Quezon City, Philippines.

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Carl Sagan wrote “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”

Crisis is a breeding ground of opportunities, highlighting the need to innovate and discard boring norms. This pandemic is a perfect example. Before the pandemic, stock assessment of fisheries resources has almost zero presence – capsulize in weak science and policies based on almost no science. Mere opinions and mythical orations proliferated and even published.

Then the pandemic strike. The National Stock Assessment encoders/analysts in the regions realized an opportunity for them to grow science-wise is being offered and the lag presented by draconian lockdowns is perfect chance for them to shine.

Its been more than a year since, many of them have gained confidence and data are at least analyzed albeit using data-limited methods.

Room for improvement is huge and there is an opportunity to fill that gaping gap – a big hole that needs filling up soon by those with good unselfish intentions. But who will?

Crossing my fingers that it will be some group with the heart of proliferating good science and not just self-promotion. Hoping and wishing.

I was never a conformist, I often see and do things differently from the popular modes. I question the conventional way of life and found depth and inspiration from the lives of toilers. I shy away from the elegance of the rich not because I am jealous but because I sense the shallowness of the moments, unless of course talking with the self-made person, those are opportunities I gobble and indulge on.

In an acre of minds I visited yesterday, I saw it to be just a developing farm. Few are actively churning and grinding and the rest are in wait and see mode. Hopes and wishes were uttered but the unspoken intent are louder to me. My fleeting attention span enabled to map the contour of the place and it was reflectively an amazing picture. I have immediately identified which to avoid and which to nurture and where would I will have fruitful gains of idea nectar.

I hope the farm will look forward to changes and adapt. I hope the raucous chatter of the loudmouths would be drowned by the grounded action of the toilers. I will look forward to visiting it again.

Living amongst the shadows
Swimming in rough sands
Looking at the horizon
Leading nowhere
Moving amongst mob of worshippers
Of an empty and raucous leadership

It’s cold, I am surprised I should not be feeling any feeling that humans have because I am not human anymore. I ceased to be in the confined box of human experience. Is it just memories or a real time event?

I am fully functioning, sort of like a machine not dependent on emotional setbacks. It feels refreshing yet confusing. Will my humanity once push me forward or will it derail the plan? The logs will prove or disprove the assumptions of my being. Until then, when data spout results of who I am and who I will be.

My plant and my pets

Its more than a year now since Metro Manila was put into different quarantine (freedom is curtailed). My lifestyle totally changed. I used to be mostly always on the go, meetings here and there with friends, co-workers, others and strangers. Eating out is regular and normal.

With the quarantine, I became a total recluse. Going out of my house seldom happens. Work became totally online. Pot gardening became my morning and late afternoon routine. Meeting other people in physical form seldom happens unless I go out to buy some stuffs.

Being an introvert, the seclusion is not hard, it actually is a welcome development. However as a curious learner, I missed the opportunity of just observing people in silence, discovering nature’s wonders and humanity’s fantastic creations. That hollow space made me more aware of the present. The breeze, the birds tweet in my window and the creativity of my colleagues online – freedom from selective attention. Things that might escape me in the past because of the need to finish and move and move. I became calmer and steadier – freedom from the anxiety of being on time in place. I dont need to worry of apparel/dress protocols – freedom from the need to conform. I can eat/not eat food I dont really crave for – freedom from dieting.

Freedom from the confines of society prototyping, finally just being me.

Yesterday a team of the National Stock Assessment Program composed of the analysts of BFAR Regions 2, 3, 4A and 5 finished assessing the status of several major fisheries stocks in their waters of jurisdiction. They were able to come up with data-based fisheries performance indicators and correlate them to reference points – a major step towards a science-based fisheries management planning process – first opportunity for the country. So far most of our fisheries policies lack credible and reproducible science foundation. We had been with them all throughout before and even during the pandemic, working with them every Wednesday afternoon online and offline on the other days of the week. Just working with them eases the darkness of hopelessness for a country that is beset with weak leaderships.

Though proud of the great milestone accomplished, its a success unshared. More so because we are all nobodies, just job orders contracted dispensable workers needed to grind the gears for the car to move forward. No shining political and money influences to flash. Unable to bridge the status of a scientist crowned with publication as we need to work and grind for our daily fees.

Its amazing to read about life and work balance under the auspices of equity and justice, reminds me that life is romantic mainly because ideals are far removed from realities.

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