MANILA, Philippines?They came all the way from Baguio City for a special read-along session at the Philippine Daily Inquirer office in Makati City, featuring stories about love of nature and the many ways to show it.

Three returning readers?Ms Earth-Water 2006 Cathy Untalan, child actress Angelique Velez and award-winning storyteller Dyali Justo?graced Friday?s event, the highlight of a daylong field trip for about 60 students from Baguio?s Step Learning Academy.

In the costume of Mother Nature, Untalan narrated the ?The New Adventures of the Eco Defenders,? a story written by the Sustainable Energy Development Program (SEDP), a joint project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Energy.

It is a story about three heroes who teach people how to save energy and manage waste, offering simple but very practical tips.

The story has been a staple in past Read-Along sessions, but this time, the presentation featured new props and costumes that proved to be very appealing to kids.

In the presentation, 9-year-old Velez took on the role of ?Waste Buster,? teaching students to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The readers group also included students from General Pio del Pilar National High School in Makati. They played the roles of the Switch Ninja and Water Warrior, encouraging everyone to save on electricity and water.

Dancing mascots of a flat iron, a toothbrush, a glass and a compact fluorescent lamp, among other things, also grabbed the attention of the visitors from Baguio.

Environmental education

?It was fun,? Untalan said of the session, her second time to read at the Inquirer. ?It?s always a very welcome opportunity to interact with kids and campaign for the environment.?

Since her first Inquirer Read-Along in November last year, Untalan, who is also the executive director of Miss Earth Foundation, has toured different schools for the foundation?s campaign for environmental awareness.

Storytelling has been an effective approach in their campaign, she said.

?It would be very nice if we get to institutionalize environmental education in our schools,? said Untalan, who is also gearing up for tree-planting activities and for legal action against environment offenders in the next several months.

It was also the second time for Velez at a read-along. She used to be a mainstay on ?Goin? Bulilit,? a TV show featuring children playing grownup characters in funny situations.

Enthusiasm

Velez?s enthusiasm showed during the practice an hour before the session. It was good there was no school for her on Friday so she didn?t have to skip class to be at the read-along session, her mother Nora said.

Justo read ?Ang Huling Puno? by Richard Reynante, published by Lampara. It is a story about young children protecting the city?s last tree from a woodcutter.

Used to reading to children, Justo involved her listeners in her wacky delivery by asking them to read parts of the story.

?The highlight of our visit to Manila is the Inquirer Read-Along,? Gloria Leal, directress of the Step Learning Academy, said.

?We believe that reading is the key to education. I have wanted to bring the kids to the program since its inception.?

Reading can be fun

The theme could not have been more appropriate, according to assistant principal Veronica Rimando.

?One of our school?s core values is the protection of the environment. Every week, we ask the kids to bring recyclables for us to sell. The money that we get goes to the school. In fact, the wall of our basketball court was built with the funds that we got from junk,? she said.

?The program is very good. It is very interactive and lively,? said Angelina Opiana, Step Learning Academy English coordinator.

?It enhances the motivation of the children to read because the program shows that reading can be fun,? she added.

Well-loved mascots

Classmates Aera Brioso and Jasmine Pineda, both Grade 6 students, said they had a great time.

?It was very educational yet not boring. I loved the props and the mascots,? Brioso said.

?The activity was very interactive. I particularly enjoyed listening to Ate Dyali,? Pineda said.

Twenty-four parents and 21 school teachers and staffers accompanied the children in their trip.

Love amid hard times

In-between sessions, host and Junior Inquirer staff writer Ruth Navarra gave the students a brief lesson on the different sections of the newspaper, highlighting the importance of being abreast of news and issues.

The Inquirer Read-Along was launched in May 2007 by the Inquirer Research, the Library and the Junior Inquirer.

The project received an award for excellence in November last year from the prestigious Philippine Quill, an honor given by the International Association of Business Communicators.

Friday?s session was in cooperation with the USAID, SEDP, Department of Energy, United Nations Development Program and Ayala Foundation.

The session on Feb. 28 at the Inquirer Makati office will dwell on the theme of love amid hard times.

Those interested in attending the sessions may contact Ellen Caparros at Tel. No. 897-8808, local 329. Slots are open on a first-come, first-served basis.