Furthering the calls for environmental campaigns, the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) inaugurated its first-ever Environmental Month (Envi Month) Celebration at the UPB Campus in an effort to engage the studentry with the addressing of climate injustices in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Dubbed as the green campus, UPB enlivened the celebration by holding activities that aim to advocate for the university’s initiative to protect and promote a safer campus environment. The celebration commenced from March 7 to 24 through the spearheading of the University Student Council (USC).
“The intensifying environmental issues and the role of UPB as the green campus pushed the USC to think of events that will engage more students. We aim to have the UPB Envi Month as we see it as a tangible way of forwarding our environmental campaigns," uttered Mar Clarence Quinto, UPB USC’s incumbent Environmental Desk Councilor.
Lineup of activities includes the “Bihis UPB,” an exhibit called the “Environment Through Art’s Lens,” “Shifting Gears from Grey to Green,” which is a forum addressing green politics in Baguio City, and the highlight of the event: an Environmental Symposium featuring Daisy Macapanpan and Teddy Baguilat.
Green activism as a challenge
In a March 2023 report from the international nonprofit Global Witness, the Philippines has been labeled the deadliest country in Asia and 4th in the world for environmental activists and land defenders.
The military charged the Northern Luzon 7–a group of environmental activists and Indigenous Peoples (IP) rights defenders–with rebellion in December 2022. It was ignited by their alleged link with the New People’s Army (NPA) who ambushed the members of the Philippine Army in Malibcong, Abra.
However, recently, Branch 2 of the Bangued Regional Trial Court revoked the rebellion and insurrection charges against the Northern Luzon 7. Windel Bolinget, one of the seven activists and chairperson of the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA), reiterated that the charges filed lack basis and were made up.
“Dapat nang kagyat na matigil ang judicial harassment, redtagging at terrorist-tagging, at lahat ng porma ng paglabag sa karapatang-tao,” he emphasized.
During the Environmental Symposium held at the UPB Himnasyo Amianan last March 18, environmental activist and IP rights defender Teddy Baguilat said, “Being an environmentalist doesn’t make you anti-development.” He also voiced that activism comes from advocating for genuine change, hence carrying the weight and responsibility of challenging system policies, electing the right politicians and changing human activities for the better.
“We see that IPs are one of the people who we can consider to be always at the forefront of our environmental campaigns. This is due to the fact the IPs believe that land is life. Thus, they give prime importance to the environment. With green activism, we can have a better world not just for the youth and IPs but for everyone,” expressed Quinto acknowledging the role of IPs in the context of green activism.
Through education and awareness, the UPB Envi month ensures that the university will provide a platform and be a platform in itself to further environmental campaigns in CAR and more efficiently involve the whole of the university with environment-related campaigns.
Security and sustainability campaigns
Following the success of the UPB USC’s initiative, Quinto believes that the university championed a collective measure, thus manifesting UPB’s relevance in being at the forefront of campaigning for security and sustainability.
“The future leaders will realize that they can also do what we did and perhaps do even better to amplify our campaigns. Furthermore, since we are able to educate and engage more people now, we can expect that they themselves will initiate and act for the good of the environment,” he said confidently.
With the recently conducted Student Council Elections (SCE), UPB has officially chosen its new set of leaders. In line with this is the victory of Julia Maxine Peralta as the university’s new Environmental Desk Councilor.
One of the most perceptible platforms she wishes to accomplish is the revival of the UPB Green Campus Committee to ensure stricter implementation of Green policies such as proper garbage disposal, and utilization of more sustainable and eco-friendly materials inside the university.
“We will strive to maintain our green spaces, initiate greening efforts and conduct tree-planting activities in collaboration with other campus committees and organizations involved in environmental advocacies,” Peralta expressed her optimism over the new council’s plans of action.
The council also wishes to push the institutionalization of the Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) to provide an avenue for students to engage in discussions to help them be aware of the university, region and nation’s environmental situation.
“Struggle for life, resources, and environmental justice” are also among their campaigns to persist in creating a safe environment for environmental activism and democratic opportunity to implement pro-people and pro-environment causes and advocacies.
“As we are faced with several environmental issues along with the attacks on our environmental defenders, we continue to fight against developmental aggression,” Peralta explained firmly.
Far-reaching initiatives
In line with the UPB Envi Month celebration, the UPB USC also launched its #DefendUPB Campaign last March 23, which is envisioned to cater to mechanisms through which the “fundamental rights and civil liberties” of the UPB community can be upheld.
The challenges that the environment faces are the same challenges that our generation ought to break off. Quinto and Peralta collectively believe that the extent of the university’s battle for green activism and against environmental aggression should be felt even outside the campus.
“Our fight does not end with awareness alone; hence, our goal of fully immersing ourselves in the people and communities through community integrations and cultural exchanges,” Peralta answered when asked about the initiatives her leadership would make to ensure youth involvement in the context of green activism in and outside of the university.
She concluded with a plan to make sure that UPB’s first Envi Month would not be its last, “By empowering more of our students and organizations to take part in various activities and use their org platforms and interests in amplifying environmental campaigns which should not be limited to the Environmental Month, but will create a lasting impact on the environmental situation within the university.
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