BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club, Inc., the city government, and other public and private partners recently revived the media-led environmental awareness and value formation program for children.
BCBC president Thomas Picaña said the revival of the Eco-Walk at the Busol Watershed was held in celebration of the 52nd Anniversary of the BCBC on Wednesday(June 19). The BCBC is the oldest and largest media organization north of Manila, which started the program in 1992.
“The best way to celebrate the club’s 52nd year is the revival of the acclaimed media-led environment-oriented activity that seeks to educate locals especially the young generation in protecting the environment,” Picaña said.
The activity was highlighted by the planting of at least 100 pine tree seedlings by BCBC officers and members with some family members, Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Congressman Mark Go and other officials. They were also joined by personnel from the Baguio City Police Office – Station 6 and representatives from the Baguio Water District, Benguet Electric Cooperative and SM City Baguio.
Veteran newsman Joel Arthur Tibaldo explained that the Eco-walk was initiated in 1992 to convey environmental awareness among children through an experiential learning and value enhancing process. Among activities are guided hikes to Busol watershed, observation tour of the fauna and flora, lectures on the effects of squatting and logging on water resource depletion and climatic change, environment-related quizzes and songs, picnics and tree planting.
Tibaldo with the late Ramon Dacawi, who were members of the Baguio Regreening Movement, were among the pioneers of the environmental awareness program that has received national and international recognitions.
Tam Jewel Tibaldo, who has been participating in the program since she was young, expressed gladness with the revival of the eco-walk.
“Growing up, I saw the value of my participation in the Eco Walk program and other programs of the media. Those small experiences, put together, molded me as a person,” she said.
Together with Dacawi, Tam Jewel received the Global 500 Environmental Award of the United Nations Environment Program in China in 2002 for the Eco-walk program.
Magalong congratulated the BCBC for reviving the Eco-walk program as it raises awareness among the young people to care for the environment, and helps in climate change adaptation and mitigation. He assured the support of the city government to sustain the program.
Go also thanked the BCBC for the efforts towards environment conservation and preservation through the Eco-walk program. He said the local media of Baguio City and Benguet extended their work beyond journalism as they embrace the call for environmental responsibility and initiatives.
City Councilor and BCBC member Leandro Yangot said that the eco-walk is a good example of a community- driven activity as he called on the public to do their part in ensuring that the city’s environment will be protected and preserved.
Picaña expressed gratitude to his fellow journalists and all those who supported the revival of the Eco-walk to help in educating and raising awareness on the preservation and conservation of the environment. (RMC-PIA CAR)
