Posted on July, 10 2015

A 21-year-old Biology graduate from Imus, Cavite, just outside Manila in the Philippines, recently won “I Heart Coral Triangle,” the Instagram photo contest held to mark Coral Triangle Day last 9 June.
 
Kent Adrian Rebultan, a fresh graduate from Adamson University in Manila who goes by the Instagram name @kenservationist,  is passionate about the ocean, and wants to become a conservation biologist one day. “I want to learn, travel, and explore more, and one of my main fields of interest is marine life,” he says. “The ocean is a very mysterious place; it is calm but sometimes it can be deadly. Every time I read articles about new ocean discoveries, I cannot describe my feeling of excitement. I feel that the ocean is always calling me, and I must go.”
 
Coral Triangle Day is celebrated every June 9 to recognize this iconic region and center of marine biodiversity, a vast ocean expanse spread across the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste.
 
Now on its fourth year, Coral Triangle Day has grown into an important regional event to also commemorate World Oceans Day. This year, the “I Heart Coral Triangle” contest ran from 22 May to 9 June, and gathered photographs of heart-shaped objects made with natural materials from all over the region, which were posted with the hashtag #iheartcoraltriangle on Instagram and were also shared on Facebook or Twitter. On Facebook, the contest is reported to have reached almost half a million people.
 
“I learned about the contest on Instagram,” says Rebultan. “Actually, I’m a great fan of WWF and, of course, the Coral Triangle Day, too.” That’s why he had no qualms about sending in his entry. “This kind of contest is a very artistic way to promote marine conservation. It helps people become more creative in expressing their love for our oceans.”
 
Rebultan’s image of a heart-shaped mound of trash sitting in the sand, photographed during the Philippines’ intensely hot summer, garnered the most “Likes” on social media to win top prize. “I chose marine litter, mostly cigarette butts, rather than natural materials to make a heart, because I wanted to show the world the ugly side of our summer enjoyment.”
 

Dream come true

Rebultan’s photo was accompanied by a clear message on how the Coral Triangle took care of people, and how we should now take care of it in turn. “The Coral Triangle is life itself. It is one of the three major ecological complexes on earth, which means that the biodiversity here is so great, and I am very proud that the Philippines is part of it. As a biologist, exploring the Coral Triangle would be a dream come true. I truly believe that defending it is a major responsibility that we need to prioritize. The ocean takes care of us; it is our source of food, recreation, and knowledge, and it is time to return the favor! Let’s protect it.”
 
Rebultan won himself a 3-day, 2-night stay for two at El Nido Resorts' award-winning Miniloc Island Resort in the Philippines, including two-way airfare from Manila to El Nido, full board meals, and a tour of the island, courtesy of El Nido Resorts. Meanwhile, the 10 runners-up whose photos garnered the most “Likes” received a copy of The Coral Triangle, a 276-page book with over 400 stunning photographs by award-winning nature photographer Jürgen Freund.
 
“We hope that this simple yet impactful social media activity will help increase awareness on this globally-significant marine region, whose resources sustain the lives of millions of people through food and jobs,” said Paolo Mangahas, Communications Manager of the WWF Coral Triangle Programme, after the launch of the contest.
 
“By providing a digital platform through this contest, we aim to drive active participation among younger audiences—the future of our planet—in order for them to show their love for the Coral Triangle in a creative way, while emphasising the urgent need to protect the ocean,” he added.  
 
Rebultan, who also describes himself as a “cyber-activist,” believes that standing up for the environment is a choice everyone has to make. “First rule in ecology: everything in nature is connected! What we do to our environment will surely affect us. If we throw garbage into our seas, it will definitely come back to us, in the food we eat. We need to wake up! Climate change is real, pollution is everywhere. Don’t be blinded by technology; instead, use it to our advantage in promoting environmental awareness. Be an ocean defender! Be a responsible traveller! Be an earthling!”
 
With inspired young people like Rebultan leading the way, there certainly seems to be hope for the planet, after all. In fact, he declares that he wouldn’t mind joining the WWF team one day. “I promise myself that I will do everything to protect God’s wonderful creation. One step at a time, I know we can make a change. Thank you so much to all the people behind Coral Triangle Day for this awesome opportunity!”