Xaverians Reflect on Lessons Learned in the UPRHS ENLYTE Science and Technology Webinar

In celebration of the National Science and Technology Week last November 2022, the University of the Philippines Rural High School organized the ENLYTE (Enhancing Learning of Youth, Teachers, and Enthusiasts) Science and Technology webinar which aimed to provide students with the opportunity to gain more insights about professional careers in STEM and their contribution to society. This event was participated in by three of our own Grade 11 STEM students. 

In this article, Lara Jean Pagcaliwagan, Annika Lora Biagtan, and Audrey June Santiago share their experiences and insights gained from this online forum:

Lara Jean Pagcaliwagan: 

“Planetary Health is Planetary Humility.”

It has long been considered that humans are the dominant species in nature. Dr. Renzo Guinto, one of the speakers of the ENLYTE webinar, reminded us to change our ego-logical approach and shift to a more ecological mindset in understanding planetary health. This concept of planetary health is similar to taking care of two patients. We should not only take care of ourselves but also of our planet. After all, what we do to nature will always come back to us because the health of these two ‘patients’ is intertwined. 

If we want to protect ourselves and the people around us, we should act now and address the different environmental problems in the world. Every second that passes without doing anything is a missed opportunity to lessen the pain that many of us experience – the pain from climate change. Dr. Guinto mentioned a study that presented how young Filipinos are one of the most climate-anxious populations in the world. This shows how climate change affects not only our physical health but also our mental health. Considering the location of our country, which is very prone to different natural hazards, we are indeed highly vulnerable to these kinds of risks. Just like what we have learned in our Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction or DRRR class in Grade 11, communication and collaboration are very important because we need to communicate climate action in all sectors of our communities, not just in schools or offices, but also in our own homes – literally everywhere. But, we cannot do this alone. We have to build and capacitate groups and communities to help them grow and care for each other. 

As STEM students, this webinar was a great learning experience. The speakers were knowledgeable about their talk and it gave us an idea of how we can serve our communities someday. Skills that will be enhanced in this strand will be helpful in solving planetary problems as put forth by Dr. Guinto: “We want to develop leaders who will solve problems, change their behaviors, and challenge structures and systems; and not robots who will only remember information.”

Annika Lora Biagtan: 

As human beings, we tend to neglect the fact that “a healthy planet and healthy people are two sides of the same coin.” The changes in the environment caused by our human activities impact our health in return. This is particularly relevant in our country, in light of recent findings that young Filipinos are among the most climate anxious in the world. The upward trends of carbon dioxide emissions, ocean acidification, energy, water, and fertilizer use, and deforestation, are all part of a larger global concern. If we do not address these environmental changes and protect our planet, the COVID-19 pandemic can potentially not be the last of its kind. Now more than ever, it is essential to engage in multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary discussions toward one health-oriented outcome. 

In his talk, Dr. Renzo R. Guinto, MD DrPH introduced the concept of planetary health. He discussed how increased consumption, demographic shifts, and technology are the main underlying drivers of human activities that affect the environment and, ultimately, the health of human populations. Climate change has also had both direct and indirect impacts on health. Slow onset effects such as sea levels rising pose threats starting from hypertension because of salt in drinking water, to entire communities and towns getting displaced. Significant mental health impacts also result from different personal experiences of extreme events and disruptions brought about by climate change. Dr. Guinto says that “if we want to improve the health of people and the planet, we need climate action in all sectors.” 

Planetary health education should not just be an extra module or lecture, it must be embedded into the education of the youth. Schools should begin thinking about the planetary health revolution and ingrain this interconnection with nature at the heart of the teaching and training of the new generation. According to Dr. Guinto, we need to shift towards a truly eco-logical perspective instead of an ego-logical one, where we humans live in greater solidarity and interdependence with all other components of planet Earth. As students and future leaders, opportunities like the ENLYTE webinar help us expand our knowledge and widen our perspectives. We must expose ourselves to a wider range of viewpoints and representations, including professional women in STEM, which we saw in the webinar with Dr. Melissa Srougi who talked about her role as both a scientist and a mother. Planetary health is a multidisciplinary endeavor that involves all different fields, not just STEM, and becoming more educated is the first step towards a healthier and greener future. 

Audrey June Santiago: 

Listening to the ENLYTE webinar on a Saturday morning, I honestly did not know what to expect; however, I ended up learning a lot! There were two big lessons that left a great impression on me from the plenary sessions.

The first is from Dr. Mellissa Srougi’s talk. I was able to learn about the amazing things that you can do as a researcher–experimenting with different natural products to create new components that can help us in the medical world. I have also learned that it is possible to do this even while having a family of your own to take care of. It has inspired me to be more disciplined, to strive for success, to not be afraid to fail, and to continue pursuing my goals. 

The second lesson came from Dr. Rento Guinto’s talk. I realized that we should not look at the world under us, but beside us – making it our duty to care for it by being aware of the possible harms that we could inflict upon it and on others, as well as finding solutions to the problems we are currently facing. With so much going on around us in this information generation, we can often get overwhelmed and caught up in the latest trends. However, with this trend comes the danger of the health of Mother Earth being neglected. 

As a STEM student, I can relate to what I have learned in this webinar by developing the attitude of never giving up. Experiencing failure is inevitable in STEM and in other disciplines, but that should not stop us from pursuing our goals. It is also important to know how to be better stewards of the Earth. We are, after all, only given one planet to live on.

It is important for STEM students to be exposed to opportunities like the ENLYTE webinar to widen their perspective on STEM. This is because the world is vast and wide; and so is the unknown. Widening our perspectives as STEM students help us achieve a mindset that continually seeks knowledge and new ways to help others. It also helps us better understand things from different perspectives and learn from seasoned professionals in this field. In this webinar, for example, the speakers talked about utilizing natural products to create medical advancements and how we can better take care of the environment. Like them, we too can someday be competent and responsible professionals who will continuously learn, create, and care for the people and the environment around us.

---

This article is written by Lara Jean T. Pagcaliwagan, Annika Lora H. Biagtan, and Audrey June H. Santiago, all of 11B STEM 2, and edited by Mr. Christoper Jan B. Landicho of the XSN Science Department.