Dr. Jose Rizal once said, “Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan (The youth is the hope of the nation).” However, in the face of serious global threats like climate change, which brings about extreme weather conditions impacting lives and livelihoods, what can the youth anticipate for the future, and what actions can they take now to safeguard it, particularly in terms of environmental conservation?
No man is indeed an island, but collective efforts can do a lot to make a change. In an effort to educate today’s youth, especially those who have the power to influence their peers, Nestle Philippines rolled out “Climaction Towards A Net Zero Philippines.” This is a multi-sectoral event organized by Nestle PH and the Climate Change Commission, with the support of GMA Network. The goal is to facilitate high-level collaborative short- to long-term actions in advancing climate action and supporting the implementation of the government’s climate goals. This includes a focus on the Philippine National Adaptation Plan (PNAP) and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for reducing Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).
In its latest activation, select young artists from GMA Sparkle were invited to learn about climate change, sustainability, and how they can use their social media platforms to educate and influence others about global warming, as well as share simple actions that young individuals can take to protect the environment.
“GMA Sparkle artists were invited where they learned about how to effectively produce content for their sustainability advocacy from content creator Jo Sebastian,” Jose Uy III, SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs, Nestlé PH told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “This is to empower and inspire the artists, who are also mostly part of the youth, to use their respective platforms in raising awareness about the importance of proper solid waste management (SWM) and the 3Rs [reduce, reuse, recycle].”
Apart from actors, this summit also included youth leaders from various universities and youth organizations to partake in a design thinking workshop. They were given an opportunity to ideate innovative solutions focused on achieving NAP priority sectoral/cross-cutting outcomes, namely— Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Security, Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Stakeholder Engagement, Information, Education and Communications (IEC), and Advocacy.
“The youth sector is among the most important sectors to involve in climate action because they have the crucial role in ensuring a greener, more livable future for the planet that they will inherit,” Uy said. “They are also among the most creative and passionate members of society who have the capability to make a difference and effect positive change through their fresh and innovative ideas.”
The efforts on youth education doesn’t stop here. While social media is a powerful tool, education should also start from the grassroots level. With that, Nestle PH also partnered with the Department of Education to disseminate modules about waste management and raise awareness about climate change.
“The modules, rolled out under the Nestlé Wellness Campus program, are currently reaching 11 million grade 1-10 students in 20,000 public schools nationwide. Condensed versions can be downloaded from Nestlé’s website for teenagers and parents to use,” Uy continued. “Nestle PH also launched the Kalikasanovela series in partnership with GMA Network that features four 30-second videos, which tapped on the Filipinos’ love of entertainment and storytelling, to communicate the importance of the 3Rs—reusing, reducing, and recycling plastics—and inspire consumers to embrace their role as stewards for the planet.”
While the long-term effects of these collective efforts are yet to be seen, educating the youth can be a good start for having responsible future citizens who will make wise lifestyle decisions toward protecting the environment.