The Santo Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation, Inc. (SNAF) blessed and inaugurated the Augustinian Laudato Si’ Center for Creation at the Monte Maravilla Climate Smart Village in Kang-Actol, Dumanjug, Cebu on October 7, 2023.
The Laudato Si’ Center will serve as the Augustinians’ platform for creating sustainable programs for the environment and for the care of our common home.
Projects that are already established and were blessed in the center are vermiculture, the nursery for fruit-bearing trees, livestock farming, and the soon-to-be aquaponics farming.
SNAF plans to create more programs not only for nature but also for the benefit of the people’s organization, Kapunungan sa Mag-uumang Mamumuo sa Monte Maravilla (KAMAU-MO).
During the inauguration, Rev. Fr. John Ion Miranda, OSA, SNAF Executive Director, extended his sincerest gratitude to the different organizations that supported the various programs.
Vermiculture was a grant given by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to KAMAUMO earlier in 2021.
However, the production of vermicast was disrupted after the structure was destroyed by typhoon Odette in December of the same year.
It was then rebuilt through the help of the Filipino community in Australia.
Meanwhile, SNAF also partnered with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.’s (RAFI) One to Tree Program, which offers community-based and environmentally appropriate tree-growing services.
RAFI provided seedlings of different trees that would be planted and grown in the 40-hectare Climate Smart Village likewise to the other Augustinian properties.
The inauguration of the Center was a part of the culminating activity of the Province of Santo Niño de Cebu- Philippines’ participation of the Season of Creation.
Before the blessing, a holy mass was celebrated at the pavilion, a twenty-minute walk from the center.
The Mass was presided over by Fr. Miranda and concelebrated by the Augustinian friars.
The activity was attended by different organizations– SNAF personnel and interns, COMGC, OSACARES, Augustinian Novices, Associates of St. Rita, KAMAU-MO members, and RAFI representatives.
Fr. Christian Funtanares, OSA, member of the Province of Santo Niño de Cebu- Philippines’ Commission on Justice and Peace, led the blessing of the facility and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held by Fr. John Ion C. Miranda, OSA together with Fr. Eusebio Berdon, OSA, Fr. Jose Rene Delariarte, OSA, the contemplative sisters of Mohon, Talisay, RAFI’s representative, and Gina Palmares, KAMAU-MO president.
The event ended with a tree-growing activity participated by the Augustinian novices and some members of the volunteer groups of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu (BMSN).
