The Catholic's  Pope Francis recently issued a Papal Encyclical entitled LAUDATO SI (Care for our Common Home).  Being inspired after reading it, our organization put together a series of activities that will start with a Photo Exhibit and conclude with a Forum on Laudato Si on February 25, 2016.  Pope Francis quoted the 1988 pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops Conference on the Philippines entitled "What Is Happening to Our Beautiful Land?" In the Pope's encyclical he quotes, "Who turned the wonder world of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of color and life?"

On January 9, 11 & 12, 2016, the Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation held a PHOTO EXHIBIT featuring the successes and challenges of the efforts of San Pablenos all these years in rehabilitating the 7 lakes and our environment.  Our distinguished speakers and their respective topics were the following: Dr. Susan GALLARDO, Fellow of DLSU and Consultant of UNIDO, who spoke on  "Climate Change and Environment Protection" and Dr. Charity ZAFARALLA, Faculty Researcher of UPLB, who discussed "The Water Quality of the 7 Lakes of San Pablo".

There were hundreds of people who attended the photo exhibit. There were teachers, students, businessmen, artists, nuns and priests, among others.  Several groups came to participate in the Opening Ceremony to provide fun intermission numbers.  One of the colleges in our City provided some students to sing songs.  They chose environmental songs to go with the occasion.

I was fortunate to have been chosen to be the co-emcee of our Monsignor during the program. The Monsignor was throwing questions at me during the almost 3 hour program, so I had to be on my toes.  It was quite fun and definitely a very educational activity.