Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of the Diocese of Kidapawan was reelected as chair of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice, and Peace and at the same time the President of Caritas Philippines during the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ 126th plenary assembly on July 8 at the Marzon Hotel in Aklan province’s Kalibo town.
Bishop Bagaforo, who has been serving as Caritas Philippines president since 2019, has set three main agendas for his last term:
• Full implementation of the expanded “Alay Kapwa” (offering oneself to one's neighbor) fund campaign which aims to enlist 1,000,000 donors who will commit to giving at least PHP 500 annually to support the 7 Alay Kapwa Legacy Programs.
• Strengthening of the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Programs.
• Strengthening the social action network which is composed of 86 diocesan social action centers nationwide.
“I am grateful for the trust and confidence that the CBCP has given me to lead Caritas Philippines for another term,” said Bishop Bagaforo. “I am committed to working with our partners to ensure that we can continue to provide much-needed assistance to the poor and marginalized, and to promote justice and peace in our country.”
Alay Kapwa (Offering of oneself to one’s neighbor) is the Lenten evangelization and resource mobilization program of the Philippine Catholic Church. The expanded campaign aims to increase the number of donors and the amount of funds raised to help more people in need.
Caritas Philippines’ Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Programs promote a culture of peace and sustainable development in the country. The programs work to address issues such as human rights, environmental protection, and climate change.
Caritas Philippines’ social action network is composed of diocesan social action centers (DSACs) that are located all over the country. The DSACs are the front liners of Caritas Philippines’ work in the communities.
“I call on all Filipinos to support Alay Kapwa and to join us in our work for justice, peace, and the common good,” said Bishop Bagaforo. - Santosh Digal
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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