Sustainable Initiatives Led by Local Experts

Substantiating the Lasallian Core Values of Faith, Service, and Communion in Mission through Gestures of Support for Typhoon Odette Affected Families and Initiatives to Care for the Environment

On DLSU-COSCA’s Participation in the Government’s Adopt an Estero/Waterbody Program Forum

      Initiatives to help rehabilitate the Estero concretize the objective of the Lasallian Environmental Sustainability and Governance (L-EnviSaGE), a component of DLSU-COSCA's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Localization Project. The component which builds on the localization and implementation of five international SDGs focuses on the following activities: a) Awareness and capacity building of partner communities, b) Collaboration with the private and public sector, c) Support for Relevant Policies and Regulations, and d) Engagement of the DLSU community. 

       The regular tidying or clean-up of waterways is one of the activities outlined in the Barangay plans crafted by DLSU COSCA’s partner communities. More than the physical tidying, the clean-up activity for Estero Fort San Antonio de Abad and Estero de Maytubig is regularly undertaken by partner communities to facilitate other efforts to improve the water quality of the  Estero and in the long run, raise the communities’ consciousness about caring for the environment. These activities coupled with capacity building and governance strengthening, all support the attainment of one of L-ENVISAGE’s milestones which is to restore the ecological services of Estero Fort San Antonio de Abad and Estero de Maytubig and in the long run create awareness of protecting the environment and on the intrinsic value of the Estero. These efforts of DLSU through COSCA support the call of the government’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) during its DENR-Environmental Management Bureau-National Capital Region’s 2022 Metro Manila Partners' Forum for its Adopt an Estero/ Waterbody Program on April 22, 2022. DLSU-COSCA is one of DENR-EMB’s partners.  

       The forum aimed to give partner organizations opportunities to share their good practices, innovations, experiences, and challenges that could help and inspire other partners to take on the challenge and participate in the “Adopt an Estero/ Waterbody Program.”  DENR-EMB (NCR) emphasized during the partner’s forum the need to improve initiatives in partnership development to encourage more partners to participate and adopt the estero/s near their area/areas, and eventually improve program participation.  According to DENR-EMB NCR, only 54 out of 273 water bodies in Metro Manila have been adopted. 

       The forum, likewise, highlighted the importance of tidying /cleaning up activities of water tributaries (rivers and esteros) draining water to Manila Bay for the success of rehabilitating Manila Bay. Partners were reminded that all cleanup efforts and related interventions (e.g. reducing solid waste in operations that can contribute to reducing waste in esteros and other activities) downstream will be efforts in futility if the waters that come upstream remain untidy and polluted. The government appealed during the April 2022 forum for the cooperation of concerned groups, organizations, and individuals, to help in mainstreaming the Adopt an Estero/Waterbody Program as the former cannot do the cleanup alone.

On Gestures of Support for Families Affected by Typhoon Odette 

       Ms. Annadel Sapugay, DLSU-COSCA’s L-ENVISAGE Development Management Specialist shared that DLSU, through the generous donations of the academic community, and with the help of De La Salle Philippines and other partners on the ground, was able to extend support to families in Bohol, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Iligan City, Siargao, Surigao, and Dinagat Islands. The approximate number of families reached around 978 (based on the assumption that each family received a PHP 550.00 worth of food pack which is good for 2 days).   The call for the academic community to support and share (either relief items or money) was made based on available results of rapid damage/needs assessment and capacities assessment from partner institutions.   

       DLSU through COSCA extended its appreciation and gratitude to those who supported the call for cash donations for families adversely affected by Typhoon Odette. Total donations received as of the closing of the call (March 2022) for cash donations amounted to PhP 539,327.21 (amount includes the fund support from the university) (attached publicity materials on TY Odette response and available online platforms were maximized).