“Together as a global community, our micro efforts will have a macro effect to help save our home, our planet." The last lines of Miss Earth 2017’s winning answer, Karen Ibasco.
Making it senseful, what else could possibly go wrong in helping and engaging ourselves towards having a clean and green environment? In this simple yet remarkable way, we can contribute to a huge change that highly results in a positive impact. As responsible students of the “Home of the Champions”, we have been educated to involve ourselves in different activities that can show our care and love for the environment. Indeed, as members of the community, it is our responsibility to do our part to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in our barangays.
One of the barangays in La Trinidad, Province of Benguet—Brgy. Alapang is a partner community of the School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management. To show support for the School of IHTM in providing community extension activities, a group of dedicated and passionate tourism students from the school per se, specifically from Section HCM, wholeheartedly participated in the "Roll up your sleeves & Do Your Share" program as part of the Green Switch Advocacy. This valuable program aims to instill the spirit of volunteerism, cultivate a sense of responsibility, empower students as champions of sustainable community programs, enhance their leadership and social skills, and gain other valuable life skills that they can truly use in the future. Additionally, the Green Switch Advocacy program promotes and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Change), and SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals).
Motivated by this notion, tourism students were inspired to lend a helping hand with the initiative to organize and execute a remarkable clean-up drive in Barangay Alapang. An instructor of SIHTM’s BSTM-IT program, Dr. Alvin Morales, is also a member of the Barangay Council in Alapang. This then encourages tourism students to select the barangay as a preferred destination for promoting cleanliness and fostering environmental sustainability. The primary objectives of the activity were to advocate for cleanliness, promote sustainable practices, and enhance the barangay's overall quality of life, making it a cleaner, greener, healthier, and safer place to live.
On a bright Sunday morning, April 23, 2023, the air was filled with the students' enthusiasm as they gathered, wearing gloves and carrying cleaning tools and trash bags, ready to make a difference in the community. The clean-up drive commenced at 9:30 A.M beginning at the junction down to Alapang Barangay Hall. A group of 12 students joined together to ensure that no piece of trash remained behind. With energy and passion, the students went to the streets, cleaned every corner, and picked up trash. They collected three sacks of garbage waste that contained cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic bottles, and other related solid waste. After which, they disposed of it properly. This action and effort contributed to a fresher and healthier community as it has reduced environmental hindrances. The activity led to revitalized barangay side streets, which are now spotless. It was a very tiring activity for the students as they walked downhill a few kilometers before arriving at the barangay hall, but if asked how the experience was, everyone was happy and fulfilled. Despite being under the scorching sun, the smiles on the students’ faces are still incomparable.
With the hard work, continuous activeness and volunteerism of the students, these kinds of activities and programs of the University of Baguio- School of IHTM will surely carry on for many years. The memories among the students will be cherished for a long time as they teach them sustainable lessons that are needed even in the longer run. The experience itself also gives them an eye-opening and wider understanding regarding the essence of sustainability and cleanliness in our environment.
Truly, the power of small actions should never be underestimated — it is from these humble beginnings that significant impacts can be made in transforming a community. By joining and engaging themselves in these programs, the students can really embody the true heart of a champion with a multipurpose — and one of which is to help save this beautiful planet.
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