ENERGY SMART GSP: The DOE and the GSP conducted the first Energy Smart Kids this year after a Memorandum of Understanding was signed last January. Nearly 50 Grade 5 students from GSP’s Makati Council joined the event organized by the DOE-Consumer Welfare and Promotion Office. Seated from L-R: Ms. Jade Villanueva, Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) National Headquarters, Ms. Helen B. Arias, Chief, Consumer Welfare and Promotion Office, Assistant Director Carmencita A. Bariso, CESO IV, Energy Policy and Planning Bureau and Head, DOE-Gender and Development (GAD) Technical Working Group, and Ms. Lalaine Benosa, Council Executive, Makati Girl Scout Council.
(Taguig City). Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi constantly emphasizes that educating the youth is the key to a more productive and responsible community.
This is the primary tenet of the EnerKids Program of the Department of Energy-Consumer Welfare and Promotion Office (DOE-CWPO) in raising a smarter young generation by teaching them how to value the importance of energy in their lives.
Around 50 Grade 5 students representing the GSP’s Makati Council participated in the Energy Smart Kids briefing last 19 April (Thursday) at the DOE-Audio Visual Room, Energy Center, Taguig City.
This brings the number of Energy Cost Busters to more than 1500 since its inception in the second semester of 2016.
These students from PEMBO, West REMBO and Rizal Elementary Schools chose a more productive summer vacation by joining EnerKids to draw lessons from the practical experiences of energy experts.
Director Mylene C. Capongcol of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) and Chairperson of the DOE-Gender and Development Focal Point System, in her welcome address, introduced the various functions of the six Bureaus of the agency and likened the green GSP uniform to the vision of the government for more renewable energy to power the nation for a cleaner, more sustainable, and greener environment.
Disaster Resiliency Manager Allan Bien F. Dilla from MERALCO Safety, Occupational Health, and Environment Management Office held fun games to relay the complex concepts in a more interesting way, such as, arranging the images to complete the electricity supply chain, enabling the students to recall better the sequence by which electricity is produced and delivered to their homes.
Hazard hunting followed suit. Scenes at home were shown to the participants who were asked to spot areas where unsafe practices may pose a danger to both life and property.
Staff of the DOE-Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services headed by Director Amelia G. de Guzman educated the students about basic geology, paleontology, and petrology concepts that initially sounded alien to them.
The students were able to look at the microscopic petrography of rocks and discovered the crystal structures that resemble an abstract work of art.
As a take home for application in school and in their residence, DOE-CWPO Senior Science Research Specialist Norie C. Froilan shared some energy efficiency and conservation tips to help them save their “baon” and contribute to the reduction of carbon footprints in the environment.
The event concluded with the Pledge of Commitment led by a Girl Scout with the guidance from Asst. Director Carmencita A. Bariso of the Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (EPPB) and Head of the DOE-GAD Technical Working Group, who also encouraged the students to take up engineering or science-related courses, and help support the government’s aspiration for 2040 - Para Sa Isang Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag Na Buhay.
This event, which is the first of the series of Energy Smart Briefings for 2018, was an offshoot of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) forged last 30 January between DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and the Girl Scouts of the Philippines through GSP National President Susan Locsin, as signatories.
The DOE-GSP project was initiated by CWPO headed by Division Chief Helen B. Arias, in cooperation with the DOE Public Affairs Office led by Maria Fatima “Pamsy” L. Tioseco.
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