A United States-based charitable organization has extended a USD50,000 Youth Climate Action Fund to 13 organizations in Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

The city government announced on Monday that Bloomberg Philanthropies will finance the project proposals of youth groups, with members aged 15 to 24 years, meant to protect natural resources.

Among their proposed projects are tree-planting, public education campaigns, recycling or waste reduction initiatives, and participation in mitigation planning or preparedness programs.

The ceremonial awarding was held at the city hall on Oct. 18 but some funds have been downloaded in September.

“This is very meaningful for us here in Borongan since this is the first time that young people are given the opportunity to craft programs, projects, and policies on how to protect our environment,” Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said in a statement.

The mayor urged the youth groups to effectively implement their proposed projects for them to qualify for additional grants in the future.

The recipients are Eastern Samar State University-Borongan campus Biology Society, Barangay San Mateo Youth for Peace, Calingatnan Youth Organization, Sangguniang Kabataan & Pepelitan, Barangay Sohutan Youth Organization, and Environmental Science Students’ Organization -Environmental.

Other grantees are the Lalawigan National High School-Supreme Secondary Learner Government, LBHS Youth, Maybacong Youth Organization, Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School YES-O (Youth for Environment School’s Organization), Punta Maria Youth Organization, and Calingatnan National High School YES-O Club.

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people.

The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: arts, education, environment, government innovation and public health. (PNA)