Philippines
Maria Evelyn Cerdeno
Email: evelyn_cerdeno@live.com
Birthday: May 9, 1984
Education: Bachelor of Law
Occupation: 4th year Law Student
Please describe your vision of a world that works for everyone.
The Vision of Oneness. According to Hafsat Abiola: “Peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best that they have and all that they are.” Many of our problems are based in feelings of separation and fear. We don’t feel like we belong together and we are afraid there is not “enough” love, money, respect, food, water, etc. to go around. We think scarcity, we create conflict. The vision of Oneness gives us the eyes, the willingness, to imagine a world that does indeed, work for everyone. And that is one of the first steps, to imagine, to believe in this globally sufficient world. We have enough and then some. In the vision of Oneness we begin to imagine a grand circulation of all that there is, providing for the needs of all.
What do you see as the most pressing problems facing the world today?
The most pressing problems facing the world today is CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change is already happening and represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the planet. One of the countries who were affected by this obstacle is the Philippines, the country where I live. Climate Change impacts have been manifested in the Philippines by the extreme weather occurrence such as floods, drought, forest fires, landslide and increase in tropical cyclones. Evidenced of Climate Change were Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng hit the Philippines last September 26 and October 9, 2009. In the midst of this weather, at least 540 Filipino people have been confirmed killed, destroyed homes and farms in the said typhoons.
Agriculture is the sector most affected by tropical cyclones. Typhoon damage rose to more than 1% of GDP at 1.17%, the highest. The decline in production and productivity will possibly threaten the country’s food security. Likewise, frequent occurrence of extreme events has affected rainfall and inflow patterns of the reservoirs. There is also evidence correlating El Niño occurrences with the epidemics on dengue. Massive coral bleaching in various reefs throughout the Philippines occurred during the El Niño episode. Fish kills and high mortality of cultured giant clams and severe red tide outbreaks were also observed after strong El Niño periods. The worst incidence of red tide in Manila Bay occurred in 1992, another El Niño period. On February 7, 2010, the projected damage to rice and corn crops in Negros Occidental caused by the El Nino phenomenon soared to P717,132,000. Consequently, the supply of rice, corn and vegetable were affected. The price increased from time to time because of lack of supply.
Climate change could reduce income from farming and fishing, possibly driving some women into sex works and thereby increase HIV infection. The effects of climate change have driven women in communities in coastal areas in poor countries like the Philippines into dangerous work, and sometimes even the flesh trade. In the Philippines, small brothels usually pop up near the coastal areas where many women perform sexual services for transient seafarers. But as the sea’s resources are depleted due to overpopulation and over fishing, fishermen start losing their livelihood and women are forced to share the traditional role of the man in providing for the family. Further, some women often pick out shellfish by the coastlines, which exposed to storm surges. Women who can no longer endure this kind of work often go out to find other jobs, while some are tempted to go into prostitution.
How do you feel these problems could best be solved?
1. See the light. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. These energy-efficient bulbs help fight climate change because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that utilities burn. You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent, over the life of the bulb.
2. Recycle and use recycled products. Products made from recycled paper, glass, metal and plastic reduce carbon emissions because they use less energy to manufacture than products made from completely new materials. For instance, you?ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle. Recycling paper also saves trees and lets them continue to reduce climate change naturally as they remain in the forest, where they remove carbon from the atmosphere.
3. Plant native trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use it as their energy source, producing oxygen for us to breathe. A tree in the temperate zone found between the tropics and the polar circles can remove and store 700 to 7,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime. A tree that shades a house can reduce the energy required to run the air conditioner and save an additional 200 to 2,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime.
4. Turn down the heat. Heating and air conditioning draw more than half of the energy that a home uses in the United States. Turn down the heat or air conditioning when you leave the house or go to bed. You can easily install a programmable thermostat that can save up money and carbon.
5. Buy renewable energy. Electricity generation produces 40 percent of carbon emissions from the United States. A growing number of utilities generate electricity from renewable energy sources with solar panels, windmills and other technologies. If your utility offers renewable energy, buy it. If not, send them a message asking for clean energy.
6. Act globally, eat locally. If you shop at a supermarket, the food you buy may travel in a plane from the other side of the world, burning fossil fuels the entire trip. Shop at a local farmers markets and you will find fresh and healthy food, and help save our climate.
Profile
My name is Maria Evelyn Cerdeño , a 25 years old from the Philippines. I came from a middle class family. My parents raised me to become a better person and to be a role model to my fellowmen. They thought me how education play an important role to one’s life. For this reason they make sure that all their children will have a best education. I graduated with the degree of AB Political Science in Far Eastern University in 2005. After I graduated in college I pursue my dream to become a lawyer someday. This is the reason why I enrolled in law school in 2005. I am a currently 4th year law student in Manuel L. Quezon University. As a law student, I am interested in International Law, Human Rights, Environmental Law and Peace Conflict Resolution. I am expecting to finish my degree on October 2010. I am a member of Association of Law Student of the Philippines. Aside from my academic organization, I am also a member of World Vision Philippines. I serve as a volunteer for this organization. One of my function as a volunteer in the said organization is to search for a person(s) who could sponsor for a deserving child for his/her education. In 2008, I was accepted as an online volunteer in United Nation Development Programme, I do a research work in the UNDP. In 2009, I work as an intern at Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences. This year, my application for scholarship to attend the Women Deliver Conference 2010 has just been accepted. I am schedule to go to United States on June 7 to attend the conference. The conference will be held on June 7-9 2010. The Conference is about on Human Rights and the Law and Climate Change. I am a self-starter and fast learner with positive attitude regarding goal direction. Excellent communicator with the ability to project and elicit interest and enthusiasm using a common sense approach. Adept at analyzing and sizing up situations; diligent, hard worker and strong on follow-up. Enjoy developing and implementing new ideas, techniques, and the creative process as a whole. I exercise efficiency in working alone and in groups. I am disciplined and can effectively weigh things and situations. I posses a substantial measure of computer literacy. I am holder of a Non-Professional Driver License. I am into sports since grade school. I play lawn tennis, table tennis and badminton. My goal in life is to serve my country. I want to help my countrymen to be educated about their rights. I want to be a role model for those person who wants to achieve their dreams despite of obstacles in life. My parents raised me to become a better person and to be a role model to my fellowmen. They thought me how education play an important role to one’s life. For this reason they make sure that all their children will have a best education.
Click Here to read My Book Assessments
Books Completed:
As A Man Thinketh
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude