SPCT high school student leaders engage in local coastal clean-up

MATINA APLAYA – On the morning of September 21, 2024, 15 representatives from the Junior and Senior Executive Council (JEC and SEC) of St. Peter’s College of Toril, Inc. attended and participated in a coastal cleanup drive in line with the school’s involvement in the JEEPGY framework on Ecological Integrity.

Organized by the school’s Community Engagement and Services Office (CESO), the students were accompanied by Mr. Danny Louie P. Lico, head of the high school Office of Student Affairs, and Mr. Joseph James D. Bernadas, from the school’s Safety and Security Office.

Upon arriving at the coastal location, the student leaders were immediately greeted with a landscape littered with several residential, commercial, and plastic waste.

They spared no time and promptly started the cleanup drive, picking up pieces of solid wastes on the coast and placing them inside sacks which were later disposed of properly.

Samahra Anuden, a JEC councilor who participated in the activity, stated how she wanted to actualize the school’s mission and idea of being a Petrean Makakalikasan.

In addition, SEC councilor, Joella Rizaba expressed the importance of the coastal cleanup not just for the environment but also for the people’s well-being.

After an hour-long of involvement and working together, the high school student leaders left the coastal location in a better and cleaner state compared to before; making sure that no pile of littered waste was left untouched.

Aside from the pillared programs of JEEPGY, the school’s CESO implemented the said activity with regard to the global call of action from the encyclical letter, Laudato Si.

As a Catholic institution, this activity demonstrated the school’s mission not only for Christian education but also for widening students’ concern and active response to environmental issues.

This activity also strengthened the capabilities of the school’s student leaders to have a deeper understanding of the existing environmental issues and how they can bring more meaningful platforms to the school.

“I believe that this is a nice initiative of the school to bring student leaders as we are the role models, so we should act as an example to others.” JEC Grade 10 Representative, Ezzeya Venice, commented.

Moving forward, the student council hopes to engage in more extensive community services and activities that contribute to the improvement of existing environmental problems. (Renz Sajol)