Four of the 12 college students who are finalists in the 2011 Bayer Young Environmental Envoys (BYEE) will go on a weeklong, all-expense paid study tour in Germany in October.
It has not been an easy ticket to ride for the top four, as well as the rest of the finalists. The students have had to impress two sets of judges with their eco-projects.
The annual selection of BYEEs is undertaken by Bayer in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Germany-bound are Cris Raymond Viray of St. Paul University Quezon City, Reymart Canuel of University of Baguio, and Alfie Desamparado and Mary Jade Gabanes, both of West Visayas State University.
Gabanes dared to introduce environmental awareness to individuals with disabilities through art therapy. Viray launched an environmental camp and leadership training for children. Desamparado composed environmental songs inspired by indigenous people in Guimaras. And Canuel developed a website to promote reforestation efforts and environmental awareness in the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
The top four and eight other BYEEs were honored during ceremonies held at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.
Best art
At the event, 13-year-old Trisha Co Reyes of St. Stephen’s School was also cited for winning first prize in UNEP’s 20th International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment with the theme “Life in the Forests.” Her work bested thousands of entries from all over the world and won for her $2,000 and a trip to Bandung, Indonesia, where she will be formally awarded during the Tunza International Children and Youth Conference.
The other BYEEs are Michael Angelo Abarcar of University of Southern Philippines, Aura Patricia Azarcon of De La Salle University-Manila, Jerome Jose Fernandez of Universidad de Santa Isabel-Naga City, Ana Mae Lamentillo of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Masaki Mitsuhashi of UP Manila, Mark Mathew Operiano of WVSU, Christian Sorongon of UP Visayas and Daren Ril Valenzuela of John Lacson Foundation Maritime University.
Earth stewardship
Gabanes, a Bachelor of Science in Special Education major, topped the Editorial and Feature Writing in Filipino and received WVSU’s Academic Excellence Award this year. Her project, “Empowering Special Children to Empower Others toward Environmental Stewardship,” has been selected to compete in the global best BYEE project in Germany. If she wins, she will get financial support to expand her environmental project.
Canuel is an information technology major at the UB School of Information Technology. In 2010, he was chosen by the Japan International Cooperation Center as Japan’s Student Ambassador. He is involved in the Indigenous Youth Shout Out against Climate Change. His project is “GreEnitiative: A Web Site for Maximizing Reforestation Efforts through Social Mobilization and Heightening Tree Consciousness through Rich Multimedia Content.”
Desamparado is a Bachelor of Music Education student also at WVSU. This year, he won first prize in both Likha Awit/Song Writing Competition and in Ethnic Dance (Indigenous) Competition of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges Region IV. His project is “Pass It On: Pledges for the Environment through Indigenous Songs.”
Viray is a communication major at St. Paul University. He is the facilitator of Bida: Be the Change by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. Since 2010, he has been involved in the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Leadership Journey. His project is “Bakas (Batang Kalikasan ang Solusyon): Bakas ng mga Bata sa Kapaligiran na Susundan ng Susunod na Henerasyon.”
The top four winners will observe environmentally sound practices in Germany, particularly in the Bayer headquarters in Leverkusen. They will be joining BYEEs from 17 other countries: Thailand, Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, South Africa, Peru, Malaysia, Vietnam, Turkey and Argentina.
Christopher Millora, one of last year’s BYEEs whose project was adjudged among the best environmental initiatives from 18 countries, was awarded a package of electronic products.
Named a Bayer Young Environmental Leader, Millora received an iPad 2, multimedia projector and digital camera to help him continue his “environmental storytelling” project.
A week before the awarding ceremonies, the 12 BYEEs attended a six-day eco-camp at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) in UP Los Baños in Laguna.
Held near the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve and 2011 being the International Year of Forests, the eco-camp gave a special focus on forests and their conservation.
The camp featured interactive lectures on environment and sustainable development by noted environmentalists and experts representing nongovernmental organizations, academe and private industries.
The BYEE and the International Children’s Painting Competition are among several programs for youth and the environment jointly undertaken by Bayer and UNEP globally.