RAROCO Insurance Brokers, Inc. successfully concluded their ‘Drink Like a Fish’ event at J Studio, Makati City last November with a whopping P70,000 funded for their partner organization, Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP). Attendees went home happy and with a deeper appreciation towards our marine life.

Drink Like a Fish (DLAF) is a fundraising art exhibit that showcased over 100 masterpieces for sale representing the different sharks and manta rays in the Philippines. The event aimed to raise awareness about the current predicaments these majestic creatures are undergoing while garnering funds for their partner NGO, MWWP, to utilize in pursuit of their goal in shark conservation.

Meaningful messages were shared to the audiences as three key speakers talked about their expertise and imparted knowledge that could bring change. Anna Verona, the founder of Clean Our Oceans Project, explained how to transform plastic bottles and turn them into eco-bricks. Sef Carandang, VP for community development of Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc., shared the beauty of Danjuan Island and how we can conserve it and other marine sanctuaries in general. Lastly, AA Yaptinchay, founder and executive director of MWWP, gave provoking thoughts on the inevitable problem of consumerism.

Groove Nations DJ playing for DLAF

The event continued at night with live vinyl beats by Groove Nations DJs while guests sipped on marine-themed craft cocktails by Destileria Limtuaco. Here are the cocktails from the menu:

Destileria Limtuaco’s Clayton Paul and Julius Esteban

Honeycomb Whipray Delight–It’s a spiked cafe latte! It’s got candied orange syrup, Amadeo Coffee Liqueur, and milk that’s perfect for coffee-lovers.

Reef Manta Ray of Hope–A drink for the adventurous! The bitterness of Ampalaya amplified the heat of the Empire London Dry Gin and the citrus flavor of the Manille Liqueur de Calamansi and Vigan Basi.

Coral Cat Shark’s Meow–The Coral Cat Shark’s Meow is tropics in a glass. Mango, Coconut, and Pineapple are mixed with Very Old Captain Artisan-Crafted Rum, Paradise Mango Rum Liqueur, Orchid Coconut Rum, and Orchid Grenadine fruity for a vibrant drink.

The Coral Cat Shark’s Meow is an adventurous mix of Ampalaya-Infused Empire Gin, Manille de Calamansi Liqueur, and Vigan Basi. This cocktail gives a herby taste that’s smooth until the last drop; Made from Very Old Captain Mango Rum, Orchid Coco Rum, Pineapple Juice, and Orchid Grenadine, the Reef Manta Ray of Hope is a crowd favorite

Whale Shark Blues–The most-requested drink of the night! This cocktail is another citrusy drink that plays with the flavor of Pandan, Empire London Dry Gin, and Orchid Blue Curacao. Its irresistible floral notes make it ultimately refreshing.

Lanz Roco, AA Yaptinchay, Anna Verona, Sef Carandang, and Denise Roco-De Leon

DLAF Art Exhibit

The drinks weren’t the only ones the attendees were raving about. Some bought paintings that left an impact on them as a pledge on preserving marine life. Some of the artworks sold were:

Why by Dominic Jinon
Unforeseen Surface by Mek Yambao
Soar High by Rowell Vicencio
Pressured Specie II by Bebot Santa Cruz
Save by Romell Ramota
Human Impact by Bebot Santa Cruz

Overall, DLAF managed to raise an amount of P70,000 and, more importantly, a whole lot of awareness—and that, in itself, is priceless.

Mo Maguyon, Coordinator at MWWP, mentioned they’re focusing on using that level of awareness by continuing their lobbying for the passage of a comprehensive shark conservation legislation in the Senate.

“There is currently no law that protects the approximately 200 species of sharks and rays that we have in the Philippines,” Maguyon said. “We are keeping communication lines open with members of the Senate committee on agriculture & food and committee on natural resources to seek their support on this,” she added.

All that we can do is wait for the bill to pass, but, in the meantime, MWWP has simultaneous projects going on like conducting seminars and outreaches in rural areas where most locals are unaware of their actions. People can also expect more events like DLAF in the foreseeable future.

Follow their Facebook Page and website to be updated on activities and events that you can support; it’s not too late to make a difference!

About the Organizers
RAROCO Insurance Brokers, Inc. is a top producer in medical and travel insurance industry for 35 years. DLAF is one of the company’s CSR activities spearheaded by Denise Roco-De Leon, RAROCO Insurance’s VP of Sales and Marketing / Admin and Finance.
Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines is a non-profit, non-stock conservation organization that aims to foster a better appreciation of the marine environment, its ecological processes and how it affects us all through information dissemination, education, campaigns, training, research, and other related activities. The organization focuses on marine animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong, sharks, rays and marine turtles.

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