The Jesuit Bukidnon Mission District

The Kapawa hu Paglaum community of college scholars, family and leaders recently gathered at the JRH in Malaybalay for Kahimunan in December 2023.  The smiles on their faces represent their resiliency and unity. They radiate hope and optimism as they strive to become future leaders of their diverse tribes. 

Pangantucan Community HS recently held its Junior HS completion and Senior HS graduation ceremonies. The graduates share photos taken during recognition day, graduation day and thanksgiving masses with their proud and dear parents, families, and friends. Full gratitude to PCHS, they look forward to a bright future!

Congratulations to our Binhi Te Peglaum Scholars academic achievers for the 3rd quarter of Fr. Leoni Memorial School 2022-2023. Your hard work, effort, and perseverance are appreciated. May this milestone inspire you and be grounded in your identity as you continuously strive for academic excellence. 

St. Isidore High School of Zamboanguita, Malaybalay,  had a Triple Celebration Day (Family Day, 33rd Foundation Anniversay Day, and St. Isidore Labrador Fiesta), last May 15, 2023. The student body made memories with activities through out the day in 5 parts, including a parade, fun and games, and mass.

Congratulations to the five Talaandig youth from St. Therese Parish of Miarayon who have been accepted as Marillac Grantees of the Daughters of Charity! They have safely arrived at the Immaculate Heart of Mary College in Quezon City, their home beginning SY 2023. They shall attend Sta. Isabel College in Manila.

Harvests from the upland farms have been poor due to the pandemic and economic downturn. Thus, incomes of mostly indigenous families have been affected and their children are going hungry. We prepare meals for 50 kids, but there are days when we come up short as 100-150 would show up. Other villages also need help.  

We are proud to announce the formation of Kapawa Social Enterprise to produce, market and sell coffee, adlay, art and crafts sourced from our mission communities. We have adopted "4S" as our goals - by the fifth year: a) support the studies of at least 10 scholars; b) source, roast and sell Kapawa Co. brand coffee; c) achieve sustainability with each community having its own retail shop and production facility; d) provide stability to our communities through employment and economic activity.    

We aim to empower our IP communities through collaboration and inclusivity; establish self-sufficient and sustainable community retail shops; replicate our initial successes to target communities; educate our communities through actual business experience and practical self-learning; and challenge our performance through the adoption of best practices.

With much gratitude, we acknowledge the donation of fifty (50) Lenovo ThinkPads from Chevron Philippines, Inc. in partnership with the American Chamber Foundation, Inc. (AmCham) last December 2021. Intended to benefit the indigenous students under our IP Ministry, these were received through the Fr. Leoni Mission Foundation, Inc. We also thank Business Process Outsourcing International, Inc. (BPOI) for providing the needed operating system and Microsoft Office software for the computers. 

Due to the transportation constraints brought about by the pandemic, the laptops were received in Bukidnon early March 2022.  Of the 50 units, 40 units will be distributed among our high school dormitories and college dormitory.  The remaining 10 units have been allocated to our Tagbanua Ministry under the auspices of the Loyola College of Culion in Palawan.

Our multi-purpose chapels, 30 in Cabanglasan, 15 in Miarayon and 20 in Zamboanguita, reach out far across communities in the Bukidnon hinterlands. They also function as literacy and catechism centers providing early education to children not served by the provincial elementary schools. Many chapels are temporary structures waiting to be upgraded. The old chapels need to be repaired as they are weather beaten or have simply deteriorated. Some community devotees have attempted to rebuild their chapels on their own but ran short of funds because of the economic downturn. In general, the budget for new chapel construction, renovations or structure expansion run about P75K for materials and labor (recently adjusted for inflation).  We thank our donors - parishioners of the Mary the Queen Parish in San Juan, MM, friends of the mission from the Ateneo de Naga, Univ. de Sta. Isabel (Naga) and Ateneo de Manila.