ATO President receives recognition for MMRP in South Korea

11th Fellows recognized by the EPLC for the awards (from right to left): Sayda Mehrabin Shejuti (Bangladesh) of Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO, Crystal Maureen D. Santillan (Philippines) of the Alpha Team Organization-ATO and, Kim Ryeon Seon (South Korea) of Danggam Social Welfare Center. 

(Photo credits: Park Hyeon Seop (Reporter, Weekly Chuncheon)

Months of volunteer and civic work in ATO’s Mag-aba Mangrove Reforestation Project (MMRP) resulted to a fruitful recognition by the Eco-Peace Leadership Center of the Kangwon National University (Republic of Korea) during the 2018 Asia-Pacific Environment Forum last 16-18 October 2018.

Environmental researchers and advocates from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and two countries from Africa attended the forum.

The Alpha Team Organization President, Ms. Crystal Maureen D. Santillan (Philippines), who was also a fellow in the EPLC Leadership Program in 2017, received the award in behalf of the organization and project team.

“It was indeed a challenging journey to bring the desired outcome of this project. With the help of my co-project organizer and volunteer facilitators, we're able to prove the famous Chinese proverb, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." We are still in the journey for the conservation and protection of our local environment. There's a long way to go and we will never stop to keep moving forward.” said Ms. Santillan during her presentation in the forum.
​
From November 2017 to June 2018, ATO-MMRP mobilized more than 15 youth volunteers and not more than 50 community volunteers for capacity-building and mangrove rehabilitation activities in the coastal community of Mag-aba, Pandan, Antique in northern Panay Island, Philippines.