A total of 78 participants joined the Earth Warrior Training at the La Mesa Ecopark organized by Bantay Kalikasan in partnership with Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Sun Life Foundation.

Mr. Alveno Leones, La Mesa Ecopark Lifeguard, demonstrates the basic first aid during the Earth Warrior Training

The residents of Marikina City, City Environmental Management Office of Marikina, together with Public Information and Advocacy Division of PRRC, united to participate in the event. The training included basic first aid and water safety training led by Mr. Alven Leones, La Mesa Ecopark’s Lifeguard. Team building activities, such as the Eco Amazing Race,tested the participants’ patience, cooperation, and unity.

The activities were designed to include protection and preservation of the environment in the  daily lives of the participants.

Earth Warrior trainees unite during the Eco Amazing Race at the La Mesa Ecopark.

Participants found the training beneficial for them. One of them was Jing Malaborbo. "Maraming problema at marami ring potential solutions na nasabi pero parang ang hirap gawin, ang hirap niyang gawin kung walang magtutulong-tulong. Siguro ngayong Earth Warrior na kami, sa pamamagitan siguro ng passion, commitment, at pagtutulungan ng mga napiling Earth Warrior, may posibilidad nang matupad namin ang inaasahan ng Lingkod Kapamilya." There are plenty of problems as well as potential solutions mentioned, but they are hard to do it if there is no cooperation. As certified Earth Warriors, through passion, commitment and cooperation, we can make things possible as to what Lingkod Kapamilya trained us to be.

Earth Warriors together with their Facilitators during the Earth Warrior Training

“Ang Earth Warrior Training ay isa sa mga adbokasiya ng Bantay Kalikasan. Sa lahat ng ating eco-tourism sites, kasama na ang Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig program ng BK, nagkakaroon tayo ng mga ganitong training para sa mga people’s organization natin. Ang Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig ay ang programa ng Bantay Kalikasan na ang main objective ay ang paglilinis ng tributaries o mga esterong dumudugtong sa Ilog Pasig." Earth Warrior Training is one of the advocacies of Bantay Kalikasan. In all of our eco-tourism sites, associated with Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig program of BK, we had this training for our people's organizations. Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig is a program of Bantay Kalikasan whose main objective is to clean the tributaries or creeks connected with Pasig River. Melvic Cabasag, Kapit-Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig Site Specialist shared.

“Yung mga participants natin ngayon from Marikina, sila ‘yung mga beneficiaries na kasama sa proyektong Linear Park Development at itong People Development." The participants that are from Marikina, are also the beneficiaries of the project Linear Park Development and People Development. Melvic Cabasag added.

The newly-trained Earth Warriors will help rehabilitate the Tumana-Malanday creek or locally known as Palay creek in Marikina City that will benefit more than 10,000 households in the area. The project is undertaken through the collaboration of Bantay Kalikasan, Sun Life Foundation, Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and the City of Marikina.