EMB7 involves students in Madridejos for environmental management, cleanup

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB7) involved the youth, specifically some 80 selected college student-leaders and faculty members of Madridejos Community College (MCC) in Madridejos in Bantayan Island, Cebu Province for an environmental management and ozone protection seminar workshop in September this year.

“Our strategy now for environmental education is really going down to the grassroots level and we are very much grateful to MCC for letting us in as we always believe that the youth have a lot to offer for our better tomorrow,” Engr. Cindylyn Pepito-Ochea, chief of EMB-7 Environmental Education and Information Unit said in her opening statement.

The activity was in line with the celebration of the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer which is celebrated every 16th of September.

Ochea explained that the participants were given ample lectures on the environment, protection and management and on ozone depletion and other information useful for them.  MCC President, Dr. Floripis Montecillo and MCC Department Deans sat in and listened to the discussions during the first day.

Students and other participants then were given workshops on SWOT analysis based on the learnings on the previous day and how the younger generation hopes to manage the environment.

According to Ochea, outdoor activities including games and races relating to environmental protection were carried out where all participants were able to portray camaraderie, creativeness and innovativeness which are the strengths of the youth for any call to action especially in environmental protection and management.

MCC president Montecillo expressed her gratitude to DENR-EMB7 for conducting such activity and pledged that the whole MCC is a “defender of the environment”.

After the seminar workshop, the MCC students and faculty joined in the cleanup activity around the municipality organized by the Local Government Unit of Madridejos in line with the celebration of National Cleanup Month and International Coastal Cleanup Day. (Photos: Cindylyn Pepito-Ochea/EMB7)