Munting Kaalaman para sa Ating Mamamayan

Mag-isip ka ng isang bagay na hindi na ginagamit, wala ng pakinabang at naglalabas ng mabahong amoy...Basura. Ano naman ang iyong maiisip sa mga panapong bagay na wala ng silbi at tambak na lamang sa mga kabahayanan? Basura... Mga pinagtalupan ng gulay at prutas? Basura... Mga pakete ng shampoo at lalagyan ng mga sitsirya? Basura... Plastic? Basura... Lumang papel? Basura... Lahat na lamang ng ating isipin ay pwede nating tawaging basura. Pero sa lahat ng nabanggit, ano lang ba talaga ang tunay na basura?

                        (1) Mga halimbawa ng maling pagtatapon ng basura:

“Zero waste” kung ating iisipin, posible nga ba talaga ito? Maaari bang dumating ang araw kung saan ang bawat pamilya sa buong Pilipinas o maging sa buong mundo ay hindi na makapaggagawa pa ng basura? Hindi na nila kailangan pang magtapon ng mga bagay na sa tingin nila ay wala ng pakinabang para sa kanila; wala ng mamamayan na magiipit ng mga plastic ng kendi sa mga puwang sa upuan o pader; at wala na tayong makikitang mga sinunog na basura sa mga kalye at bakanteng lote. Posible ba talaga na mawala na ang basura? Sa unang tingin maaari nating sabihing imposible ang bagay na ito upang mangyari ngunit kung tayo ay maliliwanagan at mabibigyang kaalaman sa tamang pagsasaayos ng ating mga panapon, magugulat pa tayo sa magiging resulta dahil ang ganitong uri ng sistema ay tunay na mapangyayari at ang susi para magtagumpay ito ay nasa ating mga kamay.

Kagaya ng karamihan ay kulang din ang aking kaalaman pagdating sa tamang pangangalaga sa ating mga panapon. Ako ay isang estudyante din lamang na ang gawain ay ang magparami ng basurang nagiging kalat sa ating mga kalsada. Ngunit sabi nga ng mga nakatatanda, palaging may puwang ang pagbabago para sa atin.

Ako ay napabilang sa mga naging “volunteer” ng Mother Earth Foundation para ipalaganap ang kanilang adbokasiya patungkol sa Zero Waste. Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na ako ay naging isang volunteer ng organisasyong ito sapagkat sila din ang nangasiwa ng aming NSTP noong ako ay nasa unang taon pa lamang ng aking pagtuntong sa kolehiyo. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit noong kami ay pinapili kung saan namin balak igugol ang aming panahon para sa aming practicum ay hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na piliin ang MEF. Alam ko na ang kanilang adbokasiya kung kaya’t nais kong makatulong upang ipalaganap ito sa ating mga mamamayan.

 

(2) Mula sa kaliwa/likod: Ate Jem, Monica, Bianca, Hannah, Carlo (ako), Kuya                                  Raph, Mula sa kaliwa/harap: Erica, Chelsea, Aira, CJ, Janelle

Nagumpisa ang aming trabaho sa pagsasagawa ng IEC o Informatin and Education Campaign sa mga taga San Fernando Pampanga. Ako kasama ang siyam ko pang mga kamag-aral ang siyang tumulong sa mga tauhan ng MEF na nakabase sa Pampanga upang palaganapin at bigyang aksyon ang nasabing adbokasiya. Kami ay nagpupunta sa mga kabahayanan sa iba’t ibang mga barangay upang magbigay ng mga “flyers” patungkol sa tamang paghihiwalay ng kanilang mga basura. Ipinapaliwanag din namin ang importansya ng tamang paghihiwalay ng kanilang basura upang kanilang mas maintindihan na ang tamang pagsasaayos ng kanilang basura ay hindi lamang makakatulong para sa ating kalikasan, kundi makakatulong rin ito sa pangangalaga ng kanilang kalusugan. Marami sa mga may-ari ng bahay ang sumasang-ayon sa aming adhikain ngunit hindi rin natin maiiwasan na may mga taong taliwas ang pananaw pagdating sa aming ipinapakalat. Naranasan kong makipagdiskusyon sa mga may-bahay at sa ilang grupo ng mga kalalakihan na hindi sang-ayon ang pananaw sa akin. Nakaka-kaba man minsan ang ganitong uri ng sitwasyon, ngunit sa ganitong uri ng mga pagkakataon mas mananaig ang iyong hangarin na panibaguhin ang maling suhestyon ng ilang mamamayan. Napakasarap sa damdamin tuwing magagawa mong makumbinse ang mga tao patungkol sa iyong nais iparating.

 

(3) Aktwal na pakikipagusap sa mga may-bahay kasama ang mga volunteers mula                             sa Nueva Vizcaya at si Bianca

Masasabi kong hindi talaga biro ang aming ginawang pagbisita sa mga barangay dahil sa ilang mga bagay. Una ay dahil sa mainit na panahon sa Pampanga. Nag-uumpisa ang aming trabaho ng alas-otso ng umaga at natatapos ng alas-dose ng tanghali, maguumpisa ulit ng ala-una ng hapon hanggang alas-kwatro, ito ang nasa aming iskedyul ngunit napapalitan din ang mga oras na ito depende sa nagiging takbo ng aming trabaho. Upang magawang makapagbahay-bahay, ano pa ba ang kailangang gawin, siyempre ay kailangan naming maglakad; maglakad sa tanyag na sikat ng araw. Isa pang kalaban namin ay ang pagod, pagod sa paglalakad at sa pakikipag-usap sa mga may-bahay ng bawat barangay. Init ng panahon idagdag pa ang pagod ng katawan ay tunay naman talagang makapagpapasuko sa isang tao. Ngunit kahit ganito ang aming sinusuong sa bawat araw, hindi kami kailanman sumuko at bagkus, ako ay nasisiyahan sa aming ginagawa habang tumatagal. Batid ko sa aking mga kasamahan na sila ay napapagod na din sa aming ginagawa ngunit sa bawat sandali na kami ay nasa mga kabahayanan na, sa tuwing nakikita ko silang nagpapaliwanag sa mga tao, ako ay natutuwa at mas sinisipag na magtrabaho sa kadahilanang hindi ko din maipaliwanag. Ito ay maaaring sa kadahilanang nakikita ko silang hindi sumusuko at nagagawa pa ding tumawa kahit pawisan na at batid sa mukha ang pagod na nadarama. Hindi talaga biro ang trabaho na aming naranasan, ngunit masasabi kong malaki ang naging tulong nito para akin at sa aking mga kasamahan dahil nagawa naming mapaunlad ang aming kakayahang makihalubilo sa iba’t ibang uri ng tao. Napaunlad din nito ang aming kaisipan pagdating sa pakikipagdiskusyon sa mga taong taliwas ang papanaw sa aming hangarin.

(4) Kami kasama ang kolektor ng Lourdes Heights patungo sa kanilang MRF

                          (5) Pagsasagawa ng Dry-run sa Brgy. San Nicolas

Isa pang parte ng aming naging trabaho ay ang pagsasagawa ng mga dry-run sa iba’t ibang barangay sa San Fernando Pampanga. Ito ay isinasagawa upang malaman kung talagang nakinig ba ang mga mamamayan sa isinagawang pagpapakalat ng mga flyers sa kani-kanilang mga lugar. Dito ay nagbabahay-bahay din kami kasama ang mga kolektor ng basura ng kanilang barangay upang kolektahin ang kani-kanilang mga basura. Ipinapatupad ng mga barangay sa San Fernando ang polisiyang “No segregation, No collection” kung kaya’t kung hindi nakahiwalay ang basura ng mga residente ng barangay, sila ay hindi makukuhanan ng basura at maaaring matiketan pa at mapagmulta dahil sa kanilang hindi pagsunod sa polisiya. Ano nga ba ang dapat na mga pinaghihiwalay sa ating mga itinataong basura? Dapat ay nakahiwalay ang mga nabubulok gaya na lamang ng mga tirang pagkain, pinagbalatan ng gulay at prutas, at mga tuyong dahon. Nakahiwalay din dapat ang mga nareresiklong bagay gaya ng mga plastic at dibabasaging bote; hiwalay rin ang mga papel at karton na nakapaloob din sa kategoryang ito. Ang mga latak o residuals gaya ng mga sachet ng shampoo, mga plastic bags ay dapat nakahiwalay rin ng lalagyan. Ang mga hospital wastes o hazardous wastes naman ay kailangang maingat ang paghihiwalay sapagkat ito ay nagtataglay ng mga mikrobyo na maaaring makapagdulot ng sakit sa tao. Panghuli ay ang tinatawag nating mga special wastes, ito ay ang mga diapers, napkins, at mga tissue na dapat hiwalay ang kinalalagyan. Hiwalay rin ng tapunan ang mga styrofoam dahil ito ay kabilang sa mga special wastes. Ito ay isang halimbawa lamang ng tamang paghihiwalay ng ating mga basura.

(6) Isang halimbawa ng tri-bike na ginagamit ng kolektor sa pagkuha ng basura

(7) Larawan ng truck ng basura na kumukuha ng naipong panapon sa mga MRF

(8) Aktwal na paghihiwalay ng basura ng mga residente sa Brgy. San Agustin

 Ang mga nakokolektang basura ay dinadala sa Material's Recovery Facility o kilala din sa tawag na MRF. Dito pinaghihiwa-hiwalay din ang mga naipong basura ng mga kolektor upang maisaayos ang pagiimbak sa mga basura bago pa kunin ng mga truck na mangongolekta sa bawat barangay sa San Fernando. Mayroong mga nangangasiwa sa mga MRF upang panatilihing malinis ang mga ito at maiwasan ang pagbaho ng mga nakaimbak na panapon.

(9) Mga halimbawa ng MRF ng bawat barangay sa San Fernando Pampanga

 

(10) Isang isinasagawa pa lamang na MRF sa Aurora Heights

            Sa halos isang buwan kong pananatili sa San Fernando Pampanga upang ipakalat ang adbokasiya ng MEF tungkol sa Zero Waste, marami akong natutuhan na aking maidadagdag sa aking kaalaman hindi lamang sa tamang paghihiwalay ng basura, kundi pati na rin ang mas mahahalagang aral gaya na lamang ng pakikitungo sa ating mga kapwa. Aking masasabi na malaking tulong ang aking naging karanasan kasama ang buong myembro ng MEF Pampanga sa aking pagpapaunlad ng sarili at kaisipan. Hindi ko malilimutan ang lahat ng mga kaganapang nangyari sa aking pagtira sa Pampanga kasama ang aking mga kaagaral. Bawat pangyayari ay aking iingatan at hinding-hindi na mawawala sa aking gunita.

            Ang ating mundo at ang lahat ng naririto ay hindi permanente at maaaring maglaho na lamang sa isang iglap kung kaya’t importanteng pangalagaan natin ito habang may oras pa. Hindi dahilang maituturing ang pagsasabi na isa ka lamang mamamayan ng inyong barangay kung kaya’t wala kang maitutulong sa pagliligtas ng ating kalikasan. Ang simpleng paghihiwa-hiwalay ng basura sa ating mga tahanan ay isang malaking hakbang na tungo sa pagbabago. Lahat ng bagay ay nagsisimula lamang sa paunti-unting kontribyusyon ng bawat isa sa atin at kapag ito ay nagpatuloy, magiging isang malaking pagbabago ang magaganap. Wag nating kalimutan na nasa ating mga kamay ang pagbabago, kailangan lamang nating magtulungan upang makamit natin ang ating mga hangarin.

(11) Isang larawan kasama ang mga MEF Pampanga Staff (mula sa kaliwa: Ate Mei, Ate Jen, Hannah, CJ, Erica, Ate Jem, Janelle, Bianca, Monica, Tita Armen)

- Roland Carlo D.T. Gatchalian 

Three, Two, One ... Zero Waste!

by: Erica Charleen Baluan

“Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.”  (Adapted from the Zero Waste Definition of the Zero Waste International Alliance)

Zero waste, simply means that of all the wastes we generate, nothing will be wasted. Two years ago, in my NSTP class, Mother Earth Foundation introduced the concept of zero waste to me. That time, I just knew it like any lesson to be memorized. I did not expect that two years after, in our summer practicum, zero waste and I would meet again, but this time is different because now I knew it by heart.

I learned a lot in San Fernando, Pampanga but I will share the three most important learning– First, you have to be part of the change. The office where we stayed for four weeks became our home. San Fernando City in Pampanga is implementing R.A. 9003 (known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000). Since, we are Fernandinos at the moment and part of our internship is to inform and educate Fernandinos of proper waste segregation, we have to segregate our wastes, too. One has to practice what one preaches. So in buying our groceries, we use eco bags instead of plastics. We bring containers to markets wherein we place the meat products. It takes some time to get accustomed to such practices if you are not used to it. But if you think about it, it’s not really hard.

City of San Fernando, Pampanga logo

Three of MEF Staffs in Pampanga: left to right: Ate Jen, Tita Armen and Ate Maie

Picture outside the Staff House: left to right: Carlo, Jem, Hannah, Erica, Ate Maie, Ate Jen, Tita Armen, Bianca, Janelle, CJ, Monica

Second, involve others. In my 18 days of fieldwork in San Fernando, I learned that the call for a zero waste is not a single cry in the void but rather a chorus of voices. A household segregating waste is negligible but every household, in every barangay and in every city combined that segregate wastes creates an enormous ripple of effect as a whole. A big chunk of wastes generated comes from the households. If every households practice segregation, imagine how much waste will be reduced! I see this is a reason why part of our internship is to go from one house to another in different barangays. Fieldwork is not an easy task – walking under the scorching heat of summer knocking on doors, handing out flyers and explaining its contents to the people – but all this is paid off when you know that every additional house you inform means a minus in the trash formed. 

Visiting the MRF of Lourdes Heights Subdivision

Barangay San Pedro's Street Sweepers who helped us in the Dry-run at Purok 6

Hannah giving an IEC at Villa Barosa 3 Hall

Bianca receiving wastes during a dry-run at Muslim community in Purok 4 Barangay San Pedro

Monica and Carlo driving a tri-bike during a dry-run

Third, who benefits? “We have to save Mother Earth!” that is why we have to take action, we have to segregate, reduce our wastes, plant trees, etc. but actually, in the process of saving Mother Earth, we are saving ourselves and succeeding generations too. Knowing that what you are doing now is your gift to yourself and to the generations to come, you won’t get tired of doing and sharing it to others. We only have one planet to live on and that is Mother Earth.

CJ and Me with the kids at Purok 7 Barangay San Pedro

Carlo and CJ with the kids at Purok 7 Barangay San Pedro

Photo from www.prliving.ca

"We do not inherit the world from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

- Native American Proverb

The Zero Percent Impossibility of Zero Waste Possibility

by Aira Tiangco

      I used to think that realities always come with the ugly sides of everything. Reality is always awful and good things are only dreams and ideals. Part of this old thinking is the impossible idea of having a healthy and trash-free environment where resources are maximized and the citizens are all ecologically responsible and eco-friendly. Mother Earth is already at her critical dying condition, then why hope for its revival?

(Photo was retrieved from http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-aging-dying-mother-earth-image28709673)

   My summer internship with the Mother Earth Foundation paved a way for me to have meaningful experiences that made me realized that it’s never too late to do things for our home planet. And the core philosophy that was imparted into our minds is the Zero Waste advocacy.

     Zero waste is a belief that encourages a cyclical flow of utilizing resources and nothing, not a small portion of it, is being misused or taken into waste. This thinking reminds me of the popular 3Rs, namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. According to the Zero Waste International Alliance (2004), Zero Waste is an ethical, economical, efficient and visionary goal that encourages the people to modify their linear “use and discard” lifestyle into a more sustainable cycle where all disposed materials or products are used as new resources for other people to utilize. More than just the practice of eliminating waste through recycling and reusing, the advocacy also includes a change or revamp in the production of the different kinds of waste. Zero Waste can be attained through various approaches and it requires a massive participation in all sectors of our society especially the government since they have the ability to form policies and subsidies that will ensure public and private participation in the proper waste management. They also have the authority to develop comprehensive waste management programs and strategies that can eliminate wastes that contribute much to the different environmental problems. The industrial or business sectors also play essential roles to achieve the Zero Waste goal. These roles encompass production of commodities, and the material selection and packaging. The manufacturing processes can apply the ideals of Zero Waste by generating products or merchandises out of the discarded materials that will give additional income without investing much capital, just like the saying “May pera sa basura”. Simple acts from individuals also yield great results. Examples are avoidance of using plastic straws and the practice of using reusable tumblers and eco-bags when buying something from the market.

(Photo was retrieved from http://www.complydirect.com/waste-and-recycling/zero-waste-to-landfill/our-zero-waste-service/)

   But Zero Waste principles are also reflected from my intangible encounters with the people I met and worked with. After a series of community fieldworks and exposures, I learned so many things more than just the practices and waste methods toward the Zero Waste goal. The experiences honed my communication skills through the Information and Education Campaign (IEC) activity where I met different types of people and learned to properly deal with them. 

The timid girl who used to stay on one corner became an interactive and reactive Community Organizer once the fieldwork started. I also learned from the Community Organizers (COs) whom I had worked with. Their passion for their advocacy makes their work easier even though they face various obstacles in their everyday work (i.e. lack of collectors and push carts to be used). They truly practice Zero Waste principles for they always find something to use from the wastes and discards that they are collecting every day. I also had the chance to have a glimpse into the lives of the collectors who endure the heat of the sun and the unpleasant smell of the garbage, hoping that they could get something useful from the trashes they are collecting. They also practice what we advocate about the Republic Act 9003 (The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001), and despite the fact that they are mostly illiterate and uneducated, they are the ones who are more inclined and eager to learn more about the journey towards the Zero Waste. I really appreciate and admire their hard work and positive attitudes toward their livelihood.

    As much as I want to talk about my personal experiences or the different ways or practices concerning Zero Waste, I want to acknowledge the people whom I had stumbled upon and made me believe that Zero Waste is possible: the MEF people, the community organizers, the collectors, and the people who participated and also wish for the Zero Waste advocacy to happen.

   From the circumstances that I went through during fieldworks, I understood how difficult it is to implement such advocacy, and it requires great patience, determination and faith. From these I realize that reality is not always appalling because Zero Waste is a reality. Zero Waste is everywhere and one can only find it if one struggles to fight for it. Nonetheless, Zero Waste is possible! :)

18 days. Zero Waste.

All I needed was 18 days to change my perspective.  I was indifferent towards campaigns raising awareness about zero waste.  Then, I did not think of it as a major problem that I need to give my time to until this whole practicum thing happened. 

To begin with, I signed up for a different company.  But, I ended up in MEF because I was not around during the practicum orientation and the advisers prioritized people who were present then. A week before deployment, we (me and my co-interns) had our orientation with MEF.  We were asked about our expectations. Honestly, everything that happened in my three weeks of stay in Pampanga was not what I expected.  Turned out,  I was in for a surprise and it is what made the whole experience remarkable. 

Our first day in Pampanga was normal. We met the MEF Pampanga staff, who we will be working with for almost a month. We were trained and briefed about the basics. Zero Waste. What exactly is Zero Waste? Why do MEF staff do what they do? Is Zero Waste possible? 

No garbage. It was what I thought when I heard the term Zero Waste. After our training, I realized how ignorant I was. Truth be told, it is impossible not to produce any trash. Just in the household level, enormous amount of garbage is produced. Well, most of you would ask, who am I kidding? How ironic that I just mentioned it is impossible to not produce trash and yet I am going to tell you that Zero Waste is possible. First, let's define Zero Waste. Translating it to Filipino, Zero Waste would mean "walang sayang". It is but the simplest way to put it.  Zero Waste can be achieved by redesigning the cycle of products that we use.  We easily throw away things we deem useless. Little did we know that most of our so called trash can still be put to good use. And for me, the easiest way to attain zero waste is to segregate our wastes. 

We produce different types of waste. These wastes can be divided to four and there are many ways how these different types of wastes can still be turned to something useful. First is the biodegradable waste such as kitchen wastes. These would include leftover foods, fruit and vegetable peelings, fish and chicken bones. These wastes can be used as compost. Instead of buying fertilizer for your backyard gardening, these are actually best as they are organic and rich in nutrients. Second is the recyclables which includes bottles, glass, papers, cartons and other trash of the like. They can be sold to junk shops or you can simply use your imagination on how these trash can still be used. Third is the residuals which includes plastics, Styrofoam, sachets, tetra packs and the like. We can lessen the use of plastics by using eco-bags. Meanwhile, we can reduce the production of residuals by buying products in big containers instead of those in sachets and tetra packs. Lastly, we have the special wastes. This includes tissues, napkins, diapers and the like. For further details on the different types of waste, you can refer to this link: http://quezoncity.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=349:type-of-wastes&catid=78  

So, what do these things have to do with our practicum? Our main goal was to raise awareness and teach people in San Fernando on ways how to resolve environmental issues. For it to be successful, you need to reach out to people and show them the importance of the Zero Waste advocacy. During our first week, we were tasked to do an Information and Education Campaign (IEC) in different barangays. House-to-house and lecturing people about proper waste segregation. First week, and I seriously felt like giving up.  

Drove the tri-wheeler myself

The work, it is neither easy nor bad. AT ALL.  What made the work tiring is the weather. We just had to battle the heat in San Fernando, which is no joke. What's worse is some people's apathy towards what we do. Imagine walking to and fro different barangays under the scorching summer heat and when you knock in someone's house, all you hear is an apathetic, "BUSY KAMI", which you know is a lie. It is sad (for a lack of better term and it really is sad) because no matter how hard we try to reach out, there are still people who would not care, at all. It is sad because when we think about it, the advocacy will not be a success if the people you're giving your effort to do not cooperate. It is sad because I felt unappreciated.  

After our first week, we went home and had a little over two days of rest. I told my family about the whole experience and that's when I got the answers to the second question I posted.  Why do MEF staff do what they do? Summing it all up to one word, it would be compassion. Well, with that kind of work (in the big city of San Fernando) and the kind of response I personally experienced, I know I can't stay long in that kind of job. There's only four of them and yet they still continue working to turn the advocacy into a reality. 

More than complaining, I went back to Pampanga and said to myself that I need to finish what I started. Not because it was a requirement but because I wanted to gain knowledge I know I can share. I wanted to instill that sense of urgency (I felt) to people in case they are forgetting that we do not own this place. We are just caretakers and we need to remind ourselves that there are still generation to come who will inhabit this place. I can only hope that they find it in themselves that change needs to start from them. 

Days passed and the whole thing became more exhausting. I've seen more people who were VERY uncooperative. Real smiles turned to fake ones. Once, we did a dry run (part of work where we inspect each household if they are segregating trash) in Vista Rica, it was pretty smooth until we stopped by a household and the conversation between me and the HomeOwner went like this: 

Me: Good morning po! Mangongolekta lang ng basura. *with a real smile* 

HO: Ah, hindi. Wala kaming basura. *she was starting to get that angry expression on her face* 

Me: Okay po. Sa'n po kayo nagtatapon ng basura? *still trying to put on that real smile* 

HO: Nagsusunog kami. *with a very angry tone* 

Me: Ahh mommy, bawal po kasi magsunog. Pakisegregate na lang po ng basura kasi may mangongolekta naman po regularly. *Then I went on to explain why burning of trash is bad and the fine that goes with it* 

HO: Ahh. Okay. Magbabayad na lang ako. *by this time, she was really very angry and told us to leave already*

Then I suddenly had that wry smile on my face. And wow, there are really people like that. That was the worst experience I had. No kidding, it's worse than holding other people's trash and segregating it myself. Then, I appreciated other people who were very much willing to learn about the whole campaign. There are instances when some households can't understand it the first time you explain it, but it is better than just seeing people be apathetic about it. 

Talked to a collector about the developments of

the Zero Waste campaign in Lourdes Heights

Personally, I was really that close to giving up specially when we visited our designated purok in San Pedro for monitoring. We were there one whole week, teaching people how to segregate and telling them the consequences of not segregating their trash. One week, and all efforts were wasted. It is the most problematic barangay we've been to. Asking the officials, the collectors and the homeowners, there were different stories and each blaming one another for the problems.  Different sides of the story and you don't know who to believe. This is where communication between the officials and the homeowners is of utmost importance. I personally saw the officials lack sympathy towards the campaign. The people who need to lead the campaign, nowhere to be seen. It was also saddening because I saw how the collectors turned to be part of the minority, when in fact they should be given proper attention, too. I saw how hard their work is and how unappreciated they are. 

There are many realizations and learning. I can truly say that this is one summer I can never forget. EVER. 21 years and I thought I've had enough encounters with people so as not to be surprised anymore. I thought I already have enough patience when dealing with hard-headed people, then again I was wrong. I was pushed to my limits. Above all these, I learned not to doubt myself and other people that I can, that they can. 

Living with seven other people in one roof was also a new experience. It was like taking care of sisters and a brother I never had. Eight personalities and sometimes I really wished it was PBB house and force evict myself because of the stress from work (not to mention, the tan lines (?) I got were far more stressful than those I got when going to beaches). Also, our mentors who never gave up even though we, too, had our own fair shares of being naughty and mischievous. These people that I was with for almost a month, knowing that they have the same advocacy as mine were enough to continue believing that whatever it is that we want can be achieved. We just need to keep our hopes alive and work our way up. It is not easy but working towards a Zero Waste Philippines is never impossible. 

8 volunteers. MEF Staff. :)

-Jem de Pedro