Its art lies in masterful storytelling and raw film treatment all in ode to its subject, one of which is nature. Our environment has an unparalleled source of beauty, from the migration of monarch butterflies to the mating rituals of birds. The downside, it is also a forest full of dark tales about what the human race has brought to it through the years.

That is what local human rights group Active Vista wants to highlight this month with its free online screening of Filipino documentaries centering in the Philippines’ environmental issues.

“Climate change is real. Our encroachment upon the environment has interfered with its natural systems, bringing about a new wave of disease. And it’s still the common people who bear the brunt of the disaster,” the organization says. “For those in power, it’s business as usual: Privilege and politics keep them out of touch with the homeless and hungry, the ones who suffer the most. While calamity kills, negligence and greed double the casualties.”

“With these films, let us take a hard look at ourselves and our decisions,” the group says. “Let us take this opportunity to think, to feel, to keep the conversation going.”

Discover tales about the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, mining in Nueva Vizcaya, and the gentrification and unbridled development in Isabela with films “Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos,” “Dagami Daytoy,” “Ludong,” and “Sa Hunansan May Santermo.” The films will be showcased on Active Vista's website until April 30, 2021.