KIANGAN, Ifugao -- Kiangan District of the Department of Education (DepEd) conducted last week activities to create awareness on the impact of El Niño phenomenon, as the town continues to reel from the effects of dry spell.
Angelina Ballacay, principal of Baguinge Elementary School, said the whole district, from employees, pupils and community, launched the week-long activities on March 15 with a parade around the town.
Participants in the parade held placards on how to combat the effects of El Niño. After the parade, they converged for a short program.
Ballacay said lectures on the integration of the effect and remedies of the El Niño phenomenon were conducted in all schools in the district.
“We hope to advocate the effects of the El Niño to all pupils in the district,” she said.
With the town declared under a state of calamity, the DepEd believes that by creating awareness among pupils about the environment, they will help control or conserve natural resources and man-made resources.
The Bureau of Fire Protection, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Ifugao Electric Cooperative (Ifelco) lectured on El Niño issues and concerns and how to mitigate the impact.
Other activities undertaken were slogan, poster, quiz bee and essay contests on the effects of the El Niño phenomenon and film showing on government programs regarding El Niño.
The local government unit here declared the municipality in a state of calamity when it incurred a total loss of P5,312,000 on rice/palay and vegetables.
The municipal agriculture office here said that a total of 212 hectares of farmlands and 273 farmers were affected. (Vency D. Bulayungan)