Davao PREX (First part of two)

About 150 delegates from the Archdiocese of Davao joined the 15th PREX national convention held in Baguio City last February 1-3, 2019. The convention was attended by more than three thousand PREX members coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It was the biggest and most attended national convention of PREX so far. It was the second time that the convention was held in Baguio City. The first time was in 2004. There were only about thirty from Davao City who joined in that gathering. The next convention is set to happen in Cebu City in 2021.

For those who are not familiar with PREX or Parish Renewal Experience, let me bring you down to the history of PREX in Davao City courtesy of Kuya Julius Garbin (Sta. Ana PREX):

Sometime in 1998, PREX seminar was brought to Davao City by the team of PREX Lagao (Gen San) elders led by Kuya Bebot Haw, thru the late Mr. Henry Lim of the NCCC department store. Kuya Bebot Haw and Mr. Henry Lim were close friends. One time, Mr. Henry Lim visited the store of Kuya Bebot. Mr. Lim was amused that the employees of Kuya Bebot were calling each other Kuya or Ate (Filipino endearment for siblings). Even Kuya Bebot was addressed as Kuya. Mr. Henry Lim was inspired by the kind of relationship the employees had for each other and the kind of respect too. Mr. Lim asked Kuya Bebot to facilitate a recollection for their employees to introduce that kuya-ate relationship. But Kuya Bebot suggested instead in conducting a PREX seminar for the employees of NCCC. After the seminar, Mr. Lim noticed very inspiring changes in the personal lives of the NCCC employees as well as their relationship as colleagues. Even the way they entertain customers had changed a great deal. They would sometimes call their customers as ate or kuya.

The following year, 1999, the PREX Lagao team asked permission from Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla to conduct PREX seminar in Sta. Ana Parish. The parish priest at that time, Msgr. Leonardo Vicente, accepted and welcomed the holding of 1st PREX seminar in the Archdiocese of Davao which was held on October 8-10, 1999.

The following years saw the spread and the establishment of several PREX seminars in the other parishes. To date, PREX seminars are held in the following parishes (some are not anymore active): Sacred Heart Parish in Calinan, Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish – Bajada, San Antonio de Padua – Agdao, Immaculate Conception Parish – Peñaplata, San Miguel Parish – Panacan, San Isdro Parish – Lumondao, St. Mary Parish – Buhangin (Panorama subdivision chapel), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish – Bangkal, Virgen Dolorosa Parish – Babak, Sto. Rosario Parish – Toril, and San Pedro Calungsod – Baguio district. (To be continued)