MANGROVE LOVING PENGUIN: Mangrove Learning Session at Southville International School

 

"Sa dagat at bundok, sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw..."

As the lyrics of the Lupang Hinirang  anthem roared inside the canteen at the 3rd floor of the main building in the Munich campus of the Southville International School and Colleges (SISC) on  that Friday (Oct 2) afternoon, I could not help but feel a rush of national pride.   

The Mangrove Loving  Penguin (MLP) was invited to do a talk at the learning session to a group of Grade 5 and 6 students (plus Grade 3 & 4 pupils via virtual online)   of the private WASC-accredited eductional  institution located in Las Pinas, Metro Manila.  And as is customary in school programs, be it in a private or public school, the learning session was started by a prayer and the singing of the national anthem. 

It is  heartwarming for the  MLP to hear such mucho gusto from the hundred young pupils gathered for the learning session in the canteen. A far cry from conferences and general assemblies I have attended involving more mature participants.  Hearing these young students sing the Lupang Hinirang with such energy sets a wonderful, patriotic tone for the learning session.  Connecting civic pride with environmental education - especially on an important topic like mangroves - is incredibly powerful for the next generation of eco-guardians.  

And what is more moving for me is the fact that the ones doing the singing on that Friday afternoon are Filipino children and their foreign  classmates with countries of origin like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, USA  and countries in Europe. That is a truly beautiful and moving scene for an old fogey like the BP. Hearing children of different nationalities coming together to sing the Philippine National Anthem with such enthusiasm highlights how education and shared spaces can foster deep respect and cultural unity.  International schools in the Philippines often do a good job of anchoring students in the local culture while embracing global diversity.  At  SISC, cultivating a strong sense of national pride alongside a global perspective is a core part of their educational philosophy. 

While the school's academic foundation is structured around the "5Cs" (Competence, Character, Collaboration, Commitment to Achieve, and Creativity), SISC embeds environmental awareness in its curriculum thru frameworks like the HOME (Harmony Between Man and Environment) program, Ecological literary and the SFO (Southville for Others) outreach.  It is good to know that SISC has a green campus initiative where the school contracted 100% clean, geothermal energy from First Gen Corporation.  

SISC is committed to developing environmentally responsible and globally aware learners. It is in this context that I received an invitation from Ms. Mayi Seva (English and Social Living and Global Education Academic Coordinator for Grades 3-6). I was informed by SISC teacher Ms. MP Lopez,  my fellow lector at the Ascension of Our Lord Parish (AOLP) in Paranaque,  that the title of my talk at the Oct 2 learning session is "Mangroves. The Ultimate Coastal Superheroes: Connecting Land, Water, and SDGs (14 & 15)." 

With this title, the MLP  developed a 30-minute talk and came up with this powerpoint presentation.

The MLP  is no professional teacher so I expected challenging difficulties in engaging with the Grade 5 and Grade 6 students.  But thanks to their epistemic curiosity, the young pupils remain attentive during my 30-min talk. And during the Q&A portion, which was ably facilitated by the 2 young emcees (a Lithunian and a Russian, both Grade 6 students), there were many questions that signalled to me further their genuine interest about mangroves. 

The Mangrove Loving Penguin talking to the Grade 5 & 6 students  about mangroves

Sharing a sample of their questions:

Student:  Do mangroves belong to the same family?

MLP:  No.  Mangroves are part of several mangrove families like the Rhizophoraceae (the Bakawans) and the Avicennias (the Bungalons).

Student:  Why don't we just build artifical mangroves?

MLP:  Natural mangroves are better than artificial mangroves.  Why build artificial when the original are working just fine. 

Student:  How do the kids in coastal barangays play with the Tabigi mangrove puzzle?

MLP:  Like a jigsaw puzzle.  The large, spherical fruit of the Tabigi mangrove is cut open to reveal a cluster of tigthly packed angular seeds inside.  Once the fruit is open, the seeds are mixed up. The goal of the game is to reassemble   into their original, nearly perfect sphere. 

Student:  Are the fruits of mangroves edible? 

MLP:  Not all fruits of mangroves are edible for humans. But there are mangroves like the Busain mangrove (Bruguira cylindrica) whose fruit are sliced and dried which are then used for a vegetable meal.  

Student:   Why don't we plant more mangroves?

MLP:  Good question.  Yes. We need to plant more mangroves.  Not only plant but to make sure that mangroves planted are taken cared of so that that many will survive.  We can do that by supporting people's organizations who protect the mangroves.

Explaining to a young pupil the various heights and sizes of mangroves

The MLP receiving a Certificate of Recognition from Ms. Sheila Manalo, Deputy Principal Munich Campus of CISC.     
 

The learning session I participated in last Friday is a wonderful  and impactful experience. I am thankful to the SISC  admin and teachers for this rare opportunity. Speaking to grade school students about mangroves is such an important way to inspire the next generation of possibly environmental stewards, especially given how vital mangrove ecosystems are to coastal protection and biodiversity.    The grade school students are to be commended for their interest to learn and help the mangroves.   

In the sage words of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal:

The youth is the hope of our future.