Ang Magiting - The Official Web Site of Rotary Club Makati North

The birds and the bees (No, it’s not what you think…)

2 days ago

By: Treas. Robert Syjuco
May 16, 2012

If the Philippines was a human head with hair, it would be nearly bald, and losing more hair by the day. Forest cover is just 18% of land, down from 97% in the early 1900s and 50+ percent 50 years ago.

I know that bald men sometimes look cool, but unlike the human head, the forest cover translates to the land’s virility so bald lands devoid of forests are like men firing blanks. Unlike bald men (or so they like to claim).

We actually need 54% forest cover to maintain the biodiversity of the land. Biodiversity is essential to ecological balance. Even a small bird going extinct due to lack of forests can have a chain reaction way beyond the bird’s size. It’s insect prey can grow by leaps and bounds and eat essential crops and make their prices go up. It fuels inflation and then makes the masses restive, making them vote another Erap wannabe into office. Not good.

It’s a good thing we have the complete opposite as the next RCMN president. After a long wait for the position to be filled, it’s going to be none other than Bob Hecks. Like they say, the position seeks the man, not the other way around. And this one will not have huge anomalous transactions traced by the anti money laundering body on election day. Truly deserving, we had our first meeting to prepare for his term next year before the regular meeting. It was short but sweet, meaning to accomplish much.

And speaking of accomplishments, the Botolan Aeta medical/dental outreach mission is going to finally push through this weekend. Thank you to Gene Arriesgado for the oats, Dave Lorenzana for the soy sauce, Eurotel for the bed sheets and blankets, the many RCMN donors who gave in kind or P5k each at least to buy medicines and supplies among others. Special thanks to PP Boy Sevilla who has worked so hard with Pres. Archie to finally coordinate the huge logistics of holding the medical dental and relief mission. Recent experience has taught us not to source doctors and dentists from the usual (unreliable) sources and tap the local government units instead. It’s a real blessing to find doctors from places near the area of operations.

And blessing do come from everywhere. Asian Poker tour organizer, Mr. Jason Morris, read about our Charity poker tournament in PP Klink’s The Manila Times while flying, dropped by our meeting today and decided to donate P42,000.00 to RCMN out of the goodness of his heart. Thank you! Literally, manna from the heavens!

Flying in the skies also happens to be the inspiration of the name Haribon, where our guest speaker comes from. Short for Hari ng ibon (King of Birds), the Philippine Eagle is the chosen symbol of the ecological group. It was chosen as a symbol of the group as birds are a good indicator of a place’s ecological balance. No birds – no bees – no flowers, and so on…..

Ms. Christine Cenal, Head of Corporate Partnerships explained that Haribon aims to replant 1 million hectares of forest land by 2020. They normally tap large corporations with their CSR for reforestation efforts, as well as holding fun runs and similar events to raise awareness of the perils of deforestation and the critical need to replenish forest cover.

It’s a commendable effort, as they have replanted 454 hectares of mostly watershed tree cover (where it is most essential) as well as raising awareness specially with the youth (who are the most plentiful). A single tree can offset a typical car’s CO2 carbon footprint in a year. However 454 hectares is a far cry from 1 million hectares they target. It seems funding is where the shortfall lies.

I suggested that they apply for Carbon Credit offsets to answer their funding. Many European companies that have huge carbon emissions, like power plants, airlines, power plants are required by law to buy carbon credits to offset their CO2 emissions. Carbon credits are made by tree planting and similar efforts to compensate/offset the CO2 they generate by the CO2 the trees absorb. Many third world companies make huge money out of this, and this can be worth the effort by Haribon to be accredited to sell carbon credits. It beats selling Haribon cards at P50 each or getting funding piecemeal. Until then, 1 million hectares is just but a dream. I wish them luck and hope they can reach their targets by thinking out of the box. After all, we don’t need another Erap wannabe in office!