THE ECV OFFICERS

Most Rev. Florentino Lavarias, D.D.                        -  Chairman
Most Rev. Buenaventura M. Famadico, D.D.             -  Vice Chairman
Most Rev. Sofronio A. Bancud, S.S.S.,  D.D.            -  Member
Most Rev. Jose Romeo O. Lazo, D.D.                       -  Member
Most Rev. Vicente M. Navarra, D.D.                         -  Member
Most Rev. Edwin dela Peña, MSP, D.D.                     -  Member
Most Rev. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara, D.D.                   -  Member
Rev. Fr. Jason H. Laguerta                                     -  Executive Secretary

THE DVP OFFICERS

Rev. Fr. Jason H. Laguerta                                      - National Coordinator
Rev. Fr. Joel Francis S. Victorino                             - Treasurer
Rev. Fr. June C. Ranera, RCJ                                   - Secretary for Religious
Ms. Mary Ann S. Cruz                                              - Secretary for Lay
Regional Coordinators:
            Northern Luzon:          Fr. Quezon Juan (Diocese of Bayombong)
            Central Luzon:             Fr. Arnel Serafica (Diocese of Iba)
            NCR:                           Fr. Ronald Macale (Diocese of Cubao)
            Southern Luzon:          Fr. Toter Resuello (Archdiocese of Lipa)
            Bicol Region:               none
            Visayas (Central, Western, Eastern): Fr. Lito Maraya (Archdiocese of Palo)
            Mindanao:                   Fr. Ricardo Virtudazo (Diocese of Surigao)

Staff: Ms. Charina Pascua

I.          INTRODUCTION

On September 11, 2006, the new set of national officers of the Directors of Vocations in the Philippines (DVP) met for the first time in Iba, Zambales to plan for the programs and activities of the DVP for the next two years. We were able to plan on intensifying the vocation formation activities of the DVP by updating the program of the seminars being conducted and adding new ones. We also discussed the possibility of having common vocation posters and radio advertisement campaigns, a nationwide vocation club and the revitalization of the DVP Office at the CBCP Building in Intramuros, Manila.

This report will cover the period starting August 2006 to the present. It will look into the activities and accomplishments of the DVP vis-à-vis its mandated functions for being, to wit: serve as a coordinating center for information, promotion, recruitment to accompany vocations to the priestly and consecrated life; assist in the ongoing formation of vocation promoters to initiate, articulate and contextualize vocation activities; collaborate in the use of mass media for the promotion of church vocations in the Philippines; disseminate printed information relevant to the promotion of Church Vocations

II.        THE ECV-DVP ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
            (PERIOD OF JULY 2006 – JULY 2007)

A. As a Coordinating Center for Information and Vocation Promotion

1. We are happy to report that the National Vocations Office located at the ground floor of the CBCP Building in Intramuros is now in full operations since a full time staff has been hired this January 4, 2007.

2. To date, the DVP has 411 member arch/dioceses, religious congregations and lay associations with 3 new members registering for the first time.
 
3. The DVP National Office has also been actively assisting in the re-organizational meetings and coordinating activities of the vocation ministries in the different regions/dioceses. Some of these are: the Vocation Congress in Calapan, Mindoro, the Vocation Café in the Diocese of Cubao, the Diocese of San Pablo Vocation Week, the Antique Vocation Promotion Week, the Diocese of Butuan’s Vocation Month, the Bohol Annual Vocprom, the DVP Cagayan De Oro Vocation Month, the Caceres Vocation Week, Vocation Promotion in the Archdiocese of Lipa, the 2nd NCR Regional Vocation Festival, Diocese of Maasin Youth Festival and the 13th Vocation Festival of the Diocese of Antipolo.

4. Fr. Jason Laguerta, the current National Coordinator, has been invited to speak on behalf of the DVP in several Vocation Jamborees in Palo, Leyte, in Naval, in Cebu and in Antipolo.

5. The officers have also been invited to explain what the DVP is during organizational meetings in La Union on September 22, 2006; and in Dumaguete in March 2007.

6. The annual (44th) World Day of Prayer for Vocations was also celebrated in all dioceses in the Philippines in communion with the universal Church. Prayers for Vocations were said during the liturgical celebrations on April 29, 2007, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

7. To facilitate the dissemination and exchange of information, apart from the DVP e-group (dvp_ph@yahoogroups.com), an independent website for the DVP is also in the process of being constructed. The said website will have the URL www.dvp.com.ph.

8. Still to serve as a venue of information dissemination, updates on vocation-related activities, sharing of best practices and exchange of insights and strategies, the quarterly DVP newsletter, now entitled Ciao Voc!, has been revived. The initial issue was released in November 2006.

B. Assistance in the Ongoing formation of Vocation Promoters

To assist in the ongoing formation of vocation promoters and to initiate, articulate and contextualize vocation activities; the DVP facilitated the four-phased modules for Vocation Animators:

The first phase which is the Basic Orientation Seminar on Vocation Animation was held at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary last October 16-20. Phase 2 which deals with the Spiritual Direction Aspect in Vocation Discernment was held on December 4-8, 2006 also at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary. The third phase which is on Family Relations in the Vocation Journey was held at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay last  January 15-19. The final phase on Human Sexuality in the Vocational Journey was also held at the same venue in Tagaytay on February 12-16, 2007.

For this year, all four phases of the modules will be held in Tagaytay. The first phase will be on July 16-20, 2006.  Phase 2 on September 17-21, Phase 3 on December 10-14 and the final phase on January 19-23.

The Commission is now evaluating these modules and is looking into developing new ones. It is exploring the idea of a tie-up with the other groups offering formation programs that deal with the vocational journey. Fr. Peter Lechner, sP, the superior general of the servants of the Paraclete, has already facilitated two seminars with the vocation directors.

On Jan 29-Feb 1, 2007, the   First Diocesan Vocation Directors National Conference (for Luzon) dubbed, VCD for DVDs (Vocation Challenges and Dynamics for Diocesan Vocation Directors) was held at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Baguio.

C. Other functions

1. A plan at the horizon, in coordination with the Manila Vocations office, is to conduct a study on “The State of Vocations in the Philippines”.

2. The advertising agency, Ace Saatchi and Saatchi, has generously designed some vocation posters and radio plugs that are now in the process of printing and reproduction. They will be distributed to all dioceses and schools as soon as they come out.

III. FUTURE PLANS AND ACTIVITIES

Constitutional Amendment
           
1. As agreed upon in the last National Convention in Surigao, the DVP will also be amending its constitution. The Constitutional Commission is set to convene its first meeting on the third week of July. Later on in the process, consultations may be convened per region.

21st National Convention

2. The next National Convention has been set on April 21-25, 2008 in Palo, Leyte. Just this Monday, July 2, we had a meeting of the DVP National Officers and the Regional Coordinators regarding the initial planning and tasking for this Convention.

IV. CONCLUSION

The Episcopal Commission on Vocations – Directors of Vocations in the Philippines (ECV-DVP) has been working tirelessly to promote the vocations to the priesthood, religious and consecrated life. Through the efforts of the vocation directors of the dioceses and congregations, many young people have been inspired to consider priesthood or religious life as an option and eventually make the difficult decision to enter the seminary or the convent. Yet, their efforts will never be enough. Vocation ministry is still very much the work of the Lord who calls. Thus, the Commission entrusts its future plans and activities to the loving Heart of the Good Shepherd who is really responsible for sending more laborers into the vineyard