MABALACAT CITY (PIA) -- Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and partner government agencies urged Kapampangan youth to be advocates of environmental protection.
 
During the third leg of Kilos Kabataan para sa Kalikasan forum, PIA Assistant Regional Director Carlo Lorenzo Datu emphasized to about 60 students of Mabalacat City College (MCC) the vital role of collaboration to attain sustainable environmental development.
 
“Unity is not about being the same. It is about working together. Our differences are our greatest strength, so let us unite for nature,” he said. 
 
For her part, MCC Institute of Business and Computing Education Dean Josephine Evangelista stressed the importance of forestlands as a sustainable source of food. 
 
“When I was younger, I remember that my dad loves to plant variety of fruit bearing trees. He would always say to us that even when he is gone, those trees that he planted will be able to feed us,” she shared. 
 
Evangelista also stressed the importance of preserving nature and exemplified the importance of the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges as a protection against strong storms for the people of Central Luzon. 
 
During the forum, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Pampanga Legal Assistant II Leah Valera discussed the current state of environmental sustainability and agency programs such as the enhanced National Greening Program (NGP) that promotes the welfare of forest resources.
 
In her lecture, she mentioned that Region 3 now has its share of approximately 145 hectares of denuded forestlands and watersheds in the country. 
 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources is now exploring planting of bamboo because of its benefits to the surroundings.
 
For his part, Department of Trade and Industry Trade Industry Development Analyst Eugene Lazatin highlighted the Promotion of Green Economic Development, which focuses on reducing the risk of climate change by introducing the “greening” way in entrepreneurship.
 
One of the key renewable resources is the various environmentally friendly bamboo products that can be created as enterprises, and urged businesses to explore using this in their infrastructure and product development to prevent deforestation. 
 
With this, he also urged the students to take part in environmental activities such as tree planting, solid waste management, and greening business for further sustainability and development of ecosystem in the country.
 
“Everyone must be green-minded, meaning we mind the environment. The responsibility of taking care of the environment is not the sole responsibility of the government. Each of us has a role as we belong to a shared universe,” Lazatin said. 
 
PIA earlier conducted a similar forum via Zoom in the provinces of Zambales and Nueva Ecija. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3 with Lou Manalo and Gloomy Rain Domingo, interns)