Celebrating Culture and Wetlands:
A Literary and Musical Night

In line with this year’s theme – Wetlands: water, life and culture, the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) celebrated the World Wetlands Day by holding a Literary and Musical Night that paid tribute to humanity and its long time relationship with wetland ecosystems.  To illustrate this relationship and communicate its importance, the cultural night featured numbers which revolved around the following sub-themes:

  • the history of wetlands and people
  • wetlands as an early source of food and raw materials
  • working in wetlands – the tools of the trade
  • cultural heritage – a management challenge
  • wetlands – a cultural landscape
  • wetlands – a cultural landscape for learning and leisure
  • wetlands and spiritual life
  • wetlands – an inspiration in art, music, literature and folklore

Highlights of the event were musical numbers featuring local artists, poetry reading of literary pieces inspired by wetland ecosystems, photo exhibit, production number by the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau’s Dalaw-Turo, and showing of film clips, such as CLEAR’s “Laguna de Bay in Focus” and “truths about wetlands”.   The event was held in partnership with the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, and with support from our CLEAR partners, Laguna Lake Development Authority and Unilever Philippines.

musical numbers featuring local artists

Makiling Ensemble
Moonstar88
Miriam College Chorale
Yayi Lecciones

poetry reading of literary pieces inspired by wetland ecosystems

  • Simeon Dumdum, Jr.’s  “What the Water Says to the Poet”, as read by Department of Finance Undersecretary N. Osorio
  • Manuel Santiago’s “Isang Tuyong Ilog” (A Dead River), as read by Unilever – Philippines Manager C. Macapagal and SCPW President A. Lecciones
  • excerpt of Fernando Monleon’s “Alamat ng Pasig” (The Legend of Pasig), as read by the former Assistant Director of Protected Areas and  Wildlife Bureau C. Ulep
  • Felizardo Martelino’s “Waterlilies”, as read by  a wetland advocate from the Coastal Environment Programme
  • L. Baens Ramos’ “The Nurtured Nature”,  as read by Ms. Mendoza of Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau and Mr. Aguinaldo of Manila Bay Environmental Management Project
  • “Ang Garapon”  (The Glass Jar), as read by Ms. Che Prudente of Likha Diwa
Mr. C. Ulep reading an excerpt of Fernando Monleon’s “Alamat ng Pasig” (The Legend of Pasig); and Ms. Mendoza and Mr. Aguinaldo reading L. Baens Ramos’ “The Nurtured Nature”

photo exhibit

  • “The Many Uses of Wetlands”   – Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau
  • “Laguna de Bay, a Living Lake”   – Laguna Lake Development Authority