I am Johannes Maquiling, an 11th grader from Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus. I was encouraged to join the Project Green Challenge 2017 by my parents when I just happened to stumble upon it on the internet. As the challenge unfolded and as I kept on going through with the tasks, I became inspired by the fact that someone like me who mostly likes to stay on the sidelines can actually do things that can make a difference.
eye-opening, interesting, hectic, action-packed, humbling
I have two memorable experiences in PGC 2017. The first would have to be me delivering a lecture on soil. I enjoy talking and discussing things with friends but I am not someone who will go and volunteer to do a lecture when it is not a school requirement. It was our exam week and I had to ask my friends to meet me after exams to listen to my lecture. They were kind of making fun of how I had to have pictures of the activity and that I would be documenting it but when the lecture went underway, they were interested and ended up really asking questions about the topic. The other memorable one was when I submitted my “No Polystyrene” Policy proposal to the Campus Director. Getting it approved was an achievement because I know that it would be a start in reducing waste and raising awareness to the community.
I usually describe myself as easy going and friendly. I do not like confrontations or conflicts. I want to promote respect for others and I do not like discrimination. In PGC 2017, I learned many things. There were numerous concepts that were explained in different ways using multimedia. In all these things that I learned about the world, the environment, the many processes and the organizations around me, I also learned things about myself.
I learned that I may be a good public speaker but I get shy when approaching people in authority. I had to overcome this to do a few tasks. I learned that some of the things I do are actually good practices. The fact that I bring a re-usable water jug and that I have packed lunches for school are good starters. I am not into fashion trends and shopping and that I am not brand conscious. I want to be able to keep that kind of mentality. I learned that I do not easily get humiliated with such tasks as wearing a shirt inside out or stopping by the roadside to take a snapshot of a pollinator. When it came to social media, it was an effort for me to get into posting personal things. I learned that I was not too keen whenever I had to turn to social media. I also learned that I could come up with ideas quickyly since we had such a short time to be able to finish daily tasks. I also learned that I can do a lot if I was given enough guidance and direction — I could be a good follower. Finally, I learned that I find it really satisfying to be able to stick to a worthy cause.
