DepEd Provides Environmental Education Through ‘Makakalikasan’ Programs

The Department of Education (DepEd) aims to strengthen the integration of environmental education in elementary and high school curriculum. Part of the plan is to introduce several programs that are in accordance with one of its core values: Makakalikasan.

Teaching Filipino children how to care for the environment

One of DepEd’s goals is to revive the School Inside a Garden (SIGA) program wherein indigenous and endemic flowering plant gardens will be established and maintained in public schools.

SIGA is in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The program aims to ensure school campuses have gardens consisting of medium-sized native plants and trees.

Another project initiated by the DepEd is the Search for Campus Heritage Trees, which encourages schools to identify and submit heritage trees found within their campuses. These trees will then be added to a nationwide inventory.

Through a statement, the DepEd clarified earlier news that erroneously mentioned the planting of heritage trees:

“Campus Heritage Trees are defined as native and endemic Philippine tree species that are living and healthy, found within school campuses and in their immediate surroundings; have a minimum girth of 100cm; and have significant educational, social, cultural, historical, or aesthetic value.”

Apart from being included in a nationwide inventory, Selected Campus Heritage Trees will also be given tree markers. Protection against danger from damage and displacement will also be provided.

Ensuring that all native, indigenous, and endemic trees and plants are properly identified is a priority for DepEd. So the agency also teamed up with local scientists, advocates, enthusiasts, and non-government organizations.

Planting a million trees

Moreover, DepEd encourages schools to participate in the annual A Million Trees Challenge led by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). The department has been supporting this program since 2017. DepEd pledged a total of 500,000 trees for this year.