QUEZON CITY, Aug. 21 (PIA) – The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the National Capital Region and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) agreed to jointly train and develop selected students of the university as Environment & Natural Resources (ENR) Ambassadors.
On Wednesday, 19 August 2020, Regional Executive Director Jacqueline A. Caancan for DENR National Capital Region and PUP President Manuel M. Muhi signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the undertaking.
Under the MOA, selected ENR Ambassadors will assist DENR in its Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and advocacy campaigns on the protection, conservation, and sustainable use of the environment and natural resources of Metro Manila.
They are expected, in particular, to help educate their fellow students on various environmental issues affecting the region—e.g., pollution, resource degradation, and climate change, among others—and galvanize the support of the youth sector in the cleanup, rehabilitation, and protection of Manila Bay.
In return, DENR National Capital Region will provide the necessary assistance to the students for them to effectively function as ENR Ambassadors and help them with their studies at the same time. For starters, they will be receiving pocket LTE Wi-Fi which they can use in both their environmental education and advocacy work and academic studies.
DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda, who was present to witness the event, handed over 100 units of pocket LTE Wi-Fi (with load) to PUP for distribution to students who would enlist as ENR Ambassadors. He also promised to provide smart tablets, along with the pocket Wi-Fi, to poor but deserving students of the university.
“Students need our help right now, especially in adjusting to the “new normal” in education. “At the same time, we need to harness their skills and transform them into effective environmental educators and champions”, Antiporda said.
“In the future, hindi lang ang DENR ang kikilos para sa kalikasan, kundi buong bayan na [it is not only DENR who will work for the environment, but the whole country,” Antiporda added.
Meanwhile, RED Caancan said, she is very excited and confident that the ENR Ambassador program will be successful, citing the interest and willingness of the youth to participate in the activities of DENR National Capital Region.
“The youth and student sector comprises the bulk of our volunteers whenever we organize cleanup and tree planting activities, so I’m very much sure that this program will grow and attract more young people as now we’ll have trained environmental educators coming from their ranks to lead them”, Caancan explained.
Caancan and PUP President Muhi then thanked Usec. Antiporda for coming up with the program and choosing Metro Manila and PUP as pilot area.
Antiporda was accompanied by Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service Director, Hiro V. Masuda; Task Force Tayo Ang Kalikasan Executive Director Maria Matilda A. Gaddi; and, DENR-NCR Assistant Regional Director for Management Services Al O. Orolfo. PUP top officials, on the other hand, came in full force as Executive Vice President Alberto C. Guillo; Vice President for Academic Affairs Emanuel C. de Guzman; Vice President for Student Affairs Zenaida R. Sarmiento; and Vice President for Research, Extension and Development Ana Ruby P. Gapasin took part in the activity.
The heads of the Regional Public Affairs Office (RPAO) of DENR CALABARZON, DENR MIMAROPA, and DENR Bicol were also invited to witness the activity via video communications app. Antiporda said he hopes to expand the ENR Ambassador program in other parts of the country. (DENR-NCR/PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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