Thirty school representatives from the elementary and secondary levels were commended for their zeal in taking action to protect the environment last Wednesday, July 11, 2007. They were awarded as the outstanding implementors of the GWEN (Greening With the Environment Now) Project at the Plenary Hall of the Cebu International Convention Center.

The GWEN Project was initialized in coordination with the Provincial Board’s Committee on Education and the Department of Education-Division of Cebu Province. Its aim is to improve the province of Cebu’s environmental conditions by calling out all schools from the elementary and secondary levels to plant jackfruit trees.

Last year, GWEN cards were given to pupils and teachers who planted at least 10 trees. For this year, the organizing body selected 30 schools that have planted the most number of trees. Each of them was awarded with a DVD player and a 21-inch colored TV set. For the special awards, a projector was each given to Richard Acaso of Basak Elementary School and Jonathan Bercero of Binabag National High School for planting the largest number of trees among the 30 administrators.

Among those who attended the event were Cebu Provincial Gov. Gwen Garcia, PB Committee on Budget and Appropriation Head Hon. Wenceslao Gakit, PB Committee on Education Head Hon. Juan Bolo and Division Schools Superintendent Recaredo Borgonia.

With the successful years of the GWEN Project, Superintendent Borgonia only hoped that it will only continue to improve with the sustained help from the supervisors, purok organizations, teachers, students, PTCA officials and LGU officials. Recently, more development measures were already executed to ensure the continuity of the project. The DepEd-Division of Cebu already made a memo that, each month, a GWEN day should be set. This will be a time when all the school administrators, students and pupils would go out to the communities to plant at least 10 jackfruit trees in the lots along the barangay roads, provincial roads and national highways until January of next year.

OUTSTANDING GWEN IMPLEMENTORS

• ELEMENTARY LEVEL
-- Richard Acaso (Basak Elementary School, Compostela District)
-- Luz Borgonia (Balamban Elementary School, Balamban District I)
-- Sotera Cabahug (Buanoy Central School, Balamban District II)
-- Romana Sarsalejo (Caduawan Elementary School, Tabogon District)
-- Teofreda Villacora (Colawin Elementary School, Argao District)
-- Estela Enriquez (Veto Elementary School, Minglanilla District I)
-- Pableo Toling (Tabuelan Central School, Tabuelan District)
-- Ray Mondejar (Putat Elementary School, Tuburan District)
-- Corazon Mondelo (Tabunan Elementary School, Borbon District)
-- Dominga Cañete (Lanao Elementary School, Pilar District)
-- Romeo Lequiz (Valencia Elementary School, Alegria District)
-- Joyce Guardario (Compostela Elementary School, Alegria District)
-- Domingo Saycon (Guadalupe Elementary School, Alegria District)
-- Felipa Mantos (Bogo Elementary School, Bogo District)
-- Antonio Senening (Dakit Elementary School; Bogo, Cebu)

• SECONDARY LEVEL
-- Jonathan Bercero (Binabag NHS; Binabag, Bogo, Cebu)
-- Engr. Julieta Mangunlay (Jovencio Masong NHS; Nailon, Bogo, Cebu)
-- Edgardo Diamos (SK Luis Cañete NHS; Bagay, Daanbantayn, Cebu)
-- Gerardo Mantos (Kal-anan NHS; Kal-anan, Tabogon, Cebu)
-- Baby Marie Uytico (Ocaña NHS; Ocaña, Carcar, Cebu)
-- Ma. Lourdes Cabonilas (Ronda NHS; Ronda, Cebu)
-- Luis Carin (Dalaguete NHS; Dalaguete, Cebu)
-- Alberto Llena (Colawin NHS; Colawin, Argao, Cebu)
-- Emilia Ibones (Tayud NHS; Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu)
-- Susie Zambrano (Alcoy NHS; Alcoy, Cebu)
-- Lorna Ibo (Tabunan NHS; Tabunan, Borbon, Cebu)
-- Romeo Formentera (Camotes NHS; San Francisco, Cebu)
-- Hermogena Miranda (Canabanua NHS; Canabanua, Argao, Cebu)
-- Dr. Bernadette Susvilla (La Paz NHS; La Paz, Bogo, Cebu)
--Clara Yosores (Alcantara NHS; Alcantara, Cebu)