Bacolod Needs More Plants FB Campaign by Sigrid Says Wins GMEA 2016

The Facebook campaign that was popularized in Bacolod City with the hashtags #MorePlantsinBacolod and #GreenerBacolod won the Social Media Campaign of the Year Award in the recently concluded Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) 2016.

I am the proponent of this campaign and I am so happy that it is getting some media attention. I am a Bacolod-based blogger who is the author of this lifestyle blog, www.sigridsays.com. The campaign bagged the award and came out as the lone winner from Bacolod in the well-attended awards night held last September 22, 2016 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. Lo is a member of the Negrense Blogging Society, Inc. (NBSI).

Related story: Bacolod Needs More Plants and Trees

Entitled “Bacolod Needs More Plants in Commercial Areas”, I started this campaign when I realized that my flourishing little gardens in our three-storey commercial building has improved the air quality as well as lowered the temperature in our home. While living in a commercial area has its downsides, I have experienced first hand that plants can improve the quality of life of the people who live in the area or even just visit commercial areas with plants.

With that realization, I wanted to encourage commercial establishments to have more greens in their places of business, like pocket gardens or even just big or small potted plants, if they have no more spaces for trees. This is also a reminder to businessmen who are planning to build new infrastructure to include pocket gardens in their building plans.

I believe that not only will plants beautify commercial areas, they will also provide oxygen as well as some visual respite from the dreariness of concrete stores and buildings. Plus, the area becomes cooler and more refreshing where there are plants and trees.

So I simply started taking photos around Bacolod City, wherever we would pass by. I celebrated those who already have gardens and landscapes in their places of business and also those who have recently acquired plants. It is my hope that instead of just complaining about the lack of plants around the city, complimenting those who already have will do a better job of letting business owners see the importance of having lush green areas around the city. I post these photos online with captions that praise owners who have thought of having plants in their places of business. It is sort of advertising their business, too. The campaign was started early this year and I still continue with my documentation and online postings. I also welcome contributions to my online album, especially that I do not really have what’s necessary to cover the entire city.

About GMEA

GMEA is the award-giving body of Globe Telecoms that seeks to recognize the outstanding, incisive, and impactful reportage of members of the press and online media. Now on its 5^th year, GMEA is bigger and better, covering 12 categories for print, broadcast (TV and radio), and online. GMEA was anchored on Globe Telecom’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to help create a Wonderful Philippines. The winning entries did not only embody quality and relevant content but also focused on any or a combination of four areas such as care for environment, care for people, positive societal impact, and digital nation.

GMEA 2016 Winners

Reporter of the year for television: Jinky Rosit
Explanatory/Investigative story of the year: Allan Domingo
Reporter of the year for Print & Online news portal: Ador Mayol
Explanatory story of the year for print: Cherry Ann Lim
Reporter of the year for radio: Runelyn Jamolo
Public affairs story of the year for radio: Atty. Ruphil Bañoc
Columnist of the year: Julia Carreon-Lagoc
Photojournalist of the year: Ferdinand Edralin
Social media campaign of the year: Maria Sigrid Lo
Social media advocate of the year: Joyce Torrefranca
Blogger of the year: Christian Literatus