PNOC-EDC scholars slide for life in 1st energy camp

BACOLOD CITY – Forty-eight high school students were given a rare opportunity to undergo experiential learning activities for eight days in the PNOC Energy Development Corporation's (EDC) 1st energy camp in its Northern Negros geothermal site in Bago City. The camp's culminating activities are its amazing race and graduation, which were held Tuesday. Twenty of these students come from EDC's host community schools n Northern Negros while 20 scholars and eight children of PNOC-EDC employees crossed over from the company's geothermal site in Southern Negros. Nineteen other scholars from EDC's Northern Negros Geothermal Production Field (NNGPF) will cross over and join other campers in the company's Southern Negros camp, which starts on April 28. Now on its fifth year, the energy camp is an annual summer recreational event organized by geothermal leader EDC for their high school scholars all over the country. Priority is given to incoming fourth-year high school scholars. This is NNGPF's 1st camp since it was commissioned last year. All student campers enjoyed outdoor activities such as hiking, rappelling, basic martial arts and survival training. The social forestry program of the company provided a venue for the campers to immerse themselves in the company's watershed management program, visit farmers' associations, plant trees and learn how to make compost pits. Here, they learned that EDC's nursery in NNGPF cultivates 14 endemic species and has established the 1st man-made almaciga plantation in the Philippines as part of the company's commitment to preserve the environment. They also learned the importance and benefits of geothermal energy, not only to their communities but more so to the entire country and the correlation of geothermal energy and the environment. The student-campers were also given the chance to learn possible sources of livelihood through modules that the company's community partners introduced to them. Highlight of the weeklong camp was the amazing energy race where the campers underwent a battery of physical and mental challenges as they competed for the coveted survivor champion award - inspired by the famed amazing race from the US. The project is the brainchild of EDC president and CEO Paul Aquino, who wanted to initiate a program that would ensure fun and experiential learning for the youth in the company's host communities as well as the children of EDC employees. "We envisioned a program where teenagers can learn about life, the environment and geothermal energy as they all have fun. All these, we hope that they can pass on to others when they go back to their families and communities," Aquino said. The energy camp already garnered accolades not only from the scholars' parents and the company's host communities and local government units, but more so from the prestigious Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) Anvil awards and the International Association of Business Communicators' (IABC) Gold Quill awards for being more than just a one-time PR project. It has become a sustainable program that creates lasting results on the beneficiaries' growth and development. This year, EDC will have six energy camps for the scholars around its geothermal sites in Valencia, Negros Oriental; Bacon-Manito, Sorsogon; Tongonan, Leyte (2 camps), Bago City and Murcia in Northern Negros and Kidapawan, North Cotabato. More than 200 scholars and 50 children of PNOC-EDC employees would benefit from this project. The series of camps kicked off last April 1 in EDC's North Cotabato geothermal site where the majestic Mt. Apo is located. - Sun.Star Bacolod