The First Mangrove Youth Summit was an experience I never knew I would be blessed to experience in 2025. It all started on a random night after work when I opened my cellphone and saw a promotion from the Mangrove Matters PH Facebook page calling for applicants for the historic event. I did not send my application immediately at that time, but I collected my thoughts and reminisced about how I could join and tell my story, participating in the cause of mangrove conservation and protection. Then, the weekend came, and that’s when I put my thoughts into writing.

One of the significant experiences I had with mangrove conservation was during my college thesis, where we conducted a study on the mangrove ecosystem in Kawit, Cavite. It was a notable involvement because we estimated the carbon stock potential of the 60-hectare mangrove area with significant findings. We shared it with PENRO-Cavite and discussed it through a forum session with the immediate coastal communities that benefit from the mangrove ecosystem. There, I realized that it never actually felt like we were doing it to comply with an output and finalize our thesis. But every time we visited the study site and communicated with the local communities, it felt very special. It felt like a passion budding out of our systems, giving us a sense of purpose.

The day of selection came, and I was surprised to receive an invitation to the summit. It felt, after quite some time, like being seen again in the field and being validated despite how small my involvement with mangroves was.

DAY 1
The first day of the summit was a mix of emotions. For a moment, I felt shy, or excited. Sometimes I would feel introverted, or maybe I would try to communicate. Above all, I felt extremely happy to be meeting everyone in person, both the organizers and my co-delegates. During the sessions, it felt intimate. With a diverse group of delegates and really experienced speakers with diverse backgrounds, the room was a place where the exchange of ideas was encouraged, where everyone could share insights, tell their stories, and come together for a common cause.

It was a mesmerizing experience as well, as I saw those authors I used to cite in our thesis during college, such as Dr. Jurgenne Primavera for her notable contribution and extensive studies on mangroves in the Philippines, and Sir Alvin Baloloy for his use of the Mangrove Vegetation Index (MVI), which is a significant aspect of our paper for the biomass estimation of our study site.

Citizen science has also been a concept that interests me in terms of conducting participatory studies or initiatives.

Wrapping up day one with reflections from the organizers really humanized the event. It became an avenue for us delegates to recognize the efforts of the organizers and what they went through to create such a successful youth-led summit. Meanwhile, with the fire's light against our cheeks, the night went on with inspiring stories from my co-delegates—truly a worthwhile and one-of-a-kind experience.

DAY 2
The morning of the second day of the summit was filled with immersive activities such as bird watching and identification of tree species in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, a simulation activity, which brought out the acting talents in everyone, the selection of batch coordinators, and strategizing the Youth Campaign Plan on Mangrove Conservation through a workshop. With the short time we had, the second day felt productive, collaborative, and interactive all at once.

With the summit coming to an end, I have a few realizations to share. One, the restoration and protection of mangrove ecosystems in the Philippines is not an impossible endeavor. The challenge, however, lies in the generation thriving with a lack of awareness about its importance. Two, a community-based approach through citizen science is an innovative method to encourage community participation in the cause. In this way, the community becomes empowered with fundamental knowledge. Three, the youth is a force that plays an integral role in forwarding nature-based solutions, specifically in the context of mangrove conservation. With the youth’s commitment to what’s meaningful to them, they act extra miles, not to conform to how youth is normally perceived in society, but to challenge the status quo and actively participate in propelling progressive principles in general. Fourth, mangrove conservation is not going to be an easy battle, including factors such as corporations’ capitalistic interests in the commons, the unsustainable perspectives of those in positions of power, and the inaction of policymakers in integrating evidence-based or data-driven policies. This leads me to my fifth point: mangrove conservation is a collective effort that requires participation from various sectors of sustainable development: the economic, environmental, and social domains.