Dr. Deo Onda, WWF-Philippines National Youth Council See Hope for Conservation in the Filipino Youth
April 2021
Dr. Deo Onda joined the WWF-Philippines Ambassadors Robi Domingo and Janine Gutierrez and the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council for the latest episode of Conservation Conversations. Photograph © WWF-Philippines
In an Earth Day event with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ National Youth Council (NYC), Filipino Marine Scientist Dr. Deo Onda expressed his hopes in younger generations for Filipino-led marine research and conservation.
The event, “The Youth Speaks Up for Nature,” is the latest in the NYC’s Conservation Conversation webinar series. The series brings members of the NYC together with prominent members of Philippine research and conversation, to discuss the countries’ most pressing environmental issues. The event was hosted by WWF-Philippines Youth Ambassadors Robi Domingo and Janine Gutierrez.
Dr. Onda, a microbial oceanographer from the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines Diliman, famously descended the depths of Emden Deep, part of the Philippine trench with a depth of approximately 10,400 meters. He is the first Filipino to make the descent down the trench. He and his partner were the first humans ever to make the full descent down Emden Deep.
The event, hosted by WWF-Philippines Ambassadors Robi Domingo and Janine Gutierrez, was the latest in the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council’s Conservation Conversations webseries. The webseries sees the NYC join influential figures in Philippine research and conservation to discuss the countries’ most pressing environmental issues. Photograph © WWF-Philippines
“When we talk about environmental conservation, we need to understand that the environment is a continuum and not compartmentalized sections. The marine environment is one ecosystem, and to know how to conserve the entire ecosystem, we need to understand every component of it,” said Dr. Onda.
For Dr. Onda, aside from being a historic feat, his expedition down Emden Deep helped to shed light on a part of the ocean that is largely unknown, and whose importance has yet to be fully understood. Understanding the significance of Emden Deep is a crucial step towards protecting the worlds’ oceans as well as the Philippines’ natural resources, explained Dr. Onda.
“To understand the West Philippine Sea is to understand its ecological significance to the Filipino people. The reefs in the Kalayaan Island group are not isolated from the reefs you find in Palawan,” he added. Despite the challenges faced by marine ecosystems, Dr. Onda believes more Filipinos will act toward the protection of the ocean.
Dr. Onda shared with the NYC his hopes for the future of Philippine marine research and conservation. Dr. Onda hopes his expedition to Emden Deep will lead to opportunities for young Filipino scientists to take the lead in their own research endeavors. Photograph © WWF-Philippines
“I want the Filipino youth to see that there are a lot of opportunities for young scientists, especially marine scientists, in the country. Hopefully what I did opened opportunities for them. We will try and work hard to continue opening opportunities for them,” shared Onda.
“The youth is the most powerful sector of Philippine society. Yan ang panlaban natin. Hindi na uso ngayon na dahil bata ka, tumahimik ka. Dahil bata ka, magsalita ka.”
Dr. Onda will now be undertaking a month-long survey of Kalayaan Reef in the West Philippine Sea. With the attention his expedition to Emden Deep has earned, he hopes he has opened the doors for the youth to take the lead in future research and conservation efforts in the country, for the sake of all Filipinos.
“The first step in efforts to conserve something is to know it, and to know it is to understand it, and to understand it is to appreciate it, and to appreciate it is to care more about it,” said Dr. Onda.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Isobel Resurreccion
National Youth Council Coordinator
kfiresurreccion@gmail.com
For media arrangements, please contact:
Ms. Angelica Pago
Integrated Communications Manager
apago@wwf.org.ph
Ms. Chezka Guevarra
Public Relations, Media, and Events Assistant Manager
cguevarra@wwf.org.ph
