HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE: OUR NEW  ABNORMAL
 

The second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Forum rolls out next week, Nov. 21 and 22 at the UP Diliman School of Statistics Auditorium. It’s something we’re happy to see happening; as the theme for this year, “If Not Now, When?,” addresses the urgency with which sustainability has to trickle down, and be a conscious, intentional roadmap of our immediate future. Last year’s theme, “Beyond Green,” stressed how sustainability and an ESG (environment, social, and governance) agenda, required our understanding that sustainability goes beyond the environment, with the recognition that of the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDG’s), only five to six directly impacted environment – the others having more to do with quality of life, equality and inclusivity, and harnessing technology and innovation properly.

In interviews I’ve done with media platforms to help drum up awareness of the forum, I’m often asked “Why the forum, and what do you hope will be the outcome.” For me, it’s obviously small steps, it’s about raising consciousness, our little contribution in doing our duty at the Manila Bulletin to inform and inspire. I’m not a scientist or some sustainability expert; but I do know that the clock is ticking, and the many changes I’ve witnessed during my over 60 years on this planet, point to how we no longer have time on our side – and I worry about the world my children, and my children’s children, will have to live in (and yes, I say that metaphorically, as my boys don’t have kids of their own… yet).

We have purposely made the forum multi-sectoral, both the public and private sector represented; and when it comes to the private sector, coming from different industries. The hope being that the public will better appreciate how even on a soft impact basis, there are a multitude of ways to adapt a more sustainable lifestyle – and at the very least, support the companies that are championing sustainability. We’re extremely happy for the private sector support we’ve received for these two editions of the forum.

AMONG THE SPEAKERS at our upcoming MB Sustainability Forum; Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (photo from UNEP)

I’m well aware that public perception of sustainability runs from how it’s “pang-mayaman” (for the rich), to how it’s costly or expensive to apply to one’s own lifestyle. That’s understandable, and I also accept that if we’re talking about a country where so many are living just above the poverty line, wondering how they’ll afford the next meal of their children, sustainability will not be a major concern. But the truth is that it’s those very people who are the most vulnerable and affected by conditions related to climate change, and to natural disasters. Yes, they’re being uplifted, their capacity to earn more, all have to be addressed; but it can’t be done in a vacuum, exclusive of the broader issues that sustainability does address. We who have a “voice” to speak of these issues, should continue to speak out and insist on being heard.

And I’ve made the observation that one reason the concept of sustainability doesn’t trickle down is that the conversation is almost always being couched in English. For a great number, sustainability falls under “nosebleed” country. We like to presume because our country is often referred to as one where English is a strong second language, there’s no need to create a Filipino language of sustainability – but I feel that’s our big mistake.

Jaime Z. Urquijo for Ayala Corporation (photo from the AC website)

I’m not the one qualified to create one, but I think the Department of Education, the Department of Science and Technology, and perhaps the NCCA (National Commission on Culture and the Arts) should be bumping heads to prioritize this glossary of Filipino words that can help make the concepts of sustainability much clearer to the general public. The need for this is so urgent.

When I was at CNN, one of the staff engaged me in a conversation, saying that in her provincial hometown, she had set up her own Sinag Quezon youth organization, and it was driving sustainabilty consciousness at the grass roots level. That’s what I’m hoping our forum can inspire, a mushrooming of such youth orgs – for it’s their future that they’ll be talking about, and they shouldn’t be repeating the same mistakes of my generation. Come support our forum, as the public is welcome.

Give the old west a new rest
 

Just a passing observation. Was bothered the other week to read that our Comelec Chairman pronounced the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) elections as “relatively peaceful” after reporting that there were at least 19 election-related deaths, and a similar number of people injured and hospitalized during the election period that started from Aug. 28. I guess that only brings home how the idea that it’s the old west when to comes to Philippines elections, is still so prevalent. That 19 deaths can mean “generally peaceful,” surely isn’t any kind of comfort for those 19 corpses.

I can’t help but note that these elections were for barangay and youth sector representation. That deadly violence can mar the exercise of democracy at this fundamental level, when stakes are relatively low, should be a cause for concern. And I was left wondering how many deaths would it take to make an election “less than peaceful.”