A Dream Inspired Project

|Reflection: Solayman Maso |Director, SMART Project

A dream project – that is what the SMART project means to me. 

When I was pitching this project, I was nervous thinking that it may not be chosen as one of the ten winning projects for the Mindanao SEA Camp, but the more I talked about my project to the mentors the more I became confident about it and it came to the point that I knew I would implement the project whether or not I get grant.

So I couldn’t explain the rush of happiness that came after it was announced that my project was one the winning projects.

I had only been introduced to mud painting recently, but I knew it was the style and medium I’d like to use as an artist, not only was it inexpensive compared to other mediums it also speaks of the place where I come from, the soils where the crop grows, the muddy streams and the locals in my community who tilt the soil to grow food – the farmers, the fishermen, the plants and the animals, my  culture and my roots. It was something I knew I have to protect.

When I was finally implementing my project, I was overwhelmed by the response from the community, some of the schools we invited were situated in parts of Cotabato made only known to few if not totally known non-existent to all but still they responded to the invitation.

Knowing that my undergraduate studies was Electrical Engineering, I never imagined that I could do a project that marries my advocacy and my passion. The use of my mud painting ART in advocating for the protection of my community and the marine ecosystems that supports our source of food gave me the opportunity to find in what I do the full expression of myself.

I knew Anna Oposa, SEA Camp Director, meant it when she said that the work of conservation is not an easy work. And I found out that she was right, as I was implementing my project, there were many challenges that made me want to give up many times but I did not (and I’m thankful I did not) because in the process, I learned that no matter how hard the work of conservation is and no matter how many challenges come your way, that the love for what you do and protecting what you love will always prevail.

We have successfully implemented the seminar workshop on marine conservation and mud painting and the paintings will go on a public exhibit next month, but the fight continues. The SMART Project, another of its kind will be implemented next month and introduce to a larger audience in consonance with the celebration of the Science Month. Mud Painting will also replace the poster making contest in high school and elementary levels in the next Science Fair and Quest Division Level at Cotabato City.

We have also received invitations from other school to conduct a mud painting workshop and advocate for the environment.

The fight I used to think I had to fight alone turns out to be a battle everyone would like to fight with us. #SavePhilippineSeas #SaveKusiongReef #SaveKalangananMangroveForest #SaveSaltWaterCrocodiles

Lastly, I am greatly indebted to my fellow SEA Campers Abdul Nasif Mohammad, Abqary Alon, and Manal Sugadol without whom the SMART Project will not be possible, my volunteers Mohammad Jamil Brillantes, Alhakim Palanggalan and countless more individuals who helped, and inspired the realization of the SMART Project. Thank you. The SMART Project will not be possible without your help.

Final SEA Camp Hashtag #LifeChanging   

Seminar on Marine Conservation| Mud Painting Workshop

|The SMART Project

  

“Saving Marine ecosystems through ART”

On July 24, 2015 at Beato Tariman Hall, Notre Dame University, SEA Camper Solayman Maso, 22 a BSEE graduate and active environmental advocate from Notre Dame University, Cotabato City implemented his project named the SMART project – one of the ten winning projects during the Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp at Tawi-Tawi, the Philippine Islands last May 9-15, 2015. 

Project Director, Solayman Maso talks about SEA Camp welcomes the participants and discusses the rationale of the SMART Project

The SMART Project sponsored by the Save Philippine Seas and US Embassy Manila is a one day workshop on environmental values, marine conservation and mud painting workshop that captures the subject of protecting marine ecosystems, for 20 high school student artists from different schools in Cotabato City.

The project aims to raise general public awareness on the importance or protecting the bio diverse marine ecosystems of Cotabato City, the Kalanganan Mangrove Forest and the Kusiong Reef. To do this, the mud paintings produced by the project will go on an exhibit at Notre Dame University and People’s Palace.

|SEMINAR

Divided into two parts, a seminar on environmental values and conservation and a mud painting workshop – the participants coming from 10 different public and coastal high schools  in Cotabato City listened to the talk of the day by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Coastal Resources Management Unit Chief, Eduardo E. Arboleda. Chief Arboleda emphasized

BFAR CRM Chief Eduardo Arboleda plays an investigative documentary on illegal trade of Philippines marine wildlife

the importance of protecting our rich bio diverse marine ecosystems and urged the participants to take a strong stand on protecting it richness. He added that while it is good news that Philippines is known to have the richest and the center of marine biodiversity, according to research poor law enforcement and lack of sound protection program amounts to a $ 240 Million loss in the Philippine marine resources everyday due to dynamite fishing, poaching of corals and turtles, shark fining and other illegal practices.  Chief Arboleda also talked about marine conservation, coastal resources management planning and existing laws and programs under BFAR.

Following Chief Arboleda’s talk, Sheryan Pendaliday, one of the proponent of STREAMS of Hope Philippines and Senior Program Officer of AdatBetad, a local NGO that fronts environmental security efforts in Cotabato City and ARMM Region, talked about Arts, Culture and Environmentalism.

“Culture is what we do everyday. If you practice or do not practice solid waste management that is your culture” – Sheryan Pendaliday

Sheryan’s talk was focused on that part of culture that recognized the little acts that most people don’t think matters but has a huge impact in the natural environment. Sheryan shared how she stopped eating one of her favorite chocolates since they only came in plastic wrappers.

One of the grouped participants sharing the SWM Project they will adopt at school

She also had activities for the participants that aim to encourage them to practice SWM.

Mindanao SEA Camper and Assistant Project Manager Abdul Nasif Mohammad talked about Leadership and Good Seatizenship – the qualities a good environmental leader should posses -- and Seatizen Essentials – things every environmentalist should know and do.

Abdul Nasif challenged the participants to use their ART to give voice to the voiceless, the plants, the animals.

“… hindi naman pupunta sa kalsada yung corals o pawikan at isisigaw na “Hey! I’m an endangered species, I am important, you need to respect me, you need to protect me” … so sinong gagawa nun? Kayo!”

Speaker environmental advocate and Project SOLID founder Abdul Nasif Mohammad talks about Seatizenship Essentials

He then asked participants the participants to write their personal commitments and personal acts they will do or stop doing in order to help solved environmental problems.

Participants write their personal commitments

Mud Painting Workshop

The afternoon part of the program was the mud painting workshop. Mud painting is a powerful tool to convey a message. It is environmental friendly and the medium come directly from earth.

Artists at Work, Jolina Arroyo from Datu Ayunan National High School

Tear drops of Mother Earth – Aleo Troy Abolencia

Sea Grass Princess – Sendatu Guialuden

Save the Corals – Shaira Maido

Kenneth Lorenton paints his Abode of Life

The participants holding their paintings

The SMART Project produced a total of twenty paintings.

The workshop concluded with the awarding of certificates to the participants and writing commitment messages at the freedom tarp.

(L-R)Participant, Aleo Troy Abolencio, Teacher, Mary Grace Filipe, Participant Bai Nor Jamaica Acob, SMART Project Team: Solayman Maso, Project Director, Abqary Alon, Layout Artist and Abdul Nasif Mohammad, Project Manager

Mr. Merlito Abella, Teacher from Canizares National High School signs commitment wall 

The paintings will go on an exhibit at the People’s Palace of Cotabato City and at Notre Dame University.

The People’s Palace- Cotabato City

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|More About the Project

 

|The Logo

The logo of the SMART Project was designed by Mindanao SEA Camper, Biologist and Ateneo de Davao University instructor Abqary Alon.

|The Speakers

Eduardo E. Arboleda is the present Coastal Resources Management Unit Chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Sheryan G. Pendaliday is an alumna of the Study of US Institutes (SUSI) program. She has conducted projects in lined with environmental protection; her recent project was the YSEALI Seeds for Future Grant funded project called STREAMS of HOPE which she implemented with fellow USG alumni in the ASEAN region. Presently, she’s a Senior Program Officer of AdatBetad – an environmental NGO based in ARMM

Abdul Nasif Mohammad is an International Relations Studies graduate from Mindanao State University – Marawi. He was one of the young leaders chosen to take part in the Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp – Mindanao. He is presently working with the Office of the Regional Vice Governor in ARMM. His SEA Camp pitched project called SOLID (Syap’n o Omanisa so Lake Lake Imanto agu gya Dunya) – Clean Lake Lanao and Save Mother Earth Now did not win the SEA Camp grant but will be implemented come September with a 1 Million budget from his office after he pitched it to the Regional Vice Governor.

Romeo A. Mansan is the acting Chief Biodiversity Management Services of DENR-ARMM.

Ryan Victor Miranda is a BS in Mass Communication graduate from Ateneo de Zamboanga. In 2011 he was sent to USA as delegate of Philippine Youth Leadership Program. He is an environment and peace advocate; after his exchange program, he implemented his Down to Earth project which uses soil painting as a medium to advocate peace in Mindanao.

  

Alex Labarosa is the Senior Program Officer on Arts and Culture at the Department of Education Division Office Cotabato City. (He took charge of sending the memo from DepEd to invite schools to participate in the SMART Project).

|The Participants

The Participants of the SMART Project are representatives selected by each invited schools base on their leadership, environmental profiles and inclination in Art. A memo inviting ten schools was released by the Division Office of the Department of Education in Cotabato City.

|Up Next!

The SMART Project Team is developing a website for the launching of project paintings’ online exhibit. All 20 titled and 1/1 edition paintings will be featured. The audience will also meet the artists in the artists’ gallery – Artists at Work

The paintings will also be displayed at Cotabato City People’s Palace and the Cariño Building Hall, 1^st Floor at Notre Dame University.

 

|Challenges!

The SMART Project addresses the condition of Kusiong Reef and the Kalanganan Mangrove Forest - both marine ecosystems now face a serious damage and threat.

Beach and resort owners continue to remove corals in Kusiong as they dump more white and finer sands and expand their resorts across the shoreline. While the Kalanganan Mangrove Forest continues to thin after being declared open for titling to the public; the forest is also home to salt water crocodile locally known as Buaya sa Lagat hence the name of the place Buayan or Buaya Buaya comes from.

While speakers of the SMART Project coming from lined offices made it clear the importance of protecting marine ecosystems, they failed to comment on the matter.

DENR-ARMM Biodiversity Management Services Acting Chief, Mr. Romeo A. Mansan also advised he couldn’t come and talk for the project only during the last minutes before the implementation.

Speaker Ryan Victor Miranda also failed to attend the project.

As per DepEd orders, high schools cannot send participants to off campus events unless accompanied by a teacher/adviser. This was overwhelming news after preparing meals only for 20 high school student participants. The volunteers and the Project team had to give way in order to all the participants and guests meals.

The Project is currently looking for volunteers and funds to launch its exhibit at Cotabato City People’s Palace and Notre Dame University and its social media platforms and online exhibit/gallery.

|Evaluation

Honest answers from participants when asked what they can do to help address marine conservation challenges.

“Ibubulsa ko na lng ang basura ko kapag walang basurahan” – Aleo Troy A. Abolencio

“I will bring my bottle with me always, Me and my Bottle <3” - Bai Nor Jamaica A. Acob

“Mag ha-house to house visit ako sa community to inform the community about the effects of not segregating their waste” – Bambay S. Garcia

|Quoted

“The way you love yourself should be the way you love the nature” – Hanina B. Simban

|Future Events

After its launch on July 24, 2015, the mud painting workshop as an advocacy to raise awareness on marine conservation and environmental protection will be implemented again in coordination with DepEd Cotabato City Division Office, all schools public/private from Cotabato is invited to participate. The seminar workshop will be implemented on September in line with the celebration of Science Month.