Lawaan, Cebu, The Philippines, 28 July 2021 -- It was at the birth of the college aspirancy in Don Bosco Lawaan that Fr. Randy Figuracion, SDB, Fr. Fidel Ma. Orendain, SDB, and Bro. Louie Domasian, SDB, worked to establish a college program for aspiring Salesians. The program for a Bachelor of Arts Major in Religious Education and Pastoral Communication, or AB ReEd PasCom, was reviewed and consequently approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and offered under Don Bosco Technical College – Cebu. It is a program that not only prepares young men for the Salesian religious life but also other young people who wish to become professional religious educators too.

To celebrate its 13 years of existence both as a program and a college department of Don Bosco Technical College-Cebu, the AB ReEd and PasCom alumni of Don Bosco Formation Center held its first ever alumni meeting via Google Meet on the 24th of July 2021 with Rev. Fr. Erwin Joey S. Cabilan, SDB, the incumbent department chairperson. Graduates from batches 2012-2021 were present.

In the meeting, Fr. Erwin emphasized that formation does not stop during graduation but is a life-long process. A change of names was also introduced. The term “extern”, used to refer to external students (those who are not in-house aspirants), will no longer be used. Rather, these students will be called BEARERS, or Bosconian Externs Aspiring to become Religious EducatoRS. They are bearers of the same mission offered by the Salesian vocation.

Fr. Erwin also invited the alumni to receive the Missio Canonica from the Archdiocese, to be sent forth as official catechists of the Church. He also invited them to form a group or an association of graduates of the AB ReEd and PasCom program for future formation sessions and linkages. In response, the ReEd PasCom alumni chose Mr. Alvin P. Gallo to be their coordinator.

After more than a decade, the bachelor program offered at Don Bosco Formation Center in Lawaan continues to produce quality Salesian educators, both for the Salesian religious life and for professional teaching. Here, they are formed to become true bearers of God’s love for the young both by educating and evangelizing.