Teen actor ‘happy’ to portray Calungsod in musicale

Teen actor Makisig Morales portrayed the soon-to-be saintPedro Calungsod in a musical show titled ‘Teen Saint Pedrothe Musical: Scenes from a Martyrdom’.

In an interview, Morales said that he is happy and blessed to portray Pedro Calungsod.

“I’m happy and blessed that I was the one chosen to portray the soon-to-be teen saint Pedro. Actually, I’m speechless about it but I had no second thoughts of accepting the role because he is a real model to the young,” Morales said.

He added that the life and works of Calungsod even if he was only a teenager is really an inspiration to the youth and must take him as model in their day-to-day life. Morales is encouraging young people to watch the musical show in order to know the journey of Pedro to holiness and be inspired of it.

The musical will have another run on October 16 and 17 at the Meralco Theatre. (Jandel Posion)

Youth encouraged to use social media in proclaiming the Word

A Catholic priest encouraged young people to get fully involved in the digital world and use social media effectively in proclaiming the word of God in today’s generation.

Fr. Hans Magdurulang, speaker of the 48th series of ‘Ka-Talk’ forum organized by the Archdiocesan Commission on Youth of Manila (ACYM) urged the youth participants to be online missionaries even as he advised them to be role models in their proclamation of the word.

He told young people to cautious in uttering statements and be role models not just in action but also in words, for words are very powerful.

Themed “Silence & Word (Path of Evangelization),” the 48th series focused on evangelizing by being a missionary through the word of mouth and giving way to silence for better discernment.

Three of the youth participants also shared about their thoughts and experiences in proclaiming the word of God through the digital world.

Fr. Jade Licuanan, ACYM youth commissioner has also challenged young people to be more involved in various types of social media.

“As we continue to evolve in our theme ‘MEDIA IN MISSION: Making good use of the youth’s presence in the digital world,’ we again challenge our young people to really be involved in various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help young people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the Word of God” he said.

Licuanan dared attendees to use the media as a path for evangelization by posting positive words and messages in their social networking sites and keep silent if they have nothing good to say for the betterment of everyone.

Meanwhile, organizers announced submission of entries for the documentary, MTV and film making contests that can be participated by media buffs with the concept focusing on evangelizing people through the use of mass media, is on September 2012.

The forum was held at St. Scholastica College-Manila last July 7. (Emily Lingat/Jandel Posion)

Tagle leads stalwart speakers at 1st Catholic Social Media Summit

No less than Facebook- and Twitter-savvy Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle is the keynote speaker at the much-awaited 1st Catholic Social Media Summit next week.

Tagle, who is known for his social media posts and television program “The Word Exposed,” will discuss about “Godtiquette vs. Netiquette” on the first day of the two-day summit.

His talk themed “Social Media Spirituality” will relate technology with theology and discuss on the phenomenon of New Media Evangelization.

Joining Tagle in the CSMS panel of speakers is a blogging priest, a radio-show-host, social media marketing expert, a film producer, a television reporter, a bank executive and a phone applications developer.

Fr. Stephen Cuyos, MSC from the Communications Foundation for Asia, will talk about the “Word made Flesh and Digital” in his talk “The Cloud Search: Truth and Authenticity in the Digital World.”

While Cuyos discusses the advantages of establishing social presence of the participant’s organization or parish, GMA7 senior news anchor Mark Zambrano will talk about how the Church can engage digital media for its message.

Meanwhile Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, director of the CBCP Media Office and host of a daily morning news show aired over Radio Veritas, will discuss how to shape a “Digital Future full of Hope” in his talk about “Winning the Digital World through the Word.

Urian Awardee and film producer Alemberg Ang, on the other hand, will give a crash course on basic independent film making, as he discusses how film can be used for evangelization.

For his part, Carlo Ople of TV5 will teach summit participants how to use social media in marketing their products and evangelization events.

If Arvie de Vera of Unionbank will be giving a lecture on maximizing the benefits of electronic-banking and online donation for participant’s fund raising efforts, Jomar Hilario, an internet marketing consultant, will teach them more about earning through the internet.

The CSMS is a two-day summit to be held on July 14 and 15 at the Renaissance Convention Center in Riverbanks, Marikina City.

Being organized by YouthPinoy, it is the first nationwide confab to discuss how the Catholic Church and the lay faithful can exploit social media to benefit their evangelization and mission works.

Registration fee, including summit kit, meals and certificate, costs P1,000 per participant. Interested parties can register at the YouthPinoy office, 3rd Floor CBCP Building, 470 Gen. Luna St. in Intramuros, Manila, or contact Ms. Nirva Delacruz through mobile: +639321469436/+639164831443; landline: +6327096486; and email:ypopportunities@gmail.com.

Registration ends tomorrow July 6. Details of the summit, such as the program, registration guidelines, and summit files, are available online at www.youthpinoy.com . (YouthPinoy)

Filipino Focolare youth to join int’l gathering in Budapest

Young members of the Focolare movement in the Philippines are set to join other youth of various nationalities in an international gathering called GenFest from August 31 to September 2 in Budapest.

The Filipino youth will join the 10th edition of GenFest, an international gathering aimed to unite Focolare youth from all over the world and from various cultures and ethnic groups to agree on the idea that a united world is an ideal worth living for.

According to Ms. Rhoda Agcalao, youth leader of Focolare (Youth for a United World) in the Philippines, close to a hundred Filipino youth are expected to attend the meeting.

“As of the moment, there are 94 youth who are listed to join the international gathering. But it still depends if our fundraising projects can suffice to send these 94 young people. We still continue to believe in divine providence,” Agcalao said.

Agcalao added that the 10th edition of GenFest titled “Let’s bridge” has a lot of first time.

“This is the first time that it took us 12 years to organize the GenFest, the last time was in 2000. This is also first time that our founder, Chiara Lubich can’t join us because she died last March 2008. But we are thankful for this is the first time that we have Chiara Luce Badano, a 19-year old gen, [who was] declared blessed last 2010. And lastly, this is the first time that the celebration is not held in Italy,” Agcalao said.

In their official website www.genfest.org, the group said that Budapest will become the “capital of the culture of unity’ with the sport arena and bridges that tower over the Danube will be the main locations where meetings, displays and shows will take place.

The group expects the presence of 12,500 young people from about 100 different nationalities to attend the international gathering which was organized by over 3,000 volunteers from all over the world who have been working for months just to bring the said event ahead.

They also emphasized that the event will be an experience of unity that is continually at the basis of every effort that leads to true dialogue and builds deeper relationships.

They said the gathering is a chance to exchange and compare ideas for those who see a background rich in challenges in today’s world, where there is opportunity for change, where the other is placed at the centre.

“Various themes will also be discussed such as economy, art, politics, social problems, dialogue among the different religions, the highest human values and even ecology and communication. All in an international context to involve everyone present to build in the first person, and also together with other through bridges of fraternity,” they said.

The Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement was founded by Chiara Lubich in Trent on 1943.

Their characteristic is universality where they come from all the 5 continents and from different ethnicities, nationalities and cultures which belong to various Christian denominations, different religions and some with no profess religious belief but they all have very high human values.

They commit their energies into building a united world, to make humankind more and more into one single family, where the personal identity of every individual is respected.

Lubich, their founder, was an Italian activist who died at the age of 88 in Rocca di papa, Italy on March 14, 2008.

GenFest started in 1973 in Loppiano, Florence. The last GenFest event was held in 2000 at the Flaminio stadium in Rome coinciding with the World Youth Day celebration. (Jandel 

Catholic school students, teachers encouraged to attend YouthPinoy’s Catholic social media summit

Using social media should be among the innovations that educators should imbibe in their teaching strategies, especially in promoting Christian Values.

This was what Fr. Gregg Bañaga, Jr., C.M. said as he encouraged students, teachers and officials of some 1,346 Catholic schools, colleges and universities under the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) to attend the 1st Catholic Social Media Summit, being organized by YouthPinoy together with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Bañaga, who is concurrently CEAP chief and president of Adamson University in Manila, said Catholic educational institutions should follow the Church’s lead in using social media to teach the youth about Christ.

“In this age of ever-changing technology, the Church, through various means, conscious of its role and presence in parishes, schools, communities, organizations and certain situations, is using social media to teach the world about Christ, especially the youth,” he said.

The priest encouraged teachers, officials and administrators of CEAP member-schools to do the same, adding that “the responsible use of social media especially in the promotion of Christian Values should be highlighted in our teaching ministries.”

Bañaga added that CEAP will be in support of YouthPinoy, a group of young Catholics promoting the use of online media to evangelize, and other organized groups of young people “striving to become communities of disciples of Jesus Christ.”

“The CEAP will always be supportive of organizations providing spiritual formation, in whatever available means with the view on producing young Christian leaders who will work for social transformation. The association has been longing to see similar groups being organized, strengthened, and recognized in our schools and is committed to give them full support,” he added.

The 1st Catholic Social Media Summit, themed “Ministering Grace to this Generation” [cf. Eph 4:29], is organized by YouthPinoy, in partnership with the CBCP Media Office, Episcopal Commission on Youth, and Episcopal Commission on Missions, and the Catholic Media Network.

It is co-organized by youth groups behind +Big, a new lay movement aiming to inspire Filipinos to live their lives like Blessed Pedro Calungsod did, and the promoters of the 2012 CBCP Year of the Mission.

The summit will be held on July 14 to 15, 2012 at the Renaissance Convention Center, Riverbanks, Marikina City.

Registration fee, including summit kit, meals and certificate, costs P1,000 per participant. Interested parties can register at the YouthPinoy office, 3rd Floor CBCP Building, 470 Gen. Luna St. in Intramuros, Manila, or contact Ms. Nirva Delacruz through mobile: +639321469436/ +639164831443; landline:  +6327096486; and email: ypopportunities@gmail.com.

Registration is due on Friday, June 30. Details of the summit, such as the program, registration guidelines, and summit files, are available for online viewing at www.youthpinoy.com. (YouthPinoy)

Catholic writers to launch 1st archdiocesan youth news bulletin

Almost 40 young writers from different parishes in the Archdiocese of Davao gathered at the Our Lady of Mt. Apo Parish Formation Center in Davao del Sur for a two-day planning and conceptualization of ‘Kalakbay Youth Newsletter,’ the official youth bulletin of the archdiocese of Davao.

“These young Catholic journalists will serve as a new generation of evangelizers using print media as a platform,” organizers said.

To come out monthly, the newsletter of the youth apostolate will be launched this October in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Davao Archdiocesan Youth Coordinating Apostolate (DAYCA).

Attendees contributed ideas and suggestions for the pre-conceived newsletter which were divided into sections such as news, feature and literary. People assigned as cartoonists, lay-out artist and photo journalists during the production of the newsletter.

The young writers were guided by their editorial consultants: Ms. Cheryl Vilog (DC Herald Proofreader), Mr. John Frances Fuentes (DC Herald News Reporter), Mr. Erick Hernandez (Kalakbay Managing Editor); and DAYCA director Fr. Jemasol Ortiz, DCD.
(Jecy Opada/Jandel Posion)

Concert seeks to inspire youth to imitate Calungsod

Youth leaders from the Archdiocese of Cebu are organizing a praise and worship concert to animate young people to deepen their relationship with God in imitation of Pedro Calungsod.

The concert, themed “Break the Silence: Dreaming and Healing for the Nation through the intercession of Blessed Pedro Calungsod,” is being spearheaded by the Family of United and Empowered Leaders (FUEL), members of the Commission on Youth of Cebu’s 8th district.

Organizers said the concert is meant to galvanize the youth to build an intimate relationship with God by way of helping His people in times of need through the intercession of Pedro Calungsod.

“This also serves as a fundraising activity of FUEL’s outreach program to the poor dwellers of Barrio Maton-og, situated on the remote peaks of Minglanilla, Cebu,” they said.

In line with the preparation for Bl. Pedro Calungsod’s canonization, the concert also aims to catechize the youth on how Pedro, a Visayan lad, became a saint at a young age, the group furthered.

Bro. Obet Cabrillas from the Light of Jesus Community will share his reflection on the theme while Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma will give his inspirational message to all participants during the event.

Around 3,000 participants are expected to attend the concert slated on July 28 at the Blessed XXIII Seminary Football in Mabolo, Cebu City.

Various organizations, covenanted communities, movements and associations all over Cebu are participating in the event. (Jandel Posion)

Private, Catholic colleges bracing for enrollment drop due to K-12

Private colleges and universities will be financially challenged to maintain their operation and compensate their teaching staff with the expected decrease of enrollees starting 2017.

Administrators of private schools offering tertiary education, including those under the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), said they are bracing for the expected drop in freshman admissions as a result of the implementation of Kindergarten to 12 (K to 12) basic education program this school year.

Under the government-enforced K to 12 system, students can already forego going to college after undergoing two more years in senior high school. Technical and vocational skills will already be taught to students to help them land a job or engage in entrepreneurial endeavors after graduating high school.

Since pursuing a college degree will remain an option for selected students who still want specialized education and training, freshmen enrollment is expected to generally decrease—with the drop more felt by private schools than state universities because of the difference in tuition costs.

In fact, college enrollment in private Catholic schools is expected to decline by as much as 50 percent, according to CEAP president and Adamson University president Fr. Gregg Bañaga Jr., CM.

“All of us are threatened because for years, there will be less students to enroll in college because of the K to 12 program,” he said.

With the decrease in enrollment, Bañaga said private colleges and universities stand to lose revenue and be forced to layoff professors just to maintain their operations.

But all of CEAP’s 1,345 member-schools nationwide are still supporting the shift from the previous 10-year basic education program to the new 12-year curriculum.

“Even if it is bad for Catholic private schools like ours, we support the K to 12 because it will be good for our country in the long run,” Bañaga added.

The priest said the K to 12 program will help address the rising number of unemployed graduates since students will be equipped with basic skills that can already help them earn a living or go into business, without necessarily obtaining a college degree.

“It will also diminish the number of graduates with jobs that are not matched with their educational training,” he added.

Bañaga said private schools especially those being run by parishes and congregations still support the K to 12 basic education program despite its ill effects on their operations because it will make the quality of Filipino graduates at par with the global standards.

The priest claimed that the previous 10-year basic education program downgrades Filipino graduates when compared to graduates of other countries.

“Filipino graduates may get employed overseas but they are given lower compensation compared to others who underwent 12 years of basic education. With K to 12, our graduates will be at par with global educational standards,” he added.

To counter the effects of K to 12 in the enrollment, officials of private schools, particularly those offering tertiary education only, will be asking government to allow them to offer Grades 11 to 12. Bañaga said the proposal would be formally made to the Department of Education soon. (YouthPinoy)

Youth: ‘Ban God Bill’ represses religious freedom

Youth groups are already reacting strongly against House Bill 6330 or the proposed “Religious Freedom in Government Offices Act”, which Rep. Raymond Palatino filed last week.

According to several youth groups, the bill, which proposes to ban religious rites and symbols in government offices, including publicly-owned areas, will, in fact, repress religious freedom.

For others like Joy Candelario, HB 6330 is asking Catholics who work in government to refrain from personal religious expression, something highly unnatural for a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines.

“It is like asking someone to take off his clothes,” she added.

Candelario, former head of the Youth Desk of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences – Office of Laity and Family, said that she would more readily support a bill promoting equality among different religions.

The solon is also drawing flak from young U.P. Diliman alumni who do not think Palatino is truly championing “religious freedom” by authoring the bill.

Mylene Kaye Dones, a fresh art studies graduate from U.P. Diliman, said in an interview, “You don't create an environment for religious freedom by doing away with what seems to [be] the dominant religion.”

Dina Ileto, a U.P. Diliman graduate student who serves in the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice youth ministry in the Diliman campus, said that a true example of “religious freedom” is U.P. Diliman itself where a Catholic church is just a few feet away from a Protestant church, the Church of the Risen Lord.

Other young people went so far as to say that Palatino never represented the interests of young Filipinos to begin with.

Guilian Geronimo from De La Salle explained that Palatino’s party Kabataan party list only represents the aspirations of young Filipinos who embrace “Socialist-Communist ideals” and who consequently do not believe in God, a small percentage in contrast with the majority of young Filipinos who are Catholic.

Esteve Medina Mata of the Columbian Squires challenged Palatino to come up instead with legislation that would help the youth find jobs. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]

Youth movement to hold purity and chastity conference

The Live Pure Movement, a youth movement which advocates chastity and purity, will conduct a live pure conference at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on July 1.

The group believes that young people everywhere need to hear the good news on purity and chastity as virtues necessary for every young people to live life to the fullest.

Organizers said the conference aims to engage the youth from different walks of life in appreciating the gifts of chastity, love, sexuality, relationships, and their manhood and womanhood.

“It will also have different sessions that will provide them with the truth they need to know during this time of relative secularism,” they said.

The Live Pure conference is the 1st conference that will be conducted by the movement, according to EJ Aguila, one of the organizers.

Around 3,000 youth from different high schools, colleges, parishes, young adults and young professionals are being targeted to attend the event.

Live Pure movement is a movement of young Catholics that promotes and defends the culture of life and advocates a life of purity.

Among its objectives are to promote live pure lifestyle among the youth day; to bring the cause of live pure to parishes, high schools, colleges and universities through life pure formation sessions, workshops and events; and to start a worldwide movement enjoining young men and women to stand and live up the cause of chastity and purity.

Interested youth are encouraged to become part of the Live Pure Movement and share its cause of bringing the good news of chastity to young people. Those interested may get in touch with Raine Eguico at (02) 718-2213 or 0927-8395445 or email atlpconference2012@gmail.com and other organizers at 0922-8395445 or email atiwanttolivepure@gmail.com. (Jandel Posion)

Federation of youth organizations elects new council

The Federation of National Youth Organizations (FNYO) has elected a new council last June 17, which will assume office in October this year until 2015.

Five member-organizations got the vote from 14 out of 21-member participating organizations present during the election at the SYCAmore office in Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati.

Newly elected member-organizations are the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), Student Catholic Action of the Philippines (SCAP), Chiro Pilipinas, CFC-Youth for Christ (CFC-YFC), and CFC-Youth for Family and Life (CFC-YFL).

According to Maria Lea Dasigan, FNYO representative of the Salesian Youth Movement-FMA, the elected council members were active in programs initiated by the federation and by the youth ministry.

In an interview, Fr. Conegundo Garganta CBCP – Episcopal Commission on Youth Executive Secretary and Director of the National Secretariat for Youth Apostolate (NSYA) said the new council will help the Church in its role of evangelization.

Garganta also said the new council will work closely with the Church in confronting current issues that directly affect or influence the young such as the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

He is hoping the group will intensify its efforts to trash the said bill.

The federation is currently being chaired by Chiro Pilipinas, represented by Badette Felix; the Assistant Chair Organization is the Student Catholic Action of the Philippines, represented by Frence Boiser; the Secretariat Organization is the Salesian Youth Movement, represented by Richard Tañada; the Treasurer Organization is the IT – Youth, represented by Lar Babia and lastly, the Liaison Organization is the Franciscan Youth, represented by Larry Manongnong. (Jandel Posion)

NCR youth day highlights RH bill as lead problem among young people

Young people from the 10 ecclesiastical territories of the National Capital Region are set to gather for the 1st National Capital Region (NCR) youth day that will highlight a discussion on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill as the leading problem of today’s Filipino youth.

Slated on July 22, the youth event is dubbed “The National Capital Region Youth Day for Life! Live. Love. Learn.” The theme is taken from 1 Timothy 4:12 (“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”)

Aside from getting together the young crowd, the event also aims to gather different leaders of the parish youth ministries or commissions, the leaders of different campus ministries of parochial, private and public school in the region, as well as the leaders of the different transparochial groups or organizations to reflect on the NCR youth’s stand regarding the RH bill.

The NCR youth ministry believes the gathering will serve as a venue for the youth to discuss in depth the content of the consolidated statement of the region on the issue of RH bill and the effects of the controversial measure on the lives of the youth

Aside from that, they will also provide the youth an opportunity to share their inputs and to better understand their statement, as well as recommit themselves in the efforts of educating young people in the region regarding the issue.

According to Peter Eric Pardo, regional youth coordinator of NCR, there will be three talks and three workshops  at the event.

Pardo will be one of the speakers together with Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, country director of  Human Life International and Renelyn Tan, regional director of World Youth Alliance Asia Pacific.

For the workshops, speakers and facilitators will be Mr. Peter Capistrano, former NCR Youth Leader and Coordinator of the Diocese of Pasig Youth Ministry; Ms. Ann Rosselle Cortes, diocesan youth coordinator of Novaliches and Mr. Dani Villanueva, diocesan youth coordinator of Antipolo.

Scheduled talks are “RH bill, saan ka nanggaling?” “RH bill, ano ka ba talaga?” and “RH bill, bakit di kita ma-take?” The workshops revolve around a  “Live, Love and Learn” theme.

Pardo added that they are targeting 200 young people ages 15-39 from each ecclesiastical territory of NCR. The venue of the event shall be announced soon.

NCR is composed of the Archdiocese of Manila, Dioceses of Parañaque, Pasig, Antipolo, Novaliches, Cubao, Kalookan, Imus and Apostolic Vicariates of Puerto Princesa and Taytay in Palawan. (Jandel Posion)

NCR youth day highlights RH bill as lead problem among young people

Young people from the 10 ecclesiastical territories of the National Capital Region are set to gather for the 1st National Capital Region (NCR) youth day that will highlight a discussion on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill as the leading problem of today’s Filipino youth.

Slated on July 22, the youth event is dubbed “The National Capital Region Youth Day for Life! Live. Love. Learn.” The theme is taken from 1 Timothy 4:12 (“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”)

Aside from getting together the young crowd, the event is also aiming to gather different leaders of the parish youth ministries or commissions, the leaders of different campus ministries of parochial, private and public school in the region, as well as the leaders of the different transparochial groups or organizations to reflect on the NCR youth’s stand regarding the RH bill.

The NCR youth ministry believes the gathering will serve as a venue for the youth to discuss in depth the content of the consolidated statement of the region on the issue of RH bill and the effects of the controversial measure on the lives of the youth

Aside from that, they will also provide the youth an opportunity to share their inputs and to better understand their statement as well as recommit themselves in the efforts of educating the young people on the region regarding the issue.

According to Eric Peter Pardo, regional youth coordinator of NCR, there will be three talks and three workshops that will be scheduled during the event.

Pardo will be one of the speakers together with Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, country president of the Human Life International and Ms. Renelyn Tan, regional director for Asia of World Youth Alliance.

For the workshops, speakers and facilitators will be Mr. Peter Capistrano, former NCR Youth Leader and Coordinator of the Diocese of Pasig Youth Ministry; Ms. Ann Rosselle Cortes, diocesan youth coordinator of Novaliches and Mr. Dani Villanueva, diocesan youth coordinator of Antipolo.

Scheduled talks are “RH bill, saan ka nanggaling?,” “RH bill, ano ka ba talaga?,” and “RH bill, bakit di kita ma-take?,”. The workshops are about “Live, Love and Learn.”

Pardo added that they are targeting 200 young people ages 15-39 from each ecclesiastical territories of NCR. No venue yet has been announced by the organizers at the moment.

NCR is comprised of Archdiocese of Manila, Dioceses of Parañaque, Pasig, Antipolo, Novaliches, Cubao, Kalookan, Imus and Apostolic Vicariates of Puerto Princesa and Taytay in Palawan. (Jandel Posion)

Novaliches holds youth leadership camp

An estimated 200 young leaders from different parishes within the diocese of Novaliches are expected to participate in a leadership camp aimed to hone the young people’s management skills.

The Commission on Youth of Novaliches diocese will hold its 2nd Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp dubbed CAMPi2012 on May 25 to 27 in God’s Love Family Farm in San Mateo, Rizal.

With the theme “Mission, I’m Possible!” the youth participants will be exposed to a recreational and education summer experience, adding to their intra and inter-personal growth and development.

The camp is also meant to create a space for sharing profound ideas, updating or training on leadership skills, building network, as well as allowing time for the youth leaders to have fun and fellowship.

“We also hope that after the event, upon returning to their respective parishes or communities, these young people will be more empowered young leaders of Christ,” organizers said.

The camp is a part of the commission’s drive to further develop and provide youth programs, and to strengthen and animate the youth ministers in their diocese. (Jandel Posion)

Cabanatuan holds summer youth camp

More than two hundred young people from the diocese of Cabanatuan joined the 11th GLEAM (Growing, Learning, Enhancing and managing youth ministry) summer youth camp last May 11 to 13 at Medes Farm in Patalac, Nueva Ecija.

This year’s theme is inspired by the ‘Year of Faith’ declared by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI which is “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” 2 Cor. 5:17.

Youth Coordinator Joannie Bolisay said the 11th GLEAM camp is blessed because it didn’t rain.

“Starting in the year 2000, GLEAM camps experience heavy rain, but this camp is so blessed since it didn’t rain. We were happy because we had the chance to use tent as our camp style,” Bolisay said.

Bolisay also said that inputs for the three-day camp were talks about worship (prayer and liturgy), morality, environment awareness, social awareness (media), servant leadership and commitment.

Kenedy Garcia, a youth leader from St. Bartholomew de Apostle Parish said the camp was the best experience he had as he enjoyed the activity so much.

“Activities made me feel so relaxed and changed and I saw my sole purpose in serving the Lord. The youth ministry is continuously making this activity better and better to build a stronger support among the youth and even providing campaign for the out-of-school youth,” Garcia said.

He pointed out that some youth are just busy with other things, the reason why they can’t afford to offer their time to God and eventually live the words of the Lord.

Garcia has served the youth ministry for 17 years since 1996 and still active in propagating the faith through the youth.

The camp ended with ‘bayanihan’ presentations done by 12 groups, and awarding session.

Youth attendees are from the 27 out of 29 parishes in the diocese.

GLEAM is a continuing program of the commission on youth of the said diocese since 2000. (Honey Joy Oyardo/Jandel Posion)

Young people vow to watch closely congress' session on RH bill

Young people from all over Metro Manila and nearby dioceses on May 7, affirmed that they will continue their presence in the congress every session to watch closely future discussions on the issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

The youth mobilization in Congress, according to Lea Dasigan of the Federation of National Youth Organization, will continue after the 9 pro-life young legislators said that the presence of the youth in congress’s session makes them feel that they are not alone in the battle of protecting life.

“Yesterday, the young legislators really appreciated the presence of the youth. I believe that it was an affirmation from them that they are not alone in the cause to defend life,” Dasigan said.

“Our presence during the sessions will make an impact to the legislators. They will see and believe that the youth will closely watch future discussion on the issue of RH bill and will continue to be firm in their stand about life contrary to the claim of other youth group that the young are pro-RH,” she added.

Dasigan admitted that this is the first time the Catholic youth are being mobilized against RH bill and said that the pro-life legislators expect that their presence in the congress will continue.

“Particularly, we are planning to continue supporting our pro-life legislators, especially the nine young legislators through our presence in the congress. As of now, we are planning to do it every Wednesday,” she further said.

A hundred young people from different youth organizations, movements and dioceses in the Metro were present at the congress session which had made an impact to congressmen, that still, many young people are pro-lifers and against the RH bill.

The youth’s presence in the congress is to express symbolically their support against RH bill, to defend life and back the advocacy of the nine young legislators. (Jandel Posion)

Hundreds of youth pack Congress resumption

Hundreds of youth filled the galleries of the House of Representatives yesterday in what the newly organized youth coalition against Reproductive Health (RH) legislation stated as a first step in a series of mobilizations, information campaigns and other measures to combat the Reproductive Health (RH) bill pending in both chambers of Congress.

Lea Dasigan, council member of the Federation of National Youth Organizations (FNYO), acting as lead organizer on the House delegations, personally met with pro-life legislators, most of whom were part of the  nine Young Legislators (9YL) who late last year banded together to fight the RH bill inside and outside the halls of Congress.

Lone district of Quirino Rep. Dakila “Dax” Cua personally approached  the galleries and thanked the delegates–all garbed in red– expressing appreciation over what is seen as a demonstration of numbers.

“Salamat, maraming salamat sa pagbisita ninyo,” Cua expressed.

The 9YL members one by one went up the galleries to greet the young delegates, among them Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte, 4th district), Karlo Alexei Nograles (Davao City, 1st district), Gabriel Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district), Irwin Tieng and Mariano Michael Velarde (Buhay Party List), and Lord Allan Jay Velasco (Marinduque).

Earlier on the same day, a youth coalition composed of various youth organiations and movements in a press conference presented and signed a manifesto titled “Our Voice Our Vote” and declared combined moves to fight the RH bill.

One of the crucial measures the organizations are carrying out is educating their members on who among those running for public office in the 2013 election are pro-life and thereby deserving of their all-out support.

“The youth, in defense of our welfare, can and will invest our support in legislators who know how to genuinely invest in us. In solidarity, we declare our opposition to the RH Bill. This is our voice. This is our vote,” proclaimed the coalition. (CBCP for Life)

Youth Gather at Congress, RH Forum in a Show of Pro-Life Force

True to their promise that their voice will never be silenced, the youth sector has come out and came in droves of hundreds, attending the resumption of Congress after its summer break.

Hundreds of young people from different organizations and parishes attended the opening day of Congress in order to show their support for Pro-Life solons, especially the 9YL or 9 Young Legislators.

Even more young people attended the RH Forum which was held simultaneously at St. Peter’s Church at nearby Commonwealth Avenue, with many of them proceeding to the Congress after the said event.

Youth Manifesto

Earlier that day, a press conference was held at the CBCP conference hall by representatives from the youth sector: present to give their respective group’s position papers on the RH bill were : Kiboy Sagrada (UP for Life), Raymond Ibarrientos (Singles for Christ – Youth for Christ), Eilleen Esteban (Youth Pinoy!), Lea Dasigan (Federation of Nat’l Youth Orgs), Allen Guballa (Columbian Squires), Peter Pardo (NCR Youth Ministry).

Later on, they would sign the historic Youth Manifesto, which enjoins all young people to embrace the culture of life and to reject the RH bill. In effect, they have also declared that they will not vote for anti-life legislators.

“The youth, in defense of our welfare, can and will invest our support in legislators who know how to genuinely invest in us. In solidarity, we declare our opposition to the RH Bill. This is our voice. This is our vote.”

“We are opposing the bill as young people because it is us who will be directly and severely affected by the RH bill, not the congressmen who push it” adds Eileen Esteban of Youth Pinoy!

“We are not only the hope of tomorrow,” says Lea Dasigan of FNYO, “we are also the hope of today.

These youth leaders, along with their groups, would  go to join more young people at the Congress later that day.

RH Forum

While the session in congress was going on, there was a forum on the RH bill held at St. Peter’s Church in Commonwealth Avenue. More than a hundred youth from the Singles for Christ and the Diocese of Novaliches attended the forum.

The Speakers were Atty. Marwil Llasos, OP, Anna Cosio, RN, and Dr. Rene Bullecer, MD, of Human Life International. They all spoke against the RH bill from the point of view of their expertise, Dr. Bullecer and Anna Cosio being medical professionals, and Atty. Llasos being an impeccable lawyer and an outstanding theologian as well.

Young Hearts, Tomorrow’s Heroes

Coming together in order to oppose the RH Bill and proposing concrete solutions, the youth leaders and their respective members deserve much of our respect and admiration. Young as they are, they have shown that they are indeed the worthy inheritors of the torch that is about to be passed on to them in the next few years.

They have all vowed to vote wisely and to vote Pro-Life. They have all vowed to preserve the culture of life. They have all shown their desire to eradicate poverty the right way and not just resort to shortcuts. There is fire in the collective gut of these young people, a fire which may have been long-extinguished inside our anti-life congressmen, who seem to be more into buying contraceptives instead of providing for the basic necessities of the poor like food, housing, and education. The likes of them should never be elected into office again.

Much of our future lies in what we do today, and if our young turn out to be citizens unworthy of her country’s proud heritage, then the blame lies solely on us who failed to raise them properly. Therefore we educate the young not only to oppose the RH bill, but to embrace the culture of life.

Patriotism used to exclusively mean dying for the country. Nowadays, to live one’s life defending life and protecting the small, the helpless, and the weak – that is patriotism, too.

By: Anthony Perez, Pro-Life Philippines

Poor family relationships root of teen pregnancies, research reveals

Reacting to UNFPA reports that the Philippines has the highest rate of teen pregnancies in Asia, Filipino youth pointed to poor family relationships and communication as the culprit.

Nelson Ingking, 25, a teacher from the Diocese of Talibon, Bohol shared about his faculty's experience with young people, revealing that they have a lot of problematic students who constantly look for attention.

We have a lot of problematic students who are deprived of love and attention from family members, which “they find in their boyfriend or girlfriend,” he said.

“Dapat kasi ang pinagtitibay natin relationship sa family...Family background talaga 'yan, (What we should be strengthening are family relationships...It's really a matter of family background)” Melanie Santos, 28, a staff of the National Secretariat for Youth Apostolate, added.

Santos specifically mentioned the classic “rebellious” stage teenagers go through and absentee parents.

What appear to be Santos' and Ingking's personal opinions are, in fact, backed by research. According to a researched article Relationships, Love and Sexuality: What the Filipino Teens Think and Feel by Jokin de Irala, “...communication with parents protects against early sexual initiation and against risky behaviors.”

Findings from other studies like the one conducted by Bruce Ellis, Ph.D., a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, show that girls who had absentee fathers either before they were born or up to age 5 were seven to eight times more likely to get pregnant as an adolescent compared to girls who lived with their fathers.

For political science graduate Aphrodite Organo, 25, the response to the alarming rise in teen pregnancies is two-way openness.

“Teenagers should be open to their parents and when they reach that stage, the parents should be the ones to orient them,” she said in the vernacular.

According to the National Demographic Health Survey 2008, 3 percent of Filipino women have sexual intercourse by age 15. [Nirva'ana Delacruz]

Chiro alumni celebrate youth group's influence, anniversary

Around 18 Chiro alumni from all over the country came together to celebrate not just the 60th anniversary of the group, but their fulfilled personal lives as well.

Coinciding with the group's National Camp also held in Camp John Hay, the “mini-reunion” served as a time for reminiscing and looking back on how being part of Chiro prepared them for leadership and their professional careers.

The 'Chiro way'

Arguably the most respected alumni, Carlos Canilao, the 68 year-old spritely city administrator of Baguio said of Chiro, “It made me what I am today.”

Canilao credits his professional success to his early exposure to the youth group when he was in Grade 6 in 1958.

“We were told, 'you will not be Chiro forever, but you will have to live the Chiro way throughout your life,'” Canilao, who was also Chiro’s first National Leader, explained.

Initially, this 'Chiro way' translated to being good students, but as Canilao noticed, “[It would later on mean] to be good in our profession.”

Canilao remained active in Chiro even after college. He would go on to teach in the Philippine Military Academy for 27 years. Canilao also became a lawyer.

Life-long impact

Another alumna, Mely Militar, 62, of Pasig city, attested to Chiro's lifetime effect on her.

“Whatever I learned, the skills, the values...I tried to put that into practice.” Militar who joined Chiro when she was 18 was the lone representative of the Philippines to the 1984 World Youth Day in Rome. She summed up what Chiro taught her, “Huwag aalis o hihiwalay kay Kristo. (Do not leave or separate from Christ.)”

Some of the alumni like Susan Avellana, 60, of Cebu said that their enduring personal support of Chiro and willingness to serve are signs that the group formed them well. Avellana, who joined in St. Theresa's College when she was 12, shared, “Seeing the lives of the people that we trained confirmed my commitment to Chiro...I see that they live exemplary lives. Meron kaming mga pari, mga madre, professionals. (We have priests, nuns, professionals.)”

At the end of the 'mini-reunion', the alumni expressed the desire to organize a separate group for Chiro alumni. They also stated their wish to support their local groups of Chiro kids.

Canilao said it best when asked about his wish for the 60th anniversary of Chiro Pilipinas this year, specifically for kids who are not part of the group, “I want them to join Chiro and benefit [from] what gave us a lot of training for life.”

Chiro is a national, parish-based youth organization that aims “to bring the youth closer to Christ” through activities like games, sharing, sports and hiking. [Nirva'ana Delacruz]