Bro. Neil Jose Nazareno
BAGUIO CITY– The first day of the annual Recoletos Enhancement and Advancement Program (REAP) commenced last July 22, 2025, at the Casiciaco Recoletos Seminary (CaReS) Refectory.
CaReS seminarians, religious formators, and personnel united at the seminary dining hall, demonstrating a strong sense of unity and a shared goal of establishing a sustainable zero-waste seminary community.
The program was formally opened by Fr. Lauro V. Larlar, OAR, the seminary Rector, and Fr. Anthony P. Irineo, OAR, the Dean of Studies, gave an overview of the purpose and importance of this year’s 5-day program.
Mrs. Dorothy Joy Balcueva, the seminary nurse, introduced all of the facilitators of this year’s REAP. These facilitators, all belonging to the Zero-Waste Baguio advocacy group, are experts in their respective fields and guided and educated the participants throughout the program. They shared their deep understanding of environmental issues, conducted interactive sessions, and provided guidance on developing sustainable practices. Mrs. Lucia Ruiz was only able to join the sessions for the next two days.
The sessions on Ecological issues, Ecological Identity, and the Creation Story were not just presentations, but interactive platforms that provided valuable learning and growth opportunities, inspiring the participants to take feasible actions.
To conclude the morning session, seminarians were asked to discern and group themselves according to their desired groups in addressing the triple-environmental crisis: Solid Waste Management responders, Biodiversity Loss responders, and Climate Change responders. This crisis, which encompasses the issues of waste management, biodiversity loss, and climate change, is a significant challenge that the REAP program aims to address.
Fr. Larlar, the Seminary Rector, led the afternoon session with the seminarians, emphasizing the concept of “decluttering.” This concept, which encompasses both the mental and physical burdens associated with one’s possessions, is a key principle in the journey toward a sustainable and zero-waste community.
