Seminarians' Network of the Philippines

 

In 1991, 5 years after the historic People Power Revolution, the Philippine nation was once again on its feet in preparation for its first democratic national elections after more than two decades. Various socio-political organizations were formed to ensure a more stabilized and honest electoral process. The Church herself collaborated with several groups that would ensure the success of the 1992 elections. Church based socio-politically oriented organizations like PPCRV were also born.  The Philippines was once again vigilant in its commitment to uphold political freedom and democracy.

SemNet:  Its First Mission   
   
Amidst the bustling and intense preparations for the 1992 elections, a subtle yet promising mobilization was taking place among a small group of concerned seminaries.  Fr. Joel Tabora of the Society of Jesus called upon San Jose Seminary, UST Central Seminary, San Carlos Seminary and the cluster of seminaries in Tagaytay to come together to form this group. Collaborating with NAMFREL, PPCRV, VOTECARE and Radio Veritas, this small group of seminaries planned for its involvement in the 1992 elections. 

After several meetings with other concerned groups, this small network of seminaries resolved to involve their seminarians in the 1992 elections.  Interested seminarians became accredited PPCRV and NAMFREL volunteers, some became field reporters for Radio Veritas.  San Jose Seminary became the nerve center where all elections related communications were coursed through in the duration of the elections season. An attempt to expand the network was also done by contacting other seminaries of various archdioceses and dioceses around the Philippines encouraging them to be actively involved in the said elections. 

Since then, this expanding network of seminaries became more involved in socio-politically related endeavors.  In 1997, it has once again organized itself in preparation for the 1998 elections.  A much wider networking was done.  Seminarians became directly involved in relaying national situation analysis under the guidance of Fr. Romeo Intengan of the Society of Jesus.  The network also collaborated with Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, an organization of Jesuits concerned in educating the voters.  During the elections, seminarians around the Philippines were deployed to act as field reporters to Radio Veritas.  Vote buyings and other elections related incidents of violence were heard in the national radio. The 1998 elections ended but not the work of the Seminarians’ Network.          
 

SemNet Evolves
   
The reign of the elected president was characterized by a restless Philippine society.  Rallies were held almost every quarter from the controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos’ remains in the Libingan ng mga Bayani to the undying issue on Cha-Cha.  Seminarians were always on their feet to march with the masses.  Vital informations were continuously relayed among seminarians and their seminaries.  SemNet had started to really become an expanding network
 
Year 2000 was a year of so much political controversy.  The issue on Estrada’s impeachment emerged.  The citizens were also weary of the coming elections in 2001.  The Philippine Economy was in critical condition due to these events.  While the society continued to be unstable, the Seminarians’ Network started to re-evaluate itself and aimed to settle into a more stable ground.

In July 2000, the Network started to formally organize itself not primarily for its involvement in the 2001 elections but for the establishment of its identity.  Its history was reviewed through the help of Fr. Jovic Lobrigo, a Josefino who was one of the volunteer seminarians in the first establishment of the network.  SemNet decided to completely establish itself as an independent group aiming to organize itself on its own but still recognizing its collaboration with the previous groups it was involved with the previous years.  Benjamin Molina of San Jose Seminary became its first coordinator with San Jose Seminary as the temporary seat of its Secretariat.

By September of the same year, SemNet started to draft its Mission and Vision statements and its Constitution and By Laws.  SemNet though had not forgotten its involvement in the coming elections.  Training for voters’ education facilitators were conducted and various projects were proposed for its extensive involvement in the electoral process.  By November, the group presented its Vision/Mission statement to the Rectors of the member seminaries along with its letter to the CBCP Commission on Seminaries for the latter’s recognition and approval of the network’s existence as an organization.  From then on, the Seminarians’ Network gradually gained its identity as an organization.  Its efforts to do so yielded much fruit along the way.

By December until January, the network became very busy in involving itself in the ousting of Estrada.  By January 21, Arroyo sworn as the new Philippine president through the victory of EDSA II where the Church played another crucial role. 

The network continued to form itself as an organized body.  In connection with this, a gathering of member seminaries was proposed based on a much earlier plan.  On February 24, 2001, the first gathering of seminarians under theological formation was held in UST Central Seminary. 

The gathering, dubbed as KAPATIRAN aimed at fostering camaraderie among member seminarians of SemNet.  Three hundred thirty two seminarians from 10 member seminaries participated in the said gathering.  Games and talks were among the activities highlighted by the event.  That gathering marked the start of a more organized and extensive expansion of the Network. Since then, KAPATIRAN has become a SemNet tradition gathering all its members from different seminaries around the country every year.             

May 2001 elections marked another breakthrough in SemNet’s thrust to uphold an organized electoral process.  Incident reporting through SMS was launched.  The project, headed by Didoy Molina, was internet and SMS based.  Significant elections related events were directly reported through SMS and automatically fed to the internet connected center based in LST.  The homebase then reports news-worthy incidents to affiliated radio and TV networks.  It was the first of its kind and was successful in relaying very important bits of information to ensure the orderliness of the elections.  

 

Unexpected Growth and Expansion

For the past two years, SemNet has increased its membership to more than 20 seminaries all over the Philippines.  Each seminary is connected with the network through their SemNet representatives who automatically compose the SemNet Core Group.  The Core Group works with the SemNet Secretariat which is based in San Jose Seminary. SemNet has been holding its Quarterly meetings for the past two years held in every sponsoring seminary.

Member seminaries are divided into five major clusters.  Each cluster is focused on a specific aspect of Seminary Formation namely, Pastoral, Human Formation, Spiritual, Academic and Community.  This division is the network’s move to fulfill its desire to explore a broader focus that goes beyond politics.  Topics ranging from relevant socio-political issues to concerns related to seminary formation are discussed during these meetings.  The SemNet Annual Summer Evaluation and Planning which is held regularly to set directions for the group was first held at Immaculate Conception School of Theology, Vigan City and then at St. John the Evangelist School of Theology, Palo, Leyte.
 
At present, SemNet continues to expand itself in its goal to respond to the signs of the times through the diversity of its charisms and its unifying mission to be renewing agents of the Church and the Society.

 

 

Rev. Ian Gabinete

San Jose Seminary