Tarlac City, Tarlac. — December 1 2013. A week after the Year of Faith has officially closed, 386 YFLs from [the different provinces of] Baguio, Isabela, Pampanga, Olongapo, Tarlac, Bataan, and Bulacan flocked to Don Bosco Technical Institute Tarlac, for the first-ever YFL North and Central Luzon Regional Youthfest. The last stop for the Youthfest Season 2013, it was a concrete statement that truly, Faith Never Ends.
The event was started by the praying of the Holy Rosary led by Emerson of YFL Baguio and Angel of YFL Balanga, followed by the opening worship led by Gab Villa Agustin, the District Servant of YFL Tarlac.
After an exhilarating opening production by the YFL JBand and YFL DC, our emcees Ate Tenten Hubac of the District of Antipolo and Kuya Jayjay Tropicales of the District of Rizal officially welcomed everyone to the youthfest leading the crowd to the first segment, The UNLIshow. The different Districts gamely participated in a fun twist to the same old roll call, a common dance was taught to the tune of Tonight by Jessica Sanchez. In true blue variety show fashion, the UNLIshow featured YFL versions of popular t.v. shows, Ka-loka-like and The Singing Bee. Off-stage trivia games had YFLs sorting their memories through five years’ worth of Youthfest history.
To begin the second part of the event, the Praise Concert, Lem Sunga, the District Servant of YFL San Fernando (Pampanga), led everyone to a prayer.
Kuya Kevin Remandaban, Program Coordinator for Campus-based, gave the first session, Limitless in Christ. He talked about God’s limitless power and limitless love for us. The sharings of Rodman Barroga, District Servant of the District of Iba (Zambales) and Ariane Salamat of the District of San Fernando (Pampanga) concretized the points of the first session.
The second session, Limitless in Faith, was given by Kuya DR Arellano, YFL Mission Volunteer and District Servant of Cubao. His talk elaborated on Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”
The video sharings of Peter Balingit of the District of San Fernando (Pampanga) and Zack Muyco of the District of Iba (Zambales) further drove the point of the second session. Their testimonies proved that limited though we are by our humanity, with faith, we can be limitless by the grace of God.
A Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, presided by Rev. Fr. John, SDB of Don Bosco Tarlac, followed the sessions.
The closing praisefest was led by Kuya Gam Guarnes, Visayas Regional Coordinator.
To cap off the whole event, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Favie Faldas, SDB, the former Rector of Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac.