As climate change affects coastal communities worldwide, PEPSEA looks locally to re-connect Filipinos to their environment and the importance of conservation. The organization focuses on community based needs to ensure solutions and strategies are implementable and have long term impacts. Isa Mundo was also impressed with the organization's 4 stage approach: Pilot Phase; Monitor and Update; Current Status and Scale Up. We met with Daff Binobo, Site Manager, who reminded us that this 'cyclical approach keeps their core elements of a date driven, holistic, and collaborative effort at the forefront". It also allows engagement and participation of everyone in the community along with external supporters when necessary. Everyone is accountable from start to finish. PEPSEA and its programs affects over 5,000 local islanders each year and continues to work with other local islanders in the region.
Isa Mundo is committed to find ways to support PEPSEA and collaborate on projects and other initiatives, including its Eco Heroes program. This program is part of a collective conservation education for all ages but mostly focussed on local children and youth to develop future environmental and conservation leaders. An additional project is to support local schools in creating a physical space to address the need for segregation and proper waste disposal which also acts as a space for awareness and education for students.
We look forward to brainstorming with PEPSEA and its members to find ways to progress their projects and work in partnership in 2023. To learn more about PEPSEA, visit the People and the Sea website.
