Grade school students from the DepEd’s Special Education School (SPED) in Antipolo City listened intently as Joteth Pavon, head of security at the Meralco Development Center (MMLDC), told an interesting story about nature and the need to preserve it. Beside him, a teacher interpreted the same tale through sign language.
After the story, the usually quiet, physically challenged students eagerly answered questions and shared their thoughts about the story. As young members of community, they too, can do their share in the campaign for the environment.
Through a lively storytelling session, the students were educated about nature, as the first set of beneficiaries of the re-designed ‘Lakbay Kalikasan’ Eco Tour of the MMLDC.
Fresh from the heels of a successful Lakbay Kalikasan program in 2006 which benefited some 420 public school pupils, the MMLDC has again decided to pursue the task of promoting environmental stewardship, aiming to share and spread their advocacy to the youth whose vital role as stewards will become much more significant in the near future.
The two-and-a-half hour tour continued with a trip to the aviary inside MMLDC’s sprawling property in Antipolo, Rizal. After some familiarization and a brief insight about the birds’ way of life, an entertaining show followed. Thalia and another parrot showed off its tricks in playing basketball, raising the flag, shooting rings in holes and even putting garbage in segregated waste bins.
“We plan to make this program a regular activity in MMLDC. Tuesdays will be reserved for public school beneficiaries while other days of the week will be made available to private school students for a minimal fee. This year, MMLDC aims to host at least 20 free Lakbay Kalikasan tours for around 1,400 pupils from various schools in Antipolo, as part of our continuing mission efforts,” said Nino Suarez, program officer and person in-charge of the Lakbay Kalikasan program.