DELA CERNA
With just a year ahead, last Friday, October 19, the Sentro sa Katilingban Inc. Training and Social Resource Center had the opening salvo of the celebration of its forthcoming 50th Founding Anniversary on October 19, 2019 with the theme: “Pagsaulog sa Gasa sa SSK @ 50: MALUNGTARONG PAKIGLAMBIGIT ALANG SA KATILINGBANONG PAGGAHUM”
(Celebrating the Gift of SSk @ 50: A SUSTAINABLE INVOLVEMENT FOR SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT).
The Sentro sa Katilingban (SSK) was the response of the Missionary ICM Congregation to God’s call in the 1960’s through Vatican II, urging the church to recognize the joys, sorrows, dreams and perspectives of the people of God.
It was then called the St. Theresa’s Social and Medical Center, Inc. because this was also the laboratory or study center of the Social Work students of St. Theresa’s College together with the other services of the center.
But in 1989 the name was amended to Sentro sa Katilingban because it was the refuge of the sick who had no where to go.
The ICM sisters together with the lay volunteers and a few employees together with St. Theresa’s College, priests and parishioners of the Redemptorist community joined forces and resources to address the needs of the poor and the sick.
But it did not only respond to the material and physical needs but most importantly, to contribute to the formation of the political, spiritual and social aspect of involvement for social empowerment.
This was done in a unique way, by using Theatre Arts using the talents of the youth.
This brought about the Dulaang Katilingbanon sa Redemptorista or popularly known as the DKR which used theatre in catechesis at the start and then evolved into a powerful medium of protest during the Martial Law Years.
It was the time when the Center was in partnership with the Redemptorist Parish which had no social center then.
Then so many changes occurred like Sentro sa Katilingban and the Redemptorist parish parted ways and each had its own challenges to tackle.
With the coming Golden Jubilee Year of Sentro sa Katilingban on October 19, 2019 it is just fitting that it falls on a Mission Day.
The Church through Pope Francis is urging us to be more aware and conscious of the growing poor and abandoned of the world.
I was then a college student at St. Theresa’s College (1963-1967) at the groundbreaking of the Social and Medical Center.
Then I was teaching in Carcar with the ICM sisters, and every summer for the first two years I was part of the group of Theresians that formed the Summer School at the Center teaching varied subjects to the children of the informal settlers of Gen. Maxilom (Mango) Avenue.
Then in the 1970’s during Martial Law when I have moved to teach in the city, the Sentro became the venue of activities from community organizing, conscientization, social protest and cultural workshops to spiritual deepening.
My most memorable experiences with the Sentro was the rich and powerful cultural movement which I witnessed and participated.
After EDSA, things changed, people went their separate ways with most of them working in NGOs, others have married and settled down.
With the coming Golden Jubilee, there is a growing interest to gather the individuals in the communities whose lives have been touched by the services of the Sentro.
For the prime movers especially that of the Dulaang Katilingban sa Redemptorista, three generations will convene “Paambit sa Kasinatian sa Kasaysayan sa SSK” or a sharing of their experiences with the SSK through a creative arts production.
In other words, there is a need to revive the use of Theatre Arts to address the pressing social issues and concerns at present.
Sentro sa Katilingban has also programs to help the members of the community like scholarship at Don Bosco, the culinary arts scholarship in partnership with Creative Cuisine.
With the coming Golden Jubilee celebration, Sentro sa Katilingban is slowly coming out from the many challenges that constrained it from accomplishing its mission and vision.
For those interested about the Sentro sa Katilingban, it is at 67 Gen. Maxilom Avenue, St. Theresa’s College Compound, Cebu City. Tel. no. 255 – 8837. Look for Abby Lopincillas.