Along with government officials, industry partners, and environmental advocates, Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation formally sealed its Sustainability Masterplan during its 1st Sustainable Futures Summit at the AEC Little Theater, Feb. 27.
The Envergan community, along with participants from different institutions in Lucena, witnessed the signing of the Statement of Support, an agreement stating the partners’ commitment in standing united as advocates of a sustainable future for the university.
The summit featured ABS-CBN weather anchor and resident meteorologist John Ariel Rojas, along with different government and non-government officials who served as plenary speakers, sharing their expertise in developing a sustainable future for communities and institutions.
Emphasizing the role of community reporting in building resilience among communities, keynote speaker Ariel Rojas discussed how accessible and open data about the environment is needed so that people can understand and prepare for risks brought by the environment. “Reliable science is the foundation of resilience,” Rojas said.
Thereafter, five plenary speakers discussed sustainability initiatives in their respective fields, emphasizing community engagement, sustainability practices and youth involvement against corruption.
Pedro Jose De Castro, resident beekeeper and owner of PJ Plantation and Bee Farm, and Alicia Valdoria, resident farmer and owner of Yumi’s Farm, then concluded the summit with their discussions on sustainable practices in their own businesses, highlighting that sustainability means involving the community and educating them on the practices and actions they can implement that would benefit the environment and them in return.
Meanwhile, Sustainability Department Director Arby S. Lagman celebrated the success of the event, adding that a second summit is already in the pipeline as part of the University’s 80th Founding Anniversary. #
