How do we protect our oceans while empowering the next generation of advocates?

In this inspiring episode, Chit Juan speaks with Anna Oposa, Chief Mermaid and co-founder of Save Philippine Seas, about her 14-year journey in marine conservation. Anna shares how education, storytelling, and community partnerships fuel her advocacy work, and why empowering young leaders is key to long-term impact. From climate education and waste workshops to saving sharks and changing policy, Anna reminds us that everyone has a role to play in protecting our seas.

GUEST BIO:

Anna R. Oposa is the Executive Director and "Chief Mermaid" of Save Philippine Seas, a movement to conserve coastal and marine resources by empowering "seatizens" towards collective action and behavior change. For over a decade, she has been in the forefront of programs to reduce and manage marine litter, conserve sharks and rays, and address the impacts of climate change on our oceans through experiential education programs and policy advocacy campaigns.

Anna graduated with a degree in BA English Studies from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with honors and obtained her MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London as a Chevening scholar. Anna has been recognized locally and internationally for her efforts: she was the youngest recipient of the Future for Nature Award in 2012; one of the 2021 awardees for The Outstanding Young Men and Women of the Philippines (TOYM); and one of the 2021 awardees for The Outstanding Women in Nation's Service (TOWNS). She is also passionate about puns, punctuation marks, and red lipsticks.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How Save Philippine Seas began and how it evolved.
• Anna’s turning point in year seven of her advocacy journey.
• The power of youth engagement and experiential education.
• Why marine conservation includes solid waste, policies, and culture.
• Bridging gaps between urban and coastal communities.
• Anna’s reflections on national identity and our disconnect from the ocean.
• How companies can support marine conservation through partnerships.

QUOTES:

• Just ride the wave. — Anna Oposa
• We need to focus more on education. — Anna Oposa
• The ocean knows no borders. — Anna Oposa
• Filipinos don't have a strong sense of national identity that is related to the sea. — Anna Oposa
• We have to look at the oceans with a different set of glasses. — Chit Juan
• Reflect on what changes you can make at home. — Anna Oposa
• It's not always about not buying, but buying better. — Anna Oposa

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Anna Oposa:

• Anna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annaoposa/
• Save Philippine Seas - https://savephilippineseas.org
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/savephseas
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/savephilippineseas

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.

Building a social enterprise isn’t just about having a great product or mission. It’s about creating the right environment for that mission to grow. In this episode, Chit Juan shares why social entrepreneurs need ecosystems made up of nonprofits, local governments, and private sector allies. Drawing from her experience with ECHOstore and the Great Women Project, she explains how collaboration, market access, and aligned values can help build sustainable impact. Whether you’re launching a small startup or growing a grassroots initiative, this episode offers practical insight on how to thrive through partnership and purpose.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why every social enterprise needs an ecosystem to thrive
• The story behind ECHOstore and its roots in community support
• Examples of ecosystem-building in agriculture and fisheries
• The role of NGOs, government, and market access in social impact
• How collaboration can lead to sustainability and replication

QUOTES:

• I think that what a social entrepreneur needs is actually an ecosystem. - Chit Juan
• When you think of sustainability, you actually have to think of the value chain. - Chit Juan
• The secret to sustainability is actually being mindful that the ecosystem is present. - Chit Juan
• You don't have to be alone. - Chit Juan

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Check out the following:

• ECHOstore - https://echostore.ph
• Great Women Project - https://www.facebook.com/greatwomenproject2/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.

When entrepreneur Sarah Claudio left behind a thriving retail career to revive her late mother’s unfinished farm project, she didn’t expect it to spark a whole new mission. In this episode she shares with Chit Juan how Verdeli Davao was born as an agritourism destination and learning site that brings sustainable food systems to life through natural farming, community collaboration, and experiential education. She also shares how she integrates her Slow Food training, navigates the challenges of small-scale farming, and inspires others to grow their own food even with just one square meter of space.

GUEST BIO:

Sarah is an entrepreneur with over 15 years in managing businesses across the retail printing and food industries. Her passion for social entrepreneurship grew when she became the licensee and managing director of Echostore in Davao, a sustainable lifestyle retail concept store. Her dedication to sustainability deepened after completing her Master's Program at the University of Gastronomic Sciences which is also known as the Slow Food University. This experience, along with her growth plans for Echostore, inspired her to launch her latest venture and passion project, VERDELI – a farm garden and cafe focused on sustainable practices.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why Verdeli Davao is a passion project inspired by Sarah’s late mother.
• How her time at Slow Food University shaped her approach to sustainability.
• The challenges of shifting from retail entrepreneurship to farm management.
• What makes Verdeli’s farm-to-table model and learning tours unique.
• Why teaching people to grow their own food is central to Sarah’s mission.
• How small-scale farming can be a powerful tool for community resilience.

QUOTES:

• It's for the love of mom. - Sarah Claudio
• We, in Verdeli, want to be a venue, to be a solution for those wanting to learn farming in an approachable set up. - Sarah Claudio
• You're actually teaching people something they can use for their own families. - Chit Juan
• When you say you're managing a farm, it's also like managing nature. - Sarah Claudio
• They have to believe that the natural farming way is the sustainable way. - Sarah Claudio
• That's how you promote sustainability - you start small. - Sarah Claudio

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Sarah Claudio:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verdeli.dvo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Verdeli.dvo/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Subscribe to the Good and Green Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Follow Chit Juan on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.