“Apart from keeping in mind not to ask for plastic drinking straws whenever I buy a drink, I’ve spread the word about the alarming effects of climate change to a few of my friends and also encouraged them to be more sensitive towards our environment.”

– Gil Marie Gamboa

Goal:

Coastal students encourage their peers to be more conscience. 

Location: 

Cebu, Philippines

Key Highlights:

• Held an outdoor screening to reinforce the coastal community’s reliance on local fisheries and a healthy coastline.
• Utilized Chasing Coral’s VR experience to give students a more interactive experience of the threat posed to our reefs.
• Engaged residents in discussion about the importance of sustainable fishing practices.

In the remote island town of Boljoon, Sheena Bombarda and the Boljoon Tourism Office saw a chance to use a Chasing Coral screening in her hometown to expose students at Boljoon National High School Science Club to an issue that is close to home, but often out of sight. Children, students, and community members came to the outdoor screening and used the Chasing Coral VR experience for guests to explore the reefs in their Virtual Dive Corner. While Sheena notes that the people of Boljoon do sometimes utilize sustainable fishing techniques, the event was meant to remind people of how important it is to protect the beauty hidden beneath the waves and continue to be conscious of how they interact with the ocean.

Follow Sheena’s lead and bring the film to your community. Get started by registering to utilize our education toolkits here.