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| Youth are the Future ambassadors with SM’s Chairman of the Executive Board Mr. Hans T. Sy, SM EDD President Mr. Hans “Chico” T. Sy Jr., DENR Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, and WWF-Philippines Ambassador Xia Vigor during the media launch. |
Recognizing today’s youth’s key
role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM
Prime) and World-Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed
up to launch YOUth are the Future, a leadership program aimed to equip young
student leaders on environmental conservation, climate change, and
sustainability issues.
“There is no better time than now
to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have
an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to
voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines
Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.
“When we provide our young student
leaders with learning opportunities and expose them to practical solutions, we
have a chance to help them design a sustainable future. We are committed to
make sure that things change for the better,” says Hans “Chico” Sy, President
of SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation (SMEDD) and SM
sustainability champion.
Commencing with the grand launch on
October 10, 2023, the student ambassadors from various Metro Manila high
schools participated in a discovery tour around the SM Mall of Asia Complex,
which features SM Prime’s sustainability efforts and disaster resiliency
practices. The formal introduction of YOUth is the Future Ambassadors was held
at the SMX Convention Center and along with a pinning ceremony. Leaders and
representatives from SM Prime, WWF-Philippines, government agencies, and
foreign dignitaries are also present at the event.
In a message she delivered during
the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary
Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said, “Our journey is really about the race to
resilience, as our climate changes, society is changing. Sustainability is our
pathway to survival as a planet and that is what resilience is really about,
the ability to withstand the impacts of the hazards that we know and those that
we could face in the future.”
The youth ambassadors will
participate in a three-day eco-camp at the Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club
in November, where they will learn about waste and energy management, resource
optimization, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies from some of the
country’s experts.
Renowned for its role in Olive
Ridley Sea Turtle conservation, the 3-day eco camp in Hamilo Coast also serves
as an immersive natural classroom in environmental conservation. The expected
output from the eco-camp is a Green Manifesto that outlines their plans to
effect change and a storybook module co-authored by all the participants. The
program will culminate through a series of mall and school tours throughout
Metro Manila to boost youth engagement and student ambassador recruitment.
In a message sent by her excellency
Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, she said,
“This visionary program embodies the transformative power of education and
empowerment in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. Taking
advantage of this program will give you all a head start on becoming
influential figures in creating a more sustainable and ecologically aware
culture.”
Together with its partners,
WWF-Philippines hopes to empower young Filipinos further to become the next
generation of sustainability champions. Programs like YOUth are the Future, can
help future generations become proactive leaders who can #ChangeTheEnding for
the planet.
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