By: Delaila Irma T. Calindas, Project Technical Staff II

On May 6, 2025, following its annual monitoring meeting with Apayao State College (ASC), the CHED-UniFAST CAR team visited the implementation site of Project SAGIP in Barangay San Gregorio, Luna, Apayao.

The visit showcased ASC’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability, with the site thriving under the care of student-grantees, faculty, and staff. Nearly 3,000 trees—comprising Philippine Teak (Malabayabas), Gmelina, and Bamboo—have been planted as part of the initiative, serving both ecological and educational purposes. The flourishing landscape stands as a living symbol of collaborative reforestation and biodiversity conservation in the province.

The team also toured the college’s Natural Textile Fiber Hub, where personnel presented promising fibers extracted from the Anabo shrub—an underutilized, non-timber forest species endemic to Apayao. In 2022, ASC received a Php 937,000 research grant from the Department of Science and Technology–Cordillera Administrative Region (DOST-CAR) to explore Anabo’s potential as a sustainable, high-quality fiber source for the regional textile industry.

These efforts reflect ASC’s integrated approach to education, research, environmental protection, and economic development—anchored in local resources and responsive to national priorities.

Project SAGIP—or Scholars and Grant-in-Aid Beneficiaries Action in Greening Initiative Program—is a regional initiative that promotes environmental consciousness and accountability among student-grantees. Under the program, each beneficiary of CHED-UniFAST financial assistance is encouraged to plant at least one indigenous or fruit-bearing tree annually throughout their scholarship period. Through initiatives like these, ASC and CHED-UniFAST CAR are nurturing not only future professionals, but also responsible stewards of the environment.