EARTH DAY CHALLENGE: Reclaiming Our Power to Preserve, Restore, and Protect
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Environmental advocates for Boracay Island call for urgent solutions with a campaign they call “We Are Aware.”
By Dominic Napat
The theme for Earth Day on April 22, 2026, “Our Power, Our Planet,” underscores that climate action is not just about reducing carbon emissions. It is about opening our eyes to the systems that power our economies and repairing our relationship with the environment.
By understanding what is happening on the island, we can formulate a long-lasting, sustainable structure instead of short-term band-aid solutions. By doing so, we can secure a legacy of a safer, healthier and more just future for all.
In Boracay, a group of local residents and environmental advocates, including myself, revamped an informational campaign we call We Are Aware.
The We Are Aware (WAA) campaign was first launched in 2019 after the Boracay closure, aiming to raise awareness about Boracay Island's unique ecosystem. Due to work demands and other commitments, the project stalled. In late 2025, a dedicated collective of local advocates reunited to breathe new life into the mission.
The people and organizations behind the project share a strong belief that protecting the island should remain the top priority for both residents and the local government. Informed residents have more ownership and accountability with their space.
With hope at the center of this initiative, the Friends of the Flying Foxes (FFF), No Space 4 Waste, Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Boracay, and the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) joined forces to launch a grassroots information campaign.
Schools such as LHT National High School-Yapak and the Mountain of God Academy were open to cultivating care for the environment and sustainability with students and future leaders. Enriching presentations followed by interactive group activities spurred the local youth to discuss the environmental issues affecting their community. This is part of a series of talks aimed at fostering a sustainable growth mindset with the environment and economy.
If you want to go far, go together.
This dedicated cadre is effective because it utilizes the skill set of each person who specializes in different dimensions of Boracay’s needs. WAA brings attention to the island’s critical environmental concerns on a community level. Preservation of Boracay’s ecosystem, from forest land to marine environment, is the focal point of discussion for public schools, private schools and private sectors like fisherfolk and resorts. The aim is a deeper sense of awareness, eventually leading to community-led solutions and legislative change.
As Julia Lervik, president of the FFF, puts it: “We start with Boracay schools because we believe that the students of today are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the change-makers of today. The WAA campaign is designed to help students connect the dots between the wildlife in our skies, the trees in our forests, and the reefs in our oceans.”
Thanks to the BFI, WAA was able to gather hundreds of students at Mountain of God Academy and at the LHT National High School-Yapak in February and March of 2026. Youth leaders were engaged in discussion and were given a voice to express their hopes for their future. This indicated a promising series of talks that could scale into the private sector.
WAA used the following talking points to spark group discussion and creative brainstorming to find a solution.
From Ridge to Reef: Forests and Corals
Nature is a system, not a series of isolated parts. In the forests, major pollinators like flying foxes help seeds propagate naturally. These seeds develop into dense forests that hold the soil together with their roots.
When the forest upland is healthy, soil is compact and erosion is prevented. However, when forests are destroyed, sediment is loosened and flows into the sea, smothering delicate coastal reefs. These reefs also provide hunting grounds for avian predators that consume sea creatures. Everything is connected.
The Gardeners of the Skies
Often misunderstood, Flying Foxes (fruit-eating bats) are actually the "farmers" of our forests. They are essential pollinators and seed dispersers. Without them, many native trees would fail to reproduce, leading to a collapse in forest density.
Plastics and Overdevelopment
Single-Use Plastic: Industrial and commercial waste is the thread that threatens to unravel this tapestry. We need a conversation beyond "littering is bad" to "waste breaks the cycle of life."
Overdevelopment: Sustainable tourism requires a balance. If there’s no beach, there’s no tourism. Improper development without a mind for Boracay’s forestland and wetland poses a threat to the ecosystem.
What is at Stake?
Boracay’s geography is mostly limestone with karstic areas that serve as seasonal maternity colonies for bat populations. The forest coverage, mostly molave trees, hosts unique insects, reptiles, and mammals. We stand to lose more than we gain if we build on this delicate ecosystem.
Our Goal
We want the people of Boracay to walk away saying, “We are aware of the unique environmental connections that created this gem of an island, and we are aware of our power to preserve, restore and protect them.”
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