Sugpon, Ilocos Sur: Home Sweet Home
In Transporter 3, Jason Statham is tasked to deliver a package; a daughter of a Ukrainian governor who happens to be an enemy of some industrialist due to his resistance in signing a document allowing them to do business in his country. He has to choose between saving his daughter's life, or saving the environment. Ain't gonna comment about the (lame) plot, but well...
My love for animals and nature has grown from I-want-to-have-my-own-zoo, to seriously thinking (as in dream on!) about joining PETA or WildAid. I honestly have no clue on how I could get there, although I already came across the "Donate Now" links on their websites which I'm too scared to click, at this point at least.
Growing up in a small town surrounded by mountains and rivers, I was literally living in a green natural habitat. The hills were my play grounds; the rivers, my swimming pool.
Sugpon, circa 2007
When I got the chance to move to the city, urban lights blinded me for awhile. I realized that I'm actually from a poor family and having both parents working is just ordinary. It's when the insecurity has started. I didn't want anyone to know where I am from. Life is just so different, I was in awe. Everything, and everyone seem to be living in comfort. I was thinking, why can't way pave the rice fields back home? I even contemplated about running for a position one day, and carry this as a main platform; everything shall be concreted, the roads, even the mountains!
Aerial view
Now, I hate to see mountains getting excavated. I hope that the people like those behind the development of Cherryhills will put an end to their, destroy the environment-put risks to many lives-money making projects. I wish all developments that involves flatting of mountains and cutting trees will be stopped. I wish no one's buying illegal animal products.
I wish they'll replace the concrete pine tree in Baguio with a genuine one, tomorrow.
The epical Amburayan River.
In the early 90's, German and Japanese corporations have been eying our precious Amburayan river for a dam construction. The offer promised jobs for the locals, construction of bridges, concreting, paving, money, perhaps a lifetime of brownout free power supply. If I were older then, I would have done everything to admonish everyone to say YES and gather their signatures for approval.
That was our only chance. Civilization here we come!
In my young and ambitious mind, I was enraged when I learned that they turned it down.
That's 5 feet deep.
Hence, I feel proud today that the proposals have been rejected by our folks. If in case, it could have washed away a significant number of wildlife, displaced an entire barangay, and worse polluted our river. No more fishing, and no amount of cleaning, not chlorine could have cleaned and brought the crystal clear waters back.
The dam was constructed though, at the neighboring town. Today they're enjoying the short term effect, leaving us quite envious. Thinking about what could happen in the future, I'm still feeling better for ourselves. If an offer shall be made again, I'd be the first one to go out in the streets with banners in protest. You'll see me on TV. No way that a dam will be built and destroy my pool, not in our territory.
My love for animals and nature has grown from I-want-to-have-my-own-zoo, to seriously thinking (as in dream on!) about joining PETA or WildAid. I honestly have no clue on how I could get there, although I already came across the "Donate Now" links on their websites which I'm too scared to click, at this point at least.
Growing up in a small town surrounded by mountains and rivers, I was literally living in a green natural habitat. The hills were my play grounds; the rivers, my swimming pool.
Sugpon, circa 2007Sugpon is the southeastern most town of the province of Ilocos Sur. One of the tiniest in terms of population, could be the biggest considering the total land area. It is the exit point of mountaineers who trek the ranges of Kibungan, Benguet. Electric posts rose along the streets in 1990, CNN and HBO came available on the chanel list 10 years later. Everyone knows everybody.
Aerial view
Before I could have done such a silly act, I'm grateful that I got educated early on. This must be one of the reasons why destiny didn't allow me to withdraw from my quest of becoming an architect (I'm still working on that, BTW) before. Sustainable design and green architecture, which were hot topics with most of our architectural subjects back in school, have affected me and my views not only when designing but about the "paving" which I was so into as a kid, owing to my ignorance.
Now, I hate to see mountains getting excavated. I hope that the people like those behind the development of Cherryhills will put an end to their, destroy the environment-put risks to many lives-money making projects. I wish all developments that involves flatting of mountains and cutting trees will be stopped. I wish no one's buying illegal animal products.
I wish they'll replace the concrete pine tree in Baguio with a genuine one, tomorrow.
The epical Amburayan River.That was our only chance. Civilization here we come!
In my young and ambitious mind, I was enraged when I learned that they turned it down.
That's 5 feet deep. Hence, I feel proud today that the proposals have been rejected by our folks. If in case, it could have washed away a significant number of wildlife, displaced an entire barangay, and worse polluted our river. No more fishing, and no amount of cleaning, not chlorine could have cleaned and brought the crystal clear waters back.
The dam was constructed though, at the neighboring town. Today they're enjoying the short term effect, leaving us quite envious. Thinking about what could happen in the future, I'm still feeling better for ourselves. If an offer shall be made again, I'd be the first one to go out in the streets with banners in protest. You'll see me on TV. No way that a dam will be built and destroy my pool, not in our territory.
