The company recently held the second Youth for Climate and Energy Leadership Summit (YCELS), gathering 28 students from Pantabangan National High School and Cadaclan Integrated School in Nueva Ecija for a two-day learning program at the headquarters of First Gen Hydro Power Corp. (FG Hydro) in Pantabangan.
The summit forms part of First Gen's Create for the Climate (CFTC) environmental awareness program, launched last year to encourage youth-led solutions to climate and energy challenges.
Building leaders
Students attended sessions led by environmental experts, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations covering climate science, the country's evolving energy landscape, youth leadership, and community-based climate action.
Resource speakers came from First Gen, the Climate Change Commission, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Waves for Water, MAD Earth, YGOAL Inc., New Energy Nexus Philippines, and Abot Tala Community.
"Through YCELS, the participants learned from environmental experts and advocates about a wide range of topics, such as climate science, the evolving energy landscape, youth leadership and youth-led climate action," said Janice Ortañez-Dugan, First Gen assistant vice president.
Following the learning sessions, students worked in teams to develop climate action projects addressing environmental concerns in their respective schools and communities.
Turning ideas
First Gen, together with the Oscar M. Lopez (OML) Center and its partner organizations, mentored the student teams as they refined their proposals into practical initiatives.
"Under the CFTC program, First Gen offers learning sessions and mentorship with its partner organizations to students to develop their climate action projects for their schools and communities," Ortañez-Dugan said.
To help promising ideas move beyond the planning stage, the company also offered seed funding to the most innovative proposals.
The summit concluded with the presentation of climate action projects, where five student teams received recognition and financial support.
Local solutions
Three teams from Pantabangan National High School qualified for seed funding, including projects to build an eco-friendly learning space using recycled plastic bottles, convert plastic caps into eco-pebbles and eco-bricks, and establish a solar-powered rainwater harvesting and irrigation system for an herbal garden.
Two teams from Cadaclan Integrated School also received support. One proposed developing a school garden integrated with waste management, tree planting, and environmental awareness activities, while another designed vertical gardens using segregated and recycled plastic bottles.
The projects were evaluated by representatives from FG Hydro, the Pantabangan Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, and local barangay officials.
By combining climate education, mentorship, and financial support, First Gen said it hopes to empower more young Filipinos to become environmental leaders capable of creating lasting change in their communities. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
