The youth sector is one of the important stewards in the conservation of our environment. Because of this, programmed activities directed to the youth are being organized through the CLEAR (Conservation of Laguna de Bay’s Environment and Resources) Partnership. These activities – the CLEAR Ecological Camp and the CLEAR Youth Network – aim to increase the awareness of the youth and to garner their commitment to responsible lake stewardship.
CLEAR Youth Network
Its History
During the Living Lakes Conference in Tagaytay City on May 2005, a parallel forum for the youth was held to consolidate their ideas and initiatives for the conservation of the lake environment. Youth groups, mostly from the lakeshore towns of Laguna de Bay, were invited as participants to this event. The youth groups consisted of Los Baños Youth CIRCLE, the Tanay Youth Eco-campers, Architectural Students’ Association of the Philippines – University of the Philippines Chapter and the Young Environmental Stewards. This resulted to the creation of the CLEAR Youth Network (CYN), with the initial youth organizations involved as core members.
They gathered again in a Forum in October 2005 to define their organizational role in the conservation and protection of Laguna de Bay as a part of the CYN. The result of the Forum showed a great potential for the Network to carry the banner for the CLEAR campaign to save the lake. The enthusiasm from the participants to come together as a network to push for a common agenda was also evident in the forum.
To sustain this momentum and enthusiasm, the network agreed to create activities that will harness the youth’s leadership capabilities and their genuine love and concern for the environment, and meet once a year in a CLEAR Youth Network Congress.
CLEAR Youth Ecological Camp
The first EcoCamp was conducted for the youth of Tanay in the year 2003. Since then, EcoCamp has been conducted in lakeshore cities and municipalities of Laguna de Bay. Youth Ecological Camp – Kalayaan
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The CLEAR Youth Network CongressThe first CLEAR Youth Congress was held on June 3, 2006 in time for World Environment Day Celebration. The Congress is the annual gathering of the CLEAR Youth Network as represented by Eco-Camp graduates and their groups that were formed in their schools and/or communities as a result of the Camp. It is a venue not just for reporting and sharing of accomplishments, and planning of yearly activities – more importantly, it is also a platform for learning and experiences so that the they are capacitated to implement wetland conservation activities efficiently and effectively. 12th CLEAR Youth Network Congress
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To regularly conduct an Ecological Camp, dubbed as Kilos Kabataan Para sa Lawa, is part of the plan strategy of CLEAR in its campaign to educate the community, particularly the youth, on the need to conserve and protect Laguna de Bay. The ecological camp aims to ensure the sustainable conservation and protection of Laguna de Bay and to foster a deeper sense of appreciation and commitment especially among the lakeshore communities.
CLEAR partners –
