Empowering people… Building communities…

Vision

            Angelicum Community Extension Services (ACES) envisions itself as a pro-active sector that leads the school community to become socially relevant and responsive in community service.

Mission

            Our mission is to empower the marginalized and to develop sustainable communities.

The Gabayanihan Program

            The Gabayanihan is a capacity building and community development program of ACES to its partner communities to become independent and sustainable.

 5 COMPONENTS

1. Gabay (to guide) – giving inputs on how to organize the community, e.g., leadership trainings, planning and program development
            * Primarily the task of ACES in administration
            * Organizational development and financial management

2. Bayani (hero) – realization of every community member that he/she has talents, gifts and inherent capacity to succeed (become a “hero”)
            * This refers to the community people who are considered “treasures” in community organizing
            * Capacity building of community members
            * Education and values formation of community members

3. Ani/han (fruit / harvest) – successful projects / programs / achievements;   
            * This refers to all projects for community development
            * For the whole community, it refers to livelihood projects and for individuals, it refers to their personal achievements

4. Bayan (society / community) – this is the GOAL, i.e., a progressive and sustainable community
            * There is a sense of owning of the community
            * have concern to the needs of the community members

5. Bayanihan (cooperation) – communal effort to organize and develop the community
            * Community involvement and participation
            * Cooperation to implement sustainable development projects
            * Develop sense of solidarity and cooperation

5 MAJOR AREAS OF APOSTOLATE

1. Spiritual Formation

            ACES recognizes the necessity to address the spiritual needs of the member of the partner communities. This is fulfilled through regular masses (every 1st and 3rd Sundays), catechism to the children, novenas, recollections and the strengthening and formation of the Parish-based BECs.

 2. Education

            ACES believes that education is an indispensable element in the progress of any community. That is why part of its priority is to address the growing number of OSYs in the area through the REAP program. It also provides continuing formation and leadership training to community leaders and life skills seminar to livelihood trainees.

3. Poverty alleviation

            Livelihood projects are necessary to address poverty and ensure sustainable development. Thus ACES initiated livelihood training programs like sewing, building and wiring seminar-trainings and bag making. It also plans to initiate micro-financing and establish a cooperative in the community.

4. Health

            Health is indeed wealth. When community people are unhealthy or sickly, production is impeded. So ACES aims to address this common problem to its partner communities. Preventive measures need to be in place. Sanitation and hygiene are also priorities. ACES further hopes that community people will have access to cheaper medicines.

5. Environment

            Community members should realize that they are stewards of creation and the environment. Thus they should maintain a clean environment through proper waste management and disposal. A green environment is also pleasing to the eyes. Trees help in minimizing pollution. Community people should also be made aware of the worldwide problem of global warming and its destructive effect to the environment and be encouraged to cooperate in controlling such phenomenon.