PIA 2009/09/15

Iloilo (15 September) -- The celebration of Science Month this September, spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd), will culminate with the holding of YES-O Congress on the 26th and the 27th this month.

Ms. Rose Eden Calaor, Science Supervisor for Secondary Education in Iloilo, said the observance of Science Month is anchored on the theme:"Adapting to Diverse Science Cultures for Development" brought about by increasing global concern for environment and climate change and the need to take concerted actions.

Calaor said the DepEd Division of Iloilo has issued Order No. 72, s. of 2003 declaring September as Science Month and requiring schools to undertake activities manifesting efforts in protecting, safeguarding and conserving the environment.

This year's celebration will be highlighted by the YES-O Congress at the Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School to be attended by about 3,000 students from all over the province of Iloilo.

Activities will include pre-Congress and Congress Day events, to include spelling contest, lecturettes, film showing, on-the-spot PoeTREE Writing, Poster Making Contest and essay Writing which will focus on Rainwater Harvesting, Oration Contest, Science Quiz Bee, Olympics, and Tree Planting.

Five high schools in the municipalities in the Tigum-Aganan Watershed Area will be presenting creative interpretations of Impact of Climate Change on different aspects of life.

Pavia National High School will present impact of Climate change on Flooding; Sta. Barbara National High School on climate Change and Ground Water; Cabatuan National High School on Climate Change and Health and Sanitation; Oton National High School on Climate Change and Agriculture; and Alimodian National High School on climate and Potable Water.

The overall theme of the YES-O Congress is "1 2 TREE 4 LIFE which stands for Lasting Initiative For the Environment. "

Meanwhile, President Gloria Arroyo has included members of the academe in pressing ahead for a massive Green Philippine Environment Plan that includes reforestation, preservation of reefs and waterways and one that scrubs land and air of pollutants that endanger the health of citizens. (PIA6/ESS)

PIA 2009/09/10

Iloilo (10 September) -- Five public high schools in the Tigum-Aganan Watershed area in the province of Iloilo have initially accepted to integrate rainwater harvesting technology and climate change in their subjects in high school.

These schools are the Pavia National High School, Sta. Barbara National High school, Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School, Alimodian National High School and Oton National High School.

Prior to the inclusion, students, teachers, school officials and science teacher coordinators of the said schools participated in a forum facilitated by their local government units with the Kahublagan sang Panimalay Foundation, Inc. (KSPFI) and the Tigum-Aganan Watershed Management Board (TAWMB).

In a radio interview during the Ugat sang Tubig School-on-Air anchored by the Iloilo Watershed Management Council and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), KSPFI Project Coordinator Liezel Marfil said the integration was coordinated with DepEd’s Iloilo Schools Division Superintendent Raymundo Lapating and Ms. Rose Eden Calaor, Science Supervisor for Secondary Education.

The suggested topics that will be included in the teachers’ lesson plans are 1)understanding the value of rainwater; 2)rainwater as alternative source to augment water needs of people;3)how to catch rainwater and its various uses;4) effectiveness of educating students on rainwater harvesting technology starting in schools.

In a meeting held on August 27, further details of integration were firmed up and the following schools said they will integrate rainwater harvesting in these lessons: The Community, Family and Households, Sta. Barbara National High School; Hydrosphere, Cabatuan National High School; Pangangalaga ng Likas na Yaman, Alimodian National High School.

Rainwater harvesting technology is being advocated in schools as a means of climate change adaptation and mitigation, as communities and the whole country in general are seen to be net takers of the huge impact of extreme weather conditions and global warming.

Adoption and construction of rainwater catchments as well as its replications are mandated as among the tasks of concerned agencies by President Gloria Arroyo in Executive Order 774, creating the Task Force on Climate Change. (PIA6/ESS)