Protecting and restoring ecosystems: Globe, WWF encourage in-depth environmental learning for Filipinos via Camp Kalikasan

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For an archipelagic country like the Philippines, many of our industries and livelihood are dependent on marine resources. In celebration of the Philippine Environment Month, World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) and Globe are encouraging Filipinos of all ages to be more proactive in learning about how we can help protect and restore ecosystems by signing up for Camp Kalikasan.

Globe and WWF recently hosted a webinar titled “Climate Change in the Classroom: Understanding the Urgency of Climate Education” with guest speakers from the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), as well as youth environmental advocate Xia Vigor, and WWF-Philippines ambassador Karen Ibasco.

“One of the many things that we want Filipinos to take away from Camp Kalikasan is that our actions can greatly impact the environment – from our daily habits, to the waste we produce, and the carbon emissions we emit. Camp Kalikasan reminds us that we are part of nature. Whatever we do to the environment always has a way back to us,” said Apple Evangelista, Globe's Head of Sustainability and Social Responsibility.

Camp Kalikasan is an interactive online resource platform designed for students, teachers, and everyday citizens for a more in-depth take on environmental education. The platform and program is a collaboration between Globe and WWF-Philippines which aims to strengthen environmental stewardship among Filipinos in response to the growing risks of climate change.

As part of its sustainability strategy, Globe aims to empower communities through climate education to drive positive environmental impact. The company partnered with WWF-Philippines to encourage Filipinos to participate in the movement to care for the environment.

"Alongside our partners at Globe, we are very excited to bring Camp Kalikasan to more Filipino users as a one-stop digital resource for all things about the environment. Not only do we see it as a way for them to deepen their appreciation for the ocean, but also for them to develop a better understanding of how they play a part in enabling more sustainable living for Filipinos," said Dino Calderon, Environmental Education Program Manager of WWF-Philippines.

While there are already plenty of online resources on the environment and the ocean, Camp Kalikasan is unique because it offers a more immersive experience, including animated videos, games, quizzes, tutorials, and other exciting activities that make learning more enjoyable for everyone.

Registered members can access the book entitled “Daloy ng Pag-asa,” which highlights the implications of people’s actions to the environment and society.

Camp Kalikasan also offers different modules that can match one’s level of interest and expertise. The module on biodiversity provides lessons about mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs— all of which play a crucial role in maintaining the ocean's health.

Aside from biodiversity conservation, Camp Kalikasan teaches energy conservation and climate change. Upcoming modules include lessons that focus on sustainable lifestyle (i.e. waste management and water management), sustainable production, and sustainable consumption. It makes environmental education in the country more accessible to everyone while strengthening WWF-Philippines’ and Globe’s support for Republic Act 9512 or the Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008.

The program is also part of Globe’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 13, which underscores climate action’s importance in saving lives and livelihood to address climate emergencies, and UN SDG No. 14, which emphasizes Life Below Water.

To learn more about the ocean and help preserve it, join Camp Kalikasan today! Visit its website at https://www.campkalikasan.com/ to learn more about the different modules it offers.

Those interested may also watch the full webinar here: https://fb.watch/dGdPngHZat/

For more information about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

WWF Ambassadors Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey champion WWF-Philippines’ Build Back Better campaign for Bicol fishing communities

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Philippine fisherfolk are among the poorest sectors in the Philippines and are among the most vulnerable to natural hazards and extreme weather conditions.

In 2020 alone, three consecutive typhoons devastated Lagonoy Gulf, heavily affecting fifteen municipalities. Whole fishing communities lost not only their homes but also their means of livelihood, their boats.

World Wide Fund (WWF) Philippines has worked with the fishers of Lagonoy Gulf for over a decade in establishing the country’s first sustainable Marine Stewardship Council-certified handline tuna fishery. As committed partners, WWF and the tuna fishing communities collaborated on ways to “Build Back Better” post-disaster, with the latest efforts anchored on replacing the wooden fishing boats that were lost or damaged during the typhoons.

The “Build Back Better” boats, co-designed by industrial designer Mark Victor Bautista and the tuna fishermen, is an innovation combining traditional know-how and state of the art/best practice design technology. The boats will be made of a combination of fiberglass and steel, making for sturdier hulls that can withstand increasing storm intensities. The boats will also have features that will help maintain the quality of tuna catch and support other conditions of the tuna fishery’s sustainable certification.

WWF hopes to raise Php 21 million to deliver 27 units of these Build Back Better boats. One new boat is equivalent in capacity to three traditional fishing boats, and would translate to support for more than 200 families in 15 municipalities in the Lagonoy Gulf area.

Celebrity couple and WWF-Philippines Ambassador Pia Wurtzbach and WWF-USA Ambassador Jeremy Jauncey went on a trip to Albay in late April to meet the Lagonoy Gulf fishermen and see for themselves how the “Build Back Better” campaign is helping fishers improve their livelihood by applying environmental sustainability principles. Pia and Jeremy also went on one of the Build Back Better boats to see up-close the benefits of its design and material.

The couple are staunch supporters of WWF and are known to be passionate about their advocacies.

“It’s high time that our local fishers have more access to stronger boats to make their living. The stories of our fishers represent the challenges faced by thousands of Filipinos who continue to work hard for their families, and we are inviting everyone to help them recuperate through the ‘Build Back Better’ campaign,” shared Pia Wurtzbach.

“This trip to the Lagonoy Gulf has not only been educational for me and Pia but also affirming for us. One boat at a time, we can help change the lives of several fishers and their communities through the ‘Build Back Better’ campaign,” added Jeremy Jauncey.

“We hope that many more people, companies, and organizations join in this Build Back Better campaign because of the long lasting and transformational impact we can make together. Our experience working with the Lagonoy Gulf fishers validates a model for sustainable fishing that has improved community livelihood. We all need to support communities that are at the forefront of addressing environmental issues,” said Ms. Katherine Custodio, WWF-Philippines Executive Director.

WWF-Philippines continues to explore new ways to help the fishers of Bicol as the organization moves further into long-term recovery and sustainability efforts. WWF is committed to its partner communities, most especially those that are in the frontlines of the dual challenge of nature conservation and climate change.

For parties who are interested in supporting the “Build Back Better” Boats campaign, you may visit Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey’s SimplyGiving fundraising page at simplygiving.com/event/pia-jeremy-wwf or reach out to Campaign Lead Ismael John Cabigao (icabigao@wwf.org.ph).

To know more about WWF-Philippines and its initiatives, please visit https://wwf.org.ph/

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About WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines is an environmental non-government organization committed to create an impact on biodiversity protection and to respond to the climate crisis -towards a safe and just recovery. WWF-Philippines works with a host of partners including national and local governments, to co-create inclusive, innovative and interdisciplinary solutions that emphasize the role of science in the service of life. WWF-Philippines' focus is on scaled solutions with our partners to match the enormity of the tasks required to address the urgent environmental challenges facing the present and next generations of Filipinos. Its mission is "to stop, and eventually reverse the accelerating degradation of the Philippine environment – to build a future where Filipinos live in harmony with nature."

Plastic pollution reaching Philippine waters equivalent to 14 Titanics. WWF’s three-year project with Grieg foundation, a Norwegian foundation, aims to reduce the waste by 50%.

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Plastic trash in the sea results in many problems for the environment, animals, and human settlements. A recent study found that there is a significant amount of plastic waste not adequately disposed of and end up polluting the environment. WWF-Philippines/Neal Roxas

Filipinos consume about 2.15 million tons of plastics in a year and from which 9% are recycled and 35% leaks into the open environment, according to a study conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in a project funded by Grieg Foundation.

That amount of total plastics is equivalent to the weight of 41 Titanics. And out of that total, 14 of those massive ships (35%) end up as plastic waste in the ocean every year. A key pathway in how plastic pollution ends up in oceans is through ports where there is a high level of activity and traffic.

“Plastics do not belong in our oceans. Sometimes we forget that we are part of a world that is a living breathing organism on which our own well-being and survival depend,” Katherine Custodio, WWF-Philippines Executive Director, said.

“There are three big important things we need to do together and at scale to truly address the problem of plastic pollution. First is to close the tap by reducing the amount of plastics we produce. Second is to close the loop by improving recycling, reuse, re-design and doing some very exciting innovative work looking at alternatives. Third is to stop plastic waste from leaking into the environment. We are very pleased to be working alongside partners such as the Grieg Foundation and Grieg Group of Companies in work that will contribute to end-changing impact for our country.” Custodio added.

WWF-Philippines has partnered with Grieg Foundation for a 3-year project that aims to reduce plastic wastes by 50% in three Philippine ports, namely Manila North Port, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cagayan de Oro, and to provide input to the national plan of action on marine litter. WWF also receives valuable input from the Grieg Group companies.

A key component of the partnership project called ‘Clean Ports, Clean Oceans: Improving Port Waste Management in the Philippines’ is the conduct of a Solid Waste Management Baseline Study in Philippine Ports which found that about 114,927 kg of plastic wastes are generated from ports and 128,970 kg of plastic wastes from vessels.

The study attributes the amount of plastic pollution to the waste leakage from ports that happens between collection and disposal - which is connected to the city waste management system. Ports, at least 552 in the country, are likely pathways for plastic waste going into the oceans.

With the national baseline study results, WWF-Philippines worked with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), terminal operators, communities, and concerned LGUs in determining project interventions.

WWF-Philippines’ baseline study recommends several measures to reduce plastic pollution at ports:

• Stricter implementation and review of plans, programs, policies, and law
• Better coordination and teamwork among stakeholders
• Better data management framework
• Installation of properly designed and fully functioning Materials Recovery Facilities
• Installation of trash traps at drainage outfalls when necessary
• Monitoring and utilization of plastic wastes
• IEC campaigns
• Standardization of waste bin color- coding scheme

“Marine litter is one of the fastest-growing environmental problems in the world and threatens biodiversity, ecosystems and livelihoods. In the Grieg Group, we have committed ourselves to be part of the solutions in restoring our oceans. We are happy to have partnered with WWF, trying our best to solve a critical challenge to life below water. Hopefully, we are able to create solutions that can be used in ports worldwide”, says Gry Larsen, Leader Sustainability and Public Affairs, Grieg Group

With this project, WWF-Philippines will identify and implement solutions with the concerned PPA - Port Management Offices (PMOs) in Manila North Port, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cagayan de Oro. The project looks to document these solutions so that other Philippine ports can adopt these solutions to stop plastic pollution.

About Grieg Foundation and the Grieg Group

Grieg Foundation is a Norwegian foundation established in Bergen by the Grieg family in 2002. For generations, the Grieg family has been conscious of leaving footprints, by giving back, by supporting humanitarian, social and cultural aspects of life. They are committed to improving the lives of future generations through the support of national and international projects and initiatives that create meaningful change for individuals and communities. To learn more about Grieg Foundation and the projects they support see www.griegfoundation.com

The Grieg Group derives from a long and proud maritime tradition, which began with Joachim Grieg’s shipbroking firm in Bergen in 1884. Today, the Grieg Group operates within shipping, logistics, maritime innovation, finance, shipbroking, seafood and finance. The Grieg Group is owned by the Grieg Family (75%) and the Grieg Foundation (25%). For more information about Grieg Group activities, see www.grieg.no

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in nearly 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-Philippines has been working as a national organization of the WWF network since 1997 and implements various conservation projects to help protect some of the most biologically-significant ecosystems in Asia. WWF-Philippines works to improve Filipino lives by crafting solutions to climate change, providing sustainable livelihood programs, and conserving the country’s richest marine and land habitats.

To learn more about WWF and the Solid Waste Management Baseline Study in Philippine Ports, please visit: wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/plastics/cleanportscleanoceans/.