By Tere Esmeralda-Medina
The Catholic Citizenship Education and Engagement (CCEE) of the Caceres Education Ministry launched SIMBAYANIHAN, a church social movement for the formation of good citizens through the organization of communities at the grassroots towards good governance. The symposium entitled “An Gobyernong Marhay, Minapoon sa Barangay” (Good Governance begins at the Barangay) was held at the hall of the Penafrancia Basilica last October 14, 2023. The symposium was attended by 232 representatives from 76 parishes of the Archdiocese of Caceres.
Rev. Fr. Wilmer Tria, chairperson of Simbayanihan formation and head of the education commission of the Archdiocese gave a talk on” Social Transformation starts in the Barangay”. Another speaker, Mr. Rogelio Reyes, head of Simbayanihan secretariat gave a talk on “Community Organizing for Elections and Good Governance”. Camarines Sur Provincial Election Officer Atty. Noriel Badiola talked about vote buying and its repercussions on both the vote buyer and the vote seller.
SIMBAYANIHAN or Simbahan at Bayan: Bayanihan Para sa Pagbabago at Kaunlarang Walang Iwanan is envisioned to be the leading church social movement for the sanctification of the faithful, formation of good citizens, organization of communities from the grassroots towards good governance and the building of solidarity among multi-sectoral groups for transformation in the country.
The goals of the movement are 1) sanctification and moral recovery, formation and educational reforms; and 3) embodiment of social justice through works of mercy, works of development without marginalization, and works of justice and peace.
In order to form good governance advocates and champions, the movement hopes to lead, inspire and consolidate all members of the Mystical Body of Christ: the laity and the youth through their religious organizations, religious movements and ministries, the basic ecclesial communities, multi-sectoral groups and other faith-based organizations – to participate in the institutionalization of programs to form good governance advocates and champions.
These programs include UGNAYAN Outreach and Partnerships, KALAKBAYAN synodality and conscientization, and BAYANIHAN principled cooperation and solidarity.
A brief workshop, facilitated by Julma Narvadez, asked the pariticipants to discuss how to organize basic ecclesial communities in their respective barangays down to the barangay level.
Organizers of the symposium are Vicar General Rev. Fr. Joseph Wilfred Almoneda, Rev. Fr. Marcel Emmanuel Real, Executive director of Caritas Caceres, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Mojica, BEC Archdiocesan Coordinator and Rev. Fr. Tria, head of the Education Ministry.