A Barangay Opens the Door to Environmental Learning
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The environmental conversation in Barangay Conel began with a simple but important invitation: the barangay asked the City ENRO to bring environmental education directly to its community. Held at the Barangay Session Hall, the information, education, and communication activity gathered Punong Barangay Tessie C. Agbayani, Barangay Kagawad Marjorie M. Acero, and IP Mandatory Representative Daisy G. Bacaron. Their participation placed environmental concerns within a broader community setting that also included 18 Purok Chairpersons, Bantay Gubat enforcers, barangay officials, and representatives. The city’s official profile identifies Conel as a rural barangay with B’laan and Muslim communities, giving the discussion an especially local character.
From the Session Hall to the Puroks
What makes the activity interesting is the range of people who took part. With 18 Purok Chairpersons and Bantay Gubat enforcers present, the environmental message had representatives connected to different parts of the barangay and to actual environmental protection work. The campaign focused on building awareness and encouraging community participation in the proper management and protection of natural resources and the environment. That approach fits General Santos City’s broader environmental planning, which identifies information and education campaigns as an important tool for increasing public understanding of environmental management and protection. Rather than treating environmental responsibility as something handled only by an office, the Conel session placed the conversation directly among people working within the barangay.
Why Environmental Awareness Starts Close to Home
A community does not need a large event to begin talking seriously about its surroundings. In Conel, the participation of barangay officials, purok representatives, Indigenous Peoples representation, and Bantay Gubat personnel created a setting where environmental protection could be discussed alongside the realities of everyday community life. The activity also reflects a wider 2026 push for stronger public involvement in environmental protection across SOCCSKSARGEN, including government efforts encouraging communities and young people to participate in environmental initiatives. For Barangay Conel, the value of the session lies in opening that conversation locally—giving community representatives a chance to learn, exchange ideas, and carry environmental awareness beyond the session hall.
