Now hiring: Project Manager for the Shark Shelter Project

Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and I are looking for a Project Manager to help coordinate the Teachers’ Training and Malapascua Arts-Science Festival this coming April.

Photo by Klaus Stiefel

About:

The Teachers’ Training and Malapascua Arts-Science Festival is the 4th and last phase of the Shark Shelter Project of SPS in Malapascua, Cebu. This component aims to build the confidence of the teachers and strengthen environmental education in the schools.

From April 3-6, teachers from Malapascua’s Elementary and High Schools will be trained on Marine Science Education and Facilitating Skills by the Ocean Resource Center (ORC), a Leyte-based organization that conducts empowerment training on marine education for teachers.

From April 8-12, the Arts-Science Festival will be held in Malapascua as its first community celebration, where marine conservation will be taught through creative forms of learning. The Festival hopes to promote creativity and appreciation of nature outside the four walls of a standard classroom. 100 students from Malapascua will be selected to participate in this 5-day summer program.

The Project Manager will be working closely with me. I don’t bite. (Unless you want me to.)

Qualifications:

1) Female
2) Must be available from March 15 to April 22: will work from home (or wherever!) from March 15 to April 1 and April 15 to 22, and in Malapascua from April 2 to 14
3) Passionate about education, marine conservation, and the Philippines
4) Possesses organization and presentation skills
5) Detail-oriented and resourceful
6) Highly motivated and personable
7) Strong leadership skills
8) Experience in handling community events will be an added advantage
9) Knowledge of Cebuano will be an added advantage but not necessary

In addition to professional fees, SPS will cover all expenses incurred for transportation, accommodations, food, and meetings.

Responsibilities:

1) Canvass for art supplies
2) Seek possible sponsors
3) Look for Cebu-based teachers for the Arts-Science Festival
4) Act as a secretariat and scribe during the two events
5) Coordinate with sponsors, local government officials, and other stakeholders
6) Provide constructive feedback
7) Prepare post-event reports

To apply, send a cover letter and your updated resume to anna@annaoposa.ph with the subject line “Shark Shelter”.

For inquiries about this position, email anna@annaoposa.ph

Deadline for applications: February 1, 2013

 

Introducing Shark Stanley and company

We’d like to introduce you to Shark Stanley and his friends Manta Reina, Pierre le Porbeagle, and Waqi Whitetip, who now are traveling around the world to find people who will support shark and manta ray protection at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting in March in Bangkok, Thailand. With 176 member countries, this multilateral agreement protects more than 30,000 species globally (including species of dolphins, turtles, and corals) and plays a powerful and key role in preventing extinction of many plants and animals by ensuring sustainable rates of trade.

Sharks and rays are extremely important to local tourism. Studies show that they are much more valuable alive and in the sea than dead. Much to our frustration, shark fishery is still legal in the Philippines, with the sole exception of the whale shark. It is highly unregulated too. Manta rays are protected (FAO 193) but they’re still fished in many parts in the Philippines, including Bohol, Surigao, and Leyte. Watch this video by Born to be Wild to find out more.

If you would like to help these species, you can print a picture of Shark Stanley, Manta Reina, Pierre le Porbeagle, and Waqi Whitetip, cut them out, and take a photo with them anywhere you wish. Then send it to us, along with your name and where you are from. Shark Stanley’s friends at Shark Defenders will compile photos according to country in compelling visual mosaics, send to all 176 representatives, and display them at the CITES meeting.

We’ve already taken them to party in Sinulog in Cebu, dive in Anilao, and attend the EndDanger event in Quezon City. My girl Sam and I are taking them diving with thresher sharks this weekend too!

With Jenica, our Associate Mermaid and Creative Director in Cebu

With Tasha, one of SPS’s friends, in Anilao

With eco power couple Maye and AG in EndDanger

The goal is to get AT LEAST 50 photos from each country represented in CITES. If you check the #Philippines album of Shark Defenders, we’re a little behind. We’re pretty competitive at SPS, so we hope you can join us.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1) Get to know the characters better.

• The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (found in Cabilao Island, Bohol) is one of the most iconic and endangered shark species with some of the most valuable fins in the market
• Hammerheads often aggregate, making them even more vulnerable to overfishing
• Listed as Endangered globally on the IUCN Red List

Shark Stanley Downloads:

Shark Stanley Handout – 8.5″x11″

Shark Stanley Handout – A4

Large Shark Stanley Cutout

Color Me Shark Stanley

Shark Stanley – Tagalog (Filipino)

• Oceanic and Reef Manta Rays (found in Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, etc.) are listed as Vulnerable globally. Some populations have declined by as much as 85%.
• Targeted in recent years for an emerging international market for their gill rakers, which they use to filter plankton. Gill rakers are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
• Has the biggest brain of all 32,000 species of fish
• Divers from all over the world bring in over US$100 million every year from tourism revenues. On the other hand, the gill raker trade is valued at only US$11 million per year. The value of one live manta ray throughout its whole lifetime is US$1 million.

Manta Reina Downloads:

Manta Reina – 8.5″x11″

Manta Reina – A4

Large Manta Reina Cutout

• The Porbeagle Shark is a large, warm-blooded temperate water shark targeted for both its large fins and meat.
• The IUCN Red List classifies them as vulnerable globally and critically endangered in parts of their range. Their populations have been reduced by around 70%.
• One of the fish species known to be playful. Humans have sometimes seen them rolling around in kelp fronds and wrapping themselves up.

Pierre le Porbeagle Downloads:

Pierre le Porbeagle – 8.5″x11″

Pierre le Porbeagle – A4

Large Pierre le Porbeagle Cutout

 

• The Oceanic Whitetip Shark (found in Cebu, Palawan, etc.) is an open ocean species with large, highly valued fins
• Critically Endangered in parts of it range and Vulnerable globally. A recent estimated a population decline of 70% between 1992 and 2000.
• Sometimes seen to hang around pilot whales, swimming around in their big pods. Scientists think this is because the whales help them find squid to eat when they dive to forage.

Waqi Whitetip Downloads:

Waqi Whitetip – 8.5″x11″

Waqi Whitetip – A4

Large Waqi Whitetip Cutout

2) Upload your photos to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram tagged with @SharkDefenders, #SharkStanley, @SavePHSeas and #Philippines

3) Email your photos to info@sharkdefenders.com for them to compile into a unique petition.

4) Work with kids! If you work with kids in schools, aquariums, museums (wherever!), Shark Defenders will provide their activity booklet for free or help you to design a workshop on shark conservation.

5) Be a partner. If your organization would like to partner with Shark Stanley at CITES, write a story about it on your blog or website with a link to this page, then email your logo and five photos of your friends with Shark Stanley to info@sharkdefenders.com. They’ll post your logo and link to your website on a special sponsors’ page.

DIY Gratitude Project

I am a staunch advocate of having the attitude of gratitude. This perspective reminds us that even when everything feels like it’s crumbling, there’s still a lot to be grateful for. For instance, instead of saying, “Shit, I have so much work!” you can say, “Yey, I’m glad I have work!”

Chely, one of my favorite people in the world, gave me a Thanksgiving Jar for Christmas. This has different layers of meaning, because 1, I picked up the battle cry “busy is a blessing” from her. Also, at the beginning of our friendship (naks, nag reminisce) we were talking about tattoos and I said if I had enough courage to get one, I’d like to ink the word “pinagpala” IN A REALLY NICE FONT to remind me how blessed/lucky I am. She was so enthusiastic about it that she wanted to get the same word! WHY NOT!!!!!

Here’s the gift I received yesterday, which came with a pen and notepad.

And instructions.

The first thing I slipped in was the 3-day pass to the Angkor World Heritage site. My trip to Cambodia marks my 24th country in 24 years, and another item crossed off my “25 things to do before I’m 25.” It was a trip that almost didn’t happen, so I’m extra extra thankful that it did. It deserves an entry of its own.

I encourage you to start your own Thanksgiving Jar. It doesn’t have to be a literal jar like the one Chely gave me, but say, a gratitude notebook, notepad, notes on your cellphone, whatever! As per Jacqueline Winspear (daw), “Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live.” Happy Thanksgiving — everyday 🙂

love, actually

Going back to work yesterday (i.e., flying back to Cebu for a series of meetings) was like having someone throw a bucket of ice cold water at me. I was not prepared (read: made a lot of mistakes).

You see, one of the biggest downsides of being in the constant state of packing and unpacking is being away from my family and friends. I hate missing milestones of people that I love, like my brother’s graduation, my kuya’s last day of the bar exam, my cousin Ella’s street dance competitions, Abet’s Advanced Open Water dive course, and the list goes on. I’m a stage daughter/friend/cousin/sister that way. In occasions that are important to people who are important to me, I try to be there to cheer, take photos, hold a banner… That sort of in-your-face kind of love.

From mid-December to the first week of January, I hardly did any work. With the exception of a couple of writing assignments, I didn’t accept any speaking engagements or meetings because I wanted to see everyone and have the luxury of sleeping in. For me, gifts are optional. The holiday season is about love, actually.

Before I get back to blogging mode (and I promise I will), I’d like to share with you photos from the season that was 🙂

Gold and Ding in Maisa’s house. We were inseparable during freshmen year because we all lived in Katipunan, within walking distance from each other. I remember walking from Xanland back to Prince David in my pajamas and carrying pillows after sleepovers. Ding’s now based in San Francisco while Gold is finishing her MBA in London.

Collectively we’re called the Precious because during a night out, Gold said her name was Gold and Ding panicked and didn’t want to give her real name so she said her name was Silver, so I said I was Bronze. KALOKA.

We all love music and singing, which is evident in this silly home video we made (gasp!) 7 years ago.

I always spend post-dinner of December 24 with Ding’s family, the Chiongbians. I missed the one in 2011, but I made sure to go in 2012. People sometimes mistake us for sisters/twins because, we presume, of our tanned skin and huge teeth that friends refer to as “Chiclets.”

Christmas dinner was with the Dimacalis, then the post-Christmas dinner with my BFFs. We finished one side of all the Taboo cards for a very competitive game of boys versus girls (think trash talking level). It ended up being a tie, SHET. Below are the cards and the feet of Gold, Abet, Ike, Juanch, and Kevin.

And that annual family trip to a Philippine destination. This year it was a quick overnight trip to Hidden Valley Springs.

The Remullas (my mom’s side) hold an annual New Year’s Eve Rockeoke. From about 10PM ’til 1PM we sing or dance to different songs with this band from Cavite, from VST & Co. to Katy Perry. I’ve never been able to make it to any club after our parties because I consume too much… Liquid courage.

This is Gia, Sinta, and I right before we belted “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson. In my family, we’re called the ’88s because we were all born in 1988.

This is my youngest cousin, Tiago. He has one of the most adorable faces I have ever laid my eyes on. True story. (And those are Gia’s legs behind us.)

The bestest boys in the world, my three brothers.

The last hurrah was Isa’s bridal brunch that turned into a despedida for Ding that evolved into club hopping in the Fort. These are the Wedding Pictionary teams, Team Morgo and Team Tragre. The house was overflowing with estrogen. “Kulang nalang dito may manganak!” remarked Gold.

Happy 2013, guys! Time to get back to work! 🙂