As he promised, Sir Al Arquillano Jr. is sharing with you the report written by Ms. Jonavieve Mae Campomayor Otero about the various recent eco-initiatives conducted in their municipality, San Francisco in Camotes to celebrate and continue the sustainable work of Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Sr. for the people of this town.
Ms. Otero starts her report by asking if the malignant disease called environment degradation can be arrested and solved. She wrote that the SanFran residents have a loud and clear reply to this question. The SanFran residents say "Yes! the environment can be protected." The SanFran residents are saying "We can protect our environment." And they show us how in this report below from Ms. Otero.
"The town of San Francisco has been doing environmental awareness for years and this time, it has been strengthened through a Municipal Resolution declaring the 28th day of August to be the "Day of Environmentalism"– in honor of the late Alfredo S. Arquillano Sr., the man who initiated and inspired change in the town of San Francisco and whose footsteps are vigorously followed by hischildren. Another approach involves providing sustainable education to all students from kindergarten to college and to all residents in the Purokhanon in the whole Municipality of San Francisco.
For this year, " a week-long activity was launched last August 24, 2015 with all the town folks involved. Nineteen complete public elementary schools, three primary schools, five public secondary schools, one private school, one university and 125 puroks joined the said activity."
"Each group created their own theme in line with the Environmental Awareness Week. Different contests and activities were conducted ensuring the maximum participation of and learning for the students. The contests in the schools included: Environmental Information, Ad Campaign, Environmental Quiz, Recycling, Poster & Slogan Making, Tula Making, Essay Writing, Envi - Jingle, Oration, Speech, Choir, among others."
"Environmental activities included School Symposium andFilm Showing, Discussion on the importance of Solid Waste Management, Coastal Clean Up, Tree Planting and Growing, and Community Service with Solid Waste Segregation."
"The puroks also conducted their activities like symposium, community service, and tree planting & growing. " Sir Al added that the residents did "turok banwa" where seeds of wild plants were transferred to seedling bags and planted.
From mayor to ordinary resident, it is the aim of San Francisco to have everyone in this town understand, unite, and do their share to continue their sustainable communities.
They are doing their best now to more widely disseminate and continue sustainable education, emphasizing the value and importance of nature and ensuring that everyone understands that protection and sustainability of nature is everyone's task and responsibility.
According to Ms. Otera in her report, "San Francisco aims to sustain their natural environment. People in this town envision their community to be a protected and protective sustainable environment where there is no need to guard trees because everyone knows the importance of trees for their lives and for the sustainability of the community. They envision SanFran to be a community where there is no need for penalties for those who burn their plastics because everyone knows the danger of burnt plastics for all and for nature. They see a time when there will be no need to imprison illegal loggers and illegal fishermen because everyone will responsibly take care of the trees and the other resources in the area. They look forward to the time when there will no longer be any need to reprimand the people to plant trees because everyone in this town fully knows, understands, and practices the value of trees."
SanFran looks forward to environmentalism or environment protection as a natural activity in the daily lives of all the town residents. According to Sir Al and Ms. Otera, they have started and want to continue to have all in this town "embrace the change we are looking for and internalize the importance of protecting our environment not just for the present living but for the future generations."
Those in San Francisco hope to "continue to spread their advocacy about the environment not just in their town or in the entire islands of Camotes but in the entire world as well. "
With all advocates in Cebu, in the Philippines, all throughout the world, SanFran continues to move forward as a model sustainable community where the people continue to be protected because the people, in turn, continue to protect and sustain nature and their environment.
Padayon, SanFran!!!