Students and teachers from Bonuan Buquig National High School in Dagupan City replant mangroves after their community was devastated by Typhoon Pepeng. (Photo screengrabbed from T4’s Youtube)
MANILA, Philippines – A public high school in Dagupan City was awarded the World’s Best School for Environmental Action by the global education organization T4 Education.
The Bonuan Buquig National High School in Dagupan City was awarded for its longstanding efforts in replanting mangrove forests devastated by Typhoon Pepeng in 2009, T4 Education announced on Wednesday.
“It’s a big prize to our school and our community,” said the school’s principal Renato Santillan during the awarding ceremony, which was streamed on Youtube.
The Bonuan Buquig National High School in Dagupan City is recognized by T4 education as the World’s Best School for Environmental Action. (Photo screengrabbed from T4’s Youtube)
According to T4 Education’s website, “this Prize recognizes the importance of youth, students and schools in climate action that engage with solutions for global warming and climate crisis.”
Other schools from around the world were also awarded by T4 in different categories:
- Community Collaboration: Dunoon Grammar School in Scotland, United Kingdom
- Innovation: Escuela Emilia Lascar in Peñaflor, Chile
- Overcoming Adversity: Project Shelter Wakadogo in Gulu, Uganda
- Supporting Healthy Lives: Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago, United States
Each school awarded will get $50,000 (P2,949,351.20) prize, T4 Education said on their website.
“Sa loob ng labindalawang taon, kaya namin ginagawa ng paaralan ang mangrove planting, ay dahil sa pagmamahal namin sa kalikasan. Bagamat napakaliit na hakbang, pero may mas malawak na tinitingnan,” Santillan said in T4 Education’s featured video of their school.
(For twelve years, our school has done mangrove planting because we love the environment. Even if it is a small step, there is a broad vision).