MEF participates in Pista Y
Cagueban in Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
Present and past
Miss Philippines beauties
June 30, 2008, PPC, Palawan - Running
on its 18th year now, the Pista Y Cagueban
or Feast of the Forest brought together
more than 30,000 Puerto Prinsesans, students,
NGOs, government units and even tourists
and guests as part of the city's celebration
of World Environment Month out of their
love for Mother Earth. Puerto Prinsesa
boasts of vast lands covered with more
than a million trees planted by the people
since the Pista was launched in 1990.
This event has been much awaited by people
not only from Puerto Prinsesa City but
as well as people from all over Palawan,
Philippines and even guests abroad.
During the cultural night held last June
27, 2008, the honorable mayor shared with
the people how he transform-
ed the
city into its present state. One of the projects
that they are working on right now is the production
of electric tricycles and taxis in answer to the
escalating prices of gas and to hasten their shift
to renewable sources of energy.
Last year,
one of the guests of honor was Miss Philippines-Earth
2007 Ms. Jeanne Harn. This year, the Honorable
Mayor Edward Hagedorn invited 6 Miss Philippines-Earth
titlists to take part in the said activity, experience
the beauty and richness of Puerto Prinsesa and
contribute to its environment. Among the participants
were Miss Philippines-Eco Tourism 2008 Ms. Venus
Raj, Miss Philippines-Water 2007 Ms. Joycie Nocumura,
Miss Philippines-Eco Tourism 2007 Ms. Anna Katrina
Bautista, Miss Philippines-Fire 2006 Ms. Francis
Dianne Cervantes who is now a councilor of Hagonoy,
Bulacan, Miss Philippines-Water 2004 Ms. Jasmin
Chua and Miss Earth-Water 2006 and Executive Director
of Miss Earth Foundation Cathy Untalan who all
planted trees and gave their full support in their
environmental campaigns. Other guests included
the Managing Director of ABSCBN Foundation, Ms.
Gina Lopez, representatives from the World Bank
and other NGOs, artists Noel Cabangon and Billy
Crawford and business and government partners
from all over the world.
Green Thumbs Up
The Green
Thumbs Up campaign is the newest movement of the
Miss Earth Foundation to give people in different
"environments" tips on how we can help
mitigate the effects of climate change or simply
maintain the cleanliness of our surroundings to
proper utilization of our resources. Green Thumbs
Up posters contain 10 practical and very easy
to do tips in our schools, houses and offices.
Let us all
help each other to preserve our planet, our home!
Make more environmentally friendly choices!
Miss Philippines-Earth
candidates want cleaner air
April 28 was one of the highlights for
this year's search for Miss Philippines-Earth
2008. At 7 o'clock in the morning, 41
lovely candidates together with the reigning
queens marched their way from the Makati
Fire Department in Buendia along Ayala
Avenue holding placards bearing the messages
Tigil Biga, a campaign for motorists to
give Mother Earth a chance to breathe
by lessening the amount of pollutants
released to the air by the transport sector.
At 8:30 am, the ladies asked drivers along
Paseo De Roxas to shut off their engines
for one minute to make them realize the
impact of fuel combustion in air pollution.
This is the second time this activity
was done after a very successful Tigil
Buga last year which was also organized
by the City of
Makati and Clean Cities Coalition-Makati.
To be more
equipped in giving seminars, talks and imparting
environmental awareness to the community, Miss
Earth Foundation sponsored a whole day workshop
for the candidates.
There were three speakers, each
an expert in his/her own field, who delivered
the lectures. Atty. Angela Consuelo Ibay, Program
Manager of KLIMA briefed the girls on what climate
change is all about. She shared some of the studies
done by the Manila Observatory and its projections
on the effects of this global threat to our country.Mr.
Jukka Holopainen, founder and president
of Center for Environment Awareness and Education
and Apocalypse Point Productions shared
his knowledge on the very rich but highly endangered
Philippine biodiversity. Lastly, Mr. Voltaire
Alferez, Executive Director of EarthDay Network
Philippines convinced them that proper Solid Waste
Management, adherence to RA 9003 is our solution
to our garbage and even economic problems. Each
talk was followed by an open forum wherein the
ladies where given a chance to ask questions and
consult local issues in their respective areas.
Ms. Kathleen Almonte, an urban planner and Environment
Officer at the Department of Environment Services
of the City of Makati guided the girls in making
an action plan that they can submit to their municipalities,
cities and provinces.
This is the first time that the
candidates had a workshop like this which included
sharing of their local issues amongst each other
and at the end, pledging to spearhead or involve
themselves in different campaigns to bring awareness
and ignite changes for the betterment of the environment
in the local level. Now more informed and knowldegeable
about these topics
Miss Philippines-Earth
2008 beauties celebrate Earth Day
April 22 is a red-letter day for all
environmentalists as it is that one time
of the year that people all over the world
simultaneously celebrate Earth Day. The
candidates where divided into groups to
attend different affairs for the day.
One went to SM Mall of Asia where the
opening ceremonies for the Earth Day celebration
was held. This event was participated
in by local government agencies headed
by their officials, NGO's, students, church
communites and business sector.
DENR Secretary Lito Atienza gave his message
Hamon Para Sa Kalikasan as an urge for
Filipinos to be more vigilant regarding
our natural resources. Earth Day Network
together with other NGO's awarded the
Model
Barangays for Solid Waste Management
which included a barangay who was formerly a dumpsite
but has now become a well-managed one. Miss Earth
Foundation Executive Director Cathy Untalan co-hosted
the event with environment icon Ms. Chin-Chin Gutierrez.
Another
group went to Nestle Cabuyao to participate in
their activities such as tree-planting. Reigning
queens Jeanne Harn-Miss Philippines Earth 2007
and Krystle Ann Dizon-Miss Philippines Air 2007
together with three candidates guested on Mornings
at ANC to promote the advocacy to protect Mother
Earth.
Miss Earth Foundation participates
in 10th Tour of the Fireflies
This year's candidates for the
beauty pageant with a cause, Miss Philippines
Earth 2008 together with the reigning
queens conquered the roads for the 10th
Tour of the Fireflies last April 20, 2008.
28 lovely ladies who truly care for the
environment biked their way through Pasig,
Mandaluyong, Makati and Manila as a statement
of support to the Firefly Brigade in their
advocacy for clean air by promoting biking
as a healthier and more environment-friendly
option of transportation. They wore tshirts
by BUM whose ongoing Love the Earth campaign
is congruent with the advocacy. The tshirts
bore the message: Bring back the fireflies
with cleaner air!
