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NSTP Group Blog Task 4

What ideas, insights, or concepts struck you the most during the video lectures you viewed earlier? - The most striking concept that I viewed in the video lectures was the voting behaviors that affect most people's decision-making process when choosing a leader(s). The 'baluarte' concept is one of the most influential and shared strategies that politicians used to gather a lot of votes and praise that gave them a significant potential to win. However, it also negatively impacts the people as it will appear as it will be their obligation to vote for that specific politician because they belong to that province or location. Overall, that concept would always be powerful and would contribute a lot to the success of most politicians.

The Philippine election season is upcoming. What kind of leader will you be voting for in the country? - As the election is fast approaching, choosing a certain leader can be a very difficult choice to make. However, with everything that's going on we need leaders who are willing to cross lines and close the divide with an unwavering commitment . An ideal leader would be someone who is civil and empathetic, a leader with a strong grasp of how the government works while meeting all the basic needs of the citizens. As a third world country, we've got some big challenges and it's going to take leaders with the ability to collaborate, take action and inspire so we can continuously move forward. Moreover, it is important to consider a great party with courageous leaders who call for a change and take responsible action towards it. Leaders who are willing to fail and who are willing to find durable solutions which citizens can safely entrust their future to. 3. As an Atenean, how can you effectively contribute to the movement for voters' education and electoral engagements? -The current situation brought by the SARS-CoV-2 virus demobilized the traditional way of reaching out to the public. However, it is still crucial for us to be informed about the election, for the future lies in our hands. With this, as Atenean, we are obliged to embody a genuine AdDU Sui Generis leadership—to be educated in society for the common good, especially for Mindanao. We, Ateneans can participate in the campaign brought by the University’s Blue Vote in transpiring voters’ education and engaging in the crucial issues to be brought out to the politicians and public. For example, we can pledge our queries or be curious by spectating on the upcoming event, the “CANDID DATES 2022”, a national and local candidate scrutiny. With this, we shall campaign to our fellow Ateneans this initiative which is an opportunity to evaluate the genuineness behind their interest in holding a public office.

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Group Blog Task 3

As a group, the portion of Leonardo DiCaprio's "Before the Flood" documentary film where we were moved or spoke is about the demand for humanity's immediate action if the world becomes 4 degrees warmer. DiCaprio was able to converse with Johan Rockstrom, a professor at Stockholm University and the Director of Stockholm Resilience Centre; Rockstrom's message spoke to us significantly when he mentioned the possible scenario if we cannot cope up if the world will be 4 degrees hotter. This includes regional intense heat waves and agricultural damages.

Firstly, Rockstrom uttered the possibilities of massive catastrophic heat waves across nation-states in the equator. As he articulated these potential scenarios, we were worried about how the Philippines would cope up with such a phenomenon. Considerably, this archipelagic country is surrounded by waters. For this reason, conditions like sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion have advanced to the point where whole communities could have to relocate, and protracted droughts are putting people at risk of famine. The number of "climate refugees" is expected to rise in the future. This may seem soon to happen if we kept on shrugging these potentialities.

Secondly, he mentioned that agriculture would collapse if the world hits 4 degrees. The agricultural consequence of climate change is collateral damage to the entirety. It could include intense droughts, water scarcity for irrigation, flooding, catastrophic tropical storms, and the decline of biodiversity. For us, these are fearful, but fear means a good thing: we are informed about reality. Fear and fact-induced world scenarios are easy to digest and worthy of action. Moreover, a developing nation, such as the Philippines, would more likely be at the forefront of environmental devastation, a domino effect from the developed countries' selfishness. The heart of the documentary is for us to be afraid of the future. It may sound scary, but it is the reality. Now we take action and are less about chatting.

         This scientific data given by Rockstrom gave us a clear view of how the Earth would react to disruptive human interventions; humanity should not act complacently, for no other can change the status quo. The film is a concrete reminder that science is vibrant on climate change. Our incapacities could lead to our own destruction. Despite the initiative of the Paris Agreement on climate change, it is still insufficient, for we still need our leader's political will. This group is hopeful that the documentary will encourage society to be attentive and take action from our leaders and politicians. 

As students in your respective field, where do you see yourselves in relation to the present environment crisis? What has been your role in the conservation or preservation of the environment? 

 The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant survives or operates are referred to as an environment. It should be quite  simple to appreciate its significance in the well-known life cycle as a result of this. Our environment is always changing, and as it does, the need to become more aware of the environmental challenges that are causing these changes increases. People need to be much more careful with the way they live in relation to the types of environmental difficulties our planet is facing, since natural disasters, warming and cooling seasons, and various forms of weather patterns have increased dramatically. The negative effects of human actions on the environment are known as environmental concerns.Pollutions overcrowding, garbage disposal, climate change, global warming, the greenhouse effect, and other issues are among them.  At individual, corporate, and government levels various environmental protection projects are being implemented with the goal of achieving a balance between man and the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN 

An environmental plan plays a huge role in a community for the reason that it assesses the effort required to make environmental changes and risk prevention. With the plan, the community can also determine the actions and unity needed in line with its relevant regulations.  As an active member of an ever changing community, the first and foremost step that should be taken is to formulate an efficient program within the barangay similar to a contingency plan for flood or even a solid waste management that is fully efficient  within the premises. Brainstorming ideas of its implementation can be a very interactive process for the young people who can propose fresh ideas. 

Next in line, it would be a great idea to conduct training and local seminars for the people in the barangay. It raises awareness and can technically teach basic policies and plans.  Now, in addition to the proposals, the program should also include persuasion of local government units to exert more effort and funds on building evacuation centers. During the attack of Typhoon Odette, one video that went viral on Tiktok was taken by a victim who recorded the roofs of the gym they’ve evacuated to, flying off, bringing more danger than protection to the people who seek for safety. Evacuation centers are called “evacuation” centers for a reason. Gyms, halls, covered courts, etc., should be built with solid foundations and exterior that could surely protect the citizens during typhoons or any natural disasters, to ensure their safety. There are probably enough funds to pay for the equipment and materials for these, so we hope they could put said “funds” to good use. 

The proposed implementation of  WWW on each respective home and in the community. WWW stands for Water Minimization, Waste Treatment, and Waste Disposal. Under the Water Minimization are the Use of minimization of resources, Conservation of water and energy, and Use of renewable resources. Natural resource extraction and consumption messes up the ecosystem and pollutes the environment. Reducing natural resource usage, such as fossil fuels and wood products, will help protect human and environmental health. 

Water scarcity is an enormous problem in some parts of the world. Water is necessary to sustain life, as it is to the majority of life on this planet. Water is required for the survival and functioning of plants, wildlife, and the ecosystem. When it is destroyed or depleted, human and animal life suffer severely. Energy conservation improves one's standard of living. Air quality improves as emissions are reduced. Furthermore, it leads to the establishment of a better planet, or at the very least, it aids in the preservation of the resources we now have. 

Lastly, the use of renewable resources. It's important to take into account how these resources will be used in the long run. Renewable resources  are resources that will never be depleted. Renewable resources generate clean energy, which means greenhouse gas emissions and less pollution, both of which contribute to climate change.

Another concept of preserving and maintaining the sustainability of our common home is to simply put into action the 3 R's; Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Organizing a mini-program in which the residents would make a profit out of their trash by recycling it. Also, encouraging them to engage in planting in their backyards would greatly help the community to breathe fresher air and attain calmness and peace. With the help of the barangay officials, disseminating plant seedlings that can survive within their vicinity would be a good way to convince them and draw their interest towards planting. They will not just have a new hobby, but also greatly contribute to saving our common home.

Our landscape would be incomplete without trees. They contribute to the City's character and the local community's quality of life, both individually and collectively. Trees provide several environmental, economic, and social benefits, all of which add to their value as a communal asset. As a simple answer to complicated environmental problems, an increasing number of efforts at the global, regional, and national levels suggest planting millions, billions, or even trillions of trees. Tree planting, as well as other methods to increase tree cover in suitable sites and settings, can help ensure our planet's ecological and social well-being in the next decades.

With all this in mind, we as humans, and fellow people who care for the environment, strive to be able to create an opportunity to educate fellow countrymen in local barangays ways in which we can safeguard and protect our environment for the coming years. As it is our duty to preserve and sustain the environment which sustains us and our needs.

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Volunteerism

Volunteering makes it possible to make a difference in someone's life, as well as your own. Undertaking actions for others, whether in little ways, is a compelling method to increase our contentment and the happiness of people around us. It tends to give an individual the experience of making a difference in someone's life by helping those who cannot help themselves. Strangers, friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors are among the people that need assistance. They can be young or old, tall or short, close or live far away. After reading and viewing volunteering stories, we felt inspired and grateful. Volunteering brings us closer to others, strengthening communities and building a happy society for everybody. It's also not only about the money. It could be time, thoughts, and energy that can be donated. Compassion and kindness appear to be contagious values. When one encounters somebody being kind or thoughtful, or if we're the recipient of kindness, it motivates us to be excellent.  The world would never be the same without the act of volunteerism. It creates a significant impact without society realizing it in tiny little ways. The world would be dull, and communities would lose healthy interaction and engagement with people who have shared aspirations. 

Eliminating volunteerism in human nature will decrease organizations, lack of empathy, and inadequate support on eliminating social issues. With what we are currently experiencing, a pandemic, we require volunteers to perform Bayanihan, send aid, and deliver items donated by kind hearts. Volunteers are individuals who actively seek out opportunities to assist others in need, make significant and ongoing commitments to assist, and maintain these commitments over long periods, often at high personal cost. It enables people to help others selflessly. Attempting to assist a community in assisting in resolving many problems, particularly those that have been overlooked by the government and other social programs. Volunteering in our societies necessitates much sharing and friendship because it requires us to collaborate. 

Volunteering helps improve and promote social cohesion between communities, which benefits the nation. With said social cohesion, it will be easier to address social needs and provide help for the needy as marginalization is eradicated and trust and comfort are built within one another. Moreover, volunteerism helps make people more engaged in civic welfare, improving the attention people have for the environment, people, and community. Hand in hand together, we stand. With cooperation and service towards our fellow, together we can. Volunteerism makes it possible to achieve one goal. As depicted on the collage, their smiles are a referendum of how rewarding the act is. Additionally, the service connects the volunteers and the benefactors because of their generosity. Those simple acts can create a ripple effect in the long run. Even helping out with minor tasks can make a real difference in people's lives in need. And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer enables you to make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.