The webinar entitled Katumbalikwasan: Bouncing Back Better for Ecological Integrity

taught me a lot of things. The speaker, Mr. Rodne R. Galicha, has effectively connected concepts
such as risk, hazard, and capacity to our personal lives. I have learned and reminded how we are
all dependents of each other. We are responsible for everything we consume today so that the
next generations to come will still have something they can use.

First, he talked about our needs and wants such as why we are studying and what makes
us happy. In all honesty, my answers for the two are only one: money. I am not going to sugar
coat things, but I believe money is the key to provide everything for me and the people I love.
But it changed after his talk. While money still makes me happy, I have come to realize how the
environment plays a huge part in giving our needs and wants. The environment has always been
there even before technologies existed and probably even after everything ceases to exist. I have
always believed that we need the Earth more than it needs human to flourish or survive. With
that, I believe I should say that the nature makes me happy. I have come to appreciate it more
after the talk.

The speaker also noted that we should not be stupid about our decisions. It hit close
home, because recently, I had a series of insecurity and anxiety that almost affected my
relationship. I was just relieved I did not do anything stupid and was happy that I got some sort
of validation from the speaker.

He also connected risks and hazard in relationship and in the environment. Both plays a
huge part on the respective aspects. Hazard pertains to anything that may cause loss of life,
injury, and other damaging impacts to health, property, and environment. Risk pertains to the
potential loss of life or damage to a system or society. The following concepts enlightened me
personally, that my insecurity and anxiety are both hazards to my relationship. This increases the
risk of destroying our harmonic relationship.

In connection to environment, having insecure resources for humans may also be a

hazard and might increase the risk of the environment getting exposed to some sort of
vulnerability. Like a human being, the environment needs to have something left enough for
itself to sustain other organisms and animals around it.
 Another topic he talked about is vulnerability, which is the condition or factors that
increase the susceptibility of an individual, asset, or society. Personally, when he asked when
were we became vulnerable in our relationship, all I can think of is the idea of my boyfriend
leaving me. I absolutely cannot fathom that because I love him very much. It makes me weak
thinking about it. Just like in the environment, the higher the vulnerability of an asset, individual,
or society is, the more it gets weak. So in order for us to avoid it, we must assess it as early as
possible. The earlier we know the problem, the earlier we get the solution.

I have to point that the title was made out of 3 words mainly, which are: Tumba,
Balikwas, and Balik. All of which represents the cycle of how we come back to our feet
(balikwas) once we fell (tumba) and how we should stay resilient after that. That is a good
reminder not only for the environment in general, but also in our current situation. This
pandemic has brought the best and the worst of everyone. One good thing that the pandemic
brought us is that it taught people to appreciate plants more, thus, increasing the so-called
“plantitos/plantitas” around. It was nice in my opinion, since a lot of us now have started to
appreciate what it is like to care for a living being, just as how the earth takes care of us and our
needs.

Lastly, the webinar has taught me to be an advocate, even in small ways. Such small
ways may be teaching people what is good or not for the environment or doing the small things
such as not throwing you candy wrappers on the road. It has become my habit not to throw away
small garbage anywhere. It is something I teach to my younger sister as well as some of my
friends. We also practice Clean as You Go (CLAYGO) policy whenever we go out.

Aside from the internet issues the interrupted some parts, I guess the webinar was great
overall. It was creative and relevant especially for us who are young adults who face a lot of
personal challenges. The topic was interesting since he did not present it in a boring manner. I
have learned a lot not only about the things that were applicable for me, but also for the
environment. I hope I get to share this with people, especially the younger and in the same
generation as me soon. I will never forget that we are not the future anymore, because we are the
present and action and information must be given.