National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

News and Announcements

Loren congratulates eco-friendly school winners

[DECEMBER 28, 2011/PEOPLE'S JOURNAL] Senator Loren Legarda has commended this year's winners of the national search for "eco-friendly" schools as they help the youth understand their important role in preserving the environment.

The grand winners of the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools are: Iliranan Elementary School in Negros Occidental, Camarines Sur National High School in Naga City and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas in Cavite.

"The grand winners served as inspiration among schools in their pursuit to be a green learning institution, where students become aware of their roles in protecting the environment," Legarda said.

She said that the winners were chosen, last November 16, out of the 45 regional champions.

The search, now on its second year, has been organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Environmental Management Bureau in partnership with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and Smart Communications, Inc.

"The competition recognizes the environmental initiatives of schools over the country and to encourage schools and other academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues," Legarda said.

Eco-friendly schools top national national search

[DECEMBER 11, 2011/PHILIPPINE STAR] Iliranan Elementary School, Camarines Sur National High School, and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas led the roster of winners in the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools, a joint activity of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

Now on its second run, the search was launched in 2009 to recognize elementary, high school and tertiary level schools with the best sustainable and environment-friendly programs and activities.

Joining the topnotchers in the honor roll in their respective categories are: Kibawe Central School and San Mariano Elementary School (Elementary level); University of San Jose Recoletos-High School and Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School (High School level); and Palawan State University and Ateneo De Manila University (College level). This year, 45 private and public schools, selected as regional winners, went on to compete in the finals.

Juan Miguel Cuna, OIC-Director of the DENR-EMB, thanked all the schools that participated and reiterated DENR’s commitment to support environmental programs and initiatives. “If there are model cities, there can be model schools, too. We at DENR will continue to extend technical services, skills development and education through our regional offices.”

Said Darwin Flores, Smart senior manager for Community Partnerships: “As we do with our other public activities, we would like to promote environmental awareness among the youth. This can be achieved by working with their schools. Smart supports this project as part of our Kabalikat sa Kalikasan program.”

The winning schools were awarded plaques of recognition and cash prizes of P50,000 (first place), P40,000 and P30,000. As regional winners, the schools and 36 other finalists also each received P10,000 cash and a certificate of recognition.

The Iliranan ES in Negros Occidental set up the SPROUT EHCOM (School Personnel Reaching Out to Every Household in the Community) in response to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, aimed at improving the habits of the community towards proper waste disposal and segregation.

Since coming in second during the 2009 search, Camarines Sur NHS has added new programs to further boost its efforts. “We started an aquaculture project, the gulayan sa paaralan, and coastal clean-up. We intensified our garden in the main campus and annex, plus we are maintaining a three-hectare reforestation project in Mt. Isarog Natural Park,” says principal Nely Abad. There is also a plan to adopt another school to implement their programs and join the search as well.

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas’ Environmental Resource Management and Campus Development Office implements, supervises and evaluates all its program and policies in compliance with environmental management and safety, pollution control and disaster risk reduction. For its environmental initiatives, the school became the first recipient of the Dark Green School Award, a seven-year accreditation bestowed by the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines.

9 sustainable, eco-friendly schools named national champions

[November 17, 2011/PHILIPPINE STAR] Nine schools out of the 45 regional champions were declared national champions of the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

This year’s national champions for the elementary level are Iliranan Elementary School in Negros Occidental (1st place); Kibawe Central School in Bukidnon (2nd place); and San Mariano Elementary School in Oriental Mindoro (3rd place).

For the high school level: Camarines Sur National High School, Naga City (1st place); University of San Recoletos-High School, Cebu City (2nd place); and Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Davao City (3rd place).

Meanwhile, for the college category, the national champions are: De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite (first place); Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (2nd place); and Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City (3rd place).

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said the schools’ response to the call for entries was overwhelming.

Co-organizers of the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau for the said activity are the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and Smart Communications Inc.

Smart joined the activity for the second run as part of its corporate social responsibility and community service program “Kabalikat.”

Ramon Isberto, Smart public affairs head, said, “Smart has been taking measures to practice environmental sustainability in our day-to-day operations and promote ecological awareness and preservation to the public. We encourage the youth to do the same and we know we can do this by working through their schools.”

Isberto expressed hope that this search will inspire more schools to go green and will influence participants to adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle from what they learned from this program.

Prizes for the national level are P50,000 for the first prize; P40,000 for the second prize; P30,000 for third prize; and plaques of recognition for elementary, secondary and tertiary education level winners.

The said nationwide search is the Philippine initiative support to the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (2008-2012) and the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

DENR-EMB, Smart bare national finalists for the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

[September 6, 2011/MANILA BULLETIN] A total of 45 public and private schools have entered the finals of the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools, organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

Fourteen elementary schools, 16 high schools and 15 colleges made it through the regional eliminations and will now compete in their respective categories at the national Level. Winners will be announced during the exhibition-cum-awarding ceremony that will be held on November 16, 2011 as part of the National Environmental Awareness Month pursuant to the Environmental Awareness and Education Law (Republic Act No. 9512).

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the schools’ response to the call for entries was “overwhelming”. Now on its second run, the nationwide competition aims to recognize educational institutions from the elementary, high school and tertiary levels with the best sustainable and environment-friendly programs and activities.

“We were amazed by their creativity and their commitment in implementing eco-friendly practices,” he said.

“We need to start teaching our kids as early as we can to take responsibility in safeguarding our environment. Schools are dynamic focal points of learning and powerful vehicles of change. Parents and teachers can work together to spread the wonders of living an environmentally-smart lifestyle,” he added.

Smart joins the activity for the second year as part of its corporate social responsibility and community service program Kabalikat.

“Smart has been taking measures to practice environmental sustainability in our day-to-day operations and promote ecological awareness and preservation to our publics. We encourage the youth to do the same and we know we can do this by working through their schools,” said Ramon Isberto, Smart Public Affairs Head.

“We are hoping that this search will inspire more schools to go green and will influence participants to adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle from what they learned from this program,” he added.

For the elementary school level, the regional champions are: Commonwealth Elementary School, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City; Lawig Elementary School, Lamut, Ifugao Province; Cal-laguip Elementary School, Caoayan, Ilocos Sur; Peñablanca East Central School, Peñablanca, Cagayan; Matain Elementary School, Subic, Zambales; San Isidro Elementary School, San Isidro, Batangas City; San Mariano Elementary School in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro; Iliranan Elementary School, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; Simeon Ayuda Elementary School, Liloan, Cebu; Lomonon Elementary School, Palompon, Leyte; Kibawe Central School, Kibawe, Bukidnon; Luna Elementary School, Kapalong, Davao Del Norte; Panay Elementary School, Sto. Niño, South Cotabato and Duangan Elementary School, Esperanza, Agusan Del Sur.

For the high school level, the regional champions are: Jose P. Laurel Sr. High School, Project 4, Quezon City; Baguio City National High School, Governor Pack Road, Baguio City; Sinait National High School, Sinait, Ilocos Sur; San Mateo General Comprehensive High School, San Mateo, Isabela; Digdig High School, Carrangalan, Nueva Ecija; Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School, Sta. Cruz, Laguna; President Diosdado Macapagal Memorial National High School, Gloria, Oriental Mindoro; Camarines Sur National High School, Naga City, Camarines Sur; Julio Ledesma National High School, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; University of San Jose-Recoletos High School, Pardo, Cebu City; Dr. Geronimo B. Zaldivar Memorial School of Fisheries, Albuera, Leyte; Siayan National High School, Siayan, Zamboanga Del Norte; Balo-i National High School, Balo-i, Lanao Del Norte; Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Matina, Davao City; Tulunan National High School, Tulunan, North Cotabato and Esperanza National High School, Esperanza, Agusan Del Sur.

For the college level, the schools that made it to the national level are: Ateneo De Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City; University of the Cordilleras, Governor Pack Road, Baguio City; Mariano Marcos State University, Batac, Ilocos Norte; St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; De La Salle University, Dasmariñas, Cavite; Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Catanduanes State Colleges, Virac, Catanduanes; Central Philippine University, Jaro, Iloilo City; St. Paul University Dumaguete, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar; Universidad De Zamboanga, Tetuan, Zamboanga City; Capitol University, Cagayan De Oro City; Davao Doctors College, Davao City; Notre Dame of Marbel University, Koronadal City, South Cotabato and Caraga State University, Butuan City.

Prizes for the national level include: P50,000 - First Prize; P40,000 - Second Prize; P30,000 - Third Prize and plaques of recognition for elementary, secondary and tertiary education level winners.

The said nationwide search is the Philippine initiative in support to the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (2008-2012) and the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

For details, please contact the National Program Secretariat at the Environmental Education and Information Division of the Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR, at telefax number 9284674, e-mail: ecofriendlyschools@gmail.com and website: http://www.sustainableschools.ph.

Search for sustainable, eco-friendly schools on

[April 3, 2011/PHILIPPINE STAR] The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is encouraging schools to participate in the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools. The deadline for submission of entries is on April 29.

“We hope more schools will participate and take part in heightening environmental awareness among our youth,” Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said.

Launched in 2009, the competition was organized to highlight the achievements of schools that are committed to implement various environmental programs.

Open to all elementary, high school and tertiary school levels, the activity aims to encourage schools and academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and local level.

It also aims to develop skills and understanding among students, faculty and school administrators to initiate active responses and increase community awareness and involvement on environmental concerns.

In the competition’s inaugural staging, nine schools were declared winners:

For the elementary category — Peñablanca East Central School in Cagayan, first place; North Central Elementary School in Dagupan City, second place; and Badas Elementary School of Surigao del Norte, third place.

For the high school category – La Castellana National High School in Negros Occidental, first place; Camarines Sur National High School in Naga City, second place; and Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City, third place.

For the college category – Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa, first place; Visayas State University in Leyte, second place; and Catanduanes State Colleges in Virac, third place.

The national search is a collaborative effort of the DENR through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Smart Communications.

“We are happy to partner with the DENR and other agencies for this nationwide search. This activity will encourage schools to promote environmental consciousness among the youth,” said Ramon Isberto, Smart public affairs head.

Participating schools are required to fill up their on-line entry forms at the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools website at http://www.sustainableschools.ph and submit entries in three hard copies. School entries should revolve around the theme “Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Initiatives.”

For further details, contact the Environmental Education and Information Division of the Environmental Management Bureau-DENR. Telefax: (02) 9284674. or Tel. No. 9202251 Website: www.emb.gov.ph or www.sustainableschools.ph.

Be Eco-Friendly, DepEd tells schools

[December 1, 2010/MANILA BULLETIN] To respond to the call to action in safeguarding Mother Nature, the Department of Education (DepEd) has partnered with various organizations to encourage schools and other academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and local level.

The DepEd, in partnership with the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Environmental and Management Bureau (EMB), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and SMART Communications, Inc., has launched the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools.

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro said that the perennial calamities that hit the country depict not only the universal concern for global warming. “It should also remind us of the responsibility of every citizen to contribute to its eradication,” he said.

Through DepEd Memorandum 480, series 2010, DepEd announced the launch of the search which also intends to develop skills and understanding among students, faculty and school administrators in initiating active responses, and to increase community awareness and participation on environmental concerns.

Sustainable and eco-friendly schools, explained Luistro, may be described as “environment-friendly schools that have initiated and integrated in their instruction, research, extension and/or administration, programs which are environment-related.”

The DepEd chief mentioned that by virtue of RA 9729, otherwise known as Climate Change Act of 2009, “we are mandated to mainstream the climate change concepts into the basic education curriculum and deliver correct and updated information.”

Luistro also said that in line with this mandate, the department “mobilizes our schools to increase awareness among our students and to exert efforts in government’s thrust against global warming.”

He explained that environmental conservation and protection are among the key themes under the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) that has been declared for the years 2005-2014.

“Education for sustainable development centers on awareness of sustainable development issues, enhancing knowledge, influencing values and attitudes, and encouraging responsive behavior and learning that leads to action,” said Luistro.

He added that information is a major component of education and a continuous campaign for massive environmental awareness is indeed necessary.

Moreover, under the country’s local response to the UNDESD, included in the National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development is a national program that encourages the establishment of sustainable and eco-friendly schools.

“Schools are a vital part of basic learning and remain a powerful vehicle for change. It is just but appropriate to tap schools in this climate change/global warming-related initiative,” Luistro explained.

In pursuit of sustainable eco-friendly schools are encouraged to develop environmental policies for the school; physical cleanliness, orderliness and beautification of the school; energy conservation and demand management; water conservation/water management (maintenance of potable water); paper conservation/paper recycling; waste reduction, waste segregation, recycling and composting; air, water, and soil pollution control; seedling production/vegetable gardening and marketing; reforestation and/or nursery establishment; establishment of a botanical garden; herbarium; establishment of a bio-park; and environmental audits of school’s operations and facilities.

DENR Opens the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

[September 16, 2010/MANILA BULLETIN] Interested schools that would like to participate in the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools may start submitting their school's documentation of its eco-friendly program, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, the eco-friendly schools program launched last 2009 generated positive responses from the schools and this paved the way for the next wave of the competition in 2011. "We intended to have the awarding of the search next year instead of this year to allow schools more time to prepare and to enhance their existing eco-friendly programs. We are hoping to encourage more schools to participate and take part in heightening environmental awareness among our youth," Paje said.

The nationwide contest dubbed, "2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools," is a direct response to Republic Act No. 9512 also known as the Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008. It is also the Philippine initiative in support to the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (2008-2012). The contest was also organized to highlight achievement of schools that are committed in implementing various environmental programs. Open to all elementary, high school and tertiary school levels, both public and private, the activity aims to encourage schools and academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and local level. It also aims to develop skills and understanding among students, faculty and school administrators to initiate active responses and increase community awareness and involvement on environmental concerns.

In 2009 , a total of nine schools were declared as national champs for the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools. These are the following: (Elementary Category) First prize - Penablanca East Central School, Aggugaddan-Malibabag, Penablanca, Cagayan; Second prize - North Central Elementary School, Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and Third prize - Badas Elementary School, Badas, Placer, Surigao del Norte. For the high school category, the winners are: First place - La Castellana National High School, La Castellana, Negros Occidental; Second place - Camarines Sur National High School, Naga City, Camarines Sur; and Third place- Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Matina, Davao City. For the college category, the winners are: First place - Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Second place - Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte; and Third place - Catanduanes State Colleges, Virac, Catanduanes.

The national search is a joint activity of the DENR through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Smart Communications.

Smart Communications joins the activity as part of its own environment advocacy for schools. "We are happy to partner again with the DENR and other agencies for this nationwide search. This activity will encourage schools to promote environmental consciousness among the youth," said Ramon Isberto, Smart Public Affairs Head.

Participating schools must submit entries in three (3) hard copies to respective DepEd Division Offices for elementary and high school categories, and to EMB Regional Offices for the higher education category. The minimum requirement for judging will be the hard copies. Entries can likewise be submitted online in JPEG format with a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi), a minimum size of 1536 x 2048 pixels, and a maximum file size of 1MB. Entries may be emailed to ecofriendlyschools@gmail.com. The top entry per category for every region will be forwarded to the EMB Central Office for national judging. For elementary and high school categories, entries should be submitted directly to their respective DepEd Division Offices. On the other hand, for the college category, entries should be submitted to the nearest EMB Regional Office. The deadline for the submission of entries is on April 29, 2011.

School entries should revolve around the theme "Sustainable and Eco-friendly Initiatives." Participating schools should include a brief description of the Project.Entries will be rated according to the following: Environment-related Aspects of the School's Policy (20 pts); Environment-friendly School Operations and Presence of Environmental Programs (30 pts); Environment-related Features of the School Curriculum (30 pts); Presence of Vibrant Eco Organizations in Campus (10 pts); and Presence of Partners and Linkages in Environment Programs/Projects (10 pts). Only one entry per school will be accepted.

For the national level, prizes include, College, High School and Elementary: P50,000 - 1st Prize; P40,000 - 2nd Prize; P30,000 - 3rd Prize and plaques of recognition. For the regional level, a certificate of recognition and a prize of in cheque of P10,000 will be given to regional winners for each category. All winning entries for each of the three categories, together with selected entries will be displayed during the national awarding ceremonies in November 2011, coinciding with the National Environmental Awareness Month celebration.

For further details, please contact the Environmental Education and Information Division of the Environmental Management Bureau-DENR. Telefax: (02) 9284674. or Tel. No. (02) 9202251 Website: www.emb.gov.ph and www.sustainableschools.ph

Featured Schools

SAN MARIANO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Greening Program

The school ensures it surroundings are green through planting of flowering plants vegetables and fruit trees. This provides shade, fresh air and fruits for the pupils are source of funds for the school.

Electricity Conservation Program

To save energy, the school implements "3:00 o'clock switching off" habit. This one hour power shut off helps conserve electricity in every classroom.

Pollution Prevention Program

A "no burning of trash" policy is being implemented in the school. Waste materials are segregated and properly disposed to ensure a cleaner, waste free environment.

Paper Conservation Program

Funds for classroom are raised by selling scratch papers. Curtains and indoor decorations are also being made out of used papers, plastics and magazines.

San Mariano Elementary School is a National Champion (Third Place) for Elementary School Category to the 2011 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

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