Best School Forest Park program winners announced

MANILA, Philippines - Winners and participants in the “Best School Forest Park” program were lauded by Senator Loren Legarda during the recent awarding ceremonies at  the Department of Education (DepEd) complex.

According to Legarda, the schools’  involvement in the project is a significant step towards environmental protection.

“I thank every school that joined this program, and every student who participated in making our schools greener and healthier. While we will award those that have been judged as the best, keep in mind that every school is already a winner because every school has contributed to our fight for a better Philippines,” said Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and founder of Luntiang Pilipinas.

 Legarda congratulated all the winners led by the grand winner—Cauayan City National High School from Cauayan, Isabela (Region II)—and said she hopes that the schools would continue to nurture their forest parks and that other schools would be inspired to create their own forest parks.

The Senator also thanked the Department of Education, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture along with the Bureau of Plant Industry, the partner agencies of Luntiang Pilipinas for the Best Forest School Park program, for their efforts in raising awareness among the youth in the value of tree-growing.

“It is an imperative for us to do everything in our power to protect the forests left for our children and for humanity. It is an uphill climb but we must gather courage. We must pool our knowledge, our skills, our commitment, and our passion,” she stressed.

The four national finalists and other regional winners are:

• Tubungan National High School (Region VI) - First Runner-up

• Ilocos Norte National High School (Region I) – Second Runner-up

• Barobo National School (CARAGA) - Third Runner-up

• Dacudao National High School (Region XI) – Fourth Runner-up

• Maria Aurora National High School (Region III)

• Alabat National High School (CALABARZON)

• Princess Urduja National High School (MIMAROPA)     

• Don Servillano Platon Memorial High School (Region V)

• Sierra Bullones Technical Vocational High School (Region VII)

• Tacloban National Agricultural High School (Region VIII)      

• Siayan National High School (Region IX)      

• Placida Mequiabas National High School (Region X)

• Tulunan National High School (Region XII)

• Commonwealth High School (NCR)

• Pilar Rural High School (CAR)

All 16 regional winners received  20 computer units to create a computer laboratory in their respective schools. The five national finalists were also given trophies and the national winner received a plaque and P1.2 million for a new school building.