From left: Engr. Maria Dorica Naz-Hipe, Assistant Director of the EMB; Atty. Rosalie Cada, Director of FEU Community Relations; Dr. Rowena Capulong Reyes, Vice President for Corporate Affairs of FEU; Dr. Juanito Anot, Director of FEU University Research Center; and Jacqueline Caancan, OIC, Assistant Secretary for Environment and concurrent EMB Director.
Far Eastern University has been recognized by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Gawad Kabalikat sa Kapaligiran, honoring partners that support environmental sustainability initiatives in the country.
The recognition highlights FEU’s active collaboration with the Environment Management Bureau in environmental protection and awareness programs involving students, faculty, and partner communities.
The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement signed on October 17, 2025, at the DENR Forest Management Bureau. The MOA bridges academic engagement and environmental stewardship through a variety of initiatives, including: Tamaraw Tree Hugging Campaigns and Arbor Day reforestation at the La Mesa Watershed, active participation in international coastal cleanup drives, environmental law seminars to foster policy awareness, and Community Pan-trees, an initiative that distributes DENR-sourced seedlings to the campus community to promote urban greening.
The recognition was conferred during the EMB ceremony recognizing institutions that support the agency’s environmental programs. In his remarks, Juan Miguel T. Cuna, Acting Secretary of the DENR, emphasized the importance of partnerships among government, academic institutions, and communities in advancing environmental protection.
Representing the university, Dr. Rowena Capulong Reyes, Vice President for Corporate Affairs of Far Eastern University, emphasized the role of education in shaping environmental responsibility.
“We believe education and environmental stewardship go together. When students take part in protecting our natural resources, they learn responsibility that no classroom alone can teach,” she said.
Through research, NSTP and program initiatives, FEU continues to integrate environmental awareness into student formation and community engagement, contributing to national efforts that promote sustainability and responsible stewardship of the country’s natural resources.
