STEP Philippines’ holds the Raising Ocean Heores Camp at the Mactan Newtown Beach in Lapu-Lapu City. | contributed photo
Cebu City, Philippines—Everyone wants to become a hero.
The Sea and Terrestrial Environment Protectors (STEP) Philippines is giving the youth a chance to be one.
Just last weekend, 25 young participants from around Cebu took on the challenge to become heroes themselves when STEP organized the Raising Ocean Heroes Camp, a two-day camp at the Mactan Newtown Beach in Lapu-Lapu City.
The camp was held last June 15-16, 2019.
The camp was centered on not just raising awareness about the environment but also empowering and inspiring future leaders and changemakers to do something different for the environment through group activities, lectures, and games.
STEP, a member organization of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN-SDSN), was officially established in May 2018.
Kisha Rodriguez Muaña, 23, the founder of STEP, told CDN Digital that this was the first Raising Oceans Heroes camp in Cebu.
“Our primary focus is for youth empowerment, development, and mobilization,” said Muaña.
This youth-led nonprofit organization is composed of young leaders. advocates, divers, volunteers, researchers, aspiring environmentalist, and conservationists.
As of now, the Cebu-based organization has 50 active members who organize seminars, trainings, forums, press conferences, and other activities.
During the recent camp, participants were from all over Cebu, such as Mandaue City, Camotes (Pilar, Tudela, and Poro), Bantayan, Lapu-Lapu, Sogod, Oslob, Boljoon, Minglanilla, Talisay, Cordova, and Olango.
Muaña is encouraging more to take part in their mission, especially since registration is for free.
“The only requirement is passion, dedication, and commitment to help serve and save the environment. They can visit our page, STEP PHILIPPINES or message us and we will send the registration link to them,” she shared.
Muaña, meanwhile, thanked their partners who helped them with the camp like Mactan Newtown Beach, Cebu Eco-Fix, Save Philippine Seas, Cebuanos Against Wildlife Captivity, Allson’s Inn, and USGAA Cebu. /bmjo