In 1976 the youth ministry of the Catholic Church in the Philippines was entrusted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to the Youth Committee, which then fell under the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Commission on Lay Apostolate. The Youth Committee was then headed by Most Reverend Jose C. Sorra of Virac, Catanduanes.
In May of 1982, Bishop Sorra confirmed the appointment of Msgr. Francisco G. Tantoco, Jr. as National Youth Director. This came at a time when many youth organizations had sprouted, such as the Student Catholic Action, Young Christian Workers, the Catholic Youth Organization – all of which needed coordination and direction.
After a survey sponsored by the Youth Committee in collaboration with the Asian Social Institute in 1984, there was a need felt for a coordinating body on a national level, to facilitate the clearing of youth activities and programs. The result was the organization of the National Youth Coordinating Council made up of Diocesan Youth Coordinators. This body was later to become the advisory of the Episcopal Commission on Youth.
In 1986, the CBCP finally approved what the youth leaders had been clamoring for all along – the creation of a separate commission in the CBCP devoted exclusively to the youth. This was the start of the Episcopal Commission on Youth, and it was then headed by Bishop Jose Sorra of Virac. It had an implementing arm, the National Secretariat for Youth Apostolate (NSYA), headed then by Msgr. Francisco Tantoco.
After the Commission’s creation, a six-phased program was adopted on a national level, as follows: 1) Awakening of the Youth (1987), 2) Organizing the Youth (1988), Motivating the Youth (1989), Youth Growing in Community (1990), Youth Building Community (1991) and Youth Moving in Community (1992).
All efforts at development of the youth came to a shard focus in 1991, when the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines declared that the “youth ministry should be assured of the fullest attention and highest priority in every way by all in the Church” (Art. 50, No. 2).
The Catholic youth organization received a great boost as the Philippines hosted the 10th World Youth Day in January of 1995. Preparations for the special event, specially the Journey of the Jubilee Cross, kept the youth of all dioceses at a high peak of enthusiasm. And finally, Pope John Paul II’s inspiring call for renewed evangelization of the youth – “As the Father has sent me, so do I send you…” served as a rallying cry for Filipino Christian Youth.
Chairman: Bp. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon
Vice-Chairman: Bp. Bartolome G. Santos, Jr.
Members: Bp. Marvyn A. Maceda
Bp. Patrick Daniel Y. Parcon
Bp. Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit, Jr.
Bp. Moises M. Cuevas
Executive Secretary: Rev. Fr. Ramon Jade L. Licuanan
Address : 3/Floor CBCP Building
470 General Luna Street
Intramuros, 1002 Manila
Telefax: (02) 8527-9567
Cel.#: +63 917-8536792
e-mail: secretariat@cbcp-ecy.ph
ramon_jade@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/CBCPECY
