8:00 AM After driving
through Edsa which has been congested with the morning rush our
traffic we safely arrive at the meeting place in where we'll be
meeting with the media folks that'll be covering the action.
8:15-9:00 AM One by
one the media folks start arriving greeting each other in their
familliar banter and gestures.
9:15 AM It's exactly
9:15 in my writstwatch when we decided to go to the San Miguel
Avenue Gate of the Asian Development Bank where we see a line of
Greenpeace activists dressed as human smokestacks rushing towards
the the ADB gate accompanied by others wearing orange 'Clean Energy
Now' Shirts while there are some also who're carrying banners that
read the same message as that on their t-shirts.
It was also around that time that security personel on the
building engaged the activists inquiring of their presence in the
bank's compound. It's quite interesting also to see how a dozen
human smoke stacks change the seemingly busy landscape of the
Ortigas financial district as traffic in front of the building
comes to a sudden halt due to the action as well getting the
attention of a number of pedestrians and the construction workers
who're presently working inside the ADB compound all inquiring of
the Greenpeace presence in the building perimeter. In response to
the congested traffic several ADB traffic enforcers came and
re-directed the traffic to ease its flow since the area is a very
busy financial center.
Within a few minutes following the rush of the smoke stacks a
number of security personel ask of their reason for being there,
and it was immediately followed with Athena Ronquillo and Red
Constantino's media statements
challenging the ADB to "put their money where their mouth
is".
Following their statements a couple of police cars to support
the security that are already present in the building's
surroundings. Thankfully Greenpeace are disciplined and did are
veterans of non-violent direct actions so there was no tension
between the activists and the police and security personel around
the building.
While all this was happening Red and Athena were giving
interviews to the media people that are present in the action. In
the background, Beau Baconguis and Jasper Inventor are busy in
doing their job as negotiators.
9:30 AM Soon they were
met by ADB personel and were invited to go inside the building for
further talks on the issues addressed by Greenpeace. So as they
were entering I along with other media people rushed towards the
gate to take a shot of Red and Athena as they enter the building.
As I was looking at a good angle to take pictures of them inside
the ADB building my attention was caught by a small phalanx of ADB
guards donning anti-riot gear.
In a while some other folks from the ADB invited several media
personel to join them in their dialogue. The sunlight was really
astounding and pretty soon all of us are drenched in our own sweat
good thing though there was one volunteer that started distributing
bottled water to the activists and press alike. While waiting for
news from the inside I decided to go across the street near the
area where our legal team is on standby, so there I sat on a gutter
shaded by a parked police car and finished my drink in a single
gulp.
After finishing my I again rushed back to the scene where I got
a chance to talk to Philip Ball a Rainbow Warrior crew who
volunteered for the action he explained to me the role of the ADB
in climate change in Asia. Remembering how hot the day was I fondly
asked him what he thinks of the weather, and I was amazed to hear
him say that it was nice, and that compared to his home country of
New Zealand this is basically nothing. Later on I noticed another
vehicle park near the ADB compound apparently carrying, a
SWAT-team.
9:55 AM I also got the
chance to chat with Eboy who looks very much exhausted since he's
been standing there with his 'Clean Energy Now' banner, and
according to him he really doesn't mind it and like he said the
cause was worth it. Later on I also decided to talk with Tomas
another volunteer, he said that the very fact that Red and Athena
got to enter the ADB compound for discussion is a good sign that
the ADB people are open to talk about the issues addressed by
Greenpeace and that he's certain that no trouble would come out of
the discussion. As I was about to conclude my interview with Tomas,
I saw Red and Athena exit the compound smiling simultaneously the
human smoke stacks exited the ADB perimeter ending today's action
peacefully.