The Youth Summer Program on Environmental Education (YSP) is an annual three-day initiative organized by the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME). The program is spearheaded by the Social Forestry Division (SFD) and supported by various MCME units and divisions.
Held on 27–29 May 2026, the 19th iteration of the YSP brought together 14 youth members from the 4-H Club of Sto. Tomas City, Batangas, and 11 youth members of Makiling Ecoguide and RescueKidz from Barangay Bagong Silang in Los Baños, Laguna, alongside the interns from Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University and Pampanga State Agricultural University. The event started with the welcoming remarks from SFD Head, For. Leonardo Barua, followed by an orientation led by For. Myranel Canceran.
The first day of the program focused on building awareness and knowledge through a series of technical lectures. For. Myranel Canceran introduced the concepts of environmental education, followed by For. Carl Earvin Carada, who discussed environmental principles. For. Marlo Caña addressed the topics of forestry, forest degradation, global warming, and climate change. The ecological significance of Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) and its key points of interest were highlighted by For. Alexis John Fajardo, while For. Geine Joseph Esguerra outlined the policies, laws, and regulations governing the MMFR and other mountain ecosystems. Concluding the technical sessions, For. Leonardo Barua introduced the concept of watersheds. The afternoon proceeded with spreading awareness with an environmental film screening introduced by For. Mae Belen Putian, ending with a basic survival lecture by Mr. Nick Manilisis.
On the second day, the participants tapped into their artistic and communication skills through a poster-making session guided by Mr. Joel Angel Reyes, and a photography workshop led by Ms. Rueth Cabral. They also learned the strategic process of designing environmental school or community projects under the guidance of For. Mary Anne Abadillos. The second day concluded with a talent showdown and a bonfire activity, where participants had the opportunity to get to know one another, share experiences, and enjoy a community dance.
On the final day, the youth embarked on an experiential learning trek to the Makiling Rainforest Park and Mudspring, guided by For. Angela Limpiada and For. Alexis John Fajardo. This was followed by the “Eco-Race” organized by For. Ma. Ruffa Guab and For. Mae Belen Putian, with assistance from the interns, which fostered teamwork and camaraderie. The three-day program concluded with the presentation and evaluation of the participants’ outputs from the previous days, assessed by For. Mae Belen Putian, For. Valeriana Barredo-Parducho, and For. Leonardo Barua. Finally, the participants shared their experiences from the training and received certificates of participation. (Article and photo by For. Carl Earvin Carada)