By Roi Anthoni Lomotan
AMLAN, Negros Oriental, Oct. 23 (PIA) – Negrense youths should stand and become heroes of
the environment.
This was the
challenge posed by Philippine Information Agency Director General Jose
Mari Oquiñena to some 2,500 public school students when he talked about climate
change advocacy and heroism during a Youth Summit here recently.
The summit held Oct.
17-19 was organized by the Department of Education-Division of Negros Oriental
(DepEd-NegOr) and bannered the theme “A Nation of Heroes.”
Participants were
composed of grade 5 and 6 pupils in elementary schools and grade 7 to fourth
year students in high schools from all over the province.
Oquiñena related
responsible environmental stewardship with the value of heroism, describig the
trait as the ability to stand up against “bullies” or threats to the nation,
one of which is the threat of climate change.
Oquiñena believes young
people play a big role in protecting the environment since they will be the
future parents of the next generation of youths living in the country.
He encouraged the
students to be heroes of the environment by practicing mitigation and
adaptation measures to counter the negative effects of this environmental
problem.
This characteristic of
heroism is developed from Filipinos big capacity to love, he said.
“Natural sa tao ang
magtulungan. Natural sa tao ang magmahalan. Natural sa tao na alagaan ang
paligid na nagbibigay buhay,” Oquiñena remarked.
To show, love for mother
Earth, Oquiñena urged his audience to plant more trees that will absorb carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases as well as practice proper waste segregation
and disposal.
Oquiñena together with
the climate change advocacy team from PIA-Negros Oriental Information Center
and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) went to the
Youth Summit to educate young people on different climate change mitigation and
adaptation measures.
He commended the
DepEd-NegOr for organizing such event and for promoting and instilling the
importance of heroism among Negrense youths.
“I have never been to a
summit that has declared itself a nation of heroes,” Oquiñena said. "I
hope the whole the country will see what Negros Oriental is doing to its young
people."
Meanwhile, aside from
climate change mitigation and adaptation programs implemented by the provincial
government and by the DENR which were discussed in the summit, the advocacy
team also conducted environmental games and gave prizes to winners to provide
fun while they learning the importance of taking care of mother.
The climate change
advocacy segment of DepEd’s Youth Summit capped with the reciting of climate
change advocacy promise, a commitment that pushes for behavioral change to
preserve the environment. (rmn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)