Save Philippine Seas

Calling all Mindanao-based seatizens! Save Philippine Seas (SPS), in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2018 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Mindanao Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp! 

The 2018 YSEALI Mindanao SEA Camp seeks civic-minded, environmentally-passionate Filipino youth leaders to create and implement solutions that address environmental sustainability issues in Mindanao. The program will bring together 25 youth leaders who are living, working, or studying in Mindanao, ages 18-23, from January 23 to 30, 2018 to Cebu. All expenses (e.g., transportation, accommodations, and materials) will be covered by the project.

The YSEALI Mindanao SEA Camp is a U.S. Embassy initiative to promote ocean conservation and youth leadership. “The U.S. Embassy is proud to sponsor the SEA Camp project for the fourth year in a row,” said Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Ryan Bradeen. “Since 2015, the SEA Camp program has empowered nearly 200 youth environmental champions through nine camps held all over the Philippines. SEA Campers have utilized the environmental knowledge and project management skills they have gained through the program to develop creative and innovative solutions to environmental challenges in their own communities.”

The overarching theme of the YSEALI Mindanao SEA Camp is sustainable development. The program also takes a deeper look at the relationship between peace, environment, and ecotourism. 

“Mindanao is rich in biodiversity and natural resources. It also faces many challenges, and we’re looking for leaders who can rise to meet those challenges,” shared Anna Oposa, Founder and Project Director of the SEA Camp.

In the application form, aspiring SEA Campers will choose to join one of the four projects to be part of during the SEA Camp program in Cebu: Arts, IPs, and Atolls (AIA); Junior Seatizens; Waste Watchers; or Seayasat. 

AIA: The group will be tasked to partner with a local school and teach the students about the indigenous peoples of Mindanao: their traditions, culture, and practices. The target audience will also be taught about pressing environmental issues, and use art as a medium of expression to apply their knowledge.

Junior Seatizens: Junior Seatizens aims to build the capacity and knowledge of children to engage in marine conservation efforts and increase their awareness about the environmental issues faced by their communities. The participants are engaged through a learning-through-play teaching strategy. 

Waste Watchers: Waste Watchers is a campaign based on the following SEA Camp projects 2015-2017: Straw Wars, HUGOTS, Defying Gravity, and Zero Sachet PH. The campaign aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic wastes, specifically plastic straws and sachets, by communicating with business establishments, such as cafés, restaurants, resorts, and hotels.

Seayasat: In the 2016 and 2017 SEA Camps, Seayasat used a scorecard based on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act 9003) to conduct an environmental law compliance audit. For the 2018 SEA Camp, the team will create a scorecard based on the Amended Fisheries Code (Republic Act 10654) and the list of protected marine species, specifically shells, sharks, and rays, and assess the compliance of souvenir shops and vendors in the local public market.

Participants will work with their fellow SEA Campers on these projects prior to and during the SEA Camp. 

At the conclusion of SEA Camp, participants will also pitch project ideas to promote sustainable development and protect natural resources in their home communities. The top project ideas will receive seed funding and mentorship to support project implementation over the subsequent six months.

APPLY NOW!

Applicants from all academic and social backgrounds are encouraged to apply (e.g., communications, arts, social science, natural sciences, engineering, public health, law, etc.). They must exhibit a track record of leadership, volunteerism, and participation in socio-civic activities. A leadership role in environmental projects or organizations is preferred but not necessary. 

ELIGIBILITY 

All YSEALI SEA Camp applicants must: 

• Be 18-23 years old during the SEA Camp 

• Be able to attend the full duration of the SEA Camp independent of a parent/guardian 

• Have a strong interest in conservation, environmental sustainability, volunteerism, and advocacy

• Be a member of YSEALI. Registration is immediate and free.

• Be working, living, or studying in Mindanao. The project pitched must be implemented in Mindanao. 

Providing false or incorrect information (e.g., over- or underage; born in Mindanao but based in Manila for work, and therefore cannot implement a project in Mindanao) will be grounds for disqualification.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 

• Fill out the online SEA Camp application form. Forms cannot be edited once submitted. Applicants can read and answer the Word document before filling in the online form, which can be viewed and downloaded from here. Please click the icon of the arrow pointing downward to download the form. Do not e-mail a filled out copy of the Word document as your application form, unless there is a problem with submitting the online application form. If you are having problems accessing the online form due to unstable internet connection, please inform the SEA Camp team via [email protected].

• A scanned copy or clear photo of any ID proving that you living in Mindanao (e.g., school ID, employee ID).

• Submit a clear photo of yourself for the announcement of participants. You may edit an existing photo to clear the background, or have a clear, well-lit photo taken in front of a plain background. See sample of photo below (more samples here).

• Join YSEALI by signing up in the website (see the “Connect with YSEALI!” column on the right) and submit a screenshot of your registration confirmation along with your SEA Camp application. If you have applied before, please search for the confirmation email and submit a screenshot.

The online form has the option to upload the additional requirements at the end of the form. If you are facing unstable internet connection, you may also email all requirements to [email protected]. Incomplete application forms will not be assessed. 

• Like the following Facebook pages: Save Philippine Seas and YSEALI

• Follow @YSEALI and @SavePHSeas on Twitter if on Twitter

• Follow @savephseas and @yseali_official on Instagram if on Instagram

For any questions or concerns, please read the FAQs before sending an email or message on Facebook. Questions and issues addressed in the FAQs and eligibility will not be answered via email or social media channels.

Failure to follow instructions (e.g., sending your photo or application via Facebook) means that your application will not be considered.

A letter goes a long way 💯

In August, we were informed that the municipality of Argao, Cebu planned to release floating and flying lanterns as part of its fiesta on September 29. We wrote to Mayor Stanley Caminero about the activity's possible negative environmental impacts, and sent him a copy of our infographic on sky lantern and balloon releases entitled Defying Gravity. Within a week, Mayor Caminero responded to say they would no longer pursue the activity 🐢🐬

Know of a similar situation? Stop global whining and reach out to your local leaders too.

Save Philippine Seas and the Philippine Artisan Trade Gallery are hosting a free screening of Chasing Coral, a documentary that chronicles coral bleaching and the team that worked relentlessly to capture it on film to show the world.

Only forty slots available! Confirm your attendance here.

Doors will open at 6:00PM and the program will begin at 7:00PM. Three resource speakers will talk about projects and campaigns related to coral bleaching in the Philippines.

A special cocktail, Sex on the Bleach, and mocktail, Safe Sex on the Bleach, will be sold for the evening.

For the past two years, divers from every corner of the globe have come together for PADI Women's Dive Day to bond over their love of the ocean and a passion for diving. This year, the Philippines joined the growing list of countries participating in the event. We’re proud to share that SPS was one of the beneficiaries of PADI Women’s Dive Day in the Philippines!

Thank you to the organizers and divers who joined the event!

The Thresher Camp is the summer environmental education activity of Save Philippine Seas in Malapascua Island. It is a spinoff of the Malapascua Arts-Science Festival, which was implemented from 2013-2015. The Thresher Camp developed appreciation for local marine ecosystems and resources, raised awareness on local marine and environmental issues, and taught pro-environmental behavior to the children and youth. 

Activities were facilitated by SEA Camp alumni and other volunteers. The program highlighted waste management issues on the island, through a coastal cleanup, and the abundant marine biodiversity through snorkeling. Nine out of 11 high school students snorkeled for the first time in their own front yard.

More photos here.

Photos by Emem Seno 

The first run of A-B-Seas brought together six children 10 to 12 years old for a weekend of learning and exploring! They learned about tropical marine habitats and the Philippine environment, visited a mangrove nursery, snorkeled, kayaked, and conducted a seagrass transect. We believe that no one is ever too young to learn how to save the Philippine seas! 

For more photos, click here.

The Thresher Camp is the environmental education program of Save Philippine Seas (SPS) in Malapascua Island for 2017. It promotes marine conservation through interactive sessions and develops deep appreciation and protection for marine ecosystems in the island. 

We are looking for energetic and dynamic volunteer teachers to help promote SPS’s goals and help engage students from the local elementary and high school. It will be a 3-day summer program that will have science, art, and resource mobilization classes integrated for a fun learning experience on Day 1 and 2, and a culminating activity on Day 3.

Volunteer teachers must be available from May 24-28, 2017. May 24 and 28 are for traveling to and from Malapascua from Cebu City. 

We are looking for two (2) volunteers per topic who can teach the following to elementary and high school students, respectively. Each subject runs for 1.5-2 hours. 

SCIENCE AND NATURE SUBJECTS [ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER IS AVAILABLE]

✓ Marine Ecosystem 

✓ Introduction to Pollutants 

 ✓ Garbage Segregation and Proper Disposal 

 ART AND CRAFTS SUBJECTS 

✓ Origami (Marine Animals) 

✓ Recycling Crafts (Innovative Craft Making) 

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION SUBJECTS 

The resource mobilization subject aims to teach the students how to address local environmental issues using existing resources and creative means. 

✓ Stakeholder mapping 

✓ Organizational management 

✓ Basic project management and project proposal writing 

 DOCUMENTATION 

✓ One photographer – must take photos of the activities with at least 100 photos per day 

✓ One videographer – must create a 3-5 minute video of the event 

Volunteer teachers must: 

1. Submit their proposed 2-day syllabus and culminating activity to Project Coordinator Kenny Glenn Silud at kennyglennsilud[at]gmail[dot]com and to anna[at]savephilippineseas.org on or before Friday, May 5. Applicants must indicate what subject and age group they want to teach in (e.g., Science and Nature for High School).

The culminating activity will be similar to Junior Seatizens, where skills and concepts are taught through games, interactive activities, or challenges. The proposed activity must be related to their topic. 

To learn more about Junior Seatizens, please visit the online albums from 2015, 2016, and 2017. 

2. Have classroom management skills 

3. Contextualize lessons to fit the local setting (Malapascua or Cebu) 

4. Incorporate various interactive activities per session (e.g., games, fieldwork around the schools, experiments, group work) 

5. Conduct monitoring and evaluation activities to track knowledge and progress (Day 1 and 2) 

6. Assign an output (e.g., simple project, essay, etc.) 

Volunteer photographers and videographers must send in their portfolio and CV.

SPS will provide the following: 

1. Transportation to Malapascua Island from Cebu City on May 24 (land and boat transfers in the morning) 

2. Transportation to Cebu City from Malapascua Island on May 28 (land and boat transfers in the afternoon). Airfare to Mactan, Cebu will NOT be covered.

3. Modest accommodations (homestay style) and meals from May 24-28 

4. Materials required for the class (markers, cartolina, paint, paintbrushes, etc.) 

SPS is also looking for sponsors to support the event. 

Should you have questions or suggestions, feel free to contact Kenny, Project Manager for the Thresher Camp.

Learn your A-B-Seas with Save Philippine Seas!

A-B-Seas is a three-day experiential learning activity that includes interactive workshops, snorkeling, stargazing, games, and more!

The first run of A-B-Seas will be in Calatagan, Batangas from May-August 2017 with sessions tailored to three age groups: 10-12, 13-17, and 18 and above.

Outdoor activities will be done in partnership with Calataganda Travel & Tour Services.

After seven Sea and Earth Advocate (SEA) Camp events in the Philippines and empowering over 120 Filipino participants, the SEA Camp is going international! Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines are thrilled to announce that applications for the first Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) SEA Camp for Southeast Asian youth are now open! 

The 2017 YSEALI SEA Camp is seeking youth leaders, ages 18-23, who are active in environmental, coastal, and marine issues. The application is open to residents of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, and Vietnam. 

The YSEALI SEA Camp will bring together 30 youth leaders from all Southeast Asian countries from March 15 to 22, 2017, in Coron, Palawan. During the week, they will undergo an intensive environmental education and leadership program with outdoor activities, workshops, and panel discussions with leading authorities and specialists in the field. All expenses (e.g., transportation, accommodations, materials) will be covered by the project. English will be the main medium of instruction.

The YSEALI SEA Camp in Coron is represented by a coral to reflect the rich marine biodiversity of the region. Coral reefs also support coastal communities and economies by the spawning ground of fishes, providing livelihood and aesthetic value though tourism, and being a carbon sink. However, coral reef cover is declining at an unprecedented rate due to threats such as destructive and illegal fishing methods, and illegal wildlife trade.

Photo by Gray Yañez, 2015 SEA Camper

The YSEALI SEA Camp is one of the U.S. government’s programs to promote ocean conservation, which is a priority of the U.S. government. 

“The Southeast Asian countries have similar climates and biodiversity, and thus, we share similar environmental challenges,” said SEA Camp Founder and Project Director, Anna Oposa. “The YSEALI SEA Camp is an exciting opportunity to mobilize youth from the region to explore and address these challenges, and learn from one another.” 

Applicants from different backgrounds are encouraged to apply (e.g., communications, social science, natural science, arts, culture, public health). They must exhibit a track record of leadership, volunteerism, and participation in socio-civic activities. A leadership role in environmental projects or organizations is preferred but not necessary. 

Applicants must also be a member of YSEALI. Registration is immediate and free. At the end of the YSEALI SEA Camp, participants will pitch a project or campaign that can be funded for implementation. Grantees will also be provided mentorship from SEA Camp organizers, the U.S. government, and environmental specialists from the region. 

ELIGIBILITY 

All YSEALI SEA Camp applicants must: 

 • Be 18-23 years old during the SEA Camp 

• Be able to attend the full duration of the SEA Camp independent of a parent/guardian 

• Have a strong interest in conservation, environmental issues, volunteerism, and advocacy work 

• Be a member of YSEALI 

• Be based in any of the Southeast Asian countries in March 2017

• Be a citizen of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, or Vietnam 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 

• Fill out the online SEA Camp application form. Forms cannot be edited once submitted. Applicants can read and answer the Word document before filling in the online form, which can be viewed and downloaded from here. Please click the icon of the arrow pointing downward to download the form. Do not e-mail a filled out copy of the Word document as your application. Only applications using the online SEA Camp application form will be assessed.

• Submit a clear photo of yourself for the announcement of participants, and a scanned copy or clear photo of your passport (bio data page) to complete your application. 

See sample of photo below (more samples here):

• Join YSEALI by signing up in the website, www.yseali.state.gov (see the “Join YSEALI!” column on the right). Please submit a screenshot of your registration confirmation along with your SEA Camp application.

Incomplete application forms will not be assessed.

• Like the following Facebook pages: Save Philippine Seas and YSEALI

• Follow @YSEALI and @SavePHSeas on Twitter if on Twitter

• Follow @savephseas on Instagram if on Instagram

Read the Frequently Asked Questions here. Questions and issues addressed in the FAQs will not be answered via email or social media channels.

The 2016 Shark Summit will bring together policymakers, scientists, advocates, youth of Dumaguete City, and stakeholders from various industries to create an integral movement in developing and laying down the Philippines’ shark and ray conservation frameworks. There will be workshops on research, policy, and campaigns; an exclusive screening of On The Brink: Uncharted Waters - Documentary; and talks about ongoing shark and ray conservation initiatives around the country.

The Summit participants have been pre-selected, but limited slots are available to the public for a modest fee of P750/day, which includes snacks, lunch, and registration.

Interested to attend? Please email savesharksnetworkph[at]gmail[dot]com or send us a private message to reserve your slot!

In the last two years, there have been seven Sea and Earth Advocate (SEA) Camp events and 127 SEA Camp alumni, also referred to as “merkids.” They come from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Some are artists, others are interested in science, several are educators, and a few are studying to be professionals. 

Next year opens with another SEA Camp, which means the SEA Camp family is going to keep growing. Only two weeks to go until the end of the YSEALI SEA Camp – Subic applications! 

When SEA Camp alumni get together or meet, there’s an instant connection. The SEA Camp is a shared memorable experience – walang move on move on. In this entry, we share the top 10 signs that you’re a merkid.

Written by Jam Nagamora, with contributions from Kian Chua, Rex Alon, Steve Guray, and Alayyka Fowler 

1. A merkid knows the importance of being ON TIME. 

When you’re handed the SEA Camp schedule, you are warned/informed that you are expected to be in the function room earlier than the time indicated. The organizers mean this. You are probably traumatized with the lines, “What time are you supposed to be here?” and/or “What time is it?” SEA Camp alumni who went back to the 2016 SEA Camps still turned cold when they heard these lines! 

2. You have become highly sensitive to the reckless use of plastic. 

Before the SEA Camp, you’ll be asked to bring your own reusable items, like utensils and a water bottle. You might find it weird for a well-funded project to require this, but eventually you realize that it’s part of the experiential learning process. After the SEA Camp, we all started to refuse/reuse plastic, especially straws, plastic bags, plastic cups, and water bottles. You know that the last B in BYOB can stand for bottle, bag, baunan. Sometimes we feel a little bit insulted when there is so much plastic being used and thrown away at home or in events. 

3. You begin to think of ocean puns. 

We all noticed the “best fishes” signature from the first time we received the letter from Save Philippine Seas (SPS) containing the most FINtastic news that we were going to be part of the SEA Camp. Tita A’s (that’s Anna Oposa, Chief Mermaid) love for puns is contagious: SEA Campers call each other SEAblings or SEAsters. #SquadGoals became #SquidGoals. We also say FINspiration, emOCEANal, JAWsome. Some SEA Campers feel the pressure to have witty/punny SPS names (all SEA Campers are required to have his/her own SPS name, by the way) or project titles, e.g., Polisea (policy), Artsea (artsy), Junior Seatizens (citizens), Artiviseam (activism) and Imaginocean (imagination) to name a few. Eh di wow! We’ve become so witty and creative with wordplay. 

4. You have written a Letter to A Leader. 

All SEA Campers are required to write and send a letter to a leader. Official SEA Camp photos and videos are held hostage unless everyone sends their letter to leader. This assignment made us realize how a single letter can make an impact, or how it can inspire someone to keep going. Apart from the implemented projects, this activity is one of the most meaningful exercises that SEA Camp taught us. 

5. You know the most proper way of saying “NAKAKALOKA.” 

No one says the word “nakakaloka” like Tita A. You might have adopted the expression too. Nakakaloka! You might also pick up expressions such as “naitawid,” “charot!”, “BBL (Biga Biga Lang),” and most recently, “Ridge to Reef.” 

6. You’ve gotten physical with the signature SEA Camp getting-to-know-you activity. 

We’ll stop here, but for sure it will bring you closer to your seabs. 

7. You know Jawa and you have touched him. 

Some might have even hugged him, used him as a pillow, had a picture with him, or cried on him. He is not a microphone, but you can’t talk unless you have Jawa. He was finally washed after five SEA Camps because he was starting to smell, well, fishy. 

8. You start becoming conscious of the fonts you use for presentations. 

Tita A scrutinizes everything about the project pitch presentations, from the way you present to the animations to the colors, but she pays special attention to fonts. 

Tip: don’t ever use Comic Sans. Ever. 

9. You are a recipient of many freebies.

T-shirts, tumblers, baller IDs, ecobag, stickers, brochures, Lagu towel, Human Nature products, CDs with videos, Havaianas bags, magazines, etc. Your laptop or notebook will most likely have stickers from the SEA Camp. 

10. You wish for more SEA Camps. 

SEA Campers appreSEAte how the U.S. Government has made marine conservation a priority, supporting the SEA Camps for the third year in a row! It was really life changing for us, and we wish to spread the passion and advocacy to other youth. 

There are already 127 merkids who have done something significant for the environment, and we hope to keep multiplying. Whatever batch we belong to, we share the same love and passion for the Philippines and the sea. Once a merkid, always a merkid! 

(Manila, Philippines—October 8, 2016) Are you a true-blue Filipino seatizen capable of making a positive environmental impact? Save Philippine Seas (SPS), in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2017 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp in Subic! 

The YSEALI SEA Camp-Philippines is seeking civic-minded, environmentally-passionate Filipino youth leaders to create and implement solutions that address environmental issues threatening the coastal and marine resources of the Philippines. The program will bring together 25 youth leaders from all over the Philippines, ages 18-23, from January 23 to 30, 2017. All expenses (e.g., transportation, accommodations, materials) will be covered by the project.

The YSEALI SEA Camp is a U.S. Embassy initiative to promote ocean conservation, a priority of the U.S. government. During the 2016 Our Ocean Conference held in Washington D.C., Secretary of State John Kerry said, “[The ocean] is essential to all life on Earth. It is responsible for almost 50 percent of the oxygen that we breathe, for the food that we eat, for the climate in which we live, for the employment of hundreds of millions of people around the planet… Today the ocean is also the economic lifeblood of communities big and small on every single corner of the world, employing roughly 12 percent of the world’s population.”

SEA Campers with Sec. John Kerry at the SEA Camp Summit in Manila

“The U.S. Embassy is proud to sponsor the SEA Camp project,” said Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, Ryan Bradeen. “The SEA Camp program exemplifies the goals U.S. President Barack Obama set out when he established YSEALI in 2013 – to empower young leaders to work together to develop innovative solutions to challenges they see in their own communities. Since 2015, more than 125 young Filipino leaders have joined seven previous SEA Camps around the Philippines and returned to their hometowns better informed about the environmental issues the region faces, better equipped to lead, and empowered to pursue creative ways to tackle problems in their own communities.”

The time for talk is over

“The SEA Camp is not your average leadership training program or youth conference—we don’t just talk; we act on issues,” shared Anna Oposa, Co-Founder of SPS and SEA Camp Project Director. “Similar to the 2016 SEA Camp in Boracay last June, participants will work with mentors and groupmates online and offline to implement environmental projects in Subic during the SEA Camp.”

In the application form, aspiring SEA Campers must choose one of the four on-site projects to join: Arts, Ati, and Atolls; Junior Seatizens; Waste Reduction (HUGOTS, Straw Wars, and Zero Sachet PH); or Project SEAyasat. They may also suggest a new project or improvements to past SEA Camp projects.

At the end of SEA Camp, participants will also pitch project ideas to protect marine resources in their home communities. The top ideas will receive mini-grants to support project implementation. Grant winners will attend a culminating ASEAN SEA Camp in Palawan in March 2017.

Apply now!

All YSEALI SEA Camp - Philippines applicants must be 18-23 years old during the SEA Camp, be a member of YSEALI, and be a Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines. Outstanding applicants may also be chosen for the ASEAN SEA Camp in Palawan in March 2017.

They can apply using the online SEA Camp application form. Forms cannot be edited once submitted. SPS strongly recommends reading and answering the Word version of the application form before filling in the online form. View and download the form here.

For full details on eligibility and application requirements, please visit the SEA Camp 2017 page and the FAQs. Questions and issues addressed in the FAQs will not be answered via email or social media channels.

“Because thresher shark is not just for us, it is for everyone who lives in the Philippines.” -Nato, dive guide for Divelink