Urban Heritage Walk - Ramon S. Dacawi They say that for a man - TopicsExpress

Urban Heritage Walk - Ramon S. Dacawi They say that for a man to be considered successful, he must have at least fathered a child, planted a tree and written a book. For Ramon S. Dacawi, Baguio City’s Information Officer who works under the Mayor’s Office, success means doing something good for the community and this includes teaching the villagers especially children how to protect their environment. A son of a government forester, Mondax or Manong Mon as he is fondly called by his friends and colleagues has led numerous environmental engagements within and outside Baguio City. For one who has seen how the city transformed from a cool mountain destination and education center into a concrete jungle, this son of an fugao native knows that the forest is as important as the air people breath because it provides water, food and shelter. The young Ramon S. Dacawi grew up as bootblack, pony boy, newsboy and lived near the forestry office and tree nursery where his father worked. He finished his primary schooling from Rizal Elementary School where he is the Valedictorian of his class. He went on to study at the University of Baguio Science High as a scholar and finished A.B. History and English at the same school as an awardee in Journalism. He served under the Baguio Mayor’s Office since the time of the late Luis Lardizabal who became election commissioner and B/Gen. Ernesto Bueno who was appointed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos in the early 80s. During city events, Manong Mon is seen taking notes and snapping pictures behind the scenes. He is not the type of Public Information Officer who wines and dines reporters covering city events but he would gladly treat them to a coffee or pansit at the newsmen’s watering hole complete with a Kiangan joke. As unit head of city government’s public information office or what he refers to as public apologist, Manong Mon, together with the late Freddie Mayo also served as speech writers for top city officials. A lifetime member, he was President of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club for four terms after the stint of his late older brother Jose who was also a news correspondent of the defunct Daily Express. After the killer earthquake devastated Baguio in July 16, 1990, a planning congress initiated by non-government organizations formed the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) and Alay Sa Kalinisan (ASK) as implementing bodies to spearhead clean-up drives and boost environmental efforts like protecting Baguio’s remaining watersheds. As founding member of both civic group, Dacawi and his unit helped prepare the documents needed for Baguio’s bid for the Cleanest and Greenest Highly Urbanized City. Bishop Ernesto Salgado who chaired BRM tasked the media committee to spearhead an advocacy program for the environment and this gave birth to the Eco-Walk Children’s Environmental Program with Manong Mon as the Program Manager. Since 1992 when the Eco-Walk program started to gain national and international recognition, Baguio’s Busol watershed practically became his habitat especially when study groups and Barangay leaders from all over the country wanted to experience the Eco-Walk program in the forest. A structure that serves as a classroom was built out of miner’s housing materials and Mondax is usually seen at his best giving lectures to children about the eco-systems and reciting the forest friend’s pledge. Today, Eco-walk has been visited by thousands of local government unit officials and presented in international forums. He helped establish the children’s tree plantations in Tuba, Benguet and in Gonogon, Bontoc, Mt. Province and helped work out UNDP-supported watershed enhancement project in Northern Sagada. He also led the team which conceptualized “Walk, Baguio, Walk” and served as team leader of the Children’s Urban Heritage Walk. For several times, he was cited by the Midland Courier in its “Nominations of the Year”. The Eco-Walk kids’ environmental program won for Baguio the 1996 national “Galing Pook” award from the Asian Institute of Management and the Local Govt. Academy, A civic minded newsman, Manong Mon has proven that the pen is mightier than the sword and that it bleeds reader’s heart. His journalism focuses on linking up indigent patients with Samaritans, and on environmental and cultural issues in the Cordillera. Because of his articles on fund raising for a cause, benefit concerts and cause-oriented programs, benevolent donors who do not want to be known visits him at his office at the City Hall to donate or provide assistance. Together with the late NFA manager Philip Darang, they initiated the first “Bigasang Bayan” during the rice crisis in 1989. During the Meningococcemia outbreak in the city, he together with Helen Tibaldo of the Philippine Information Agency initiated the creation of a media management team. He became President of the Association of Government Information Officers-Cordillera that networked with PIA in strengthening public and private media partnership. He contributes as columnist to Sunstar Baguio Daily, The Baguio Reporter, Northern Phil. Times; High Plains Journal, Baguio Midland Courier, The Manila Times and other online publications. He was also a stringer and writer of Reuters, Phil. News Agency, People’s Journal, The Gold Ore, The Manila Times and served as News and Sports Editor of the Baguio Midland Courier. As former editor of The UB Forum and YMCA Youth Director, he sees the need to help develop the journalism skills of campus writers thus, he organized many basic journalism trainings in many schools in Baguio City and in the provinces of Cordillera. As a sportsman, he is a member of the Baguio Amateur Sports Improvement Council. He was Manager of the multi-titled Baguio Ladies (Cinderellas) Football Team that gained prominence in the 90s. He led several Gymkhana horse racing events at the Wright Park as adviser to the Park Pony Boys. He was Board of Director of BENECO Foundation, Corporate Secretary of YMCA of Baguio and attends meetings of the Wright, Pinsao Operators and Drivers Association as adviser. Aside from being the Regional Coordinator of the Philippine Watershed Management, Dacawi has reaped numerous national and international awards. The awards, citations and honors conferred to him includes the Lingkod Bayan Award, National Civil Service Commission Outstanding Public Servant (2001), Outstanding Citizen of Baguio (2002, in the field of journalism), DENR Regional Environmental Award (1997), Gawad Oscar Florendo Award, and the 2002 Global 500 Award from the United Nations Environment Programme in honor of the Eco-Walk Children. He may not have the means to publish a silver lined hard bound book with an embossed cover but the knowledge he has authored and imparted to the hearts and minds of young children and budding journalists will forever be remembered just like the experience of planting trees in the forest. Art Tibaldo