Building a more sustainable and eco-friendly society starts at the grassroots level. One of the most influential and formative building blocks of any local community is its academia, which shapes the minds of its youth and helps cultivate the community’s culture and values.
That is why universities and colleges play a vital role in creating a greener and more sustainable future. Bukidnon State University (BukSU) is a shining example of this, as its eco-friendly campus continues to serve as a green model for Northern Mindanao, so much so that it ranks 9th nationwide and 534th globally in the latest UI GreenMetric World University Rankings (UIGWUR).
Green University
BukSU has embraced University President Dr. Joy M. Mirasol’s vision of a “Green University.” “Our journey toward becoming a green university has been marked by various milestones, such as reducing our carbon footprint, conserving resources, and integrating sustainability into our curriculum,” Mirasol said.
She highlighted BukSU’s holistic approach, which includes Green Governance, Innovative Practices, Cultural Sustainability, and Community Engagement, with Social Responsibility at its core. “We have witnessed the transformation of our campus into a hub of sustainability, where recycling bins have become as ubiquitous as our classrooms and where renewable energy sources power our facilities,” said Mirasol.
The results have been unmistakable, as UIGWUR gave the university an overall score of 6,275. BukSU excelled in six key criteria, garnering 1,000 points in Setting and Infrastructure, 1,400 points in Energy and Climate Change, 1,200 points in Waste, 500 points in Water, 1,175 points in Transportation, and 1,075 points in Education and Research.
Eco-Friendly Policies
BukSU’s commitment to eco-friendly practices has led to real changes that affect everyone on campus. They’ve installed bicycle parking racks to encourage biking, moved towards paperless transactions, put energy-saving measures in place, and are active in plant conservation programs, among other initiatives.
To ensure that these practices are consistently observed, university officials have appointed dedicated officers, such as a pollution control officer, a safety and health officer, and an environmental compliance liaison officer.
“Generally, the goal of these officers is to monitor and implement the sustainability initiatives of the university,” explained Rosanna S. Generato, Chief Administrative Officer of the Administrative Division.
A Shared Achievement
Former Bukidnon State College President Dr. Teresita T. Tumapon praised these efforts. “Indeed, together with the entire BukSU leadership — the officials, the administrative and the academic constituents — this feat, this achievement and the honor it gives — is due to them all,” she said.
“Such is the character of BukSU — all constituents stand united even as the communities around it unite with BukSU’s efforts. As always when it was my tenure, there is no fence between the gown and the town,” Tumapon added.
This year, the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking (UIGWUR) included 1,183 universities, with 22 of them being from the Philippines. Founded in 2010 by Universitas Indonesia, UIGWUR looks at how universities around the globe are adopting eco-friendly practices and sustainability initiatives.
