Quezon City, Philippines. An event titled “May Pag-asa pa ba?” (Is There Still Hope?) was held on September 20, 2025, at the Claret School of Quezon City (CSQC) Fr. Santiago AVR. The gathering, which took place from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, brought together numerous participants, including the RMICM sisters, MC Sisters, college seminarians, Claretian Scholastics, and lay people. The program organized by the Solidarity and Mission Team (SOMI), was moderated by Fr. Mon Andrei Ebdani, CMF.
The event, rooted in the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes, aimed to address the “griefs and anxieties” of the present age. It began with an Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by a communal recitation of the prayer “Disturb us Oh Lord“. Attendees were asked to say the prayer “loudly”. The program also included video clips on the current situation, with an opening message explaining the rationale of the event’s theme.
The program was structured in three parts: Pagkabagabag: Hope on trial, Paglilinaw: Clarifying Hope, and Pagtaya at Pagkilos: Acting Hope.
In the first part, Pagkabagabag, participants engaged in a “Hugot” activity, where they were asked to identify societal ills and their personal experiences with them, encapsulated in a short phrase or hashtag (e.g., #SanaAllNepoBaby). This was followed by small and big group sharing.
The second part, Paglilinaw, included an input on statements from the CBCP and CMSP, as well as a biblical foundation. This led to an open forum and responses from various groups, including participants, on topics of formation, education, and JPIC (Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation).
The final segment, Pagtaya at Pagkilos, focused on acting out hope. The attendees read the Fr. Rhoel Gallardo Province Solidarity and Mission Statement, followed by a commitment signing and a candle-lighting ceremony where personal statements were written. The event culminated with a procession to the front of the school, a Gospel reading, and Prayers of the Faithful. The program ended with the chanting of “May pag-asa pa! Tama na! Sobra na! Wakasan na!” and announcements regarding a “Trillion Peso March: A Call to Accountability” scheduled for September 21, 2025.
The gathering served as a form of preparation for the rally on September 21, 2025, which will take place in Luneta and EDSA. The event was a call to live out the Gospel in denouncing societal ills and continuously praying for a more just and humane world.
