College of Engineering – A civil engineering student here was selected one of 10 finalists in the national competition for Bayer Young Environmental Envoy (BYEE) for 2012.

Glenn Mark Galiza ranked fourth among 10 finalists that included students from UP, DLSU, West Visayas State University, FEU, University of Iloilo, Western Visayas College of Science and Technology, Bicol University, and University of Cebu.

The BYEE is the longest running environmental program in the Philippines organized in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program. For 12 years now, BYEE has been engaging young Filipinos to take part in environmental protection.

The 10 finalists will have the unique experience of enriching their knowledge about the environment through a live-in BYEE Eco-Camp to be conducted by environmental experts at an eco-friendly venue in the Philippines in August. The top four BYEEs who will be chosen from the 10 finalists will represent the country and join youth delegates from 17 other countries on a weeklong all-expense paid study tour of Germany on Nov. 4-9. The tour will provide first-hand experience on how environmental protection is practiced by people, government, and industry in a country that leads in technology and environmental awareness.

Galiza presented his paper on environment and underwent a series of interviews in Manila to qualify as finalist. Being an artist – charcoal being his preferred medium, Galiza proposed an environmental project entitled “Picasso on Nature” – a combination of a painting contest and an imaGREENation environmental art exhibit. This was launched on May 14 at the Busa Theatre in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. His project aims to encourage drafting student artists to use their talent in drawing to address his hometown Bacarra’s environmental community problems.

Galiza is the first COE student that has represented MMSU in the competition. He is the treasurer of the COE Student Council; the incoming treasurer of the Central Student Council; and a consistent academic scholar.