'Mission Drift' Co-Author Speaks, Launches Book in GenSan

Peter Greer, Mission Drift co-author

Peter Greer, co-author of the book Mission Drift:The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches  gave a lecture on what it takes to remain true to one's mission, in an event sponsored by the Center for Community Transformation (CCT). 

Greer is  president and CEO of HOPE International, a global nonprofit organization focused on addressing both physical and spiritual poverty through microfinance. HOPE is a ministry partner of CCT. 

The lecture was accompanied by the first international launch of Mission Drift and was attended by nearly a hundred pastors, Christian businessmen and ministry workers from General Santos City and Davao.

In the book, Greer states that,  "without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission."  His talk centered on factors that can help organizations remain 'mission true'. He mentioned Harvard University and YMCA as examples of organizations that have drifted far from their original missions. "There was never one moment, one decision or one person that contributed to the drift. Many factors happening simultaneously contribute to drift," he stressed.

The talk was followed by a short question-and-answer session, lunch, and book signing. 

The lecture and book launch, CCT's first public event in GenSan, was held on March 18, 2015 at the C2.ECA Function Hall, ECA Building, National Highway, General Santos City.  

Left to right:  Jan Ced, GenSan businessman; Nathan de Lyster, executive director of HOPE Hong Kong,
Peter Greer; and Ruth Callanta, president and founder of the Center for Community Transformation. 

Photos:  Mae Bulaquina

CCT GEL Partners Get High-End Coaching

Joe Paulini, founder of the acclaimed Rainmaker ad agency and a longtime
 Five Talents volunteer, discusses a case with  micro entrepreneur
Manrie Dedoroy who runs a clothing business in Taguig.

Not all micro entrepreneurs get a chance for one-on-one discussions with seasoned businessmen or  management professors but that's exactly what several CCT community partners  got while attending a grassroots entrepreneurship management training seminar.  The objective of the training was to equip these micro entrepreneurs with the knowledge and business skills that will help them grow beyond their current micro entrepreneurial level.  Topics covered included 'planning and improving processes' and 'understanding quality, delivery, and price'.

The training was held by CCT's Training and Development Institute in partnership with Five Talents International and with the George Mason University School of Management.

The participants are recipients of growth enterprise loans (loans ranging from P51,000 to P1,000,000) from the Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna.)

Evelyn Fresnoza with Karen Kitching,  George Mason University School of Management accounting professor.
Evelyn  runs businesses selling fruit and fish in Laguna. 

Participants, lecturers, and CCT staff at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center. 

Photos by Darwin Mendoza

CCT Microfinance Recipient Honored

Rosario Caparas,
special awardee for innovation
 in the 11^th Citi Microentrepreneurship
 Awards.

Rosario Caparas, microfinance recipient of the CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative, is one of seven microentrepreneurs honored in the 2013 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards  (CMA).

Rosario, a pioneer member of the CCT Co-op branch in Binan, Laguna, received a special award for innovation.  She and her family are owners of Buchi King, a restaurant that serves buchi with non-traditional fillings. She received a cash prize of P100,000, a laptop computer and one-day training on how to use it, three-year health and life insurance coverage, and scholarship to a four-week entrepreneurial course. 

Established in August 2012 with an initial capital of P1,500, Buchi King posted sales of P6.5M and a net profit of P1.4M in its first year of operation.

This is the third time in as many years that a CCT ‘community partner’ has been chosen to receive a CMA award.  The first two are Andresa Javines of General Santos City, a producer of tuna packaging material, and Rabia Mangumpig of Cotabato City, a wedding gown designer.  

Christian Caparas, Rosario's son and Buchi King finance manager, said,  "Nagpapasalamat kami sa Lord sa mga pinagkakaloob Niya sa Buchi King.  Parang hindi  kami makapaniwala.  Sobrang overwhelmed  na marecognize, considering na kaka-one year pa lang ng business na ito!"

The Binan branch office and the loan officer assigned to Rosario also each received a prize of P10,000.

Dennis Monong, CCT Co-op general manager, said, “More than the prizes, what matters most to CCT  is the opportunity to help transform the lives of our community partners and their families.”

Jovelee Maala, a junk shop owner and junk dealer from Payatas, Quezon City, was also nominated by CCT to the awards program.  She and Rosario were among 21 semi-finalists chosen out of 107 nominees submitted by 23 microfinance institutions from across the country.

Other winners are Enrico Fojas, national award winner; Marylyn Cleto, Luzon winner; Regina Paller, Visayas winner; Necy Ann Ty, Mindanao winner; Maria Guidella Argabio, special awardee for agri micro-business; and Jennilyn Antonio, special awardee for microenterprise leadership.

Formerly known as the Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year (MOTY) Awards, the CMA is a nationwide search for outstanding microentrepreneurs.  Funded by Citi Foundation, the CMA was launched in 2002 as part of the celebrations for Citi’s 100^th year in the Philippines.  The program is a partnership among the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Citi Philippines, and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines. 

Held just four weeks after Supertyphoon Yolanda devastated several provinces in the Visayas, the awarding ceremony on December 3 was an emotion-charged event.  According to a situationer given on the storm’s effect on the microfinance industry, some 390,000 clients of MCPI member-organizations were affected, including seven past CMA winners.   

The 2013 CMA winners(left to right): Marylyn Cleto, Regina Paller, Rosario Caparas,

 Enrico Fojas, Jennilyn Antonio, Necy Ann Ty, and Guidella Argabio 

The winners with the CMA national selection committee (left to right): Robina Gokongwei-Pe,  president and 
COO, Robinsons Retail Group; Batara Sianturi, CEO, Citi Philippines; Amando M. Tetangco Jr.,
 governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas;  Marixi Rufino-Prieto, chair, the Philippine Daily Inquiter; 
 Antonino L. Alindogan Jr., member, board of directors, Philippine Airlines; 
 and Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III, president and CEO, RFM Corporation. 

Mila Bunker, Microfinance Council of the Philippines chairperson, inducts the 2013 awardees

  into the CMA alumni network. She challenged the winners to “Make a commitment not for yourselves

 but to help those affected [by Yolanda].”  The awardees
 pledged to “Persevere for family, co-workers, and colleagues,
 and pay forward the trust and guidance of the microfinance industry through livelihood generation.” 

Rosario Caparas, flanked by son Christian (second from left)

 and nephew Alvin Abaja,  receives a trophy and her cash prize from Dr. Felipe Medalla,  

BSP monetary board member.  Also on the stage is BSP Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. 

...with (left to right) Dennis Monong, CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative general manager; Jhyna Gacu,
 covenant community builder (loan officer); and Allan Pardico, regional peer servant for Cavite and Laguna.

Owners of the Buchi King restaurant:  Christian and his mother, Rosario;  Alvin and his mother, Erlinda Abaja.  

...with other CCT staff:: Myra Gaculais del Rosario (far left), writer; Melissa Magalona (4th from left),
 mentoring coordinator; and Edwin delos Santos, (far right) partnership development officer.

Photos: Michelle Taway

14 Couples Married in CCT Negros Mass Wedding

Fourteen couples were recently married in a mass wedding organized by staff of CCT Negros.  Of the 14, five are recipients (referred to as community partners) of CCT micro finance assistance, while the rest are children or relatives of community partners. 

Amie Balboa of  CCT Negros said the decision of the community partners to become legally married after years of being common-law husbands and wives  is an indication of spiritual growth and a desire to please God by living according to His will.   

Except for one, all of the couples had been living together for several years without the benefit of marriage.  The oldest couple had been living together for nine years and already had three children. 

The wedding ceremony was officiated by Pastor Rene Bajalan.  CCT Negros has organized and held a mass wedding once a year since 2003.   

Dev't Practitioners Observe CCT 5Ws

A community partner reads a Bible verse during the Word  portion of a CCT
fellowship meeting. Looking on is Maribel Bernal, covenant community builder. 

Development practitioners, many of them executive directors and managers of faith-based organizations, observed how the 5Ws  format is used in meetings of CCT community partners, during a visit to a community in Silang, Cavite. They also got a chance to  talk with recipients of micro finance loans and see how the loans have had an impact on their lives and micro enterprises. The exposure trip was part of a two-week modular course titled Spirituality and Culture in Transformational Development recently run by the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture and CCT.

The 5Ws is the standard pattern followed in weekly fellowship meetings of micro finance recipients, referred to as community partners at CCT.

The 5Ws are:

• Welcome (10 minutes). The covenant community builder (CCB, often called  loan officer in other micro finance institutions) or the fellowship coordinator calls the roll, greets those celebrating a birthday, and leads the singing of the National Anthem and the reciting of the CCT Partners’ pledge.
• Worship (10 minutes). Here the group prays and sings songs of praise and worship.
• Word (30 minutes). The CCB leads devotions using a study guide specifically written with needs of CCT communities in mind. Community partners may share testimonies at this time.
• Work (30 minutes). Here loan payments are made and records are updated. Savings build up withdrawals are also made during this period.
• Wrap-up (10 minutes). The CCB does a recap of important points made during the Word portion, gives a quick summary of the collection status, and leads a closing song and prayer.

 The ISACC training was held from July 29 - August 11, 2013. 

The fellowship secretary collects and records loan payments during the WORK portion of the meeting. 

The gold-colored booklets at left are passbooks where  loan releases and payments and
savings deposits and withdrawals of community partners are recorded.
Book on the right is a collection of Bible study guides for use in
weekly fellowship meetings.  Because devotion to one's country is given emphasis at CCT
 the book also carries 12 lessons,each one focusing on a line from the Philippine national anthem. 

Brian Shiel, missionary with World Venture / Conservative Baptist Mission chats with a micro entrepreneur...

...as do Marilyn Lalunio, program director for scholarship of Real Life Foundation; Edwin delos Santos,
CCT partnership development officer; and Grace and Bill Dyrness, ISACC co-founders. 

Photos courtesy of the Institute of Studies in Asian Church and Culture.

CCT Staff Join Pork Barrel Protest

More than 200 CCT leaders, staff, and community partners joined the August 26 rally in Luneta to protest misuse of taxpayers' money.  CCT's participation began with a march to the park from the CCT office on Taft Avenue, after which they joined a program prepared by the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, and walked around a portion of the park singing the nationalistic song Pilipinas Kong Mahal. Along with Ruth Callanta, CCT president, and Melba Maggay, ISACC president, the group raised voices to heaven, imploring God to "Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream (Amos 5:24)."

Photos courtesy of Noeh Vios and Ging Guerrero 

Quezon City Men Graduate from CTDI, Receive TESDA Certification

Graduates of  a  CCT TDI short-term course on carpentry and masonry proudly hold up their certificates. 

Twenty-six men from Bagong Silangan, Payatas, Commonwealth, and Batasan in Quezon City recently graduated from a special short-term course on carpentry and masonry  at the CCT Training and Development Institute, Magdalena, Laguna campus.  Except for two, the men  passed assessment tests given by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, have received certification from the agency, and now have a better chance for employment.

The men are  husbands, sons, nephews, and in-laws of CCT micro finance community partners.

Graduation day, held in Bagong Silangan,  was a much-awaited and joyful event for the men and their families since many of them had never completed high school or grade school.

The course was run in partnership with the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center.  A second group of 30 men will start similar training this month.

Nanay Elisa Takes Second Place in 2013 Lydia Awards

Elisa Gomez, 2013 Lydia award 2nd placer, talks about her organic bath soap made with malunggay leaf extracts.

Elisa Gomez,  CCT micro finance community partner from Apopong, General Santos City, is the second placer in the 2013 Lydia Awards program sponsored by PEER Servants.

Nanay Eliza Gomez, is a pioneer member of the CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative in General Santos and has received micro finance loans from CCT since 1998.  She produces bedroom slippers, organic soap, native bags, and fashion accessories.  These businesses provide part-time jobs for working students and also fund missionary work among the B’laan tribe in Saranggani.

The Lydia award is named after Lydia, the businesswoman mentioned in Acts 16 who was devoted to the Lord and who played an prominent role in the early Christian church and ministry.

After being healed of cancer when she was 28, Elisa, now 62, committed her life to serving the Lord among the less fortunate.  She has a heart for children growing up without proper support, guidance, and care from their own families, especially those she describes as, “Yung mga pagala-gala” (“Those who wander aimlessly”).  Among those she has helped to   complete their education is an engineer, a teacher, and several others who finished two-year technical courses. Everyone she takes in or helps send to school has to help with the slipper-making business. 

For about 10 years now, Elisa and her husband, a lay pastor, have spent a month each year among members of the B’laan tribe who live in the hinterlands of Saranggani province (the province borders General Santos City).  They bring clothes, do evangelistic work and lead Bible studies, hold literacy and livelihood classes,  teach proper hygiene, and, using Elisa’s own asunting and moringa soaps wash and treat those with skin problems. The couple have another trip planned for November of this year.

Elisa has been a positive role model for joyful generosity to those she has helped send to school and to church mates who accompany her and her husband when they minister among the B’laans.  Another impact of Elisa’s businesses is the positive work attitudes instilled in all of those she has helped. The teacher she helped send to school says, “If you work hard enough, you will have food to eat.”

The Lydia Awards is sponsored by Peer Servants, a Christian micro finance organization based in Massachusetts, USA, to recognize micro enterprises that are growing in their capital base, employing people, strengthening the church, and having a positive impact on their communities.   Through the Lydia award, Peer Servants hopes to encourage this same behavior among the entrepreneurs within its network of micro finance organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

As second placer, Elisa receives a $1,000 grant for her businesses. 

The 2013 Lydia award overall winner is Richard Tunya, a cassava processor from Uganda.

Extracts from asunting  (acapulco) leaves, explains Elisa Gomez,
  go into a soap that heals scabies.

Nanay Elisa makes bedroom slippers using used blankets
bought from ukay-ukay stores. 

Nanay Gomez shows Gerlie Diaz, Apopong branch team servant, some of the wallets she makes. 

Hidden Manna Avila, daughter of a couple employed by Elisa Gomez's
slipper business, helps her parents after school by stitching slipper straps together.
This step makes the slippers wearable for as long as five years.   

CCT Cooperative Members Hold General Assemblies

Members of the Center for Community Transformation Savings and Credit Cooperative have been attending general assemblies in their respective areas since May. The highlights of these assemblies are the president's report giving updates on the programs and services of CCT, the treasurer's report stating CCT's financial performance in 2012, and recognition of loyal community partners.  The assemblies are expected to be held until August.  In 2012 the CCT Co-op had a total outreach of 147,000 in 145 branches nationwide.

Pictures below are from the general assemblies of the National Capital Region 1 and Negros areas.

Dennis Monong, general manager of the CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative, delivers the president's report
on behalf of Ruth Callanta, CCT president and founder. 

Mark Rullona, CCT Co-op general accountant
discusses the cooperative treasurer's report. 

A replica of a cheque showing P22,670,000 in patronage refunds and interest on shares is
symbolically turned over to CCT Co-op members.

Janice Ondrade, team servant at CCT's Araneta branch leads community volunteer development council
officers and Araneta staff in singing You Are My All in All.

Mardy Cabalo expresses gratitude to God for having been
named Thurman Awardee for 2013.  For full story, please visit:
http://cctgeneralnews.blogspot.com/2013/05/
ccts-mardy-cabalo-is-2013-thurman.html

Loyal cooperative members from Quezon City, recognized for membership with the CCT Co-op for
 five years or more, pause for a picture with their certificates of appreciation and with CCT staff. 

Children and grandchildren of co-op members from the Munoz, Quezon
City branch do a dance interpretation of  Lead Me Lord. 

CCT Co-op members and staff in Negros hold a replica of a cheque representing patronage refunds 
and interest on shares to be distributed among co-op members nationwide. 

Photos: Michelle Taway 

CCT Publishes History Books

The Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries recently launched a four-volume set of books tracing the history of the Philippines from a Christian perspective. The books are written in Filipino by historian Fe B. Mangahas with contributions from Imelda Cajipe Endaya. 

CCT president and founder Ruth Callanta said, “I pray these books will give their readers a clearer understanding of our history, undo feelings of bitterness and anger about our past, and inspire everyone to build a new Philippines where truth, justice, progress, and peace prevail.”  

Volume 1 of Kasaysayan ng Ating Bayan – Ang Pilipinas Noon at Ngayon covers early history  to  1500 A.D. Volume 2 covers Spanish colonialism to the American occupation (1500 – 1898). Volume 3 covers the years 1899 to 1946. Volume 4 covers the years 1947 to 2012

The books may be purchased at the CCT support office, 5th Floor, Joshua Center, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila.  For inquires, please call 524-18-10 local 214 and ask for Ralph Parado. 

Prices: 1 set - P1,000.00;  individual volumes - P250.00 each; 10 sets or more - P850 per set

Historian Fe Mangahas (right) and Imelda Cajipe Endaya at the
book launch in Magdalena, Laguna.

New CCT Community Center and Tech-Voc Campus to Rise Soon

Officers and trustees of  Wilcon Foundation, Center for Community Transformation - Training and
 Development Institute CCT-TDI), and AMG Skilled Hands Technological College (ASHTEC)
symbolically break ground at the location of a new building where technical-vocational education, 
pre-school education,  micro-finance, and basic health services  will be offered to the people of 
Rodriguez, Rizal . Left to right: Ramonchito Kung, Wilcon executive security manager; Grace
Aquino Tiong, Wilcon AVP for human resources; Ruel Godino, Wilcon AVP for logistics; 
Mark Belo, Wilcon City Center director; Elizabeth Venegas, CCT-TDI executive director; 
Francisco Pascual Jr., ASHTEC president; Quintin Tan, TDI chairman; Emilio Obispo, 
Wilcon Foundation coordinator; Engr. Jose Gamorot, Wilcon Engineering Dept. head. 

The Center for Community Transformation and AMG Skilled Hands Technological College (ASHTEC) have joined hands with Wilcon Foundation for the establishment of a new community center and technical - vocational campus in Rodriguez, Rizal.

The collaboration stems from a commitment of William Belo, Wilcon Builder's Depot president and CEO, to assist members of the community around the Wilcon Builder's Depot in Rodriguez. "Mr. Belo has always helped young people receive education.  During Wilcon's early years, he would provide tuition for college-age children of employees out of his own pocket," said Emil Obispo, coordinator for the Wilcon Foundation.  "With this partnership with CCT and AMG, we are offering the same kind of help more formally."

 After a visit to the CCT Training and Development Institute in Magdalena, Laguna (where the teaching staff are from ASHTEC), Mr. Belo expressed a wish for a similar school in Rodriguez.  He then allocated a 3,000 square meter lot within the Wilcon warehousing facilities in Rodriguez to be used as a new campus, and plans were started for a new building.  He also agreed to a recommendation that the building do double duty as a community center where other services for the poor (such as micro finance, free pre-school, basic health services, and provision of affordable drinking water) can be offered by CCT.    

Construction of the building is set to start on May 6 and is expected to be completed within a period of six months. 

Mark Andrew Belo watches as a time
capsule containing architectural plans
of the new building and
campus is lowered into
the ground.

Anji Gabriel, CCT-TDI trustee,
 opens the
thanksgiving service with
a prayer.

Emilio Obispo, Wilcon Foundation coordinator,
welcomes stakeholders and guests.

Pastor Jun Gonzaga, CCT-TDI senior pastor,
shares a short message on vision
and Jesus' compassion based on
Proverbs 29:18 and Matthew 9:35 and ff.

Mark Belo of Wilcon Builder's Depot: 
"With this school we hope to contribute to 
alleviating the jobs-skills
mismatch in the country
and to the alleviation of poverty."

Professor Quintin Tan, CCT-TDI chairperson, says,
"It is thrilling to see young people without skills learn 
[new skills at TDI] and
become supportive of their families."

Fransisco Pascual Jr., president of AMG Skilled Hands
 Technological College, states AMG's
commitment to provide underprivileged young people
with relevant skills training. 

Willyboy Torres gratefully speaks of life changes he underwent
while studying at CCT-TDI in Magdalena, Laguna.

Beth Venegas, CCT-TDI executive director explains how the
Wilcon, CCT, and AMG collaboration came about. 

Beth Venegas, Mark Belo, and Dr. Melba Maggay, CCT-TDI trustee.

Staff of AMG Skilled Hands Technological College (in blue uniforms)
 with Beth Venegas, Mark Belo, and Jun Pascual.

Left to right: Beth Venegas, Mark Belo, TDI Trustee Gloria Ison,
Dr. Melba Maggay, Anji Gabriel, Jun Pascual, and
Professor Quintin Tan. 

Officers and staff of Visions of Hope Christian School, CCT
Savings and Credit Cooperative, TDI and Wilcon Foundation, with
Megaconstruct Group Inc, the building contractor.