Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Fundraising, data analytics among concerns of Catholic Media


Photo courtesy of Novaliches Soccom Ministry

DAVAO CITY, August 7, 2018 – Chris Herron of the Archdiocese of Sidney shared his expertise on fundraising to sustain charitable works.

Fundraising involves three processes: first, telling the story of what you do and how it makes a difference in people’s lives; asking for support; and thanking the people.

"Fundraising is not a response to a crisis but a ministry, a way of announcing our vision.  It’s all about mission, we follow in the footsteps of Christ, it’s an experience of evangelization," explained Mr. Herron.

Data analytics

Meanwhile, Sally Bellosillo, reknowned producer and director tackled Data Analytics as a way of understanding the target audience.

She gave an introduction on Big Data, an automated system of collecting the profile of every individual by which the products are tailor-made according to the particular taste.  These are used by popular companies such as Netflix, Facebook, and even politicians.  She expressed concern on how we use social media.

"Develop critical thinking; why are we giving this information?" challenged Sally.

Meanwhile, the ECSC shall embark on a digital media assessment to assist dioceses on how they can best and effectively engage their audiences.

Affirmative journalism

Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Sec. Jesus Duresa’s message was read by OPAPP Communication head Sonny Mendoza.

He underscored the need to use the moral compass as a condition for affirmative journalism.

"How would this post have an impact on the work that I do?  What good will they do me?  Will it provide enlightenment and unite the people?" challenged Sec. Dureza.

"Vanguards of truth and justice go beyond media releases and press conferences.  Words yield too much power.  Truth and accuracy must never be sacrificed."

The delegates were divided into five groups and given quick orientation on their projects covering 5 topics: 911, Public Safety and Security, Archdiocesan Nourishment Center, Muslim Community, Cultural Village, and Sagop Kinabuhi Program II.

At 6 p.m., the Holy Eucharist was presided by Marawi Bishop Edwin dela Pena, MSP, DD who shared updates on the rehabilitation of Marawi.

Afterwards, the delegates were treated to a sumptuous dinner and cultural presentation before retiring for the night. /J. Jopson, CBCP ECSC

Catholic Communicators, men and women of prayer - B. Mylo

Photo courtesy of Randy Alvez, Pasig Soccom Ministry

DAVAO CITY, AUGUST 7, 2018 -  Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara led the participants in the Holy Hour of the 2nd day of the 4th National Catholic Media Convention held here in Mergrande Ocean Beach Resort.

Bishop Mylo focused on the 52nd World Communication Day message as a way of conversion, taking off from Archbishop Valles’ homily yesterday.

“Fake news, distorted and sensationalized, have far-reaching effect locally and globally… Gossips destroy the persons, communities, and nations.”

What is the difference between secular and Catholic media?  We are men and women of prayer… If we want to combat fake news and be journalists of peace, as men and women of prayer, being exposed to Jesus, we clearly realize the font and source of what we proclaim, Jesus who is our truth, no one else but the prince of peace.”

Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, in his keynote address, reminded the Catholic media practitioners on the truth and reality of their mission which is the grace of their office: the proclamation of the kingdom.

Speaking from personal experience of opening for the fourth time their local Catholic radio station, the Archbishop said, “I was fearful and hesitant at first; but now, I can say with grace, it is the work of God that we are surviving in the social communication ministry in the Archdiocese of Davao.  God is guiding us and helping as we keep the core truth of the soccom ministry which is not money but the proclamation of the gospel.

He also brought out wish lists for the social communication ministry.  These are:

First, a soccom ministry that develops and promotes among the people the capacity to discern or promotes discernment, starting with oneself;

Second, a socomm ministry that gives prime attention to the communicators themselves, with the hearts and minds to be close to the One who said, “I am the truth”;

Third, a soccom ministry that develops the language of news into the language of mercy and compassion;

And fourth, a soccom ministry that develops the language of a Christian into joy and humor.

Meanwhile, Fr. Jboy Gonzales, SJ gave a powerful inputs on fake news and how to understand media manipulations, where they operate, what motivates them, what they use, why we are vulnerable to them, and how to address fake news.

He recommended the following:

First, cling to the truth.  God is truth;

Second, be an army of God using the language of dialogue, goodness and responsibility;

Third, encounter people at the peripheries;

Fourth, fulfill the mission of reconciliation;

Fifth, enflesh the truth by living it out;

Sixth, know the importance of credibility and integrity in media;

Seventh, use creativity and intellectual engagement;

Eight, evaluate religious life and technology;

And ninth, engage actively and conscientiously. /J. Jopson, CBCP ECSC

4th Catholic Media Convention opens in Davao City

photo courtesy of the Diocese of Novaliches Soccom Ministry

DAVAO CITY, Aug. 6, 2018 - The opening of the 4th National Catholic Media Convention of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications coincided with the 21st Episcopal ordination anniversary of Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles as he celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the San Pedro Cathedral of last August 6, 2018, with Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando and ECSC Chairman and Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara concelebrating.

There were 45 priests, 7 religious sisters and 85 lay for a total of 137 delegates to this year’s National Catholic Media Convention.

The Archbishop focused on three qualities which could be imbibed in the heart of every Catholic Media practitioner.  These are:

First, joy and delight.  “To be a media person that would convey to the community a message that is filled with joy and delight is so wonderful,” the archbishop observed.

Second, the ability to articulate and portray the truth in situations of good and evil.

Archbishop Valles said, “The capacity to detect the mysterious presence of evil and good and the hand of God in the situation and articulate it in the community takes great talent using visuals and words and let the people be there in the experience.”

The third quality is a heart that is filled with confidence and hope.

“In any situation, whether it be a difficult situation or a situation of success that would make us forget there’s a God, we must be mindful of the truth.  Media people serving the church should remind themselves that in the end, everything will be alright and that good and grace will triumph.” /J. Jopson, ECSC

Saturday, May 12, 2018

SUMMARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ 52nd WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY MESSAGE

By FR. JOSELITO I. JOPSON, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, CBCP ECSC

Rome – As early as January 24, 2018, the Holy Father Pope Francis released his message for the 52nd World Communications Day scheduled to be celebrated on Ascension Sunday, May 13, 2108.
Dubbed with the theme “The truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32), Fake news and journalism for peace”, the Holy Father gives us ample time to reflect on what we can do to preserve the integrity of journalism which is slowly being corrupted by fake news.

The Holy Father saw the need to clarify communication as an essential way of experiencing fellowship.  Unfortunately, because of pride and selfishness, we distort our ability to communicate.

This results in fake news.

First, what is fake news?
According to the Holy Father, “Spreading fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions and serve economic interests” under the guise of real news.
It is also difficult to eliminate it because people interact to it in differing perspectives and opinions; there’s an absence of healthy confrontation with sources and challenges prejudice and constructive dialogue.  It turns people into unwilling accomplices in spreading biased and baseless ideas.
To recognize it is no easy task.  There has to be educational programmes to help people interpret and assess information.  But we need to discern the authenticity of the news.

How to discern fake news
First, we have to unmask the snake tactics of the crafty serpent of the Book of Genesis (cf. Gen: 3: 1 – 15).  “The strategy of this skilled "Father of Lies" (Jn 8:44) is precisely mimicry, that sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments,” exposed the Holy Father.

Second, we have to uncover the false concern of the tempter pretending to be a friend with good intentions, and the guise of truth for its appearance.
Third, we need to release the real intention of the fake news: greed.

Counteracting fake news
Noting Dotovsky’s observation: “People who lie to themselves and listen to their own lie come to such a pass that they cannot distinguish the truth within them, or around them, and so lose all respect for themselves and others” (The Brothers Karamazov, II, 2), our solution then is to adhere to the truth.  Truth is something we can lean on, so as not to fall.

Second, if words are to be true, authentic and trustworthy, we need to discern everything that encourages communion and promotes goodness from whatever instead tends to isolate, divide, and oppose.

Third, peace is the true news.

 “The best antidotes to falsehoods are not strategies, but people: people who are not greedy but ready to listen, people who make the effort to engage in sincere dialogue so that the truth can emerge; people who are attracted by goodness and take responsibility for how they use language,” explained the Holy Father.

Responsibility rests on the journalists, the protectors of news.  These know that the heart of the information is not speed but persons.

Journalism for peace
The Holy Father encourages promoting the journalism of peace which Pope Paul VI also promoted as early as 1972 as a way to rediscover the dignity of journalism and the solemn responsibility of journalists to communicate the truth.

It is journalism that is truthful, created by people for people, and one at the service of all – especially for those who have no voice, “a journalism less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts, in order to promote deeper understanding and contribute to their resolution by setting in place virtuous processes; a journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.”

From the prayer of St. Francis, the Holy Father turns to the Truth in person: to be instruments of peace in a kind of communication that does not build communion; to remove the venom from our judgment; to speak about others as brothers and sisters; to be seeds of goodness for the world; to
listen, inspire harmony, bring clarity, solidarity, sobriety, to raise real questions, to awaken trust, and bring respect and truth.

Friday, February 23, 2018

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE THIRTY-THIRD WORLD YOUTH DAY 2018

MANILA - The Secretariat of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines forwarded the communication of Rev. João Chagas, Head of Youth Office of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and His Holiness Pope Francis’ Message for the 33rd World Youth Day with the theme: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God” (Lk 1:30).  The document is available in various languages on the Vatican website at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/youth/index.html.

According to Rev. Chagas, the 33rd World Youth day will be held in the diocesan level on Palm Sunday.  He called to make the Message known in the dioceses, parishes and youth groups in every country or movement, association or community so that it can be part of the spiritual preparation of young people for WYD.

 Executive secretary of the CBCP Commission on Youth Fr. Conegundo Garganta underscored the importance of this event.  He said, "Through this, we hope that awareness about the World Youth Day 2018, scheduled for Palm Sunday and to be observed by the local churches, will be heightened.  Especially for our own 2018 Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons, the WYD2018 message of the Holy Father is very meaningful."



MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE THIRTY-THIRD WORLD YOUTH DAY 
2018

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God” (Lk 1:30)

Dear young people,

World Youth Day 2018 represents another step in preparation for the international WYD due to take place in Panama in January 2019.  This new stage of our pilgrimage falls in the same year that the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will meet on the theme: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.  This is a happy coincidence.  The focus, prayer and reflection of the Church will turn to you young people, with the desire to receive and, above all, to embrace the precious gift that you are to God, to the Church and to the world.

As you already know, we have chosen to be accompanied on this journey by the example and intercession of Mary, the young woman of Nazareth whom God chose as the Mother of his Son.  She walks with us towards the Synod and towards the WYD in Panama.  If last year we were guided by the words of her canticle of praise – “The Almighty has done great things for me” (Lk 1:49) – teaching us to remember the past, this year we seek, together with her, to listen to the voice of God who inspires courage and bestows the grace needed to respond to his call: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God” (Lk1:30).  These are the words addressed by God’s messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, to Mary, an ordinary girl from a small village in Galilee.

1. Do not be afraid!

As is understandable, the sudden appearance of the angel and his mysterious greeting: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28), strongly disturbed Mary, who was surprised by this first revelation of her identity and her vocation, as yet unknown to her.  Mary, like others in the Sacred Scriptures, trembles before the mystery of God’s call, who in a moment places before her the immensity of his own plan and makes her feel all her smallness as a humble creature.  The angel, seeing the depths of her heart, says: “Do not be afraid”!  God also reads our inmost heart.  He knows well the challenges we must confront in life, especially when we are faced with the fundamental choices on which depend who we will be and what we will do in this world.  It is the “shudder” that we feel when faced with decisions about our future, our state of life, our vocation.  In these moments we are troubled and seized by so many fears.

And you young people, what are your fears?  What worries you most deeply?  An “underlying” fear that many of you have is that of not being loved, well-liked or accepted for who you are.  Today, there are many young people who feel the need to be different from who they really are, in an attempt to adapt to an often artificial and unattainable standard.  They continuously “photo-shop” their images, hiding behind masks and false identities, almost becoming fake selves.  Many are obsessed by receiving as many “likes” as possible.  Multiple fears and uncertainties emerge from this sense of inadequacy.  Others fear that they will not be able to find an emotional security and that they will remain alone.  Many, faced with the uncertainty of work, fear not being able to find a satisfactory professional position, or to fulfil their dreams.  Today a large number of young people are full of fear, both believers and non-believers.  Indeed, those who have accepted the gift of faith and seek their vocation seriously are not exempt from fears.  Some think: perhaps God is asking or will ask too much of me; perhaps, by following the road he has marked out for me, I will not be truly happy, or I will not be able to do what he asks of me.  Others think: if I follow the path that God shows me, who can guarantee that I will be able to follow it through?  Will I become discouraged? Will I lose my enthusiasm? Will I be able to persevere for the whole of my life?

In moments when doubts and fears flood our hearts, discernment becomes necessary.  It allows us to bring order to the confusion of our thoughts and feelings, to act in a just and prudent way.  In this process, the first step in overcoming fears is to identify them clearly, so as not to find yourself wasting time and energy by being gripped by empty and faceless ghosts.  And so, I invite all of you to look within yourselves and to “name” your fears.  Ask yourselves: what upsets me, what do I fear most in this specific moment of my life today?  What blocks me and prevents me from moving forward?  Why do I lack the courage to make the important choices I need to make?  Do not be afraid to face your fears honestly, to recognize them for what they are and to come to terms with them.  The Bible does not ignore the human experience of fear nor its many causes.  Abraham was afraid (cf. Gen 12:10ff), Jacob was afraid (cf. Gen 31:31; 32:7), and so were Moses (cf. Ex 2:14; 17:4), Peter (cf. Mt 26:69ff) and the Apostles (cf. Mk 4:38-40; Mt 26:56).  Jesus himself, albeit in an incomparable way, experienced fear and anguish (cf. Mt 26:37; Lk 22:44).

“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mk 4:40).  In admonishing his disciples Jesus helps us to understand how the obstacle to faith is often not scepticism but fear.  Thus understood, the work of discernment identifies our fears and can then help us to overcome them, opening us to life and helping us to calmly face the challenges that come our way.  For us Christians in particular, fear must never have the last word but rather should be an occasion to make an act of faith in God… and in life!  This means believing in the fundamental goodness of the existence that God has given us and trusting that he will lead us to a good end, even through circumstances and vicissitudes which often bewilder us.  Yet if we harbour fears, we will become inward-looking and closed off to defend ourselves from everything and everyone, and we will remain paralyzed.  We have to act!  Never close yourself in!  In the Sacred Scriptures the expression “do not be afraid” is repeated 365 times with different variations, as if to tell us that the Lord wants us to be free from fear, every day of the year.

Discernment is indispensable when searching for one’s vocation in life.  More often than not our vocation is not obvious or evident at first but rather something we come to understand gradually. 
Discernment, in this case, should not be seen as an individual effort at introspection, with the aim of better understanding our interior make-up so as to strengthen us and acquire some balance.  In such instances the person can become stronger, but is still confined to the limited horizon of his or her possibilities and perspectives.  Vocation, however, is a call from above, and discernment in this context principally means opening ourselves to the Other who calls.  Prayerful silence is therefore required in order to hear the voice of God that resounds within our conscience.  God knocks at the door of our hearts, as he did with Mary; he longs to establish friendship with us through prayer, to speak with us through the Sacred Scriptures, to offer us mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and to be one with us in the Eucharist.

It is also important to dialogue with and encounter others, our brothers and sisters in the faith who have more experience, for they help us to see better and to choose wisely from the various possibilities.  When the young Samuel hears the voice of the Lord, he does not recognize it immediately. Three times he runs to Eli, the older priest, who in the end proposes the right response to give to the Lord’s call: “If he calls you, you shall say: ‘Speak Lord, for your servant hears.’” (1 Sam 3:9).  In your doubts know that you can rely on the Church.  I know that there are very good priests, consecrated men and woman and lay faithful, many of whom are also young, who can support you like older brothers and sisters in the faith.  Enlivened by the Holy Spirit, they will help you to make sense of your doubts and understand the plan of your own vocation.  The other is not only a spiritual guide, but also the person who helps us open ourselves to the infinite riches of the life that God has given us.  It is important to create spaces in our cities and communities to grow, to dream and to look at new horizons!  Never lose the enthusiasm of enjoying others’ company and friendship, as well as the pleasure of dreaming together, of walking together.  Authentic Christians are not afraid to open themselves to others and share with them their own important spaces, making them spaces of fraternity.  Dear young people, do not allow the spark of youth to be extinguished in the darkness of a closed room in which the only window to the outside world is a computer and smartphone.  Open wide the doors of your life!  May your time and space be filled with meaningful relationships, real people, with whom to share your authentic and concrete experiences of daily life.

2.  Mary!

“I have called you by name” (Is 43:1).  The first reason not to fear is the fact that God has called us by name.  The angel, God’s messenger, called Mary by name.  To God belongs the power to give names.  In the work of creation, he calls into existence every creature by name. There is an identity behind a name, that which is unique in every single thing, in every single person; that intimate essence that only God truly knows.  This divine prerogative was shared with man when God invited him to name the animals, the birds and also his own offspring (Gen 2:19-21; 4:1).  Many cultures share this profound biblical vision; they recognize in a name the revelation of the profound mystery of life and the meaning of existence.

When God calls someone by name, he also reveals to the person his vocation, his plan of holiness and fulfilment, through which the person becomes a gift to others and is made unique.  And when God wants to expand the horizons of life, he gives a new name to the person he is calling, as he did with Simon, whom he called “Peter”.  From here comes the custom of taking a new name when entering a religious congregation, to indicate a new identity and mission.  Since the divine call is unique and personal, we need the courage to disentangle ourselves from the pressure of being shaped by conforming patterns, so that our life can truly become an authentic and irreplaceable gift to God, to the Church and to all.

Dear young people, to be called by name is therefore a sign of our great dignity in the eyes of God and a sign of his love for us.  God calls each one of you by name.  All of you are the “you” of God, precious in his eyes, worthy of respect and loved (cf. Is 43:4).  Welcome with joy this dialogue that God offers you, this appeal he makes to you, calling you by name.

3. You have found favour with God

The main reason why Mary need not be afraid is that she has found favour with God.  The word “grace” speaks of love freely given, not owed.  How much we are encouraged to know that we do not have to earn the closeness and help of God, by presenting a “Curriculum Vitae of excellence”, full of merits and successes!  The angel says to Mary that she has already found favour with God, not that she will obtain it in the future.  And the same formulation of the angel’s words helps us understand that divine grace is continuous, not something passing or fleeting; for this reason, it will never fail.  Even in the future, the grace of God will always be there to sustain us, especially in moments of trial and darkness.

The continuous presence of divine grace encourages us to embrace our vocation with confidence; our vocation demands a commitment of faithfulness that needs to be renewed each day.  Our vocational path is not without its crosses: not only our initial doubts, but also the frequent temptations that crop up along the way.  The feeling of inadequacy accompanies Christ’s disciple to the end.  Yet he or she knows the help of God’s grace.

The Angel’s words descend upon our human fears, dissolving them with the power of the Good News of which we are heralds: our life is not pure chance or a mere struggle for survival, rather each of us is a cherished story loved by God.  That we have “found grace in his eyes” means that the Creator sees a unique beauty in our being and that he has a magnificent plan for our lives.  The awareness of this certainty, of course, does not resolve all our problems nor does it take away life’s uncertainties.  But it does have the power to transform our life deeply.  The unknown that tomorrow holds for us is not a dark threat we need to overcome, but a favourable time given to us for living out the uniqueness of our personal vocation, and for sharing it with our brothers and sisters in the Church and in the world.

4. Courage in the present moment

From the certainty that God’s grace is with us comes the strength to take courage in the present moment: the courage to carry forward what God asks of us here and now, in every area of our lives; courage to embrace the vocation which God reveals to us; courage to live out our faith without hiding or diminishing it.

Yes, when we open ourselves to God’s grace, the impossible becomes a reality.  “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31).  God’s grace touches the “now” of your lives, “takes hold” of you as you are, with all your fears and limits, but it also reveals his marvellous plans!  You young people need to know that someone truly believes in you: please know that the Pope has confidence in you, that the Church has confidence in you!  For your part, have confidence in the Church! 
To the young Mary was entrusted an important task, precisely because she was young.  You young people have strength as you go through a phase of your lives where energy is not lacking.  Make use of this strength and this energy to improve the world, beginning with the realities closest to you.  I want important responsibilities to be given to you within the Church; that there may be the courage to make space for you; and that you may be prepared to take on these responsibilities.
I invite you once again to contemplate Mary’s love: a caring, dynamic and concrete love.  A love full of boldness and focused completely on the gift of self.  A Church permeated by these Marian qualities will always be a Church going forth, one that goes beyond her own limits and boundaries to let the grace she has received overflow.  If we allow ourselves to be truly touched by Mary’s example, we will live out authentically that charity which urges us to love God above all else and above ourselves, to love those with whom we share our daily life.  And we will also love those who may seem hardly lovable in themselves.  It is a love that is service and dedication, above all towards the weakest and poorest, love that transforms our faces and fills us with joy.

I would like to end with the beautiful words Saint Bernard used in a famous homily on the mystery of the Annunciation, words that express the anticipation of all humanity for Mary’s response: “You have heard, O Virgin that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit.  The angel awaits an answer… We too, O Lady, are waiting for your word of compassion... In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life… This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet... Answer quickly, O Virgin” (Sermon 4, 8-9; Opera Omnia).

Dear young people, the Lord, the Church, the world are waiting for your answer to the unique call that each one receives in this life!  As World Youth Day in Panama draws closer, I invite you to prepare yourselves for our gathering with the joy and enthusiasm of those who wish to participate in such a great adventure.  WYD is for the courageous!  Not for young people who are searching only for comfort and who withdraw whenever difficulties arise.  Do you accept the challenge?
From the Vatican, 11 February 2018

VI Sunday of Ordinary Time
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes

FRANCIS

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

CATHOLIC CHURCH SENDS 26 MILLION PESOS TO HUMANITARIAN RESPONSES FROM LOCAL FUNDS


(Leaders of internally displaced persons from Marawi City and Fr. Rex Paul Arjona (4th from right) pose for a commemorative photo after the press conference held at CBCP this morning.)


 February 21, 2018 - The Catholic Church, through NASSA/Caritas Philippines released a total of 26 million pesos from its local funds under Alay Kapwa, to a number of disasters and emergencies in 2017.

    In a statement released Fr. Edwin A. Gariguez, he said “the amount and the vastness of the contribution our Alay Kapwa solidarity fund has provided are a testament to how fast we can gather our resources and extend assistance to the most in need dioceses!”

   “As a network, we have implemented programs in the most remote communities, highly vulnerable population and in some instances, under the most challenging conditions! The figures provide us a glimpse of our capacity, as the national social action arm of the Catholic Church, to respond readily to the needs of our dioceses. These are also showing how we have developed in terms of competence and efficiency to implement and manage multi-donor responses,” added NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ Executive Secretary.

   In addition to the local funds, NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ over-all humanitarian response portfolio in 2017 totalled to 267 million pesos. These are from the Caritas Internationalis confederation and other funding mechanisms. The amount assisted more than 69 thousand families (348 thousand individuals) affected by disasters and emergencies.

   Fr. Gariguez however underscored that the Catholic Church is only complementing the efforts of the government and other organizations. “We do not wish to be doing the work of the government especially. We fully recognize that our role is only to provide additional assistance. However, we cannot close our eyes to the pressing and severing needs of our people. Where others fail, we do our share.”

   The most recent humanitarian crises the national Caritas is supporting are the on-going Marawi response (22 million pesos), and the Mayon volcano eruption with an initial aid of 5 million pesos.

   NASSA​/Caritas Philippines is the humanitarian, development and advocacy arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. It is serves as secretariat to the 85 diocesan social action centers in the country and represents the Philippines to the global confederation of Catholic charities - Caritas Internationalis.  (J. Henderson, NASSA / CARITAS Philippines)