MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Philippines — Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy Alvarado hailed Tuesday the initiatives of the Lakan and Lakambini Charities, headed by Jo Clemente and the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), for actively involving the youth in the protection of the environment as well as in boosting public awareness on climate change.

Alvarado said that the BENRO Chief Rustico de Belen announced that the provincial government of Bulacan has new allies in its environment protection programs.

De Belen said that the newly crowned “Lakan at Lakambini ng Kalikasan” are now fully- booked for 2012 and will serve as ambassadors of the environment protection programs of the provincial government.

Belen said Lakan Jovet Andrade,19, of San Rafael and Lakambini Janine Charisse H. Pile, 18, will help create public awareness on the issue of climate change and will also be role models for the protection of environment and natural resources in Bulacan.

He said the “Lakan at Lakambini ng Kalikasan” will be actively involved in the promotion of solid waste management programs and all climate change adaptation and mitigation projects.

They will also be involved in the massive clean-up and rehabilitation of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando river system, two of which — the Marilao and Meycauayan Rivers — were tagged by the New York — based environmental watchdog Blacksmith Institute as among the most dirtiest rivers in the world.

The two will also help in the national greening program by assisting in the tree planting activities of the government.