1st Green Ring awardee honored

THE Cebu City Council yesterday recognized Bro. Jaazeal Jakosalem of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects (OAR) for bagging the first Green Ring Award for his “outstanding work toward solving the climate crisis.”

Jakosalem spearheaded various climate change education initiatives at the grassroots level.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, committee on environment chairperson, authored a resolution that recognized Jakosalem’s advocacy and his recent international award.

A brief ceremony was held during the council session yesterday. The recognition also coincided with the celebration of Philippine Earth Month this April.

Out of more than 700 climate change advocates, the Recollect brother based in Cebu was named the first Green Ring awardee, which was handed over by former United States vice president and Nobel Laureate Al Gore last March 15 in Pasay City.

Jakosalem said he had participated in a training under The Climate Reality Project, an environmental group founded by Gore, to deepen his understanding of the climate crisis.

Jakosalem organized the “Balay Kinabuhi” in Negros Occidental and in Bantayan, Cebu where 17 scholars from typhoon devastated areas were given a full sponsorship for their tuition and accommodation. He also convened a visual art exhibit, Art for Earth, to raise ecological awareness.

He was also behind the Tsinelas of Hope, a project that aims to distribute a pair of slippers to every child who had to walk kilometers to learn about climate change.

(Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 07, 2016)