Thirty-four college student leaders in Negros Oriental and Occidental completed the three-day BINHI Youth Camp-Negros held at the Energy Development Corporation’s Energy Camp in Valencia town, Negros Oriental, recently.

BINHI is the greening program of EDC, with focus on reforestation and emphasis on the prime endangered species in the country.

Seventeen delegates each from the two Negros provinces converged for the youth camp that ended Saturday night, and aimed to provide the participants with the experience on “how energy can be in harmony with nature,” Dwight Maxino, EDC vice president for the Negros Island Business Unit, said.

The campers learned the various forms and advantages of clean, renewable power, and the importance for EDC to plant native trees to recharge the reservoir for its geothermal operations, which remain as its main source of business.

“We have opened our camp to Negros Island’s brilliant college student leaders for the first time, for them to get to know EDC’s best practices in watershed management and corporate social responsibility,” Maxino added. “The camp also allowed us to spot the brightest and introduce them to the possibility of building a career in EDC after graduating.”

The youth camp included a talk on the role of the youth in social media, by Minerva Newman of the Philippine Information Agency, who advised the campers to “convey positive information that others can learn from, instead of spreading lies, violence and anger.”

Maxino talked about leadership skills, and Carlo Borromeo, also of EDC, briefed the campers on the benefits of renewable energy.

Dr. Ted Esguerra of the Mt. Everest Team, who is the EDC disaster and crisis team head, provided tips on how to prevent or respond to disasters and accidents.

The participants each planted premium native trees during the camp that was highlighted by an experiential learning activity, an adapted version of the “Amazing BINHI Race”, where they split up into teams and competed against each other in events, such as slide for life, wall climb, rappelling and puzzle solving, among others.

The students came from Silliman University, Systems Technology Institute, Foundation University, and St. Paul University in Dumaguete City, all in Negros Oriental, the Visayan Maritime Academy, Bago City College, La Consolacion College-Bacolod, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, Carlos A. Hilado Memorial State College, and the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, in Negros Occidental, as well as a representative from the Commission on Youth of the Diocese of Bacolod.*JFP

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