Seeing the eagle for the forests vrag i i a hleg fr el t tasoe esl i the in herself transpose Haribon to that environments Belle forest Philippine for challenge a is it overhang, TransitundertheMetrodirectlycanopy and of a sizes, Rail (MRT) and shapes all of buildings concrete of diversity a wires, electric of A Executive Foundation Director, HARIBON PLANTILLA ANABELLE they arethey ‘maganda’ (beautiful).” thenforests, the are these if already,and forestswere those me, For girl scout, in camping sites in nearby and provinces. a as activitiescamping my of part as visited we those were of aware the nearest mountain from Metro Manila. And the only forests I was educator. Th onlye mountain Iwas knew Mountwhich is Makiling, “I didn’t know much about forests. Iwas notaforester, nor was Ian kids school. school from elementary to high grades for farming, slash-and-burn about also and modules conservation thenwas which towrite looking someone for forest atHARIBON, apply to her asked teacherformer a college, fromUpongraduation times,” recalls. Belle those during yet Google no was there research, did and library to the went I eagle. the about up reading started I and bird beautiful endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat. I infell love with the the in Philippinea newspaper.eagle It’s of our national photo bird and it was the saw I when 1987, in forests of fiaware “I became rst and advocates for protection and restoration. zone of the City urban jungle. Surrounded by vines by Surrounded jungle. urban City Quezon the of zonethe core in is offi Plantilla’s environment “Belle” ce nabelle 1 actively campaigns campaigns actively river stones and her mother used to tell her not to catch them, as as them, catch to not her tell the to used mother her on and stones river perched dragonflies Colored cascaded. rivers mountain cold cool, wherethe and resort auntManila),whereherownsa of south province (a Laguna , in spent weresummers Her afterwards. themuncleshersmoke,for to choke themthat onandwould they to these giving and up these rolling and drying friends, her with leaves papaya the picking recalls she Laughingly, season. fruiting inwere they when guavas and mangoes the for remembersaiming and fruit house neighbor’s their withand house their around growing childhood, trees “fruitful” a spending recalls She Manila. Belle was born and upgrew in San Juan, a suburban town in Metro ofwhatthe ishappening. reality whatis makes forestfora at their backyard so andreflects of much this but small, is area The narra. and trees fruit some with planted lot behind their building into a community of collage trees that she convert to corner been her parkingrationalizing a of the has effort what urban-based people struggle with in relating to forests. Part of explain to effort her in lost not is ironyshadow,” the a smiles, she MRTcastingCity,the with Quezon Cubao, Aurorain Boulevard along is office workOur haven’tforests. planted I I but do. HARIBON, to for want I what is That forests. plant to want I trees. plant to want “I life, her in stage this at that us with shares Belle that bird.” for asingle this much area isneeded connection,areaeagle’sthesaw the fromforest thenI perspective, thesaw “I forest.the to her whatlinks is image the as work, her in The ofimage thepersists Philippine eagle strongly in hermind and root the that systems the water.” absorbed was knew I all before about whereas learned services, I ecological and go to place the obviously was “It Forestry. of College UPLB the at economics, programs, and its approaches forestry,conservation in course crash a undertook then Belle have activities that help in promoting the values of forests and theforests and haveof activitiespromoting thatvaluesin thehelp and they HARIBON of members are children who also There are that Ofcourse comesin. now Manila Bay issomuch different.” strong as the park was near Manila Bay and we could get the breeze textilestoreMy inDivisoria. fatherwanted maketoalso our lungs a inworked mother,ourwho meeting beforeaway time the while and Luneta in somewhere down settle and drinks, chocolate and chicken fried home-cooked along bringing Boulevard, Roxas to the summer when there were no classes. “We’d travel from San Juan her and her two siblings to Luneta Park in Manila for picnics during backShe reflected on when her her childhood father toused bring the malls,” says. Belle wouldn’tto kidsI parent,mybring a environment.wasour of I If their experience naturalnessthe enjoy environment,tonatural to and a in childhood parents, their of childhood the experience children see to want today.I me asked you until granted, for this what about nothing like trees climbingandaremyself trees.look longer I no fruit took know children Many aspect. experiential the is today missing is What forests. and rivers clean of memories the environment, we encounter a lot of people who share childhood “In the course of my work, when we talk with people not working in the cities. travelto access outsideareas towith andlimited urban upinareas growingthosenatural environmentespecially possible, as much as for environment the experience to children the for need the andwell-being and of health importance the on primacy puts Belle rains come.” is“That where I willplant trees, and I want to do it soon, when the other flowers abounding in the area. and roses native the and crabs freshwater the well as remembers were and bewitched were dragonflies the (fairies). She (fairies). engkantos

131 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests A view of Manila where Aratiles grows best they remember.they what to similar something into present the transform and them revive to which by ways exploring and memories, past clutching theinpresent-daylive theseizingopportunitiesrealities, available, must Yet, they untenable. and unacceptable becoming are which andthe seek to by models struggle which to live their present lives, mindset amongst the current generation of Filipinos who continue While this may not be fully realistic and achievable, it does reflect a responded to inbe relation to what the heldbefore. past always throws to back the and Belle how past, the present to needs It is noticeable that our conversation on forests and the environment the today. changesin the lives ofpeople the MRT ride back to Quezon City, one can see the roofscapes and narrative noble the on the etched andside narraa tree beautifulof proportion. But still on is there monument, the Around childhood. her from there still gardens Japanese and Chinese the pointsout Belle sugar), curd caramelized withandsoybean vanilla ateLuneta andin down sat we As efficient earthen ovens, fuel- although these ovens still use charcoal. of use the and growing vegetable for gardens bio-intensive on focus that activities livelihood supporting also is HARIBON movement for environmental issues. constituent this creating in strategy HARIBON’s explains Belle is. When people see the connection, they will do something,” is how forest thewhere remembers and values personal incorporatesthat a create frame mind to a within acts needs thatenvironment the and for constituency awareness-raising and advocacy of lot a toorient children in this way today. stillwell as needs Civil society need “Weup. grow they when retained be will children, these in greaterenvironment.ingrained once thatvalues,these hopes Belle “taho” (a local snack made frommadesnack local (a and thechangesinlives ofpeopletoday. roofscapes the see can one City, Quezon to back ride MRT the on But proportion. beautiful of tree narra a there is still the noble narrative etched on the side and there from her childhood. Around the Rizal still are Luneta monument, of gardens Japanese and Chinese The

133 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests 134 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests of the past. Forests can be restored, but no longer in a 20 Forestsa inthepast. of longer restored,butno be can identified are defined froma people perspective a of by changes restoration The manner. same the in re-planted be cannot past the the Philippine eagle, but ourselves. also the Philippine eagle, of survival the ensure just not will that balance the find to trying choose the ways forward in environmental and forest management, and seek we as integrated fully be must reality This parents. their Filipino children is growing up in an entirely different from reality of generation present The blocks. contiguous such in available or there longer no are survive to need they that areas forest massive the remaining population is estimated to be around 100 to 300. The and endangered, critically but around, still is eagle Philippine The management. forestPhilippine thinkingin new straitjacketingof emergence the is past the of effect cushioning The before. was whereit from now context. The environment can improve,different but a has context environment. http://www.haribon.org.ph/) (Source: constant reminder to the Filipinos to be continuously involved in taking care of their the importance of protecting biodiversity in the Philippine territory. Its presence is a the king of birds, the Philippine Eagle. The PhilippineEagle is the icon that signifies research. The name“Haribon” was coined from the words “haring ibon,”referring to conservation actions on habitats and sites, based on solid scientific and socio-economic It aims to build a constituency for environmental issues that will call for prioritizing biodiversity.Philippine of conservation the to dedicatedorganizationmembership 1 21 a in needed urgently thinking and ideas of dearth the reflects also this Sadly, The HARIBON Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources is a Resources Natural of Conservation the for Foundation HARIBON The st etr Piipns wee h raiy s that is reality the where , century th century