BEC/GKK leaders of Mati Diocese undergo AI workshop

BEC/GKK leaders of Mati Diocese undergo AI workshop

Fifty two leaders of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC), in the vernacular, Gagmay’ng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) from the different parishes in the Diocese of Mati recently participated in a two-day development workshop on the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach held at the Milagrosa Formation Center Pahamutang, Matiao, Mati City.

Themed “Here I am among you as one who serves” (Lk. 22:27), the Diocesan Pastoral Director Fr. Darwey Clark, DCM, and Diocesan BEC Director Fr. Roberto Ombon, DCM, invited two speakers from the Institute of Pastoral Development (IPD) in Manila for the occasion: IPD Senior Training Team Leader Mr. Stephen A. Sandoval and Assistant Facilitator Mr. Danny Carreon.

The speakers challenged the pastoral workers and leaders to be attentive to the five-point cycle of Appreciative Inquiry, namely, define – discover – dream – design – and destiny to achieve the purpose of the BEC Commission toward the vision of the future: “Moving Forward in the New Evangelization.”

In other words, this intends to make God’s kingdom actively present in the world. Furthermore, the speakers pointed out what they saw as the strengths of the parishes in the Diocese of Mati that “give life” in building BECs.

The participants were reminded that their task in leadership is to “create an alignment of strengths situating the person or member where he/she is gifted; that the good that has happened in the past history of the country will be the seed-ground for gazing at future improvement,” noting that the Philippine Church will be celebrating the 500 years of its Catholic Faith—the Christianity in the Philippines in 2021. This will then push them to accomplish their significant role in the development of BECs/ GKKs as far as the remotest place, “to reach without fear the least, the last and the lost, like St. Peter and St. Paul being the courageous, fearless leaders in the Catholic Church.”

The participants affixed their signatures to their pledged total and full commitment as BEC leaders and workers, while Mr. Carreon expressed how he was “sincerely inspired by the commitment made.”

The AI inquiry is timely for the Year of the Parish which was launched last November 27, 2016 in Mati as a good start for the evaluation and planning of the GKKs. The two-day workshop ended with the Eucharistic Celebration officiated by Frs. Clark and Ombon.

In his homily, Fr. Ombon shared his experience of working with GKK leaders and workers “whose volunteerism is an investment since it is generosity in the eyes of God.”

Quick response saves lives; most evacuees back home

The Provincial Government of DavOr remained on top of the situation in the emergency response in the towns badly affected by rain-induced landslides and flashfloods brought about by the tail-end of a cold front towards the end of January 2017.

DavOr, which activated its Incident Command System on January 23, 2017, closely coordinated with the municipalities and barangays to address urgent gaps and concerns.

Incident Commander, Freddie C. Bendulo, said the calamity had prompted all concerned agencies to mobilize teams to appropriately respond to the needs of the people in the barangays and municipalities, in close coordination with their respective Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

A total of 12,000 food packs were transported to Cateel town and handed over to the evacuees in different barangays, while more relief goods were set to be transported to other affected towns, such as Boston which reportedly distributed food packs to some 2,000 families in three villages.

Capt. Ronnel Legard, Civil-Military Operations Officer of the 67th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, said that they had already transported displaced families back to their homes in Cateel town as the Municipal Incident Command Post declared it safe for them to return home and for classes to resume.

Four deaths were reported in the towns of Cateel and Caraga, and the City of Mati, mainly due to drowning in flashfloods. Over the past few weeks, Davao Oriental, along with other provinces had experienced continuous heavy rains that caused floods and landslides, damaging properties, crops, homes and other infrastructures. (PIA)