“Ateneo Hearters, we defend!”
To the blind eye, the Philippines is the perfect tourist wonder, with thousands of foreigners flocking to witness the beauties our tropical heaven has to offer. To the blind eye, everything is as perfect as it can be — just not in the eyes of the ones who see.
Ms. Niña Marie Estenzo, a fellow Filipino and an advocate for environmental justice, was one of the many who saw far beyond what meets the eye. She stands as a member of the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC) serving as the Campaigns Director. But truly, her life is more than just being a person standing in an organization — she is a mother as well, and like most of us, a regular Filipino citizen who longs for change. Change is something the world greatly needs and is something that Ms. Niña strives to achieve in our motherland.
As someone who strives to create change, especially in a country where justice is still yet to be found, it is a constant struggle to keep going. It’s a struggle to go on when circumstances make it feel like it isn’t possible — when the word ‘hope’ feels almost non-existent, and when it feels like it’s slipped from your grasp. But it is to be remembered that great things cannot be achieved without great struggles. A diamond cannot be the great treasure it is known to be had it not been put through any pressure.
As someone who wishes to be a changemaker in a place where it seems impossible to change, “hope must be what fuels the changemaker”. To Ms. Niña, “one who pushes for any kind of change must always believe that such change is possible”. To her, there is hope. There is hope that even with the disparities and injustices our country faces up until this day, it can still be changed. That belief is held deeply amongst her principles, leading her to where she is today.
Our earth is our common home, and no one else’s. What becomes of our earth is our responsibility, and for whatever outcome we face, we only have ourselves to blame. Ms. Niña holds a strong belief in this, and that the duty of preserving our common home rests on our shoulders.
We humans are connected and intertwined with our earth, like a bond that affects each other no matter what. “We destroy the earth, we destroy ourselves. We protect it, we ensure humanity continues to thrive.” To be fighting for such justice means fighting for the justice of all — the earth, the people, our present, and our future.
Aside from her great role in our society, Ms. Niña also serves as a loving mother to her beloved daughter. As a mother, it is your duty to ensure that your child is treated with the great love and care they deserve. And as a mother, it is your duty as well to make sure the life you let your child live is the best that it can be, whether it is for the present or the future. The purpose of sustaining our environment comes with the goal of creating a better future for the many generations to come. The outcome of their future rests on our hands, so it is a must to ensure the sustainability of our environment in hopes of a brighter future ahead of those to come and making sure they do not have to go through gruesome cruelties and harsh realities just to hope to achieve a peace-filled world.
These “gruesome cruelties and harsh realities” were evident in the documentary viewed by the Grade 12 last September 18, 2024, titled “Delikado.” In the movie, we witnessed what Palawan currently must face — their environment, and their people, dying because of the exploitation of their natural resources. All for the purpose of selfish and greedy wants: to turn Palawan into the “Hawaii” of the Philippines. All for the purpose of appealing to the eyes of the outsiders.
But what about the Filipinos? What about those who inhabit the area and want what’s best for their home? What an irony it is to be destroying what perfection it already is just to appear perfect to the crowd. And not only does nature die, but so do our people, who only wish to defend what’s right. These harsh realities do not only prevail on screen but are a piece of truth that is happening in real time.
Ms. Niña has personally witnessed these kinds of issues being tackled in the film, and she can confirm that the few Filipinos fighting for the sake of justice are truly struggling. This is evident with frontliners in environmental defense all over the country “We campaign alongside the handlers of the film in changing the narrative of impunity and fear which are rampant these days.”
There are also other organizations that come in partnership with PEJC, namely Dakila and Active Vista. They are also one of the carriers and supporters of the film. Dakila is an organization and an army of creative minds who utilize art as a powerful way of advocacy. “The PEJC strength is in its legal arm where we push for the full implementation of our Environmental Laws. Targeting diversity of talents in our #WeDefend linkages expands the defenders’ network and when we lend our strengths to each other we also strengthen our cause.”
To fight for something, as great of a deal as environmental justice, is never an easy task. These issues we see on screen aren’t just issues fictionally presented in the media — it’s our reality. Our reality we created. It is us people who created these issues, but it is also up to us if we choose to save it.
Everyone is capable of change, and Ms. Niña Estenzo stands as a role model for this principle. She believes that anyone is capable of change if they put their mind, body, and soul to doing it. You must get to know yourself first — discover yourself and accept who you are, before knowing your purpose, where you stand, and how you decide to fight for where you stand.
“Meet yourselves where you’re at right now and get to know YOU.” Discover your strengths by what you enjoy doing and can do well. No harsh judgments about that but only acceptance. Once those very strengths meet what the world needs, there you will find your purpose. If you are a writer, write. If you are an artist, then create. If you are a communicator, speak. If you are a doer, do. If you are happy being a nurturer, then by all means take care of the ones around you so they too can do their tasks. We are puzzle pieces. Way before there is the collective, there is the individual.”
We are the inspiration. We are the change. We are in charge of our own future, and for what is to come our way.
“You are important. It is imperative that you honor and get to know how you were so uniquely, beautifully and carefully made first. That is your grounding. Then look to the world, it is waiting for its need for you.”
Written by Jaime Tan
