Many schools in Negros Island are showing a growing awareness and advocacy on environmental protection and climate change, a ranking official of geothermal power leader Energy Development Corp. said.
Norreen Bautista, who heads the EDC’s Community Partnerships, External Relations & Watershed Management here, said Wednesday that this year’s Positive Energy Battle of the Brains competition has reflected a spike in the participating schools’ knowledge in these areas.
“We are happy with the responses from the schools with regards to the competition,” Bautista said.
“We see it as an indication that the academe has increased its advocacy and awareness on climate change, environmental preservation and restoration, and the push towards renewable and sustainable green energy,” she added.
Following the last leg of the island-wide environmental/science quiz bee, 10 senior high schools in Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental emerged as finalists in the EDC’s grand championship of the Positive Energy Battle of the Brains 2018 slated in September.
EDC announced the finalists, with two students from each senior high school, as: Balugo National High School and Valencia National High School (Dumaguete City leg); Okiot National High School and Cambagahan National High School (Bais City, Negros Oriental leg); Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High School and Riverside College (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental leg); Bago City College and Notre Dame (Bago City); and Southland College and Mabinay Science High School (Kabankalan City leg).
In the final leg of the competition, held last Aug. 24 in Valencia, Negros Oriental, 16 schools from Dumaguete City and Valencia competed for the last two remaining slots for the grand finals next month.
Questions in the easy, medium and difficult categories centered on renewable energy, issues, and concerns on the environment and even international subject matters like the Paris Treaty on climate change.
This year’s BOTB theme is “Renewable Energy for a Brighter Future” and for the first time, with only senior high school students participating.
The grand finals competition is set on Sept. 14 at the Foundation University in Dumaguete City, with the winning school to receive P30,000, cash award for the coach, and a trophy for the school. (PNA)
