Environment Bureau recognizes WMSU as Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School anew

In recognition of its its efforts to promote a clean and green environment, the
Western Mindanao State University was once again declared by the Department of
Environmental and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB)
as a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School.

This recognition was given on November 8, 2019 at the Palacio del Sur, this city
during the 2019 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools- Regional Level
organized by the Environmental Management Bureau of DENR. Present to receive the
recognition were Dr. Milabel Enriquez Ho, WMSU President, Dr. Teresita A. Narvaez, Vice
President for Resource Generation (VPRG) and Dr. Eladia U. Rivera, Special Programs and
Projects Office Director. WMSU came in second place in the tertiary category with only
0.67 points difference from the first place.

The biennial contest, now on its sixth leg, is geared to encourage schools/academic
institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and
local level, and to develop skills and understanding among the students, faculty and
school administrators in initiating active responses and increasing community awareness
and participation on environmental concerns.

The University’s environmental initiatives comprise a comprehensive and holistic

enhancement program on the preservation and upgrading of its campus holdings and the
pursuit of educational goals for sustainable development and the promotion of the
stakeholders’ quality of life.

The documentation of WMSU’s initiatives on sustainable and eco-friendly school

was prepared by the SPPO Director Dr. Rivera and was submitted to DENR-EMB on April
2019 upon the approval of the University President and other officials. It highlights the
University’s stewardship of its campus and natural resource holdings and the discharge
of its fourfold functions of instruction, research, extension and production as an institution
that is engaged in education for sustainable development. It builds on the 2015 version
prepared by former SPPO director Dr. Gloria G. Florendo. The DENR-EMB visited WMSU
for the conduct of validation last July 24, 2019.

WMSU actively implements strategic measures to protect and conserve its natural
resources as well as promote environmental quality. The University is on an aggressive
campaign for zero waste management and recycling and has partnered with Zamboanga
City Water District (ZCWD) and United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) on Water Demand Management. WMSU also pushes for energy sustainability
through 600KW solar power technology as of 2019.
 Furthermore, the University nurtures eight (8) century trees and five (5) heritage
trees. Also, by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 407, series of 1994, has been tasked
to oversee a parcel of domain covering 1,227 hectares in Barangay La Paz, this city. It
has been planted with around 45,000 varieties of wildings of indigenous species and
maintained as a vibrant eco-system in Region IX.

“It was a great challenge accepting such responsibility especially since WMSU was
a recipient of two awards from the same search in 2015,” said Dr. Rivera. “I was carried
out by the full support of the University officials,” she added. “WMSU is on an aggressive
campaig

The search was also organized in collaboration with the Department of Education
(DepED), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Nestle Philippines and Landbank of
the Philippines (LBP).

To recall, WMSU was declared as the Most Eco-Friendly School in the Region and
the Nestlè Water Leadership Award by the same organizing body in 2015.