Hosted by EIC Mikael Angelo Francisco, Ask Theory shines the spotlight on Pinoy scientific brilliance, in a fun and entertaining “kwentuhan” format. Each episode of Ask Theory features a Pinoy scientist from one of the various scientific disciplines. In a very casual conversation, guests explain what they do in simple terms, as well as share their fascinating stories: how they got into science, the challenges they face, what motivates them to pursue their fields, what future scientists from the Philippines can look forward to, and so much more.
Episode 14: Kumusta Na Ba Ang Mga Kagubatan Ng Pilipinas?
“Save our forests.” For a country as uniquely biodiverse as the Philippines, that call for help may just as well be “save our country.” And it’s a call for help that we hear every year, an invitation for us to take an active role in protecting our natural resources. But perhaps, we’ve been looking at this complicated issue the wrong way. After all, there has to be a reason why, despite years of calling for forest salvation, our forests still haven’t been saved. Maybe, just maybe, we can do better – but the question is: How, exactly?
Our guest on today’s show is Abigail Garrino. She is a Research Associate at the Biodiversity Research Laboratory of the University of the Philippines Diliman. An early-career botanist, she conducts botanical assessments in some of the country’s unexplored forests, filling the gaps in what we know about our own floristic biodiversity. The information she generates on forest dynamics and restoration can contribute significantly to the management and conservation of the last remaining forests of the Philippines.
We talked about the state of forests in the Philippines, the things that make botany an exciting field to pursue, some mistakes made in forest conservation efforts (and how we can correct them), her favorite plant and why it’s so special, how to improve the way we communicate the need to save our forests, and more.
Listen to Ask Theory Episode 014: Kumusta Na Ba Ang Mga Kagubatan Ng Pilipinas? here:
(Full transcript to follow; watch this page for updates)
Link: Petition to halt the ongoing road construction project traversing the protected area of the Northern Negros Natural Park
The Ask Theory Podcast is available via these platforms — make sure to subscribe, as we’ll be releasing a new episode every week:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1GDcxBwETsD4KM1EmTr1aI
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/ask-theory/id1550251048
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/ask-theory
Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/ask-theory
Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80OTAyMWNjMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==
Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/gv6jxkki
RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/ask-theory-WJkbLJ
