HOTSPOT
Most people have surely forgotten the President’s state of the nation address of July 22, 2013. But for alumni of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences, countless activists, and perhaps members of the media, they surely remember the sight of an activist hugging a crying cop.
With that gesture, Warner Carag, then 22 and a masteral student at UP NIGS, showed how compassionate activists truly are, even in the middle of a violent dispersal of an otherwise peaceful protest action.
Many would probably see journalist Atom Araullo’s story about Warner being shared and reshared all over Facebook these days.
Warner’s unapologetic display of compassion was not a fluke.
He went on to offer his expertise in environmental investigative missions, with an eye on the impact on communities of such projects such as the Jalaur Dam in Panay, the Manila Bay reclamation projects, and the San Miguel Aerotropolis in Bulacan. He also became a teacher, a researcher, and technical specialist. He was also a key convenor of the Alliance of STEM Graduate Students and Workers (STEM Alliance) which advocates for the rights and welfare of scientific workers whose salaries, wages or allowances are often delayed for months, among many issues.
Prior to his hospitalization, Warner worked as a project technical specialist at Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology where he monitored landslides and communicated landslide hazards to communities at risk.
In a Facebook post, the Dynaslope Community said it is proud of Warner’s outstanding work with them in assisting local governments in forming community-based early-warning systems for landslides, and in aiding communities consolidate their own landslide early warning committees.
No wonder, the scientists’ group AGHAM is proud to call Warner a “siyentista ng bayan,” a people’s scientist.
The likes of Warner provide communities the badly-needed scientific knowledge and professional treatment that they need to better understand or confront so-called development aggressors who are themselves backed up by their own “experts.” Moreover, such interactions with communities also raise the level of knowledge and awareness of the people’s scientists, since they learn a lot from practice and also from the people’s own knowledge of their community.
The story of his being the hugging activist of 2013, and Warner’s bigger life story, are being shared because he passed away on Aug. 29 from an illness. He was 33.
We could expect more testimonials from fellow alumni from UP NIGS and the Philippine Science High School, colleagues, activists, friends, students, and from the communities where he brought and humbly offered his scientific expertise. This is another beautiful thing about activists. They make sure tributes and memorials are held for departed activists, as a sign of respect for the dead, and as a powerful way to share the grief of family and loved ones.
Warner’s passing and his relatively short but meaningful life should make us pause, and honor his good deeds. People like him make this country special. Even as many publicly vow to just flee the country in the face of mounting frustrations, people like Warner not only stick around. They courageously give their best to communities. They’re an inspiration.
Perhaps the best tributes we could give Warner are to embrace the campaigns of AGHAM and STEM Alliance, to encourage more young people to choose STEM, and to persuade STEM graduates to serve communities where they are badly needed.
(As of Friday, AGHAM said the wake is set to be held at the Resurrection Chapel of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Diliman, Quezon City. Please consider making a donation for hospital and funeral expenses through Mark at 0915-3338832.)