Social Action Ministry celebrates 48 years of service

The Archdiocesan Social Action Ministry celebrates forty-eight years in service to the poor. It was in June 1973 when the Social Action Center (SAC) of the Archdiocese of Caceres was established by Archbishop Teopisto Alberto, DD with Fr. Alberto Nero as the first SAC director.

In July 1989, the SAC leveled up to be the Caceres Social Action Foundation (CASAFI). It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Having acquired a legal personality, the foundation was able to engage in resource mobilization to fund some of its programs.

Fr. Jose Cortes, Ll.B was the first CASAFI director.

1994-1996 saw the shift in operations of the ministry from welfare to developmental; and the devolution of social action work to the parishes was viewed as an option.

Msgr. Nelson Tria was appointed as executive director in 1995 and in February 1996, the parish social action development program (PSADP) was implemented in partnership with MISEREOR.

The Social Action Ministry is better known as CARITAS-CACERES (Naga), Inc. This, after CBCP National Secretariat of Social Action (CBCP NASSA) directed that social action centers of dioceses adopt CARITAS in its social action ministry to take on the value of Christian Love. The name was adopted in December 9, 2014. -Tere Esmeralda Medina of Caritas Caceres