OPINION
ALARY MA. KATERINA SANTIAGO Associate Editor
As of this writing, typhoon “Pedring”
is making its presence felt in the country. Two days before its expected landfall, it opens the week with gray skies and intermittent rains – the usual portents of a possible suspension of classes. Admittedly, that’d be a welcome interruption from the daily grind, and its been a while since the last round of suspended classes. Historically, we don’t experience as many weather-related disruptions this time of the year, with most of them occurring between June and August. This is why some lawmakers believe that our students stand to benefit more from a September-to-May school year. The idea has been around since 2004, and several bills attempting to adjust our school calendar have been introduced. The Department of Education is currently conducting a study of the proposal, and is expected to finalize its report around a month from now. Should the proposal be implemented, what would our school year be like? A September opening is at the tail end of our rain and typhoon season. While the country doesn’t experience heavy and recurrent rains during this period, it is also during this time (Septem-
ber to October, according to PAGASA) when the strongest storms hit. We’ll still need to brace ourselves for standstill traffic, flooding and unpredictable cancellation of classes. September is also the unofficial start of Christmas in the Philippines. The school year may have only just begun, but the excitement for the coming holidays is potentially distracting. Before the Yuletide season is our traditional celebration of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. Normally, we get a few days off to go home, visit family and honor our dead. In this scenario, it would seem that the academic momentum dissipates before it can even build up. January to May is a dry period. The last of the cold spells disappear as the temperature rises and swells into an intensely hot summer. Students in air-conditioned private schools should be able to cope, but those in public schools may not be as fortunate. As if the use of their classrooms as evacuation centers during the wet season hadn’t been disruptive enough, these students will also have to get through the rest of the school year in uncomfortable heat. Airconditioning has its own set of issues. Increased use means increased electrical consumption, which could also mean increased school fees. With or without aircons, the summer months will be an extra sacrifice for those who observe Lent. Their attention will have to be split between religious obligations and academic responsibilities. However, students can look forward to a colder vacation. The school year ends in May, and break spans from June to August. Due to the colder and wetter climate, going to the beach or waterparks may not be as enticing as before. Frequent rains, typhoons and the resulting floods would make long-distance traveling troublesome. Tourism will have to be creative with vacation packages for these months. Of course, we’ll also have to be resourceful in keeping ourselves entertained, but it’ll be within the safety of our homes, instead of in the rain and deep flood waters.
tories in the Sierra Madres in Luzon, Samar in the Visayas, and Davao in Mindanao, the dwindling population of these majestic birds, left at less than 500 across the country, seem to belie the fact LAISA MAE AGUILA that it is the Philippine’s symbol Managing Editor of national pride, as do many other states the world over. By virtue of Proclamation No. 615, on July 4, 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos ofts brown and ficially declared the Agila as the country’s white feathers form national bird. Unfortunately, while this a shaggy crest, but declaration looked good on paper, this did at the same time not become a deterrent to the bastardly acts give the impression inflicted upon this powerful yet rare animal of a lion’s mane. Its specie. Even more despicable is the fact that dark, brooding face with its nape and crown the very people that the Haribon represents is a mixture of creamy white and the beau- in pride and strength are the very same betiful color kayumanggi in all its Filipino ings who threaten its existence. Large scale glory. Its powerful legs are matched by its logging and the resultant depletion of our even more powerful talons. Its high-arched rainforests are perilous to its natural habitat. beak, steely bluish gray eyes and thick, In fact both the International Union for Concurved beak all lend the look of power. With servation of Nature and Birdlife Internationa proud and mighty height of one meter, al included the Philippine Eagle among its weight of up to 18 pounds and a wingspan list of endangered species in 2010, just one of up to seven feet as it soars across its terri- or two levels away from being declared extory, the Philippine Eagle—the Haring Ibon, tinct. is truly The King of the Philippine RainforAs if these were not enough, these majestic est. birds are being killed for the most nonsensiIt is almost human in terms of life span— cal reasons that would anger even the most as the average age of the Philippine Eagle naïve spectator! The Protected and Wildlife ranges from 30 to 60 years, in extremely Areas Bureau (PAWB) reported that a few lucky cases, of course. And interestingly years ago, Kagsabua was shot by an air gun enough, most eagles, the Haring Ibon in- and found inside a chicken pen. While the cluded, are monogamous. Once paired, eagle was rescued, and radar chips were both the male and the female eagles remain placed on its legs, volunteer guards, suspipartners for life. cious of Kagsabua’s strange stationary beAnd while endemic to its last few terri- haviour eventually found his legs cut off in
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2008. As it turned out, Kagsabua’s stately body was cooked for tinola! The accused Brian Balaon later on admitted to the ghastly deed and his case for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Conservation Act is still pending up to this day. In 2009, shortly after Hinileban’s rescue, his decomposing body was found in the forest by volunteers. His head and legs were cut off by two reportedly inebriated men. To this day, his tormentors have not been caught. And last June 23 of this year, Calbiga was shot in the chest by an unidentified man. The three-year old eagle died last August 12. Admittedly, I have very vague recollections of any encounter with a real life Haribon. Those encounters probably transpired in my doggone days of visiting zoos on grade school field trips. The closest connection to the magnificent animal that I could sensibly come up with at this moment, besides my being Pinoy, is my surname. Go figure. However, I refuse to say that I, or any one of us, for that matter, am in a position that is less than these volunteers who patrol the mountainous regions in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. If anything, researching for and writing this column has made me realize that we cannot simply gawk at the pitiful state of our threatened wildlife. What right did we have to do this to animals that had no voice? That were not gifted with the kind of rational thinking that we supposedly possess? Minsan talaga iisipin mo kung sino pa ang nag-aasal hayop eh. On second thought, our old Filipino adage asal hayop is actually an insult to their kind. Nakakahiya.