Thirty-three young, student leaders in Negros Island are campaigning for a greener, cleaner and sustainable environment as they promote renewable energy for a sustainable future.
These youth leaders from different schools in the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental comprise the latest batch of the BINHI Youth Camp of geothermal power leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) which started Wednesday and ends Friday evening in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
The three-day boot camp allows the participants not only to have an exposure on geothermal energy, but to also actually take part in activities that would hone their skills as well as provide a venue for them to contribute to EDC’s premiere greening program, BINHI.
This year’s delegates are from Negros Oriental State University, Saint Paul University Dumaguete, Foundation University, STI-Dumaguete, Asian College of Science and Technology, Metro Dumaguete College, and Silliman University in Negros Oriental and from University of Negros Occidental Recoletos, University of St. La Salle, Bago City College, Bacolod City College, La Consolacion College – Bacolod, Visayan Maritime Academy Global College, Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation-Bacolod, STI-West Negros University, and Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas in Negros Occidental.
“Geothermal energy is the holy grail among renewable energy (RE) technologies because it is the only form of RE that can provide base load power all year round, whatever the season is,” said Jay Joel L. Soriano, head of EDC’s Negros Island Geothermal Business Unit. “And the good news is, we have lots of it here in Negros”.
The youth camp included a talk on the role of the youth in social media, which taught them that they have a voice and to use it to spread correct information on various topics they care about, said France Ariola of EDC’s Corporate Communications.
Dr. Ted Esguerra of the Mt. Everest Team and who heads EDC’s disaster and crisis shared with the campers tips on disaster mitigation and climate change, among others.
The youth leaders on Day 2 of the camp took part in planting native seedlings such as red lauan, baguilumboy, almon and malabayabas, which is among EDC’s 96 “flagship native tree species under its BINHI Tree for the Future”, said Ariola.
The student leaders toured EDC’s 50MG Nasulo geothermal power plant in Valencia and had a first-hand exposure on how clean, renewable and uninterrupted power can be provided by geothermal energy, which is available 24/7.
As a culminating activity, the BINHI Youth Camp once more staged its version of the Amazing BINHI Race, where various activities tested the students’ mental and physical prowess and also taught them team-building or “bayanihan” skills.
EDC employee-volunteers and its BINHI Youth Champions from the 2014-2016 batches who continue to support the company in all its BINHI and its Community Partnerships projects were on hand to manage the camp.
“We’re even more excited to come back as facilitators this year because it is our turn to guide new campers and tell them why we advocate for geo 24/7 and BINHI,” Fearn Anne Acibo, a BINHI Youth Champion from last year’s batch, was quoted as saying.
Full coverage was done by its social media partner, Positive Energy Negros. Photos of the event may be viewed in their Facebook page.
EDC is the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal company and the only diversified renewable energy firm in the country. The company has been powering infinite possibilities in Negros Oriental for 35 years now by harnessing geothermal energy, the only form of RE that can provide sustainable power 24 hours a day, rain or shine, all year round. (Metro Post/with a report from Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
