ALUBIJID, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, August 24, 2026 — The Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office X, through its Schools Division Office (SDO) of Misamis Oriental, in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Alubijid, launched the 2026 Regional Climate Change Caravan in the coastal community of Barangay Baybay, strengthening its drive toward disaster risk reduction and environmental resilience in schools.
The localized initiative brought together educational and civic leaders, including Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) focal persons, district DRRM coordinators, and student delegates from the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG) federation. Demonstrating a united front against environmental hazards, the event was reinforced through active collaboration with the LGU Alubijid’s Bantay Dagat coastal watch officers and community members from the TUPAD and 4Ps programs.
Designed as an immersive, action-oriented campaign, the caravan featured tree planting, coastal clean-up drives, advocacy talks, and a ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with host LGU-Alubijid to convert schools into adaptive, climate-smart learning centers.
Dr. Ricardo G. Dragon, Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the Education Support Services Division (ESSD) at DepEd Region X, stressed that these activities go beyond routine compliance.
“While these efforts may not immediately change the extreme heat and other impacts of climate change and global warming, every action we take today contributes to a larger collective impact,” Dragon said. He added that while one effort from a single school or stakeholder may seem small, unity across sectors creates a meaningful macro-effect. “We may not live to witness the full results of our actions, but our children and future generations of learners will. Our simple actions can never go wrong when done with purpose and togetherness. Let us continue to act, care, and inspire, because protecting our environment today means protecting our learners tomorrow. Together, let us beat the heat!”
Highlighting the necessity of multi-sectoral collaboration, DepEd Region X DRRM Regional Focal Person Engr. Niño B. Asa reinforced that addressing environmental challenges is a shared duty across all levels of governance.
“Climate change adaptation and mitigation is everyone’s concern. Every sustainable action, no matter how small, can make a difference,” Asa noted, emphasizing that public servants hold both a professional responsibility and a moral obligation to protect the environment and build resilient communities.
By integrating youth leadership, school-based disaster preparedness, and grassroots coastal management, DepEd Misamis Oriental underscored the vital role of educational institutions in building safe, adaptive, and climate-smart communities across Northern Mindanao.
