DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – Some 1,590 students from secondary schools in Pangasinan enhanced their awareness of the importance of biodiversity as a crucial step in preserving and protecting the beauty and health of the environment during the 43rd “Padunungan,” held on Jan. 14 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen.
Organized by the University of the Philippines’ Subol Society (UPSS) Baguio Chapter, the event, themed “BILÁY: Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration of Pangasinan Ecosystems” served not only as a gathering of students’ talents and intelligence but also as a movement encouraging the public to take environmental issues seriously and find solutions to improve the quality of air, water, and land in the province.
Addressing environmental challenges
Mac Khenlee Oli, president of UPSS Baguio, emphasized the environmental challenges that the Earth faces, especially in Pangasinan, and urged action on biodiversity conservation amid rising vulnerability to extreme conditions and climate change.
“For the past years, Pangasinan has faced significantly alarming and observable environmental challenges. While these adversities may have caused fear and harm among us Pangasinenses, may we also take this moment as a wake-up call to demand urgent and collective action,” Oli said, adding that the threat to an individual’s biláy (life) is mounting.
In 2024, the province of Pangasinan, particularly in the city of Dagupan, experienced a significant heatwave with temperatures reaching the extreme danger category.
Also, the province experienced severe flooding and storm surges, particularly in Dagupan City and the towns of Calasiao and Lingayen, due to heavy rainfall from tropical storms and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
These alarming events underscore the critical need for comprehensive climate adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of such extreme weather conditions.
Proposal for sustainable solutions
Building on this urgency, Ruvic Hondrado, the project head of “Padunungan” 2025, emphasized the need for concrete action from the local government units (LGUs)—a reality that requires research-driven solutions.
In a phone interview on Thursday, Hondrado shared with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Pangasinan a project proposal from the participants of PHINMA-University of Pangasinan (UPANG) on how the scales of a milkfish can be used as a source of solar energy and provide a potential solution to the extreme heatwaves experienced in previous years.
This project proposal – presented by Jurus Cabilin, Cayeesha Aliyah Legaspi, and Princess Jazmine Toledo, who placed first runner-up – is theoretically possible but subject to further research and demonstrates innovative ways to harness local resources in addressing climate-related challenges.
“We challenge LGUs to pay attention to these issues. We have introduced the environmental project proposals, and how they will materialize is in their hands,” Hondrado said, adding that as youth advocates for the environment, they are calling for stronger policies, more accountability, and actions for a greener and safer Pangasinan.
Hondrado assured that they would follow up with the LGUs, and it would be up to them to decide whether to pursue and fund the project once they recognize its potential.
Youth voices for environmental action
Joseph Mejia, a Grade 12 student from PHINMA-UPANG, shared his takeaways from the event, stating that immediate action is crucial to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change for the well-being of all living things.
“It’s better that while it’s still early, we should value what we have because we don’t know, in the coming days, those natural resources might be gone and we will struggle in life,” Mejia added.
Samantha Joquel Estrada, a Grade 11 student from Dulag National High School in Binmaley, affirmed that even small actions can lead to significant changes when done together.
“BILÁY, or life, is one that can be harnessed to care for the environment. Our actions today will shape the world for future generations,” Estrada said.
Both Mejia and Estrada represented their school in the “sabayang-pagbigkas” competition.
Other competitions participated in by 47 schools across six divisions in Pangasinan include a quiz bee, on-the-spot essay writing, poster making, extemporaneous speaking, and video and film making, all of which encouraged students to amplify the theme’s message and actively contribute to addressing and improving the province’s environmental challenges.
The annual “Padunungan” raises awareness of the importance of a greener Pangasinan for future generations.
The UPSS is a non-stock, non-profit organization of Pangasinan students at UP and has been championing service and excellence for 48 years through impactful projects that benefit Pangasinan and its people. (AMB/JCDR/AGTC/PIA Pangasinan)