From Christian Education to Peacebuilding and Elections’ Citizens Arm

In their website, the Davao Association of Catholic Schools, Inc. (DACS) is an association of seventy-one (71) non-stock, non-profit private Catholic schools, colleges and universities under the Dioceses of Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati or the DADITAMA ecclesiastical sub-region located in the six (6) cities and five (5) provinces of Davao. It was founded in 1963 as a regional arm of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and named Davao Association of Catholic Schools.

Aside from their role to help member schools attain the mission of Catholic education as well as contribute to regional and national development goals, the association was asked to play significant roles in peacebuilding and during elections.

In an interview, DACS Executive Director, Jimmie Loe Dela Vega, recalled that in 2010, the late Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, who headed the Bishops Ulama Conference, asked the help of DACS to spearhead a Mindanao-wide consultation in aid of peacebuilding.

“That led to the forming of a team that did the multi-sectoral consultation in Mindanao involving a lot of sectors, and I felt that in this program, the academe particularly the Catholic Schools, through my office, was able to contribute to the efforts of peacebuilding in Mindanao. That was really very significant for us,” Dela Vega said.

In 2012, the newly installed Davao Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, again called on DACS to spearhead the local Church’s engagement in elections. “With that, we were asked to organize our Catholic Schools to do service during elections particularly for voters assistance, poll watching, monitoring of the election process.”

“These events make me feel that I am contributing to the mission of the local Church to be involved with social issues, above all in peacebuilding – that was really very meaningful to me and even for the association,” he added.

In his message to the future generations of Catholics who will continue the mission of the Church in Davao, Dela Vega replied that as Catholics “we are called to be part of the Church, our shared calling is that we help in the building of God’s Kingdom, in building the body of Christ which is the Church; all of us have a particular calling or duty to do and in my case, it is really in Catholic Education.”

“All of us have this calling and that it is something that we should respond to with eagerness and with joy, because to be part of building God’s Kingdom, in itself is a privilege,” he added, “and it helps in strengthening our communities and the people in strengthening our faith as a Church.”

As a Jubilee Awardee for Selfless Service and Commitment, Dela Vega confided that his initial reaction was that of shock and a little surprise upon knowing that he had been chosen to receive the award. “Because after all, whatever I have done to contribute to the Archdiocese, it’s really because of the office in the Davao Association of Catholic Schools that has provided me that platform to which I was able to do service to the Archdiocese.” He expressed his gratitude, “on behalf of the Davao Association of Catholic Schools.”

DACS itself has also been recognized as a Jubilee Awardee, in acknowledgment of its contributions to Catholic education and its proactive role in addressing key societal concerns, including peacebuilding and civic engagement.

DACS helps member schools attain the mission of Catholic education as well as contribute to regional and national development goals. Among other things, the association endeavors to:

• Provide educational direction and leadership among member schools;
• Help member schools carry out the Church decrees on education;
• Initiate programs and services for the improvement of school management, personnel, and instruction;
• Foster unity and sharing of resources among schools;
• Represent the interest of member schools before the general public and with concerned government agencies or private organizations;
• Establish linkages and collaboration with educational organizations and other groups;
• Provide assistance programs to qualified students and personnel.

DACS is governed by a Board of fifteen (15) Trustees assisted by a full-time secretariat headed by the Executive Director. It coordinates with the diocesan schools Superintendents who are appointed by their respective Bishops to oversee the welfare of Catholic schools.

It organizes various programs, seminars, in-service trainings, sports fests, school visits, educators’ congress, and other activities for school and personnel development. It aligns with the thrusts of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) especially in implementing the Philippine Catholic Schools Standards (PCSS). DACS programs are geared towards promotion of research, community extension, Christian formation, sports, and basic education.

DACS supports advocacies for sustainable development, environmental awareness, peace and media education, history, culture and arts, the Mindanao peoples’ concerns, and inter-faith dialogue.

DACS is affiliated with the Association of Foundations (AF). It is accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission as a provider of Continuing Professional Education for teachers.