New City: Very few young guys are enthusiastic about ecology and the environment. How did this come about for you?
Jep-Jep: My love affair with ecology developed gradually. At first, it was almost purely theoretical, with facts all learned in a classroom setting. Later, it evolved into something visual, actual, and real. In Mariapolis Peace, in Tagaytay, I and other boys and girls had lessons on spirituality as well as various work activities, both of which are integral parts of our formation. At first, I started working in the carpentry shop, then shifted to working in the garden. This new work brought me closer to Mother Nature, and before I knew it, I developed a habit of contemplating God in the beauty of nature. Our place in Tagaytay is particularly blessed with good weather and fertile soil. Slowly, I became immersed in God’s creation which has helped me feel His presence. There are times during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon, that I feel drawn to spend time “communing” with nature. Taking a walk in the countryside on weekends, and playing with our pet dogs and cats have become a way for me to connect with God in His creatures. I remember one afternoon after a hard day’s work, I was dead tired. So I went to our balcony, sat there, and looked at the panorama around Tagaytay. It’s as if I was seeing it with new eyes. It was like the world was opening up before me. I was watching Taal volcano, the lake around it, the clear blue sky, and the green forests and fields surrounding it. Time stood still as I felt myself one with everything around me. It was mesmerizing, and I was almost moved to tears because it dawned on me how this beautiful creation was made for and given specially to me.
New City: Dodoy, you are from a family of farmers in Panay. Recently, you finished a vocational course, then decided to spend some time in the formation school for youth in Tagaytay. Have you discovered something new, being immersed in the eco-farm of the Focolare?
Dodoy: I grew up in a simple family of farmers, and I am very proud of it! That’s why being one with nature is already part of my life. In fact, I feel very much at home in it. I was very young then when I first noticed how everything about nature ultimately revolves around systems. We have the water cycle, the nitrogen cycle, food chains… The list goes on and on. I understood later that we live and die amid webs of relationships (organisms form and sustain us). I feel that I am strongly part of the whole ecological system where every life form depends upon scores of others to support life and well-being. You may say that since I was a child, I considered myself an avid advocate of ecology because I’ve seen that where there is ecological balance, it is a more suitable environment to live in. So, when I was assigned to work in the garden, I was so happy to learn more about nature and contribute everything that I had learned about ecology.
New City: Jep-Jep, what do you think are the most important lessons you learned while working in the eco-farm?
Jep-Jep: Being always exposed to nature, I became sensitive to ecology, developing a strong sense of care for nature. Before I knew it, I had started to adopt and practice eco-friendly behavior. I practice skills like tree care, nursery care, identifying and cultivating different species of vegetables suitable for different seasons. These are skills I can bring with me to the workforce when I start work in the future. This experience made me feel like I was accomplishing something I could be proud of in the future when I look back at the time I spent here. It was really an enjoyable experience, and I’m thankful for the time and effort I put into it. Working in the garden makes me more ecologically sensitive and more responsible.
New City: Aside from discovering the variety of vegetables in the eco-farm and the importance of using organic fertilizers to produce a healthy harvest, what practical life lessons did you learn?
Dodoy: Though I already had many years of experience in farming, only recently did I get to know some names of vegetables. Before, I thought that newly transplanted plants die because of lack of water and nutrients. Now I learned that they can often die because the new soil lacks the proper micro-organisms for their survival.
In our eco-farm, we use organic fertilizers. We opted to “go organic” to provide a better and more healthy harvest. With the local farmers who work with us, we learned a lot of techniques and established a friendly relationship with them, valuing them with much honor and respect. Here are some practical lessons I learned from them: When we go for our formation lessons, we refill our personal water bottle instead of buying water in plastic containers; when going to the market, we choose reusable, eco-friendly bags. Thus, we rethink, re-evaluate, and reconsider how our choices and actions affect the environment.
New City: After concluding your formation as youth in Tagaytay, what will you bring home from this experience?
Jep-Jep: My return to Davao, my city, is very timely. My family will be transferring to a new setting where we are building a new house in a mountainous area with a small plot of land where we can cultivate our own vegetable garden and raise pigs. It will be a new adventure for me and my family. I am very excited because while I will be starting my university studies, I will also apply all the farming skills that I have learned here in Tagaytay. I understood now why on that day on our balcony, I unexpectedly experienced an “opening up.” It was as if God was inviting me to “dance” – to follow the rhythm and harmony of nature. I felt the Spirit pulsing through all of creation, giving me a glimpse of what the cosmos really is – a dynamic set of relationships infused and charged with the Spirit of God. And all this speaks to me of His very personal love for me, for each one of us.
New City: What made this experience in the Focolare formation school for youth unique to you?
Dodoy: Indeed, our stay here in Tagaytay has helped both of us grow spiritually in our journey towards a deeper relationship with God and among us young people. It has also taught me how to be more sensitive to others, adopting an outlook in life that sees the “sacred” in people, animals, plants, and everything that surrounds us, in our endeavor to help build an ecological civilization with everyone.
Romeo Pelayo Vital
