ANILA, Philippines — They were surrounded by swimming pools, stunning views of the ocean and of the Laguna bay, classy restaurants, and lavish accommodations. But the students were at Thunderbird Resorts for a different purpose: to write essays on the environment to win P100,000 pesos and P50,000 for their schools. Last March, 50 junior and senior high school students participated in the first ever Thunderbird Resorts Efforts on Environment Sustainability (TREES) on-the-spot essay writing contest.
The contest was held simultaneously in Thunderbird Resorts in Binangonan, Rizal, and in Poro Point, La Union. After listening to lectures given by environment experts from Haribon Foundation, Earth Day Network, and ABS-CBN Foundation-Bantay Kalikasan, students were given two hours to write an essay on what they’ve learned that day, on how they will share their learnings with their fellow youth, and on the steps they will to help save the environment. In the end, Exelle Anne Garrido, a senior from St. Rose of Lima Montessori School, and Jason Madrid, a junior from St.
Louis College High School, bagged the grand prizes for Rizal and La Union, respectively. Both ran and hugged their teacher coaches upon hearing their names, and were teary-eyed as they received their mock checks onstage. This contest marked the culmination of the provincial essay writing contest that Thunderbird Resorts spearheaded with the help of the Department of Education Center for Student and Co-Curricular Affairs (DepED CSCA).For Rizal, speakers and judges were Thunderbird Resorts vice president for design and construction Angel Sueiro, Earth Day Network executive director Voltaire Alferez, ABS-CBN Foundation – Bantay Kalikasan senior mobilization officer Darryn Castillo, professor Maria Cristina Rara from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication, and Rizal provincial tourism officer Generosa Sumulong-Ledonio.
Also present were Thunderbird Resorts food and beverage manager Jean Paul Capitaine and former Binangonan mayor Russell Ynares, who gave a message in behalf of Gov. Jun Ynares. In Poro Point, speakers and judges were CITYNET Secretary General and former San Fernando mayor Mary Jane Ortega, Haribon Foundation head of corporate partnership division Christine Cenal, and Nina Terol-Zialcita of Writer’s Block Philippines. Thunderbird Resorts gaming manager Mike Walker delivered the closing remarks.
TREES encompasses the company’s global efforts to promote and use green technologies, minimize the ecological impact of its properties on the environment, and foster community relationships through employee volunteer programs and medical missions.Thunderbird Resorts vice president Angel Sueiro reminded students to be disciplined and to always do the right thing. “Discipline involves thousands of hours of hard work, betting on the long term instead of the short term, failures, trying again, and faith. But there are no shortcuts in life.
Choose to do something that you can contribute to the world. Choose the right thing, and then be disciplined enough to excel in that. ”
