Significant welcome events for our development
IAM very impressed with the celebration of the Philippine-Autralia Friendship Week held recently. The Australian Embassy and Davao City Government and the Australia Global Alumni Network made this possible. There was a 3-day festival and concert at SM Lanang on May25-27. There were booths of Australia educated entre-preneurs from their Universities for those interested to study in their country. The shows portrayed share Dabawenyos and Australian culture, art, music, and sports.
The Embassy is with its deputy head, Mr. Mat Kimberly handed its learnings action cell materials on information and communication technology (ICT) to the Department of Education (DepEd). This will help teachers to develop the these skills and improve teaching of coding and stem in secondary schools. It will also enhance basic productivity and learning. The embassy provided Kindergarten Kits which the teachers can use for their learning activities. These grants would enable the schools to create a prosperous and staple region to produce productive economy and a safe working environment and a better society for all of us.
Since the Brigada Eskwela was going on that time, the embassy joined the local teachers and parents in repainting the walls and tables, repaired destroyed desks, prune the garden shrubs, and arrange the school lots for school activity purposes. The Embassy also provided around 85 million Australian dollars for school development assistance for this year. This includes education reforms like development of curricula, construction of school buildings and classrooms promoting inclusive socio- economic development.
Another significant activity is the program for Saving Mother Earth which I read in a local newspaper. Mr. Ulrich Kronberg, a German national, is the President of “Mama Earth Foundation”. I like the name of his foundation. It touched my heart since I am a mother. This German journalist calls Davao City his second home for almost 7 years. His first visit was 20 years ago. I appreciate Mr. Kronberg. We are both with the same vision. I am reminded of my book which I authored in 1999- “Sustainable Development- Every Filipino’s Concern “Let’s Help Save the Earth. It won the 2000 Book of the Year on Environment and Conservation given by Google. It was reprinted verbatim in the Internet from front to back cover. Amazon Books gave me a similar award.
The article of Mr. Kronberg includes very instructive and “SOS” calls for all inhabitants of earth before we lose our only home, the planet earth. The air we breathe, climate change, reforestation - trees are our lungs, offsetting carbon footprints, investing on wood, hearts are topics dear to my mind, heart and soul. At age 88, I have not given up. I write a weekly column in a daily newspaper in Davao, my home city since 1999. My theme is citizens and environment published every Tuesday. Sometimes, disheartened with what are happening to our environment, “I want to abandon my ship, called earth.” But sadly, there is no other place I can go to for succor. For comments text mobile no.09202112534.