Ma. Cheryl F. Prudente: Environmentalist

I had a house built somewhere in Cavite.

I wanted the structure to be attuned to its environment. Where does the sun rise? How deep would the underground water table be? Where do its tributaries lie? What is the direction of the wind? How shall it help cool my house? What plants would be best for the garden given the area's soil quality?

I wanted the process of house construction to conform to all environmental laws, whether existing or moral in nature.

I wanted a home that nurtures, aids its environment; that will also help me save on utilities and various other costs in the long-term. Well, my home now has a specially designed plumbing system and two cisterns for storing rainwater, large windows that frame clear skies, high ceilings, and a fishpond! My home makes use of low wattage electric bulbs, a lot of steel, cement and aluminum components to reduce the need for future, constant repairs and replacements, and earth colors that send messages of peace and warmth.

When I was going to have my house built, I could only think of and trust Che Prudente.

Che Prudente is one of our best catalysts for change in the way we view and respect the environment. She has been involved in the fields of policy-making, design, research, education, advocacy work, among others. To further her cause, Che works closely with schools, communities, both government and non-government organizations, industries, commercial enterprises, and even "ordinary" people (like me, for which I am eternally grateful).

Of the many projects Che is involved in, I am particularly appreciative of her efforts to share her expertise among the youth in various communities around the country. The modules include more than just lectures as participants get to visit river or lake areas and test their water qualities.


The Youth for Wetlands Ecological Camp was held last April 15-17, 2009 at Angono, Rizal.

As an individual, Che practices what she preaches. At home, she has an aquarium with excellent water quality, a correct mix of fish that actually survive till old age, and flora that really serve as fish food and shelter. She devises household systems to save on water and electricity (for instance, she does not reheat and simply eats leftovers straight from the refrigerator).

Che studied Architecture at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila. She also finished her Masters in Engineering in Water and Environmental Resource Management at the UNESCO-IHE (Infrastructure Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering) Institute for Water Education in Netherlands. Whew.

I asked Che about her current involvements apart from the Ecocamps. I thought there were three or four things on her agenda. Please read on and think hard if Che is still able to sleep:

• Technical Assistant for the TWG (pre and post conference) of National Wetlands and Climate Change Policy Workshop
• TWG: Updating the National Wetlands Action Plan
• Team Leader: GREENovation and GREENretrofitting of the Candaba Wetlands Information Center Complex in Apalit, Pampanga
• Lead Project Officer: Ensuring Access to Safe Water for Households in Communities Affected by Floods in the Philippines (Northern and Western Samar)
• Technical Team: Pilot Low-cost Residential Houses with Wastewater Treatment Facilities (Tipas, Rizal and Dasmarinas, Cavite)
• Technical Team: Installation of Low-cost Floating Septic Biogas Reactor for Offshore Settlements in Selected Sites in Tawi-Tawi.
• Technical Team: Low-cost septic and wastewater treatment for a resettlement area in Bacoor, Cavite.

Everyone's probably thinking now: "I should be doing more for the environment, too. Yes, please, in ways great and small.

Che's commitment to all of these projects must inspire us to live lives of moderation, to remember that we are all just passing through in this world, we owe it to the future generations to leave intact our God-given wealth of resources.

Let's reduce, re-use and recyle. Let's ask everyone we know to do the same. Let's support projects for the enviornment. And let's spearhead our own campaigns, too, if we can.