𝗖𝗣𝗦𝗨: "𝗛𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟰 𝗦𝗗𝗚𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀"

Nestled in the eastern mountains and hills of the Negros Island, is Brgy. Lamigan, of the Municipality of Ayungon, Negros Occidental. Among Lamigan’s residents are those who are silently safeguarding a watershed of the municipality, the sentinels called the “Bantay Lasang” or the forest rangers.

Dwelling in the wilderness, in this obscure part of the country, the Bantay Lasang are playing crucial roles in ensuring that the biodiversity conservation efforts of the Philippine Government are being implemented on the ground, watching out for illegal logging activities, carrying out reforestation measures, and protecting the watershed in the area.

However, Brgy. Lamigan’s Bantay Lasang have endured the lack of access to electricity in their respective homes which inflicts difficulties in their everyday life, especially for family members who are still studying. With the developing trends of technological integration and use, these unsung heroes and their families lag behind the comforts of electricity despite the country having access to the commodity since the 1900s.

Mobilizing its Extension and Community Services Offices (ECS), Central Philippines State University actively participated in the turnover ceremony for Brgy. Lamigan’s Bantay Lasang and farmers. The university has cascaded its support to the forty forest ranger recipients by providing them with their respective solar lamps—literally and figuratively lighting up their lives.

In exchange for the devices, the recipients will undertake tree planting efforts by planting 300 fruit trees in their area within the time allotment of a lifetime. This extension project is materialized under CPSU and Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc.'s (NWTF) partnership. The latter is the provider of the solar lamps for CPSU’s One Million Trees Campaign as part of the trade-off scheme adopted by the parties.

With high hopes, CPSU foresees the project being impactful in attaining four Sustainable Development Goals namely, Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Life on Land (SDG 15)—aiming for 12,000 planted native fruit trees in this project alone.

The official turnover of the solar lamps took place during a Gift Giving Activity which transpired last June 22 at the Brgy. Lamigan’s covered court and was participated by CPSU with SUC President Dr. Aladino C. Moraca represented by ECS director Dr. Jimmy Degillo. The Fraternal Order of Eagles members from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, alongside their Ayungon and San Jose chapters donated seeds, rice, basketballs, and volleyballs for the barangay's farmers and youth recipients.