by Mike Lu, WBCP President
It’s amazing how a club started by volunteers, can achieve so much.
Guided Trips (30), Club Trips (12), Ocular Trips (6), and Surveys (10)
Guided trips include monthly guided trips for the general public, requested trips from homeschoolers and other institutions such as the French School and Standard Chartered Bank. 30 trips a year translates to an average of 2.5 trips every month.
Club trips are trips organized by club members and open to all club members. These trips may have limited slots but are nevertheless open to all club members. These include day trips to Caylabne Bay and Tanza, as well as trips to Baggao and Calayan Island in the north, both organized by Enrico Legaspi. Private trips organized by club members for their select group of friends are not counted as club trips.
Ocular trips are trips requested by organizations/institutions. Such trips include visits to Sta. Elena Country Estates, Ayala Heights Subdivision, and Talabong Island in Bais City (Negros Oriental) upon the invitation of Oceanus Conservation.
Survey trips are mainly trips in the conduct of the Asian Waterbird Census but also includes participation in the survey at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Orchard Golf and Country Club (see photo below.)
Speaking Engagements – 6
WBCP President Mike was invited as resource speaker at the 4th Wetland Design Competition, the RAMSAR Anniversary celebration both at the LPPWP and the AWC regional workshop in Tagaytay City. VP Karen Ochavo was one of the speakers at the Storytellers for Wetlands in Balanga City. Sanne Unson gave a talk to students at the UP College of Arts and Jops Josef conducted a bird photography workshop for Ayala Heights residents.
Invitations and Partnerships – 6
Club President Mike took part in the workshop for the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) at the Balanga Wetland Park, represented the WBCP at the Earth Day celebration and Wetland Museum opening at the LPPWP, and attended 2 hearings on reclamation projects at the Senate. VP Karen Ochavo and Secretary Nikki Realubit with Dumaguete-based member Pol Carino conducted a 2-day bird identification workshop in Bais City in partnership with Oceanus Conservation. Camille King engaged SONY Philippines to sponsor club members on a photowalk at Subic Bay.
Media Exposure – 4
VP Karen Ochavo was interviewed on Radyo Pilipinas and on Radyo Aguila on birdwatching and bird migration. A guided trip in Tagalag Eco Park led by Mike Lu was featured on the online news of CNN Philippines and both President Mike Lu and VP Karen Ochavo were interviewed during the soft opening of the La Mesa Eco Park.
Exhibits and Events – 8
The Club led the World Migratory Bird Day celebration at the LPPWP with birdwatching, lectures, and coastal clean-up for 320 students from Paranaque and Las Pinas. The Club, led by VP Karen Ochavo, organized the Birdwatch Philippines Community Day with birdwatching and lectures at the Ninoy Aquino Park.
The Club was invited as an exhibitor during the Xavier School Environment Fair, the Fisher Mall in Quezon City, the Taipei International Birdwatching Fair in Guandu Nature Park in Taiwan, and the 12th Asian Bird Fair in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.
Mike Lu and Tinggay Cinco represented the Club at the resumption of the Ibong Dayo Festival in Balanga City. Club members also formed two teams to participate in the Fraser’s Hill Bird Race in Malaysia where the novice team won second runner-up.
Club Events – 5
The Club organized a New Year party and the 21st club anniversary/launching of the Asian Bird Fair. Members also took part on an online learning session on waterbird identification. Bom Gomez organized a Movie Night and a Game Night at the Lerato Tower in Makati.
That is a grand total of 876 activities or an average of 7 activities in one month organized by a club run by volunteers with no paid staff. The above activities do not even include Execom and committee meetings, planning sessions for the Asian Bird Fair, online discussions, and planning sessions between members.
The hardworking team of Execom officers, VP Karen Ochavo, Secretary Nikki Realubit, Treasurer Tommy Tan and 5th officer Rache Go worked passionately as do members of the Records Committee led by Tinggay Cinco, the Membership Committee of Jops Josef and Ruth Francisco, the eBon newsletter team of Tinggay Cinco, Michele Logarta, and Maia Tanedo, to Tommy Tan and Rose Lacson who take charge of merchandise sales and club auctions and countless others who help out during guided trips, club trips, and other activities.
We started as a club run by volunteers, we continue to do so and hope to do so long into the future.