a a a a y y y a a a t t t i i i n n n g g g A A A l l l a a a m m m i i i n n n ” ” ” ( ( ( K K K i i i d d d s s s L L L e e e t t t ’ ’ ’ s s s D D D i i i s s s c c c o o o v v v e e e r r r O O O u u u r r r W W W o o o r r r l l l d d d a a a n n n d d d L L L e e e a a a r r r n n n A A A b b b o o o u u u t t t C C C l l l i i i m m m a a a t t t e e e C C C h h h a a a n n n g g g e e e ) ) ) Community of Bagong Bayan, Simpucan, Tagabenit and Cabayugan Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines December 1 and 3, 2009
One of the reasons for widespread poverty in the country, and even in most parts of the world, is the mismanagement of our natural resources and ecosystems. Our country’s environmental sustainability, for instance, has been rated poor or low. If we must achieve the goal of ensuring environmental sustainability, we must heed the urgent call to properly manage our country’s natural resources and protect our environment to improve the quality of life of our people. You will agree that poverty is multi-dimensional and dynamic. Most of the time, it is overwhelming. Perhaps, this is because our attempt at resolving such problems equates to solutions that tackle the issue at the macro level.
Yet, looking closely, poverty has identifiable patterns, which can be examined closely and subjected to detailed analysis, and broken up into components that can easily be acted upon. The persistent problem of poverty can therefore be effectively addressed at the local level where the poor are, where their realities are most felt, where their ecosystems are affected, and where solutions are made and configured.
Thus, we say that moving towards the goal of sustainability requires fundamental changes in human attitudes (mind sets) and demeanor (behavior) of individuals and communities. Advancing in this direction is critically dependent on education and public awareness. The concept of sustaining development is not a simple one.
There is no one road map or blue print that can prescribe how we should proceed or move forward. Time is short and we are all called upon to act without delay or hesitation. Now is the time to move ahead to contribute through environmental education—in terms of the biophysical, social, economic, political, and cultural environs—to correcting trends that threaten our common future and the future of generations to come.
The Palawan Conservation Corps (PCC) was organized on January 1999, aims to provide Out of School Youth (OSY) from the rural barangays of Puerto Princesa City with a long-term program (6 months residential) of activities, focusing on four major components: Biodiversity Conservation, Capacity Building, Skills Development, and Empowerment. For the past 9 years of its service, the PCC houses, feeds, and provides a planned curriculum and series of trainings/project to a selected group of Out-of-School Youth. These youths aged 18 to 24 years old pass though a rigorous screening process whereby only the competent among applicants are selected. PCC puts a premium on environmental consciousness, community service, and leadership. Palawan Conservation Corps (PCC) aims to strengthen the stakeholders’ role in the preservation of the province’s environmental resources particularly the youth as the successor generation. The role of the youth sector will be transpired through capacity
INTRODUCTION
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building on environmental education and youth led conservation projects. At the end of the project, a network of youth organizations will be capacitated in conducting ecological-related activities in support to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and participation in different conservation initiatives of the government and civil society and one of these projects is by organizing Ecological Theater Caravan in Puerto Princesa City.
PCC already conducted Ecological Theater Caravan in different elementary schools in Puerto Princesa City from rural and urban communities as well as in the Municipality of Cagayancillo. The outcome gained recognition for the principal, teachers, students and the community who witnessed the activity. Our OSY shared their skills by performing on stage and share the issues and challenges on environment such as climate change, causes and effect of illegal logging and fishing, the effect of mining and the importance and value of the web of life or the ecological balance in one ecosystem.
Part of the residential program of PCC is the teaching of Basic Ecology, where the OSY learn to value the importance of a healthy environment and to understand the significance of interconnection of all living organism that creates the balance in an ecosystem, such as forest, fresh water, grassland, marine environment and others.
During the program, PCC discovered the hidden talents of the students in one of our activities which require them to perform in relation to the topic on basic ecology. Since then, the acting skills of the OSY were enhanced through basic theater workshop. Series of relative trainings and workshops concerning the environment were conducted where performers for the actual play were selected.
And that was the time when PCC’s Ecological Theater Caravan born. PCC and our OSY put this into reality; we showcase different issues, challenges and development in one environment. The Ecological Theater Caravan was able to share the talents of our OSY through performing on stage showcasing the importance of the environment as well as the issues that affect one ecosystem.
The Ecological Theater Caravan was already shown in different coastal barangays of Puerto Princesa, particularly in elementary schools of Honda Bay, Ulugan Bay and the city proper. The Ecological Theater Caravan composed of different stage plays that tackle environmental issues such as, the causes and effect of global warming and climate change; the effect of mining; biodiversity and its importance; the good benefits of fish sanctuary; the ecological balance; and the importance of the web of life.
BACKGROUND
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1. To share the talents and knowledge of PCC’s Out of School Youth students on environmental conservation.
2. To increase children’s/youth awareness on the issues that our Mother Earth facing now a day’s especially the issue regarding Global Warming and Climate Change.
3. To help students acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for their environment and the motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection.
4. To let students understand the causes and effect of global warming, climate change and illegal activities that causes damage to the environment.
5. To inculcate the youth of Puerto Princesa the value of having a balance and healthy environment.
6. Educate the successor generation on the ecological and economic importance of preserving the Palawan’s rich and unique biodiversity and habitat.
Stage actors and actresses --------- 25 OSY of PCC’s Residential Program Batch 12
Narration --------- Ms. Gerly Camangeg
Script writers --------- Mr. Edilberto Magpayo and Mr. Napoleon Sitchon
Direction --------- Mr. Timothy Joseph Fernandez
OBJECTIVES
THEATER CHARACTERS
The Actor of Ecological Theater
Caravan – PCC Batch 12
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The Ecological Theater caravan was held on December 1 and 3, 2009 in four selected elementary schools in four rural barangays of Puerto Princesa City these are; Bagong Bayan Elementary School, Simpocan Elementary School, Tagabenit Elementary School and Cabayugan Elementary School. These four barangays were identified among few other barangays in Puerto Princesa which environmental destruction is widespread. Two of those sites, barangays Tagabenit and Cabayugan are within the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park where the world famous 8 kilometer navigable Underground River is located. The Ecological theater caravan is a series of stage play focusing on different environmental issues especially the issues of Global Warming and Climate Change, advocating environmental protection and awareness. It is composed of 12 stage plays namely;
1. MAY PAGBABAGO BA? (Is There a Change?): A story that seeks to find a proof/evidence with regards to the climate change and global warming.
2. PAGLALAYAG NI KAPITAN KATALA
(Captain Cockatoo’s Journey): Depicts the continuing loss of our natural forest which affects the habitat of many wildlife and threatens their very survival.
3. OH KLIMA! (OH! Climate): a story about the effect/s of cutting down of trees and its relation to the global warming and climate change.
4. BALANSENG PAMUMUHAY (Balance Living): explains the importance and value of each organism’s role in an ecosystem. It also explained the good benefit of a balance living in a balance ecosystem.
5. ANG SANGTUWARYO (The
Sanctuary): the story talked about the importance of establishing Sanctuaries and MPA’s in order to protect marine life and marine ecosystem from destructive ways of
fishing. Sanctuaries and MPA’s are also an effective way of ensuring sustainable fish catch in a certain area where it was established.
THE ECOLOGICAL THEATER CARAVAN 2009
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6. USAPAN SA BAYBAY (Discussion at the Shore): an animated conversation between human and marine animals. It demonstrates the human activities that pollute the seas.
7. WELGA (The Protest): a story where mangroves and other marine life tries to evacuate as a sign of their protest against humans for their irresponsible and unsustainable consumption of natural
resources. 8. NG MADENGGOY SI PIWI
PAWIKAN (When Sea Turtle was Fooled): a play that gives moral lessons and an eye opener to the youth to take care of their environment and value the importance of marine turtles.
9. GULAYAN NI MANG GORIO (Gorio’s Vegetable Farm): a story that tells about the undeniable effects of global
warming specifically the rise of sea level. 10. TAG-ULAN SA TAG-ARAW (Rainy Day in Summer): Another story that tells
about the effects of climate change and global warming. It talks about the unusual shifting of weather conditions as a sign that the climate is really changing.
11. MAGKAKAUGNAY (Interconnectedness: The web of Life): This stage play explains the interconnectedness of different organism, valuing and explaining individual role in the ecosystem.
12. ANG KABALIGTARAN NG GENESIS (Genesis in reverse). A reverse version of the popular Bible book Genesis. It showed the irresponsibility and abuses of humanity in the environment.
It was participated by 25 OSY under the Six (6) months Residential Program of Palawan Conservation Corps as actors and actresses, written by Mr. Napoleon Sitchon and Mr. Edilberto Magpayo, narrated by Ms. Gerly Camangeg and directed by Mr. Timothy Joseph Fernandez. Before the show starts, Mr. Edilberto Magpayo, PCC Executive Director gave entertainment to the audience to energize them. He taught some folk and children songs and accompanied it with action while singing to make all the audiences participate. After the brief energizer the program started with a prayer led by Ms. Gerly Camangeg, PCC Finance Officer followed by the introduction of Palawan Conservation Corps given by Mr. Edilberto Magapayo, a welcome message given by the respective
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Teacher in Charge TIC of four schools and the lively, educational and ecological- themed theater play followed. Mr. Magpayo also stressed that the program was sponsored by Carpus a Non Government Organization from Germany. He mentioned that Carpus is a big help for PCC’s to continue their environmental advocacy, particularly on the issue of climate change and global warming. He also added that the Residential Program of PCC for the OSY was in partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa, headed by Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn.
The Ecological Theater Caravan in four rural elementary schools in four rural barangays of Puerto Princesa was a very successful. Nearly a thousand students, teachers and community members from four rural elementary schools attended and witnessed the ecological theater play initiated by the Palawan Conservation Corps in partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa and Department of Education- City division office with the funding support from CARPUS – Germany.
Practice
25 OSY - actors and actresses during their intensive theater rehearsal at the stage plaza of Barangay Bancao-Bancao.
Photos: Practice, costume and props making, preparation and actual theater play.
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Costume and props making
PCC staff, volunteers and alumni busy in making costume and props.
Preparation and stage setting
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ECOLOGICAL THEATER CARAVAN 2009 HIGHLIGHTS
BAGONG BAYAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The Teacher in charge while giving her welcome message. Students and teachers awed and amazed while watching the theater play.
Mr. Edilberto Magpayo PCC Executive Director facilitated the Ms. Gerly Camangeg PCC Finance Officer, emcee and energizers and the students actively participated. narrator of Ecological Theater Caravan 2009
A scene from “the Protest” A scene from “Interconnectedness: Web of life”
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SIMPOCAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Clockwise from left (top) is the Teacher-in-charge of Simpocan Elementary School giving her welcome remarks, the students followed by scenes taken from “Madenggoy” and
“Interconnectedness: Web of life” respectively.
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TAGABENIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Highlights of Ecological Theater Caravan in Tagabinet Elementary School
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CABAYUGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Cabayugan Elem. School Principal delivering her opening remarks.
Mr. Jose Majid Ibrahim, PCC Volunteer with the students before the theater play starts.
A scene from “May pagbabago ba?”
Students flocked before stage and making thunderous applause after every play to praise the job well done stage play.
A scene taken from “Si Piwi ng Madenggoy” A scene from “Interconnectedness: Web of Life”
