JuBla visits IPDI and Prelature of Infanta

Eight (8) young Swiss leaders from Jungwacht Blauring or Jubla visited the Philippines from July 19 to August 8 for a 3 week visit in Infanta, Nueva Ecija, and Cebu.  Jubla is the largest Catholic children and youth association in Switzerland.  They also raise funs for the Day-care program in Barangay Dinahican in the Prelature of Infanta.

The whole program is organized by CHIRO-Pilipinas, JuBla’s organizational counterpart in the Philippines.  However, the Infanta visit on July 21-25 was organized by IPDI together with Sr. Mafe Fadrigalan, the Project Coordinator of the day-care program.

This year, Jubla’s visit will include immersion with the families living in Dinahican – Infanta’s fishport. This also marks the first time that a group from Jubla will visit the community since the project was initiated. The Jubla group stayed in host families who are also project partners. They met with the different key actors in the fishing industry in Dinahican.  From the fisherfolk;  a wealthy individual, who owns a big fishing vessel; a middle person who somehow controls the market; and the wives of the fisherman who also serve as vendors in the market. The experience provided them with Philippine realities and issues in the coastal areas, at the same time understanding their great contribution in the Prelature, in providing access to education for the families.

Their visit to the Prelature of Infanta coincided with birthday celebration Bishop Tirona and Bishop Labayen, who turned 65 and 85, respectively. They were entertained by the children and youth from the schools in the prelature through Filipino dances and songs.  They were also given a local situationer and a brief history of the prelature by Deacon Mario and Demo Raynera of the Social Action Commision –Infanta, narrating also the tragedy that happened in 2004 as well as other programs of the Prelature.  They also brought the group at the Infanta-Nakar Bridge which caused massive landslides and floods in the area and at John Paul Village which was built to provide shelter to the homeless families affected by the tragedy.

Prior to visiting Infanta, the Jubla group composed of Samira Zimmerman, Sarah Stadler, Martin Amgarten, Jennifer Germann, Maurus Bamatter, Sandra Stricker, Melanie Jaggi and Sibylle Baumgartner visited the IPDI office on July 20, 2011 for a brief National Situationer by Vio Esguerra, they were accompanied by Chris and Marie, who are youth leaders of CHIRO Pilipinas. They were also welcomed by their Swiss kababayan from Bethlehem Mission Immensee (BMI); Tobias and Corrine Denzler.  Since IPDI was facilitating the learning experience of Katholische Jungschar at that time, their team leader Clemens Huber was also present in welcoming the Jubla and the CHIRO-Pilipinas groups. It was also a significant day because IPDI was able to facilitate the links of these groups who are umbrella organizations of the International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements or FIMCAP (Fédération Internationale des Mouvements Catholiques d’Action Paroissale).