Althea Serrado, Media and Communications Officer, Haribon Foundation
The great hornbill teaches us how important kinship is to all living things. This species travels in groups when forest conditions are favorable.Locally known as Durungan HiligaynonThis is the local language of the people of Panay, Negros, and other islands in the central Philippines, and this type of local language means “together.” Dungan (Abbreviation of Durungan) Meaning “doing something together.”
Like these birds, today’s youth also understand the value of having community. This desire to connect with others around environmental issues is one of the reasons why Javier Balcinar created the organization “Durungan Youth”. The 22-year-old talks about how being in a supportive environment with like-minded people has helped him maintain his mental health, and how he plans to give that back to the youth of his state. I told you what it is.
The value of finding your tribe
Javier considers himself very lucky to live in Antique Province, Panay Island, one of the richest ecological frontiers in the Philippines and one of the most important habitats for the Rufous hornbill. I am. But as a community-led conservationist, Javier has also been exposed to many stories about the negative impact the environmental crisis has had on his generation. He also understood first-hand how this was negatively impacting the mental health of his generation, causing fear and despair for the future.
“Having had the privilege of studying outside the Philippines, I have seen how many environmental issues are rooted in the Global North, but we are the ones experiencing their effects here in the Global South. Just last week, we had back-to-back typhoons here in Antique. It not only affects people’s lives, but also the mental health of young people. It is a trauma that affects how young people grow up. “What really worries me is that young people are becoming less and less hopeful about their future,” he says.
The increasing unpredictability of the climate is having an irreversible impact on the global economy and robbing young generations of hope for the future. But for young people like Javi, stubbornly pursuing a better future for their generation may be the only option. The creation of Durungan His Youth has supported him holistically and enabled him to pursue impactful work that promotes wildlife conservation in the Philippines.
In 2018, Javier began his conservation work as a volunteer with the Eco Guardian and Eco Rangers initiative of the Haribon Foundation (BirdLife Philippines) under the Species of Hope (SOH) – Durungan Project. This project and the organization’s strategy showed him the important role of the community, especially in the preservation of antiques. In July 2019, when the activities of his SOH project were about to end, Javier was inspired to create Durungan His Youth. He saw this as an opportunity for young people to become more environmentally conscious and continue the work started by Haribon. Almost four years after Javier founded the organization, what started as a passion project has evolved into several engagements with the community using a holistic and inclusive approach.
the gift of giving
Contributing to the community has given Durungan youth a common purpose. Since the Antique Provincial Government declared the first Durungan Month in August 2020, the youth of Durungan have participated in the programs and activities of the annual celebration and have participated in various programs and activities in the southern and northern regions of Antique Province and neighboring provinces of Panay. We have actively invited young people from local governments to participate. island.
This community effort has paid off. During the first Durgan month of 2020, a young man posted a captured great hornbill on Facebook. The commenter then reported the incident to the Durungan Ministry of Youth and Environment and Natural Resources. Durgan Youth Community Born out of his program, this simple act is having a huge impact on rare species like the red hornbill. “That’s what we really want in terms of impact. If young people are more engaged with their ecosystems, they understand the importance of their ecosystems, not just as resources and goods. Instead, they will grow up as adults with a connection and mindset of being part of nature, a lifelong commitment,” Javier proudly shares.
During Durgan Month this year, their team traveled to the plateau region and engaged primary school students in five activities.th up to 8th Grades. To date, the organization has mobilized more than 600 individuals, including volunteers, community members, youth, public and private partners, into direct grassroots efforts. Together, these groups have implemented 32 grassroots initiatives, ranging from capacity-building programs to conservation storytelling exhibitions and even habitat protection campaigns.
Inspired by his culture and love for hornbills, Javi’s Durungan Youth helped him improve his emotional and mental health in a positive way. His dream is for young people’s fears and struggles to be at the center of national and global decision-making. He is already seeing the ripple effect young people and communities are having in addressing the global biodiversity crisis. He is now working to spread the movement and inspire young people in other communities to become involved in the future of their environment.
The volunteer-led organization is currently an active partner of Haribon Foundation, DENR, various local governments and the Antique provincial government. They also collaborated with Creators of Hope by the Jesuit Asia-Pacific Conference, Save the Philippine Sea, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the U.S. Department of State, the Southeast Asian Youth Leadership Initiative (YSEALI), and USAID Symbol.