The Impact on Life of Estero de San Miguel

Abstract

This research responded to the challenge of Pope Francis to do research that provides better understanding of how different creatures relate to one another in the ecosystem. Through semiotic analysis applied on the life sharing of the local people and some images, this research yielded a deeper appreciation of the impact on life of Estero de San Miguel. Accordingly, the estero is an abiotic component of the local ecosystem within the district of San Miguel, Manila. It had freely offered greater provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services before to local communities and other life forms within its immediate ecosystem than today, when it had been relegated only to serve as a tributary of Pasig River and sewer of human waste. The present status of the estero shows lesser impact on life within its local ecosystem. While there is still time to finally halt this local ecological catastrophe, people must actively contribute in creating a serious awareness of, respect, and love for the estero and the environment at large. A serious awareness that focuses more on their intrinsic value, apart from their services being offered. The compounded lingual and visual semiotic reflections provided several principles that served as underlying ideological reference for a new inspiration and commitment to value creation, like the estero, and practice responsible stewardship.