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Manila Bulletin devider Environment and Sustainability devider YOUth are the Future: SM Prime, WWF-Philippines join forces to nurture the future sustainability champions

YOUth are the Future: SM Prime, WWF-Philippines join forces to nurture the future sustainability champions

Published Oct 15, 2023 06:46 am

Recognizing today's youth’s key role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed up to launch "YOUth are the Future," a leadership program aimed to equip young student leaders on environmental conservation, climate change, and sustainability issues.

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Youth are the Future ambassadors with SM’s Chairman of the Executive Board Mr. Hans T. Sy, SM EDD President Mr. Hans “Chico” T. Sy Jr., DENR Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, and WWF-Philippines Ambassador Xia Vigor during the media launch.

“There is no better time than now to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.

“When we provide our young student leaders with learning opportunities and expose them to practical solutions, we have a chance to help them design a sustainable future. We are committed to make sure that things change for the better,” says Hans “Chico” Sy, President of SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation (SMEDD) and SM sustainability champion.

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Student ambassadors with SM Prime and WWF-Philippines visit the SM MOA’s EV Charging Station

Commencing with the grand launch on October 10, 2023, the student ambassadors from various Metro Manila high schools participated in a discovery tour around the SM Mall of Asia Complex, which features SM Prime’s sustainability efforts and disaster resiliency practices. The formal introduction of YOUth are the Future Ambassadors was held at the SMX Convention Center and along with a pinning ceremony. Leaders and representatives from SM Prime, WWF-Philippines, government agencies, and foreign dignitaries are also present at the event.

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Youth are the Future ambassadors take a photo at the newly-installed Sustainability Wall in SM Mall of Asia.

In a message she delivered during the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said, “Our journey is really about the race to resilience, as our climate changes, society is changing. Sustainability is our pathway to survival as a planet and that is what resilience is really about, the ability to withstand the impacts of the hazards that we know and those that we could face in the future.”

The youth ambassadors will participate in a three-day eco-camp at the Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club in November, where they will learn about waste and energy management, resource optimization, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies from some of the country’s experts.

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Student ambassadors from Assumption San Lorenzo during their introduction and pinning ceremony in SMX Convention Center.

Renowned for its role in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle conservation, the 3-day eco camp in Hamilo Coast also serves as an immersive natural classroom in environmental conservation. The expected output from the eco-camp is a Green Manifesto that outlines their plans to effect change and a storybook module co-authored by all the participants. The program will culminate through a series of mall and school tours throughout Metro Manila to boost youth engagement and student ambassador recruitment.

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SM‘s Sustainability Champion Mr. Hans “Chico” T. Sy Jr. and Xia Vigor shares a moment with the students in their pinning ceremony as ambassadors of the Youth are the Future program.

In a message sent by her excellency Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, she said, “This visionary program embodies the transformative power of education and empowerment in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. Taking advantage of this program will give you all a head start on becoming influential figures in creating a more sustainable and ecologically aware culture”.

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Student ambassador trying out the SWAP Vending Machine in SM Mall of Asia

Together with its partners, WWF-Philippines hopes to empower young Filipinos further to become the next generation of sustainability champions. Programs like YOUth are the Future, can help future generations become proactive leaders who can #ChangeTheEnding for the planet.

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