Haiyan

by Glory Antonette Caadan, Ricardo Manuel P. Yauna, Hanna Felicity Reloso, Jomella Kaysha Guimbaolibot Lo, Emmanuel, Nico S. Caberoy, Francis Sible, Jonna D. Merilles, Joan D. Merilles, Mary Ann A. Tabulao, Julius Arellano from Guiuan National High School

anai, when a coconut tree drowns, does it make a sound?
Yes it does. It screams in silence
while the pikoy flies away,
their homes eradicated.
Food for the rich and the lesser
left to face scarcity and dullness.
anai, when is too late?

This poem sprouted in the Philippines. Highlighted lines are from “anai, when” by Craig Santos Perez in Guam.

On Nov. 7, 2022, high school students, teachers, and local leaders gathered on the invitation of the local government of Guiuan, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), The Climate Reality Project Philippines (Climate Reality Philippines), and Agam Agenda, for a knowledge exchange session entitled Rig-on: Klima Eskwela. The Klima Eskwela, or Climate School, was a day of learning on climate science, adaptation, governance, and local perspectives through art. Under a tent beside the sea, the high school students worked in groups  to write poem sprouts for When Is Now and Climate Reality Philippines’ Poets for Climate project.

The photographs accompanying this poem (unless stated otherwise) were taken by local women leaders during a photovoice workshop held by ICSC’s Climate Governance Team in 2020, as part of the Women and Earth Initative (WORTH) of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW).