JBEC, composed of all Jesuit secondary schools in the country, held their annual meeting at Xavier University.

This year’s theme focused on the environment and featured two ecotours: river and marine ecosystems.

The participating Jesuit schools were the Ateneo de Manila University grade school (GS) and high school (HS), Ateneo de Zamboanga University GS and HS, Ateneo de Davao University GS and HS, Ateneo de Naga University HS, Ateneo de Iloilo HS, Ateneo de Cebu HS, Loyola College of Culion, Xavier School Greenhills, Xavier School Nuvali, Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation, Inc., and Xavier University GS and HS.

McKeough Marine Center (MMC) organized the tour of some of the participants to the MMC Marine Activity Center in Jasaan and to  Agutayan Island.  Participants were given short orientations on XU’s engagements in the marine environment: Giant Clam Conservation Project, IEC Student Development Advocates (ISDA) in NSTP, and the Macajalar Bay Development Alliance (MBDA). They were then brought to the Agutayan Island in their full swimming suits to see actual giant clams in their natural habitat. The participants and the MMC team spent the rest of the morning snorkeling and exploring the seas and its other beautiful marine life forms. The activity gave everyone a fun-filled learning experience to bring home and share with others.