Our Mission House in Gensan

Gen. Santos City is about 150 kilometers away from Davao City. It is about two and a half to three hours travel by private car or bus. It is a highly urbanized first class city. In the 1930’s General Paulino Santos led the relocation of a handful of Christian settlers from Luzon and settled on the shores of Sarangani Bay. The B’laan people are the original settlers of Dadiangas, the old name of Gen. Santos City.

Our mission house in Purok Matatag, Barangay San Isidro, General Santos City was acquired in the late 1990’s. Two young priests – Fr. Ching Salibay, OP and Fr. Jude Roquero, OP were the first to be assigned there. It had a small house with two rooms and a native hut or “payag” beside it, situated within a lot of about one and a half hectares in size. One of the first things they did was to plant a lot of mahogany trees in the area that used to be a rice field. Their main ministry then was giving retreats and recollections to students of Siena schools around Gensan. The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena administer schools in Gensan, Polomolok, Koronadal City, Tacurong, Tulunan and Cotabato City. They also help out in the pastoral ministry of the diocese in the area. It was during the time of Fr. Ching and Fr. Jude that the parish church of St. Michael the Archangel was established, under which our mission house belongs.

Because of their ministry to the youth through retreats and recollections, soon many youth became friends with our two missionaries and started frequenting our mission house. It became a venue for the youth to hang around meet new friends. It became a place to share stories, experiences and faith. After a while the place came to be known as the Dominican Youth Center. As a youth center, it did not really have a program of formation for young people. What it provided was camaraderie, friendship and companionship on the journey. Fr. Ching and Fr. Jude became their “kuya”, “tatay” and “barkada”.

Later on, when our other brother priests were assigned in Gensan, other physical developments were added to our mission house. A basketball court which doubles as a volleyball court was built to provide sport facilities to the youth. The small house underwent renovations and expansion. Additional rooms were added to accommodate at least three residents and a prayer room. A kiosk was also added beside our small house. It provided space where we can receive visitors since our house was too small, it didn’t even have a place to receive visitors. The native hut was also improved to accommodate guests who come and stay with us. About a few years ago, a chapel was constructed fronting the main road. It was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.

Now, we are five missionaries assigned to St. Antoninus House, our mission house in Gensan. Two of our brother priests – Fr. Mon Mendez, OP and Fr. Norman Quilaquil, OP live in a house in Davao City. Their main ministry is chaplaincy to San Pedro College of Davao City. I live with Fr. Ching Salibay, OP and Fr. Jude Roquero, OP in Gen. Santos City. We minister to the youth not only in Gensan but to other places in Mindanao through retreats and recollections. We also provide lay formation, especially to Lay Dominican groups. We also accommodate the requests of other groups wanting to have seminars, retreats and recollections. Once in a while, we do outreach missions to indigenous people’s groups in Mindanao. The Dominican Family Conference in Mindanao meet once every two years. It is an occasion for us to meet the other members of the Dominican Family which includes the various congregations of sisters and also the lay.