Youth organization formed to protect environment

The government has spearheaded the creation of a youth movement to promote awareness and advocate collective action to protect the environment and conserve the country’s natural resources.

Created under Executive Order 52 issued by then President Joseph Estrada in April 1999, the movement called Green Brigade (GB) aims to involve the youth in an environmental action and advocacy dedicated to a community-focused sustainable development.

The Sangguniang Kabataan, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) and non-government organizations particularly the International Marinelife Alliance (IMA), has organized GBs in several barangays.

The movement aims to mobilize the youth for sustainable development in local communities in the country and to strengthen participation in the formulation of doable local environment action plans.

As the overall coordinator and secretariat of the National Green Brigade coordinating committee, the National Youth Commission has been conducting training courses on six major ecosystems, namely forest, grassland, upland, freshwater, urban and coastal and marine.