SENATOR Loren Legarda-Leviste challenged Thomasians to make UST an environmental haven during the UST launching of Luntiang Pilipinas (LP) program, a nationwide urban forestry project, last July 18.
In a forum at the Medicine Auditorium, Legarda urged the students to support ecology-friendly activities and influence their classmates, peers, and even the administration to do their share in reviving the environment.
“The gravity of the state of the Philippine biodiversity is a reality that stalks us and threatens the survival of our ecological system that we have repeatedly described as the key to our survival,” Legarda said. Biodiversity pertains to the interaction and frequency of living organisms in a given area.
Researches have shown that approximately 80 per cent of our country’s coral reefs have been destroyed by cyanide and dynamite fishing and 97 per cent of the original rainforests have disapeared due to unmitigated logging, and have been converted to agricultural land .
Because of these, American environmentalists named the Philippines as a “hot spot” for having a serious damage on the ecosystem and massive extinction of species of the flora and fauna.
Although she commended the University, especially the students, for organizing the forum and the photo exhibit, she added that the ceremonies, photo sessions, and forum are insufficient.
“After we’ve planted these trees it is important to nurture them; to take care of them; to make them grow,” Legarda said.
Before the forum, a ceremonial tree planting in front of the St. Martin de Porres (Medical Arts) Building was led by Vice-Rector Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P.. It was followed by the unveiling of the LP marker and the opening of the photo exhibit at the Medical Arts Building lobby.
