Rodrigo P. de Vera Jr.

National Service Training Program (NSTP) Coordinator Co-Chair, Office of the Student Affairs - Lyceum-Northwestern University, Florencia T. Duque College, Inc. (Philippines)

Today’s Date: 10 April 2008

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

I love dogs. When I was a kid, I used to cry every time my dogs passed away. Dogs have become my constant friends-they give me joy. They guard our house. When they know I arrive home from work, they meet me at the gate and wag their tails.

Part of our culture is dog-eating. It has become part of our delicacy. I really don’t agree of eating dog meat. Despite having a law on cruelty against animals, many of my country still like to eat dog meat. The way they kill dogs as shown many times in our local television programs is horrible and pitiful. Since I love dogs, I told myself not to eat dog meat and I don’t eat dog meat even if it the only food prepared wherever I go. I would rather go hungry that see a dog being killed just to satisfy ones hungry stomach.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

My favorite place in the great outdoor during my childhood was in the field. The field in our barrio (barangay) is peaceful-serene and verdant. It is a place where you can meditate and be with nature-fresh air and you can imagine yourself flying with the birds in the sky.

Now? I love going to Antong Falls which is located in the next town, Sison. This place is beautiful and you can still feel nature at its best.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is and why?

I love our dogs more than any animals. They become our constant companions and a good guards, too. If you love them, they will love you in return. When they were still puppies, I used to kiss them until they grow older. Since they have raised of being kissed, they used to kiss us also. There is a reciprocal response.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Global warming. In the Philippines, we have experienced the effects of global warming. Today, summer is quite hot. Before, rainy seasons used to be at the month of May when farmers used to start plowing their fields, but now, they start planting rice mid July because of lack of rain.

If we don’t start from our own self, it might be too late save the earth when everybody starts dying, human, animals, and plants.

5. If you could give one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

Love nature the way we love our self. Nature, in fact, reflects our own self. Whatever we do to nature, will in return be done unto us. If you start destroying nature, you are in fact, start killing yourself.