The Philippine Young Christian Workers-Camarines Norte successfully held its first ever Leadership and Membership Camp (LAMP2023) last May 13-14, 2023 in Masalongsalong, Mercedes, Camarines Norte. It was attended by 37 young people from different YCW base groups of the said region.

The two-day event was characterized with different activities such as camping, discussion with an expert from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, mangrove planting, social and solidarity night.

Representative from DENR discusses the importance of our natural resources and how to protect them like the mountains, rivers and oceans, including the floras and faunas living on it and underneath. He emphasized that taking care of mother Earth will reciprocally will take care us.

Expressing love and commune with nature, YCW planted 150 mangrove trees alongside the river. The province is widely known for floods and erosions during rainy season. For that, the mangrove trees are effective natural barrier and protection.

The event was inspired by Laudato Si, an encyclical letter of Pope Francis that encourage to care the natural environment, and all its people. In the evening, social night was held to reflect positive memories and experiences with nature and to link it with the young people’s spirituality.

The highlight of the event is the mountain climbing and hiking at Mount Hinipaan and Hinipaan Falls. YCW members marched early morning into the mountain to appreciate the gift of  mother nature. l It was a two and half hour’s hike.

Participants are quite happy with the outcome of the activity and decided to have a similar event next month and involve more young workers. The event was conducted in line with the celebration of the International Week of Young Workers last April 26-May 1, 2023 but was rescheduled due to bad weather condition.

Likewise, the Philippine Young Christian Workers would like to express gratitude to CAJ-Germany for financial support and donating 10 camping tents for the above-mentioned event.

SALAMAT AT DIOS MABALOS!