More than a mere eye-opener

Six days in Germany forever changed five young Filipinos’ view of their environment, and possibly, how they will shape their lives in the future.

These outstanding students late last year joined other equallly bright students from Singapore, China and Thailand. Their trip to various sites in Cologne, Leverkusen, Dormagen, Uerdingen, Monheim was their prize for being awarded the 2003 Bayer Young Environmental Envoys (BYEE). This recognition they got after topping 12 other BYEE aspirants through several nerve-wracking panel interviews, essay writing, a three-day eco-camp program and a presentation of their plans of action for the environment.

The 2003 BYEEs from the Philippines were led by designated leader Reginald Andal of De La Salle-Lipa; Diana Mallari of the University of the Philippines-Diliman; Bernardo Albano of Mariano Marcos State University, Ilocos Norte; Gilbert Hamera of St. Louis University, Baguio, and Christopher Rhett Alger of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo.

Visits to the various environmental and waste management systems of German multinational chemicals company Bayer AG, has definitely been more than a mere eye-opener for these students, who for six days, soaked up more information than one could probably care to remember. But this they did. The enthusiasm they showed was assurance they have the resolve to commit themselves to their proposed action plans once they get back home.

Most of them where overwhelmed at the steadfastness and consistency of the German government in imposing to companies such as Bayer strict environmental measures and highly-effective but expensive waste-management infrastructure.

The BYEE delegates agreed that the best example of this resolve is the manner by which the State Environmental Protection Agency of North Rhein Westfahlia was able to rehabilitate the once-stinky and dead Rhine River. After 19 years, the river, which stretches to portions of France and The Netherlands, was successfully rehabilitated and is even today, a major source of drinking water in Germany.

Today, the agency continues to practice intensive water quality monitoring through the 13 alarm stations installed in key sites on the Rhine river and its tributaries. Aboard the monitoring laboratory ship "Max Pruss," marine scientists showed the students how water samples and river sediments are collected and analyzed to determine if factories surrounding the river are complying with allowable pollution levels.

"There must still be some hope then for our own Pasig River," commented both Albano and Alger, while admitting this daunting task will require all of government’s mustering the political will to undertake and sustain such an ambitious project.

One of the most interesting tours was the visit to the waste management site and briefing on the separation system of the Leverkusen Municipal Waste Management System which the local government of Lever-kusen contracted to a private firm, the Avea Waste Management Co.

AVEA’s range of services include collecting and transporting waste and reusable materials to sorting and recycling, the utilization and thermic treatment of waste to depositing residual waste in landfill sites.

At the waste depository, where Leverkusen residents come to discard their thrash – from old furniture, to microwaves, old carpets, cables, radiators, car-glass, high-grade steel, mineral fibers, radios, televisions, refrigerators, computers, what have you – the system of sorting, crashing, incinerating and recyling reusable thrash fired up the enthusiasm of students who watched the locals patiently unloading their discards in designated thrash containers.

"Unbelievable! There are at least 35 categories of thrash where residents are supposed to unload their thrash and they are very-disciplined, it has become a way of life for people in Leverkusen. We should really be able to do this some day in the Philippines. It takes money, sure, but if we want a better environment and quality of life, it is really worth considering installing a facility like this one," said Andal.

Equally impressive was Bayer’s in-house waste management systems. It was obvious that no cost was spared to ensure that the company’s waste water treatment facilities, incineration plants for chemical wastes and landfill for hazardous wastes meet rigid standards set by the European Commission.

"I hope we have more responsible companies in the Philippines who will really comply with environmental laws and equally, I hope that government agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be more forceful in imposing these laws," said Mallari.

The trip certainly strengthened the resolve of the Filipino BYEE students to continue doing their part to make their environment a better place to live in.

Hamera whose action plan involves an ambitious undertaking to rehabilitate the Bauang River in La Union is determined to carry out his plan. To do this, he is in the process of seeking the support of local municipalities and residents.

"For my project to be successful, it has to be accepted by the local community. They should view this project as their own," noted Hamera, a graduating chemical engineering student, who plans to take up a Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering.

Mallari for her part, is optimistic that she could encourage other committed students like her to devote some time to implement a sustainable tourism plan in Barangay Ditumabo, San Luis, Aurora where this tourism student has spent at least eight months appreciating and monitoring increasing tourism activities in the area.

"My plan is simple, to implement a sustainable eco-tourism program that will ensure that while the community benefits from the growing popularity of Aurora as a backpacker’s new haven, it would be able to guarantee that its charms which attracted these tourists are not exploited and left to waste like other tourists spots," explained Mallari.

Alger, a marketing student is now back in Iloilo and still pursues his Adopt-a-Mountain Project, focusing on Mt. Bayuso near the outskirts of Iloilo City which is already denuded because of years of unhampered illegal logging activities and kaingin or slash-and-burn farm practices of upland farmers.

Earlier this year, Alger orchestrated "Daga-ob," an environmental band showdown that raised funds for his project.

Alger is also into earthworm composting which he is promoting as an alternative to commercial chemical fertilizers.

Andal, the youngest in the group but already an accomplished youth leader in Batangas City and a leader of several community environment projects such as street cleaning, tree planting and waste separation management, has received financing from the National Youth Commission for his plans to expand his greenery projects in the province.

On the other hand, Albano, will revive a coral reef transplantation project in Badoc Islands in the southernmost town of Ilocos Norte, about 30 kilometers from Laoag City. Last year, he and a group of more than 150 volunteers and scuba divers initiated the project where they succcessfully transplanted 1,300 coral fragments in 50 cement slabs.

"It is a perfect place to grow corals but the area has been defiled by people who indiscriminately throw their garbage along the shoreline and its waters while fisherfolks use illegal fishing methods."

"There is so much that can still be done. I keep telling volunteers that getting involved in activities to protect our environment spells our own survival. However big or small our involvement, we can make a difference," said Albano.