Born to be Wild receives environmental award

Born to be Wild, a show on GMA Network Inc., was among the recipients of this year’s Fr. Neri Satur Award for Environmental Heroism. Born To Be Wild was commended for "helping in efforts to strengthen environmental awareness among Filipinos, and fostering environmental preservation and care for Mother Earth, especially in the wake of the dangers being faced by humanity due to global warming and climate change," organizers said in a press release. Hosted by Kiko Rustia and Ferdz Recio, Born To Be Wild is aired every Thursday at GMA-7 after Saksi. Other recipients include Muelmar Magallanes for his selflessness and bravery that took his life while saving 30 people including a six-month old baby in the height of tropical storm Ondoy last year. [See: Ondoy’s selfless heroes shine in the face of tragedy] The 18-year old construction worker was also named one of the Top 10 Heroes of 2009 by TIME Magazine. Other awardees were Architect Felino Palafox Jr., champion of environmental planning and advocate of environment-friendly development, for Eco-Urban Planning; Lutgardo Labad and Iliac Diaz of My Shelter Foundation for Eco-Cultural Communications through Art and Cultural Leadership. The organizers also awarded the Climate Change Congress of the Philippines (CCCP) led by Cagayan De Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma for Leadership in Climate Change Initiatives; and Silliman University (Dr. Ben S. Malayanag III) for Academic Center for Marine and Coastal Conservation. The Philippine Daily Inquirer was also recognized for Eco-Friendly Business (Publication), while the Miss Earth Philippines of Carousel Productions received an award in the Eco-Cultural Communications through Broadcast category. Fr. Neri Satur Award for Environmental Heroism is organized by Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez, vice chairman of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and chaired by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. - Jacques Jimeno, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV