Shainne Hostalero

MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) dated April 7, 2020.  April 7, 2020  - This World Health Day, as the world grapples with the worst public health emergency in recent memory, over 90 percent of respondents surveyed in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong support a government-led closure of illegal and unregulated wildlife markets, according to new research for WWF.  The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the link between zoonotic diseases - those transmitted from animals to humans - and wildlife markets into sharp focus. A survey conducted in March among 5,000 participants from Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam found that 82 percent of respondents are extremely or very worried about the outbreak, with 93 percent of respondents in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong supporting action by their governments to eliminate illegal and unregulated markets.  Questions remain about the exact origins of COVID-19, but the World Health Organiz...

Presidential Proclamation no. 760 declaring January as the National Zero Waste Month was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino on May 15, 2014. This declaration has a purpose to remind Filipinos and the rest of the country to be mindful of waste generated. The said proclamation was also pursuant to the Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. One of the highlight provisions of the RA is the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment including disposal of solid waste. ________ These decrees aim to encourage appropriate management of rubbish due to various crises the country faces in terms of garbage disposal.  The Philippines is the third-largest contributor to ocean pollution. The Philippines is known to be the third-largest ocean pollutant after Indonesia as it produces two million tons of plastic waste per year. Approximate 800,000 tons of this said waste goes directly to the ocean. Daily, the Phi...

Photo from: jcomp/Freepik The common point of complaint regarding the communication between public agencies serving children and the media has always been the fear, mistrust, and subsequent misinformation. On one side, you have a child welfare system burdened with the nearly impossible task of mitigating the worst effects of societal dysfunction: child abuse, neglect, and child death. On the other side, you have a cast of overwhelmingly well-intentioned journalists, working under a strict deadline, who are met with a foster care system practically and - in more than half of the states - legally cloaked in obscurity. The system's culture of confidentiality invariably erodes the news media's confidence in it, resulting in a more sensationalist coverage that the foster care professionals are scared about. It is a case, which has showcased us the current warped public perception of a broken foster care system. The logical result is that myriad opportunities to engender civi...

Photo from:  mindandi / Freepik "I was feeling a little anxious and worried, scared," said Heather, 13, while sitting inside the courtroom. Her wide-shaped expressive eyes were looking down at the floor at first, turning her eyesight to everybody in the courtroom - she must be observing. The incident happened that night when her father threatened her life. As a teen, this should not be the kind of thing Heather must be experiencing. "I was feeling really shy and it was hard enough for me to make friends on a normal day. " She feels discomfort during her stay in the courtroom. "When I was waiting to be called up, first I was thinking, like I said, how I was really uncomfortable there. As a really awkward 13-year old, I was feeling really shy, and it was hard enough for me to make friends on a normal day. That lonely day, I was feeling really anxious and overwhelmed, and there are all these kids running around doing whatever. I felt like that was my fir...

In these challenging times, it is thrice as hard to find time to accept writing projects especially from new clients. Challenging as it may seem, I still find the time and I can still put my glorious multi-tasking talents to good use. (Taking care of a baby eats more than 70% of my time. 3 hours of sleep is considered a luxury. A 30-minute nap makes me feel my soul has been renewed for another lifetime). I'm thankful for clients, projects, and new opportunities. And it is always pleasant to read them thoroughly in my email. Nakakakilig. Ganern . But in the light of this undertaking are also projects needed to be turned down SPECIFICALLY the ones for school. THESIS as a perfect example. I'm a professional writer (apart from my marketing and communication career). As a professional, I sure know my ethics. In the angle, accepting commissioned THESIS is a BIG NO for me. I'm also a graduate student on top of everything I am right now and I also work on my term papers, re...

Bosses can make or break us... and more often than not, they break us. Haha! Lucky are those who found comfort and friendship with their bosses. But for others who are struggling, have struggled, and will struggle, patience is indeed a virtue. I've been in various industries as a marketing and communication professional and as a writer. I've been blessed with different good friends I gained along the way. In fact, some of them are my former bosses/supervisors. But it wasn't always rainbows and butterflies. There were also some experiences that I don't wish to go back to even if given the chance. Like some of you, there were also times I cried at work because of too much stress and pressure. I know when we all are in our glorious self, we say that crying at work is a big NO. But hey, it can get a little rowdy sometimes. Stress, of course, is how we approach it, but most of the time it is unbeatable. Stress seems to have its own life and your boss appears to b...

Manila, Philippines | July 2016 Kung hindi ka na babalik, ayos lang naman. Siguro. Siguro sa dami ng mga salitang nasabi at hindi nasabi Siguro sa dami ng mga bagay na naramdaman at hindi naramdaman Siguro hindi na magbabago, sadyang hanggang duon lang tayo.  Kung hindi ka na babalik, mag-ingat ka.  Ingat ka sa mundong sadyang malupit baka madapa ka Ingat ka sa muli mong pagbangon sa mga oras na lugmok ka Ingat ka sa bago mong landas at maging masaya ka.  Kung hindi ka na babalik, maalala mo pa rin sana Ang bawat kuwento at salita habang nakasandal sa dingding Ang bawat galaw, tingin, at tunog ng tawa na minsa'y naging bahagi din  Ang pakiramdam sa mga sandaling hindi atin ngunit hindi rin naman sakanila.  Kung hindi ka na babalik, hayaan mo akong lumuha. Hayaan mo na ilabas ko sa mundo ang pagtanggap sa paglisan mo Hayaan mo na malungkot ako dahil wala ka na Hayaan mo na damdamin ko ang posibilidad na hindi ka na nga b...

Photo from the Philippine Star (internet photo) November 6, 2013 was indeed memorable to the whole Philippines; the kind of memory that was far behind the good light and was way too painful to be remembered as Typhoon Yolanda (internationally named Typhoon Haiyan) a category 5 Super Typhoon hit the Philippines, particularly affected Tacloban City, Leyte. It devastated over 14 million people and 41% of it were children. More than 1 million homes were destroyed during the typhoon; 50 to 90% of the overall reported damage were health facilities and approximately 90% of schools and building have been impaired. The country mourned for all the people who died, families who got broken, and children who have been left behind. Some families were not able to be found, some of their members found dead and other were still reportedly harmed during the devastation. The Philippine Government, its agencies, non-government organizations and even international agencies and groups sent their he...

"The people who let me down will never ever be the same people who will lift me back up. So tell me, how are you going to lift me high up there? How are you different? In the first place, you did the exact same thing just like what everyone did - leave."

Gray areas. That's what we had. All of a sudden, I've become hopeful in life. I was grateful to the universe that you came along, but disappointed that you came only to shatter me back to pieces I believed I was done acing.  In the last three years, I'm not in any way thinking about relationships anymore and I never did commit again. Then you came and vouched for me to open up my heart once again. I was hesitant but then I gave in believing that somehow I deserve this. I was happy that finally somebody took the courage and bravery to take on the lead and get me out of my old life setup - not that I'm not happy, but at least somebody was willing to make me happier, or so I thought. Somebody made me realize that, in a way, I needed somebody. All of those, I thought, were for the better. They were. In all fairness. But something was strange. I didn't ask nor I annoy for something I knew the answers to - what are we; who are we; and, what are we for each other. ...

Manila, Philippines (c) Shainne Hostalero Sa bawat panahon na kasama kita, gusto ko sabihin sayo kung gaano ka kaimportante sakin Kung gaano ako kasaya kahit walang salitang lalabas sa ating bibig, ito'y hindi maipapaliwanag Sa pagdating mo, tila lahat ay nag-iba Ang dating malungkot na ako ay wala na, dahil sa pag lusong mo sa dagat ng aking buhay Napakaraming salita ang gusto ko iyong malaman Naparakaraming bagay na gusto ko ibahagi sa iyo Ang lahat ng aking lungkot, lumbay, galit, at lalo na ang saya, gusto ko sana ang mga ito ay maipadama Sa pagdating mo, ang luha ay naging ngiti Sa mga patlang sa aking pangungusap, ikaw ang sagot na salita Sa mga ilaw ay ikaw ang liwanag Sa bahaghari, ikaw ang kulay Sa aking lumbay, ikaw ang saya Lahat ng ito ay puno ng galak Lahat ng ito ay puno ng pag-ibig para sa iyo Tila ba naalis ang mga balakid Tila ba nasagot ang mga tanong Ngunit sa pagtakbo ng oras, ay pagtakbo din ng pagbabago Pili...

Collaboration with Japan's teamLab will open a new world of imaginative play in Singapore Singapore (2 February, 2016) - Come 12 March, ArtScience Museum will unveil its first ever permanent exhibition to the public - a futuristic world of high-tech artworks and interactive digital experiences.  The landmark exhibition is a collaboration with teamLab, a globally renowned Japanese group of ultra-technologists and multi-award winning art collective. This major initiative marks a new chapter in the evolution of ArtScience Museum, which has explored the intersection between art, science and technology in Singapore for the last five years. It is also teamLab's first and largest permanent exhibition.  The gallery will showcase works in the genre of digital art and is set to transform the landscape of contemporary art exhibitions in Singapore. Conceived as a dynamic, flexible, media-driven show, the exhibition will continue to be refreshed over time, as the fields of...

Since that I have started a new semester for my Master's degree, I went back to various lessons from certifications I took up before I finally decided to get on board for (even) higher education. Quite surprisingly, I found past assignment, notes, and even exams, helpful - as it gives me more idea and insights as to make a good argument and ask the right questions. Last year, I took up a certification on Media Literacy in believing that in this era, we all need to be media literate. Media is already acting like oxygen in our daily lives hence it is very important to put it on the priority list of something we need to understand or learn more. I found my Media Literacy Week 6 Blog Post activity yet again and I think it is worth sharing here. ------- www.mediactive.com Don't Just Consume Media. Use it. To my colleagues, friends, student assistants and to the student publication, I am very pleased to be with you all in every step of the way as we, individuals in the ...

Oceans acidifying at 'unparalleled' rate Photo by telegraph.co.uk Carbon emissions can make the oceans and other bodies of water more acidic and causes calcification or prohibits a shell or the skeleton to form. Thus, the end of these marine organisms might be soon. Due to our garbage, most specifically plastics that we throw away anywhere and gets through various bodies of water, can cause damage to our marine organisms and impedes the way they form, grow, and serve the oceans. Through all efforts about eliminating and/or lessening the use of plastics, hopefully oceans and its marine life form can be saved. But with reckless and imprudent use of these materials, no matter how we eliminate and lessen its use, it can still create harm. With all the wastes we throw in the oceans or its other forms, it can drawback to us through the food we eat. Fishes that we consume can eat our waste, thus fallback to us as a consummate of our health and the drawbacks will go...