On June 10, 2008, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched the Pinoy Ecology Game (PEG), the first of its kind “environmental awareness board game for children aged four years and up, and the entire family.”

PEG, as conceptualized by Aurora de Leon of the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) and manufactured by Joy Toy and JC Lucas Creative Products Inc. of Balingasa, Quezon City, is a “game for children and adults that focuses on the different ways to help the environment, thereby saving the Earth – the little do’s and don’ts that we can do (that) will greatly influence our surroundings,” says De Leon to Enterprise Magazine. “By (presenting) environmental protection concepts such as climate change, solid waste management, air and water quality management, chemicals and hazardous waste management, forest and wildlife protection, among others, in a vivid game board complete with concept cards bearing practical applications and do’s and don’ts, (its makes) learning easier, especially for children.”

De Leon had been doing educational tools for “quite a while,” especially in making learning more fun for children. PEG was, in fact, developed
starting 2005 or 2006, though it was eventually just shelved. “I have always been a supporter (of) environment friendly projects even in a small
way, e.g. having clean yards, trying to save water in many ways, segregating garbage, et cetera. This was instilled (in us) by our father when we were young,” she says. “(The PEG) was, however, a product of my academic background and work.”

A lot of De Leon’s ideas on the environment were derived from “people who really care for the environment, including former Senator Helena Z. Benitez, former US Vice President Al Gore, and the various government entities (that are) fighting the pollution of the country in terms of garbage problems, traffic jams, noise pollution, et cetera.”

It was with the “help of some friends, like Reiner Suva, Marvyn Manalo, and Bob Servino, as well as the able guidance of Joy Toy (that) the dream of having these in the market came into being,” adds De Leon, a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas (AB Economics), and who finished a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the PWU in Quezon City. With PEG, there is now “a way of teaching the young ones (how) to be aware of what one can do for the environment. Little ways to save the earth (that become a) huge undertaking when taken as whole.”

PEG is played like the Snakes and Ladders, with the first player to reach the number 100, after all players start at number one, winning the game. The board game has illustrations that are easy to identify with, as the players move according to what the board game indicates. To add excitement, and educational merit, to the game, there are also do’s and don’ts chance cards that the players will have to read and learn, and follow the instructions that are given.

“What is good about (PEG) is (in teaching the players that) there are many ways (to) help the environment, as well as those things that can harm it. The players, particularly the children, can, therefore, learn early how one can be a positive or a negative influence to Mother Earth,” De Leon says. “This makes it an educational tool for schools and parents, and for everyone.”

PEG, endorsed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is, of course, made using biodegradable materials – “all non-toxic, too, as well as (completely) Filipino,” De Leon says. It is already distributed overseas, though its maker is hoping to release it to other developing countries in the near future, to help “intheir own country’s environment efforts.”

“Education is a huge endeavor to make the project successful. Since we have only started this year, we hope we can cover every corner of our country to make the game useful as reminders. We should also not forget that each individual person can do a lot even if only a small thing is done to clean the environment. There are still lots of things we can do, but this game can be a start,” De Leon ends.