The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has tapped the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila to mobilize and capacitate its students for the protection and conservation of environment and natural resources.
As part of the partnership, Secretary Roy Cimatu recently turned over 100 units of tablet computers to PUP executive vice president Alberto Guillo.
The tablet computers were to be distributed to the “environment and natural resources ambassadors” of one of the country’s premier state universities.
“Behavior change is difficult to achieve so we need the assistance of the education sector to help us effect change in the minds of the students and the youth, and to change their practices,” Cimatu said.
“We will be working together, and with the ENR ambassadors, you can help us in our main effort which is to clean up Manila Bay by cleaning the esteros and rivers that flow into it,” he added.
On Aug. 19, DENR-National Capital Region director Jacqueline Caancan and PUP president Manuel Muhi signed a memorandum of agreement for the ENR Ambassador Project.
The agreement aims to identify, capacitate and mobilize qualified PUP students to become ENR ambassadors, making them competent and credible champions of DENR programs on information, education and communication campaign.
As ENR ambassadors, they shall teach other students on environmental issues that concern the region including pollution, resource degradation and climate change, and shall also mobilize youth support in the cleanup, rehabilitation and protection of Manila Bay.
The ENR ambassador project is a pet project of Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns and Supervising Undersecretary for Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service Benny Antiporda.
“These ENR ambassadors will serve as our effective partners and force multipliers in changing behavior of the people towards environmental stewardship,” Antiporda said.