Benguet students lead community efforts

MANILA, Philippines - Student leaders from various Benguet universities are embarking on environmental and livelihood projects designed to benefit their respective communities after participating in the Leadership Communities (LeadCom) program of the Ayala Foundation, Inc. in cooperation with Globe Telecom and Active Aid Partnerships. 

Benguet is one of the Communities of Practice (CoPs) of Globe, which brings together advocacies and initiatives of Globe through partnerships with community-based non-government organizations, barangay leaders, and youth beneficiaries.

“We believe that our youth possess the creativity and energy to bring change in their respective communities.  So we expect that through these activities, students would be encouraged and equipped to become servant leaders which the country could be proud of,” said Yoly Crisanto, head of Globe Corporate Communications.

At the end of the workshop, participants were tasked to translate their leadership learnings into project proposals to benefit their chosen community. Grants were given to the teams to help them mobilize, plan and implement their project.

University of the Cordilleras students built a weather-barrier and greenhouse to protect organic crops from erratic climate, with the hope of encouraging farmers to practice, maintain, and sustain organic farming.

University of Baguio students are offering environmental friendly water bottles to minimize the use of plastic bottles and styrofoam cups. The student leaders are also conducting a massive information campaign to inform the academic community about the initiative.

Benguet State University-Buguias Campus students are focusing on skill building among alternative learning system students, barangay women’s association, and community residents to find innovative ways of recycling plastic materials.  It also involves an information campaign to create awareness on how community members could creatively lessen their plastic waste without burning.

Students from Benguet State University – Main Campus are working on livelihood projects. Indigent students of the university are given the opportunity to earn extra funds by establishing a partnership with Kabayan, which is behind the hand-woven products sold in the Cordilleras. The plan is to provide a product outlet within the locality.

At the same time, BSU is training high school student leaders on livelihood project management to enable them to implement income generating projects for their school. They are also being encouraged to utilize readily available raw materials in La Trinidad, Benguet in promoting micro-entrepreneurship.