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By Stephen J Pedroza | Photos by the VEST Team

Following the grand launch of Xavier University’s ecological campaign called Valuing Ecosystem Services Together (VEST) in Northern Mindanao, the active participation of Kagay-anons made the event successful.

Various stakeholders across Region 10 drew together at the Activity Center of Centrio - Ayala Mall on November 4-7 for the unfolding of VEST as an offshoot campaign, encouraging the communities to participate in a “rewarding mechanism” for Mt Kalatungan.

"The grand launch is only the tip of the iceberg,” said Evans I Yonson, a Development Communication professor and head of the social marketing team.

“Our main objective is to reach everyone in Cagayan de Oro City that they become our partners, our VESTfriends.”

CDO Archbishop Antonio J Ledesma SJ DD encouraged the people of Northern Mindanao to invest in environmental recuperation efforts as a way to reconcile with the creation and mitigate climate change.

People from different walks of life who attended the event also took a pose with the signs: #VESTfriendofNature and #inVESTinNature.

Social media interventions were also used by the XU core team to reach wider audience. Their online presence is geared toward mainstreaming the principles of VEST and raise awareness.

The McKeough Marine Center of XU, under the Research and Social Outreach (RSO) cluster, frontlines this green endeavor as part of the ridge-to-reef approach in the region.

 “We will now move forward by going directly to the household level, visit and conduct orientation for schools, corporations, various churches, and cooperatives,” Yonson said as part of the five sectors encouraged to invest in nature.

VEST targets five sectors to take part in this ecological undertaking, namely, the corporations, cooperatives, the academe, religious groups and the households.

“The next target is making people value Mother Nature more. How? By donating to the cause,” Yonson continued.

Interested institutions can sponsor the reforestation of one hectare for Php14, 000 a year. However, donations may vary from sector to sector, depending on the capacity of the person or an organization to impart in this rehabilitation effort.

At the end of the every year, the donations will be collated and turned over to the fund and resource manager of the project, Xavier Science Foundation, a non-government organization focusing on agricultural and rural development.

 “This rehabilitation will provide the ecological service of preventing further flooding in the city that is why it is important that we bring in the communities from the downstream and upland to this landscape restoration,” said Dr Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit, XU vice-president for RSO.

The grand launch of VEST was set in line with the first year commemoration of the destruction of Supertyphoon Yolanda, which plowed across the Visayas and curtailed the lives of more than six thousand people.

 


To donate and support the VEST cause, you may contact the McKeough Marine Center Extension Office at the Science Center Room 104 and/or (+63 88) 858-3116 local 3115 or 3104. For more information, you may visit the Facebook page of VEST (facebook.com/vestogether) and @vestogether on Twitter and Instagram.