Objective1: LEARN
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was one of the first groups that I joined in when I first became a Facebook user. Before the inundation of the games and less significant pages on this website, it was these groups which flooded my News Feed, almost daily updating me and millions of other members of the group about their activities from halfway across the globe.
Until this day, I am not so sure what kind of force impelled me to click that button and join that group. Maybe it was because of the cute lumbering panda as its logo. Maybe it was because it sounded very similar to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), an old wrestling league which reminded me of my own childhood. But until now, my News Feed is still being constantly updated by the WWF, and I would like to keep it that way.
The protection of domestic animals is not exactly a cause which I firmly believe in, although my family also had kept pets in the past, such as hamsters and cats. The reason for this is that these domesticated animals will most likely still be glimpsed by the generations to come, although I likewise disapprove for the deprivation of the basic needs of these animals once they are kept as pets. I, however, firmly believe in the protection of animals which are endangered and might not be glimpsed by future generations.
We have heard of animals with queer-sounding names which have vanished and were not seen by our generations and even past generations. Animals such as the flightless bird Dodo, the aptly named Woolly Mammoth and, of course, the dinosaurs (although it might have actually been a blessing for us human that we mercifully did not live at the same time as these reptiles) are just some examples of now-extinct animals whose features and characteristics, we can only at best speculate on, now that they are extinct.
And in our day and age, various other animals are looking to join the ranks of these long-gone animals. Various of other animals with names familiar to us might never be seen by the future generations. Names like rhinoceros and tigers and whales are poised to be extinct in the coming years, and merely speculating on the appearance of tigers and rhinoceroses is something that I do not want my children to be doing.
They deserve to be able to see these animals in their natural habitat, and these animals deserve to be part of their lessons in Biology and about the Animal Kingdom. This is probably the reason why I joined the WWF on Facebook and visit their page on the social-networking site from time to time.
And, like I said, I intend to keep it that way. There Earth Hour is coming, and I believe turning off the lights on our home wouldn’t hurt a bit.
Bonus: I do believe that international relations are better with the presence of NGO’s because states are sometimes too concerned with their own affairs that they tend to forget about certain specific issues, issues which these NGO’s might be concentrating on. Sometimes states are unable to immediately the needs of other states and thus are unable to immediately help other states. NGO’s, meanwhile, who may specialize in these needs of states and are fully aware of them, can enlighten other nations, a good example of which would be the actions of the NGO Global Witness who published a report on the Blood Diamonds in Angola, Sierra Leone, and neighboring nations, prompting the United Nations (UN) to send aid and diamond company De Beers to make the appropriate actions to be part of the solution.
Objective 2: ACT
Pollution is something that we see almost on a daily basis. The word almost actually makes that statement a euphemism, because we actually do see it every day, especially outside of the University which brims with various vehicles belching smoke, most of which are driven by our own fellow students or the drivers of our own fellow students.
Laws are being implemented in an attempt curb our increasingly polluted air, such as the Clean Air Act, but, as always, the phrase “walang ngipin ang batas” has again proven to be prophetic even on this law. There are other forms of pollution, but the pollution of the air in the cities which is slowly working its way towards the more industrialized provinces sticks out like a sore thumb, and needs to be readily addressed.
One of my classmates, Mr. Raymund Nejal, as well as myself, agreed that the issue which we would like to addressed in our little ways will be the issue of pollution. Even though I live in Cavite as I have mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, the province has not been able to escape the grasp of pollution, either in the air or in its bodies of water. Raymund, on the other hand, lives in yet another city, which is Quezon City, and he himself has also borne witness to the various forms of pollution.
Simple things such walking and not using the car or commuting whenever I travel only a small distance (such as walking out of our village to buy food) can already help curbing air pollution. Also, the fact that both me and Raymund are non-smokers also fuels our bid against pollution, as smoking also contributes to air pollution. Riding the bicycle would likewise be a good alternative for walking, but I was deprived of having the experience of riding the bicycle when I was a child, so I promised to learn how to ride the bicycle this summer.
Yes, they maybe and are little things, but, as the saying goes, every little bit helps, and me and Raymund are more than willing to chip in our little bit to slowly alleviate the pollution in our air.
Objective 3: IMAGINE
He had a watch before. It was beautiful, truth be told, more beautiful than any jewelry his wife had ever had. Chrome-plated. Encrusted with diamonds. He never had to look at the wall to know the time. It was, literally and figuratively, well within his grasp.
He still sees the watch from time to time, a constant reminder of the recent past. Every time he has a visitor he sees it. It sags, like the skin of an old person, on the reed-thin wrists of the warden guarding his padded cell. He was given his daily dose of cuss words earlier by that warden. And if it wasn’t a barrage of ‘f’ words or the all-familiar ‘bs’ (that doesn’t speak of educational attainment), it’ll be insults that cut to the core of his being, or what’s left of it.
“You better get used here, old man. You’ll never fool the people again,” was today’s vitamin of insult.
It was “You’re gonna rot here, you and your lies” the other day.
What’s it gonna be today, he mused. He didn’t want to know.
He rubbed his temples with his fingers, and then ran them over his cheeks. He looks thinner, his wife said. And unless he’s a teenager who wants to be a supermodel, that’s not exactly a compliment.
“No,” he said to no one in particular.
Even his cabinet members do not visit him anymore. And with good reason, for they are likewise locked in their respective cells. Maximum security cells. With sadists, rapists, and con men as his neighbors.
“It’s all their fault,” Lou said to the rusted clock and the sleeping warden.
“The people believed their published reports. The people believed those liars. Those organizations which nitpick every person who takes the presidency, everyone believed them.”
And now, they’re taking over.
“How long have I been here?” he said to his turned off television set.
Days? Months? Years? It seems like forever down here. Twenty-two years as the president is not equivalent to life imprisonment. It’s not fair. They don’t equate to each other.
Something was stirring. Lou looked from his cell. It was the warden, walking with the keys. With his watch. The diamonds from its hands shimmered from a distance.
“You have a visitor, Mr. President.” He said sarcastically and opened the cell of Lou.
Lou didn’t believe him. Lou didn’t believe him at all. He rubbed the bars before going out. This will be his home amd he better get used to it.
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