Talk about a great cause.
A Filipina posted a crowdfunding effort on her Facebook page to help raise funds to bring 83 kids from a fishing community on a field trip to Mind Museum on the rich biodiversity of their own hometown– Isla Verde!
The cost to bring a whole community of kids from Isla Verde to Bonifacio Global City to learn about the wonders of their own home? 142,000 ++ pesos.
Gela Petines is a Filipina diver and researcher who has been to the wonderful island of Isla Verde, or Verde Island.
While the island’s name may be popular among divers, to those who don’t know, Isla Verde is known as the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world.
That’s right: THE WORLD.
And Gela isn’t doing just any research on the island– she’s assisting in the Darwin Project, which is done in partnership with Newcastle University on determining the fish species that are endangered.
In performing their research, they’ve had to encounter the wonderful fishermen in the island who generously helped them with their research, and met their children: wonderful swimmers like their parents, and are next in line to take care of the island when they grow up.
Gela believes that as the future guardians of this biodiversity haven, it’s important for these kids to learn about the rich biodiversity of their island through the eyes of science.
Posting through an album on her Facebook page, Gela writes:
“Ito ang Isla Verde. “Verde Island” kung tawagin ng divers.
Nakapwesto yung isla sa gitna ng Batangas at Mindoro, sa kalagitnaan nung tinatawag nilang “Verde Island Passage” –
a.k.a. “The center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world.” Isa siyang popular dive spot.
Napadpad ako sa isla para magresearch tungkol sa mga isda nung 2013. (Ako yang nene sa kanan.)
The community housed and fed us for days, but would not let us pay a single peso. Sobrang bait lang.
Napakabait ng mga tao rito! Ito pala si Kuya Taking, isa sa mga mangingisdang gumabay sa ‘min sa isla.
Pagdaong mo rito, sasalubong yung mga bata para tumulong magbitbit ng gamit para sa barya.
Mangingisda ang mga magulang ng mga bata —Â and they’re next in line.”
Gela writes:
Base yung exhibit sa isang international research. Marami silang nahanap na bagong species ng marine life sa Verde Island Passage! Napatunayan na dun talaga ang CENTER OF THE CENTER OF MARINE BIODIVERSITY SA BUONG MUNDO!
So naisip ko lang baka pwede dalhin dito ang mga bata mula Isla Verde. (Hi Mind Museum! Approve niyo ‘to please. HAHA)
Marami silang matututunan tungkol sa science. And they should know they have a lot to be proud of, living smack dab in the middle of the epicenter of marine biodiversity in the world. Sila ang susunod na tagapangalaga e. 🙂
Yung catch: The Mind Museum grant can only cover the children’s entrance fee for the field trip. Hindi libre yung bangka, bus, at pagkain ng mga bata.
Ligtas lang para sa mga bata magbangka sa umaga, kaya kailangan din nila matulog sa Batangas City mainland kung pupunta sila sa field trip para makauwi sa isla sa susunod na umaga. So dagdag sa cost ang accommodations and food.
Lalabas na nasa Php 142,000+ ang kailangan para makapagfield trip ang mga bata (83 kids, 7 adult companions). So I need help.
That’s not all– like any good ol’ crowdfunding effort, Gela is offering a pretty awesome deal to those generous enough to donate!
If you donate Php 10,000 or more, I’ll give you free skin diving lessons for beginners for a whole day. 🙂 (Transpo to Anilao and resort entrance fee not included ah! Haha)
Please let me know! Para maschedule natin. 🙂
The field trip will either be scheduled on October 3 or October 10, depending on the weather conditions. Gela will also be posting updates, photos, and video footage of the event to those interested in keeping tabs!
Interested in being part of this?
If you want to help make the field trip happen for 83 Isla Verde kids on October 3 or 10, you can donate ANY amount to:
Marie Angela Sembrano Petines
BPI Savings Acct. no. 1439 0906 06
OR PayPal: gelapetines@gmail.comBy or before September 20 sana! 🙂
P1,700 = 1 sponsored kid 🙂 Please let me know if you deposited P1,700 or more so I can send you a personalized thank you postcard from your sponsored kid. 🙂
Please Facebook message or e-mail me your deposit slip/ transaction record at gelapetines@gmail.com so we know how much funding is secured for the project. At para alam din namin sino pasasalamatan.
Sounds like a cause worth supporting. Check out her Facebook page here to find out more.
All for the education of children!
What do you think of this cause? Have you been to Isla Verde?
