DB Pasil, Cebua, The Philippines, 12 March 2021 -- Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, the Salesian community in Don Bosco Pasil, Cebu City, Philippines has recreated this unprecedented times into a sustainable opportunities. Pasil is one of the barangay or village in Cebu City wherein a large part of it is highly populated and the houses are densely packed hence the availability of land for planting is very limited. Yet, with the active enthusiasm of our young Salesians assigned in the community, Bro. Julius Ysulan, SDB and Bro. Raffy Besonia, SDB, turned their limited space into an urban garden and called it Mama Margaret’s Garden. After a year of planting and growing with the use of recycled plastic bottles, they are now able to harvest their products of various vegetables and fruits and put a food at the table without spending any cash.

Furthermore, the youth center in Don Bosco Pasil resumes their youth activities in a skeletal schedule. Each youth group is assigned to come in a particular day or time for their formation. During their goodnight talks, the Salesians introduce eco-awareness to the young people. Mc Dowell C. Colarte II, a youth in Pasil discloses his learning, “Bro. Julius shared his seedlings experience during lockdown in Cebu City last year. He also introduced the Don Bosco Green Alliance and the Holy Father’s encyclical of the care for our common home, Laudato Si. He talked about how beneficial planting plants can be to the society, how a single trash can affect us and how fun is planting just like having a pet you take care of it.” James Delima, KOA member and youth leader, also shares, “I've learned that we can use those unused things around us and turn it to something that we can benefit such as empty plastic bottles, rubber tires and many more. It's not too late to help our nature by throwing our trashes properly, plant some trees, fruits and vegetables so that we can harvest some if we don't have anything to eat. It is true that planting is not that easy but he who plants trees, love others beside himself.

The said eco-awareness will go on every week with different environmental topics and stories.