By Fr. Drans Nolasco, SDB

Makati City, the Philippines, 14 July 2016 -- Fifteen Salesian Houses of the FIN Province sent their representatives to the meeting of local news and information correspondents and/or members of their local social communications teams. Organized by the Commission on Social Communications, the main objectives of this meeting were the following: to review the Guidelines for the Saleisan Communication especially on the roles, duties, and responsibilities of the local social communications team and of the Web Portal; to be aware and appreciate the efforts done by each Salesian house in the area of social communications; to make every local setting be inter-connected through the new FIN Province Website; and to know the present needs and challenges that local settings encounter in the field of social communications.

After the opening prayer and after all the participants have introduced themselves, Fr. Drans, the head of the FIN Commission on Social Communications, began his talk on the nature of the work of social communications in the Salesian context. It is primarily an educative and pastoral ministry. It is always to give glory to God and work for the building up of His kingdom. It is at the service of the Church, particularly in the New Evangelization. It is to present the Salesian Spirituality as its identity. And it must contribute proactively to nation-building.

Fr. Drans also emphasized the importance of being a ONE PROVINCE where all the local settings are inter-connected through a more dynamic sharing of news and information with each other.

Cl. Jerome Quinto, a member of the FIN Commission on Social Communications and the one who created the new FIN Website (http://sdb.org.ph/fin/) briefly presented to the assembly some important points found in the Guidelines for the Salesian Communication particularly on the nature and purpose of any Salesian Web Portal. From this existing document, he then presented to the assembly the new FIN Website.

He made his presentation interactive by asking the participants to share the present situation of their respective local settings particularly about their presence in the web, their social communications team, and their present concerns, difficulties, and challenges in this ministry.

The meeting began at 1:30 in the afternoon and ended at 4:00pm.

Those who were present in the meeting were: Jocelyn Marasigan and Jeram Benedicto (Don Bosco – San Jose), Jerome Camus and Jean Mark David (Don Bosco – Mabalacat), Fr. Favie Faldas,SDB (Don Bosco College – Canlubang), Cl. Manuel Entrigro, SDB (Don Bosco – Tondo), Cl. Paul Dungca, SDB (Pre-Novitiate), Mitch Gonzalez (San Ildefonso Parish), Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB (Don Bosco Center of Studies), Cl. Jerome Quinto, SDB (Seminaryo ng Don Bosco), Fr. Umijun Binueza, SDB (St. Dominic Savio Parish), Cl. Daniel Gonzales, SDB (Don Bosco – Mandaluyong), Joyce Bustamante (National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians), Karl Petate (Mary Help of Christians Parish – Mayapa), Cl. JJ Aguila, SDB (Post-Novitiate), and Fr. Drans Nolasco, SDB (Provincial House).

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