TUBATTAHA REEF
November 2005

Diving off the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior as part of the Asia Energy Revolution tour, we bore witness to what we stand to lose if climate change is not addressed. Reefs are endangered because of the rising of ocean temperatures that may lead to coral bleaching.

For more information, log on to:
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en


The remains of the Malayan wreck lies about 90ft below the surface in North Atoll, Tubattaha.


Butterflyfish pair off with their partners.


A diver fins head-on with schooling fusiliers.


A goldbelly damsel, Pomacentrus auriventris.

RAINBOW WARRIOR
Greenpeace flagship
Asian Energy Tour 2005

The Rainbow Warrior is perhaps the most famous Greenpeace ship. The original vessel was sunk in 1985 by agents of the French government in an attempt to foil protests of their nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. The current Rainbow Warrior was launched on 10 July 1989.

The ship's name was inspired by a North American Indian prophecy which foretells a time when human greed will make the Earth sick, and a mythical band of warriors will descend from a rainbow to save it.

I was on board the Rainbow Warrior during the Asia Energy Tour where we documented Tubattaha reef and the effects of global warming such as coral bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures.

For more information on Greenpeace, log on to:
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/about




Photographer Derek Soriano on deck in Tubattaha reef.


Rainbow Warrior sails into Puerto Princesa kicking-off the Philippine leg of the Greenpeace Asia Energy Tour 2005.


A fisherman paddles his banca close to the Rainbow Warrior out of curiosity.

PULUPANDAN, Negros, Philippines
November, 2005

There was a proposed construction of a coal power plant. There was a group of courageous women from various sectors of society leading and educating their fellow Negrenses. Among them a principal, a farmer, a fisherwoman, and a school teacher.

They opposed relentlessly the irresponsible proponents of dirty energy, both private and government, and demanded cleaner alternatives to energy sourced from solar, wind and biomass. They did their research. They went to the streets. They withstood threats of violence even.

They won.

In 2002, the community claimed victory in their fight when the local government announced the cancellation of the planned coal power plant. The gasses and pollutants emitted by coal plants bring destruction to the seas and the land, compromising eco-systems, health and livelihood.

I was able to get to know them last year while documenting the 'Asia Energy Revolution Tour' held by Greenpeace when the flagship 'Rainbow Warrior' visited Philippine shores. These women are simply remarkable. And I'm not saying that just because I came home with a bottle of home-made 'sinamak' vinegar that one of the ladies generously gave me.

These are some of the portraits of these inspiring women. Check out the grrl power article written by Anne Marie Evans in the March 2006 issue of Marie Claire magazine.

For more information visit: http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/press/releases/tribute-pulupandan-revolutionaries

PARAW RACE
Bacolod, Philippines
November 2005

As part of its Asian clean energy campaign, the Greenpeace flagship boat 'Rainbow Warrior' visited Philippine shores in 2005 to pitch for clean energy solutions such as wind, solar and biomass energy sources. It was a fantastic campaign and I was lucky to have been invited to document the groups activities.

One of the events was a paraw race held in Bacolod to get the communities involved in keeping the environment clean. The participants from the different baranggays were very enthusiastic. With "clean energy" as the theme, they painted the sails of their respective paraws creatively. As soon as all the paraws were at the starting line, everyone waited in anticipation for the gunstart.

Then a funny thing happened. No one could find the police officer who was invited to fire the starting gun. After frantic searching, we found out the man got impatient, ate some chicken noodles and left. It's a good thing some people were playing with an improvised hand cannon. Borrowing the device, the race soon got on its way.

For more information on Greenpeace, visit their site at http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/