Legarda, DepEd to Announce Winners of ‘Best School Forest Park’

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED) AND HER LUNTIANG PILIPINAS FOUNDATION HAVE SELECTED THE WINNERS OF THE “BEST SCHOOL FOREST PARK” PROGRAM AND WILL AWARD THEM IN A FORMAL CEREMONY AT THE DEPED’S BULWAGAN NG KARUNUNGAN ON JANUARY 10.
Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and founder of Luntiang Pilipinas, said that they will announce the 16 regional winners, from which the five national finalists were chosen.
“The Luntiang Pilipinas is relentless in its efforts to encourage tree-growing activities in all parts of the country and promote awareness on the importance of trees in making our environment lively and safe. I thank the DepEd for partnering with Luntiang Pilipinas in the Best School Forest Park program, which is a very good opportunity to engage a younger audience in environmental protection,” she explained.
The Senator said that all 16 regional winners will be awarded 20 computer units to create a computer laboratory in their respective schools. The five national finalists will be given trophies and the national winner will receive a plaque and Php 1,200,000 for a new school building.
The winners were judged based on the sustainability of the forest park, creativity and aesthetics, the number of trees or seedlings planted based on size of site, and community involvement in planning and supervision of the forest park.
“I hope that even after we have awarded the winners, all schools in the country will continue to nurture their forest parks. May this program also inspire private learning institutions to create their own forest parks,” Legarda stressed.
“Trees are essential and crucial to our survival, especially during these times when inundation, flood, drought and pollution have alternately caused harm and danger to our communities. We must educate our children about the importance of trees, and in doing so inculcate in them the love for our environment,” Legarda concluded.