Office of the Protection of Minors in the Archdiocese of Davao, Diocese of Digos, Diocese of Tagum, and Diocese of Mati

Peace! We continue to be in unity with the efforts of the entire Church to address the evil and pain inflicted by the sexual abuses committed against minors and vulnerable adults in our Christian communities. This is shameful and painful all the more because many of the reports include sexual abuses committed by members of the clergy, the religious, and the bishops of the Church.

And in our efforts the Holy Father has reminded us, using the words of Jesus, that we are the light of the world (Mt. 5:14 / Pope Francis, Vos Estis Lux Mundi, 7 May 2019). Therefore, at the very moment that we do actions towards addressing this painful and shameful evil phenomenon, we are reminded of the grace of conversion and repentance, the grace to love and forgive coming from the Lord into our hearts, thus making us the light of the world.

Thus, as your shepherds, we heed and follow in particular the directive coming from the Holy Father in his Apostolic Letter, Vos Estis Lux Mundi, Art. 2 par. §1, in which he says: “Taking into account the provisions that may be adopted by the respective Episcopal Conferences, by the Synods of the Bishops of the Patriarchal Churches and the Major Archiepiscopal Churches, or by the Councils of Hierarchs of the Metropolitan Churches sui iuris, the Dioceses or the Eparchies, individually or together, must establish within a year from the entry into force of these norms, one or more public, stable and easily accessible systems for submission of reports, even through the institution of a specific ecclesiastical office. The Dioceses and the Eparchies shall inform the Pontifical Representative of the establishment of the systems referred to in this paragraph” (Pope Francis, Vos Estis Lux Mundi, 7 May 2019).

Through this present Circular, on the basis of the directive of the Holy Father mentioned above, we your shepherds would like to inform you that we have created the Office for the Protection of Minors in the Archdiocese of Davao, in the Diocese of Digos, in the Diocese of Tagum, and in the Diocese of Mati (DaDiTaMa). The task of this Office is to promote the protection of the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults. It is also the task of this Office, together with the respective Bishops, to see to it that the established guidelines for the safeguarding of minors are seriously observed and the reports of alleged abuses are well listened to, and appropriate actions are done to address the situation.

The main reason why the four Dioceses in the Subregion of DaDiTaMa have issued this common Circular is to give the people in our region the choice where to bring their concerns and reports regarding the protection of minors to any of these diocesan offices. In this way we are giving our people more access and opportunities whereby they can easily bring their concerns on issues regarding the protection of minors.

So these are the offices of the four Dioceses of the Metropolitan Province of Davao:

Archdiocese of Davao
Name of Office: Archdiocesan Office for the Protection of Minors
Director: Rev. Fr. William S. Cajes
Address: St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao, Catalunan Grande, Davao City
Contact Number: 0917-1131906; (082) 298-0991

Diocese of Digos
Name of Office: Diocesan Office for Protection of Minors
Incharge: Rev. Fr. Rico H. Dingal
Address: Home of the Clergy, Doña Aurora Street, Digos City, Davao del Sur
Contact Number: 0932-5136594; (082) 553-5852

Diocese of Tagum
Name of Office: Diocesan Office for Protection of Minors
Director: Rev. Fr. Patricio Donnie Aborde, Jr.
Address: Parish of Christ, the Eucharistic King, Rizal Street, Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Contact Number: 0917-3124860

Diocese of Mati
Name of Office: Diocesan Commission on the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults
Director: Rev. Fr. Edilberto R. Mahinay
Address: St. John of the Cross Clergy House Compound, Madang, Mati City, Davao Oriental
Contact Number: 0917-7022387; (087) 388-3707

The establishment of this office in each Diocese clearly reminds us that it is an integral mission of the Church to ensure the safety of minors and vulnerable people. Thus, please know that the local Churches of Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati participate fully in this mission of the Church, in which ‘the effective protection of minors and a commitment to ensure their human and spiritual development, in keeping with the dignity of the human person, are integral parts of the Gospel message that the Church and all members of the faithful are called to spread throughout the world’ (Chirograph for the institution of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, of 22 March 2014).

Please be guided accordingly. For further information and inquiry, please contact the above-mentioned offices.

We invoke the maternal guidance and inspiration of our Blessed Mother that we may faithfully and diligently do our responsibility in this particular, delicate and much-needed ministry — the safeguarding and protection of minors.

Devotedly yours in Christ,

(Sgd.) +ROMULO G. VALLES, D.D.
Archbishop of Davao

(Sgd.) + GEORGE B. RIMANDO, D.D.
Auxiliary Bishop of Davao

(Sgd.) + GUILLERMO D. AFABLE, D.D.
Bishop of Digos

(Sgd.) + MEDIL S. ASEO, D.D.
Bishop of Tagum

(Sgd.) + ABEL C. APIGO, D.D.
Bishop of Mati