Philip G. Bartilet: Bulusan's Modern Eco Warrior

"There's never been a true war that wasn't fought between two sets of people who were certain they were  in the right. The really dangerous people believe they are doing whatever they are doing solely and only because it is without question the right thing to do. And that is what makes them dangerous."

-Neil Gaiman, American Gods

Philip today as he appears in his FB profile. 

During the early PRESERVE years with a fellow forest steward.

On location at Aguingay Lake serving as guide to trekkers.

Briefing student visitors at the park (BVNP, 2012).

Philip with the young Mayor, Myk Guysayko in the 2012 Mount Bulusan trek souvenir shot in Lake Aguingay. Shows that linkages and collaborative work are important in the success of any environmental project.

More than 10,000 photographs (in related web sites) documenting the activities of Philip G. Bartilet, AGAP and the LGU of Bulusan are enough to make me gaze in awe of this remarkable transformation of Bulusan town's ecotourism journey from a mere emerging tourist destination to Sorsogon's second top tourist generator. Bulusan now is experiencing a spike in tourist arrivals both local and foreign. Enough to silence the skeptics.

As if these were not enough, Philip is very much into his PRESERVE, the letters of which explain in capsule  its very mission of preserving the natural attributes of the ecologically blessed municipality specifically its remaining primary forest, the last rainforest in the province located in Mount Bulusan. Not to mention that AGAP, Philip's group is an awardee for  exemplary works in the field of environment conservation in Bulusan (2008). Environmental activities such as establishing of nurseries for native trees notably pili,  planting these tree seedlings and monitoring the status of the planted trees in various areas of Mt Bulusan, educating upland communities and residents of forest about the relationship and importance of forest to people were just few of his group's documented multifarious environmental tasks for the last several years.The trees planted probably number in the hundreds of thousands already. Got to asked him the stats next time.

Philip representing AGAP-Bulusan , 2008 award for commendable environmental works.

Definitely not a flash in the pan personality. All of these achievements were done (and still continuing) homegrown with Bulusanons. Philip is a permanent resident of Bulusan town, a father of five adorable kids and loving husband to Angel. In fact, Philip is my neighbor who lives just a block away from my own residence in  Poblacion Central. One and half years ago, being a newly returned Bulusan native, I was a regular customer at their internet shop whenever I work on my intermittent writing job.

Philip is locally based. He is not operating in an urban location doing the activities of his NGO from a plush office. Philip is a hands-on environmental advocate who lives his passion daily. His choice was to live in this town where other professionals have gone overseas for greener pastures. He remained. He treks Mount Bulusan almost daily and most probably he is most familiar with the features of the flora and fauna of  Mt. Bulusan more than anybody else. I once asked him about the local name of a cloud rat, a wildlife resident of Mt Bulusan that looks like a cuddly toy rather than a rat and he answered me with 'bugkon' with the right accent of o and e. Sounding like a schwa sound to me. I am sure I can ask him for more about the numerous fern varieties that thrive in the volcanic environs of Mt Bulusan. But I have to wait for I can see that he is very much occupied for the last several months from eco trail run to organizing the climbs in Mt Bulusan.

Organized Mount Bulusan climb of 2012 patronized even by locals. Photo of  badge shows Barangay Central's representative.

The thousands of photos only show the lighter side of Philip's job. The sweat and hardships in stewarding thousands of hectares of rainforest with patches of geographically unique ecosystem of BVNP were mostly not captured in photographs. The never ending tasks of an overseer doing also the backbreaking job of a forest ranger while doing the organizing and the administering of a locally based NGO are far from the seemingly exciting and glamorous job that the thousands of photos may show. The weather can be harsh sometimes, and he sure needs a lot of stamina for this kind of work. One of his photos however showed me a glimpse of the true nature of his work with the caption: "the road less traveled."

With GMA 7's Drew Arellano, celebrity visitor at the park (2012 BVNP).

With Pinoy mountaineer's celebrity mountain climber, Rica Peralejo (June 2012 Mt Bulusan trek).

Philip is not the hillbilly type. Far from that. The gorgeous photo will attest (which in person he really is). The extra savvy  is needed of course in this age of social media where projection is a plus. Visitors to the park (BVNP) where he is the resident Park Manager include celebrities (GMA 7s  Drew Arellano, Rica Peralejo were visitors last year) and several TV networks covering the recently upgraded Bulusan Lake features.

But the real battle that will put Philip in the arena is The Big Geothermal Question which we from Bulusan consider an utter abomination, if and when it will be pushed atop our mountain where we depend all our water needs from drinking to growing our crops.

My confidence will not waver though. I believe that  for as long as there are persons like Philip living in the midst of Bulusan, I can sleep soundly in my bohemian styled room with these thoughts: That the pure mountain spring drinking waters from our tap, filtered by the rainforest of Mount Bulusan will remain flowing, untainted in perpetuity. That I can bath with the freshest Mount Bulusan crystal waters. I can frolic in the gushing waters of Bayugin falls. I can float in the soda waters of Masacrot. I can coax the healing powers of Mapaso. I can endlessly visit the enchanted spring of Bugas. I can dance in the fairyland of Bulusan ferngullies and so much more.

Steward of the Lake and its surroundings. (Bulusan Lake, undated photo).

At Bayugin Falls, one of the many natural water wonders of  Mount Bulusan.

Philip G. Bartilet embodies the face of Bulusan's fight for Saving Mount Bulusan. Modern. Organized. Consistent.Vigilant. Intelligent. Surely, any business company will have difficulty in mounting their Geothermal dreams in Bulusan.

I, for one is following Philip--our very own eco warrior. One of Bulusan town's coolest dudes in My List.

Philip in one of his endless treks to the mountain of  Bulusan. The  road of an eco warrior is a road less traveled.

Photographs borrowed from AGAP and Philip G. Bartilet
text by Alma P. Gamil
Bulusan, Sorsogon Philippines.

Abbreviations
BVNP-Bulusan Volcano Natural Park
AGAP-Bulusan,  Aggrupation of Advocates for Environmental Protection
LGU-Bulusan, Local Government Unit
P – Participative community based organizing, linkaging, and mainstreaming;

R – Restoration, protection, and maintenance of identified and targeted conservation sites;

E – Eco-friendly ventures and livelihood promotion;

S – Support for additional provisions for poverty alleviation mechanisms;

E – Education and Information Campaigns; and

R – Research and databanking of relevant ecological and socio-economic data; to

V – Vitalize our

E –Ecosystems of Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP)