Ayoke Island is Ay,okey!

'Ah, summertime! Days of endless delights, of uninhibited fun and frolic and food with a few favored friends - still the magic never fades..'

Seen that picture on the left? Yeah, that's me! I've been really bold enough to sport a two piece for the very FIRST TIME. It's really liberating to do things which you know you will never ever regret doing when you get old. As they say it, we only live once not unless if you're a cat coz you get to have 9 lives? :D

I've been the kind of person who is really conscious of what I would look like or act in front of a lot of people but I've learned so much not to dwell on things like this and just let my inhibitions die. Thus, touring to different parts of Mindanao, building friendly relations with people I never thought would become a great addition in my life and doing things I know which is done in good faith are things I can never bargain to anyone. So yeah, thank you so much SUMMER OF 2013. :)

Unwinding in one of the beautiful islands of Surigao this summer has been one for best adventures ever! Ayoke island is said to be one of the best preserved marine sanctuary in the Philippines. Totally it is worth the while when you are with great people having fun right after doing some work to protect Mother Nature. Swimming, laughing, surfing? Unfortunately I didn't have the time to do that but to have stayed there for one night, making unforgettable memories with friends is just pure bliss. We just tried to make the most out of it right after we delve into the busy world of being interns in LRC in the summer of 2013. I've been into lots of activities in the move for the advocacy against mining here. I also showed my support by participating in the fun run activity to show how the constituents of Cantilan despised the idea of mining in their respective areas. Lots of things to be done and stuffs to learn in application of my quest in the legal profession. 

Oh, right after we had our thorough consultation on AMMB in the hopes of educating, guiding and updating the vibrant community people of Cantilan regarding this bill, I and my bestfriend Glenice head on to the Blue Church. It was my crazy idea to also take a picture there just like how Atty. Ryan shared his one of a kind experience during his internship years where he too prayed to a Church somewhere up North to let God bless him and pass his bar subjects at law school. His funny story inspired me to become like him too. He visited that Church years after when He had already attached the prefix ATTY. to his name. To him, that church was a miracle. And so, I also hope to be as determined and as God-fearing as Atty. Ryan. So there, I whispered a prayer before all of us will be heading back home. I thanked our Almighty for all the blessings he has given me and my friends since we know not all law students will be able to experience this kind of exposure and to learn so much from genuine people seeking justice and fairness as well as helping protect our already exploited Mother Nature.

It was such an unforgettable adventure. To Mr. and Mrs. Janise Iriberri, thank you very much fir the sumptuous dinner and snacks for the past days that we have stayed in Cantilan. We will never forget the beautiful city of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. My summer vacation became even more awesome especially so that I have had the opportunity to visit your place, learnt & met lots of great people together with my fellow interns and our family from LRC, Kaisahan and Balaod Mindanaw.

So for now, we bid farewell to all of you.  Years from now, through pain-staking sacrifices to pass the gruesome bar exam and become future lawyers, I hope the passion we have as of the moment to decide for ourselves to become alternative lawyers will not change through the course of time so that we may all work together to help save Surigao and other areas in Mindanao which have been facing the dire consequences of having Mining Industries without regard to the needs of the future legacy of this country. We're praying that pending cases shall now bear a verdict possibly in favor of our side and unjust killings will stop eventually giving justice to the bereaved families of those brothers and sisters who are now in the loving arms of our Creator. God bless us all. See you soon! :)

An Inspiration: The David’s in Cantilan

Entering into another field of internship for this summer has been one of the most intriguing and quite exciting decisions I have ever made. I tried to do something fun, informative and of help to my fellow Mindanawan communities. I had hesitations at first since it involves a lot of traveling to different unknown territories but after the AMMB Consultation we had in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, I thought that the risk I took was in every inch worth it. To have marvelled at the sight of vast areas of mountains, rice fields, fisheries and to feast my eyes on one of the best sunset as well as sunrise that I only get to see in a painting canvass are now in front of me. 

To have experienced these things in a short span of time were all new to me since I am a certified urban girl. However, what seemed to be a sore to the eyes was the fact that some of Cantilan’s mountains were stripped off as apparent from afar and were all brought down by big dump tracks and backhoes. Such site to me seemed like a mountain raped and exploited by foreign mining industries without showing no economic progress at all in the said place but instead heightened the plight on pollution, soil erosion and the change of geographical terrain which totally affected the livelihood of both the farmers and fishermen folks.

Having gone there without any expectations in my mind as implanted to us by Atty. Normi Batula before we were respectively designated to each of our NGO’s, has indeed truly made the trip more exciting. Although given the fact that I had this exposure for the very first time, still, I already had thoughts about what might happen to us during the immersion. Right after ADMU’s HR wrapped up the discussions we all shall need for the upcoming trips and meet ups with the concerned parties regarding the mining issues here in Mindanao, I had already formulated an idea of what our roles will be.

Fortunately we had a great start, had a safe trip, met lots of great people, visited some of the best spots in Cantilan, ate some of their great delicacies and interacted to some of the community people who were directly affected of the dire effects of mining in Surigao del Sur particularly in Ayoke Island.

I am beyond grateful to the Almighty to have been given this chance to be exposed and to experience first-hand the real mining situation in Cantilan by means of visiting the said place and to have interviewed the stakeholders which served as the highlight of this rare opportunity and to have mingled with them personally. We even participated in a fun run initiated by the Church and other local units in Cantilan.

The fun run was coined “Save Our Surigao: Dagan Para sa Kinaiyahan” and it was my first time to have run a 5K route.  Well, actually we just had brisk walking because we can’t take much of the scorching heat of the sun. Not only was it a means to celebrate earth day but that it was a way for us to show support against mining activities in Cantilan. I thought for myself that although AMMB is not entirely against mining but that it only tries to regulate the entire process so as not to jeopardize the future generations. After all, the earth is ephemeral and we all dreamed of having sustainable development which is for me, personally what AMMB is aiming at. 

To have heard Sir Erwin’s discussion on AMMB for the very first time was enlightening. I am proud to have helped facilitated this cause to fight against mining. Connecting with different sectors just to have more exposure to show contradiction to mining is a brave thing for these local units to participate into.

Based on my little exposure of mining in some parts of Mindanao, I believe, in order to achieve the pristine concept of sustainable development, it must have the important element of responsible action that supports the present needs and that of the future legacy of the Philippines. Thus, amongst a pool of hard-working NGO’s in the Philippines, people from Cantilan should be grateful for LRC’s efforts to help them protect their lands and achieve a more sustainable environment in the present and for the future generations yet to be born.

Truly, the role of ALG as the David to fight against Goliath’s, a.k.a. the big foreign mining companies residing within the country, is such an inspiration for law students like me. The likes of Sir Cocoi, Ma’am Normi, Ma’am Mally, Sir Ritz, Ma’am Joan & the others, have truly opened my eyes to the sad reality of what is happening to our fellow Mindanawon neighbors. They, along with the other law advocates and administrators of justice have made me realized what I want in life and what I want to see myself years from now. It’s going to be one heck of a challenge but these experiences I’ve had fuelled my passion to do well in school and God-willing be able to help out our IP brothers and sisters. The kind of help that is genuine and voluntary. I want to be like my Sensei’s. I want to help.

Just like the sun that beautifully rises and sets in Cantilan which brings new hope to the people who are still in struggle to fight against mining, we, the interns are the ones that shall soon be there to fight for the rights of those who are extremely oppressed and are politically marginalized. Whatever tomorrow brings, if God permits that we too shall become lawyers soon then we will eventually come back and shall soon fight the good fight. Whether we be lawyers or law advocates, we shall meet once again, Cantilan.

Humanity Turned Off

If only I could turn off my humanity for once just like that of TVD's. Lots of heart's should have been ripped, necks strangled, limbs broken, people sired and compelled to kill themselves without me being arrested. That feeling of becoming cold and vicious, if only this is possible. I'd remember way back in College where Prof. Batara would discuss to us about stoicism. I wish I was one of Zeno's student's & become a fully pledge stoic myself. Not a care in the world, speaking sarcasm fluently without considering other people's feelings and just being selfish magnified in all facets of the human life. If only it is that easy, if this is the cure, I would take it. #TVDinspired