THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is placing its hopes on the youth sector, as it mobilized more support for its environmental and conservation campaigns for Pampanga and the entire Central Luzon.
This, as the DENR, together with DENR Strategic Communication and Initiative Service (SCIS) based in Quezon City, held Friday, March 26, a virtual environmental youth summit to strengthen partnership with Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in a bid to boost environmental protection and conservation.
Benny Antiporda, undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerned, said the youth summit was participated in by some 18 SK federation presidents in Pampanga to boost environmental protection, especially solid waste management in the province.
"Solid waste management is one of our challenging environmental problems. Aside from banning plastic, we can change the behavior of the public, and our SK as young leaders can greatly help us to influence their constituents and communities towards proper waste management,” he said.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) projected that Central Luzon will be generating 15.3 million tons of solid wastes from 2020 to 2025.
According to Paquito Moreno Jr., executive director of DENR in Central Luzon, the youth has a critical role in the protection of air, water, forest, and even wildlife.
“Protecting our environment is a challenging task and we admit that the DENR cannot do it alone. Our youth is vital in spreading the message of environmentalism to their community,” he said.
He also appealed to the youth to maximize social media in advocating for the value of protecting the environment and natural resources.
The SK federation presidents vowed to support the different environmental programs of the DENR in the province.
Important environmental issues and problems were discussed in the summit, including ecological solid waste management, global warming and climate change, and the continuing efforts to save Manila Bay, said Laudemir Salac, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer in Pampanga.