Pinoy Catholic schools out to help children of Pinoy expats

ANILA, June 9, 2010— The country’s Catholic schools through their respective archbishops and bishops have called on the Episcopal Commission on Migrant and Itinerant People to closely work with them in the formation of minors whose parents are working abroad. [This is great news!!!]


Fr. Edwin Corros, executive secretary of the CBCP – ECMI, said among the last official acts of Bishop Honesto Pacana, SJ as Bishop of Malaybalay was to call on ECMI to coordinate with them and facilitate a seminar for private school teachers to be able to detect difficulties faced by OFW children.

“It would be easier to form OFW support groups in various parts of the country because they would only do a simple survey to among elementary pupils and high school students who among have one or both parents abroad,” Fr. Corros said. [Simple as it may sound but the wealth of information that you will get from this survey is very precious and can help the people in this project.]

He added the school’s guidance counselors have noted attitudinal problems including difficulties in comprehension and adjusting to regular school routines. [Children who have absent parents are under emotional stress.]

Asked for specific problems faced by children of Filipino migrant workers, Fr. Corros said school teachers noted the below average scholastic performance which he attributed to lack of parental supervision.

He said they have already established working relations with Catholic schools in the Archdioceses of San Fernando (de Pampanga) and Lipa (Batangas), Diocese of San Fernando (La Union), Bayombong (Nueva Vizcaya) and Imus (Cavite). [WHAT?!  Where are the big archdioceses?!?!]

The program became the foundation for the annual search for outstanding children of OFWs under the Sons and Daughters of OFWs Association.

“Ideally, parents have to be physically present to supervise their children but economic reasons made either or both parents leave for overseas employment,” Fr. Corros explained.

In Malaybalay, though they have not opened a specific ministry for migrants and itinerant people, Bishop Emeritus Pacana opted to invite ECMI to reach out to the Catholic schools in Bukidnon province.

Speaking of Bishop Pacana, Fr. Corros said the prelate was responsive to the feedback he received from school teachers about problems faced by OFW children especially in academics. (Melo M. Acuna)


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Now this is one Catholic Social Action I would be very proud to be part of...if our Archdiocese even has one which I think we do not have after searcing RCAM's website.

This is a timely project!

Still more of Pondong Pinoy and Liturgical Anscar News... hu-hum...