06/12/2025
๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐: ๐๐ข๐ฟ๐ฆ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐
CITY OF MATI, Davao Oriental โ Environmental awareness is no longer enough; the call of the hour is regenerative action. This was the resounding message echoed at the Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) RIC XI on December 5, 2025, as student leaders gathered for the seminar titled "REthinking IMPACT: Strengthening Environmental Awareness Through IEC Innovation."
Spearheaded by the Universityโs Office of Student Affairs (OSA), the event was a collaborative masterclass in environmental advocacy, made possible through partnerships with BSES GreenPulse, the Center for Futures Thinking and Regenerative Development (CFTRD), RIC XI, the M2P2 Program, rrreefs, Office of the Directorate for Student Affairs and Services (ODSAS) and the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC) project.
The afternoon sessions began with a sobering reality check delivered by Dr. Emily S. Antonio, Program Leader of the M2P2 Research Program. Moving beyond theoretical pollution, Dr. Antonio presented findings from DOrSUโs own research that hit close to home: microplastics are now present in the seafood sold in local markets.
She revealed that contaminants have been found in the Kitang (Rabbitfish) and local shells. Dr. Antonio used these findings to challenge the student leaders, urging them to integrate strict waste management into their Activity Planning (AP). She emphasized that the advocacy against pollution must live on through their organizational protocols, ensuring that student events do not contribute to the very problems the university seeks to solve.
Shifting the perspective from the present crisis to future possibilities, Dr. Ricksterlie Verzosa, Director for Futures Thinking and Regenerative Development, redefined the role of the audience.
"Student leaders are not just officersโyou are weak signals of the future you want to build," (Weak signal is introduced as "Indicator"). Dr. Verzosa stated. He introduced the concept of "Regenerative Student Leadership"โleadership that restores, uplifts, and creates lasting positive change. He emphasized that the university's dream of becoming a regenerative futures institution relies on the decisions these young leaders make today.
The seminar also showcased how DOrSU is moving from advocacy to tangible innovation. Ms. Rheacin A. Polestico of the rrreefs initiative shared the journey of the "Artificial Clay Reefs in Pujada Bay." She highlighted a major breakthrough: from simply the doanted clay bricks, DOrSU has evolved to fabricating them on campus. With the donation of 3D printers, the university has become the first institution in the Philippines to produce 3D-printed clay bricks for marine restorationโa tangible example of regeneration in action.
Connecting the reef back to the ridge, Lorjie Bation, former President of BSES GreenPulse, now a research assistant of the EMBC project, illustrated the vital importance of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor. He explained how this continuous forest strand serves as a critical watershed supplying water to Indigenous Peoples (IP) and coastal communities alike. Sir Bation called for multidisciplinary collaboration, stressing that student leaders from all programsโnot just the sciencesโhave a meaningful role to play in these initiatives.
The event was bookended by powerful reminders of personal responsibility. In her opening remarks, Dr. Evangeline Rivera highlighted the seminar as a strategic opportunity for leaders to align their future projects with the Universityโs mission and vision. However, it was the closing sentiment from Ms. Nikka Owano of the OSA Staff that grounded the day's lessons in personal character. Sharing a childhood anecdote, Ms. Owano recalled being scolded by her mother for keeping trash in her bag during school days rather than litteringโa habit she carried into adulthood. "Becoming a good leader really starts with yourself," Owano reminded the participants.
As the student leaders left the hall, they carried more than just certificates; they carried the challenge to be the "weak signals" that will eventually amplify into a regenerative future for Davao Oriental.
