Letter To Fa

June 25, 2001

Ms. Marjolign Eshuis CMC-AMA/Asia Desk Den Haag, Nederland Ref. AMA/Fil-1218.3 Dear Ms. Eshuis, Warm solidarity greetings! It is with much joy that we write to you some updates since we last correspond. First, we would like to share with you that Fr. Rey Caigoy is now a parish priest in Rosario, Agusan Sur and is working on the media program from the Agusan district level. The undersigned, Fr. Marlon Lacal, took over his post as director of the media program here in the Titus Brandsma Center. This was due in part of the re-organizational agreements made during the Chapter meeting of the Carmelites in the Philippines in October 2000. The programs are going smoothly, even though we are a bit behind our workplan schedule. Our major activities these past few months were mostly ground preparations for the Media Impact Survey, which will commence this month of July. We are happy to report also that since our publication of the second part research output on the Philippine media trends, issues and needs from the perspective of media practitioners, we have received several invitations to share our findings with several organizations, and communities. Our media-education activities are still prime consideration until the end of this year. Hence, while we’re in seven communities conducting the Media Impact Survey, we will simultaneously conduct media-educating activities. Finance-wise, we are still within budget to fully operate the program until the end of the year. Our networking efforts are bearing fruits also as we have enjoined more churchbased and academe-based media organizations. Most importantly, with the survey we’re conducting, our local communities are bearing more responsibilities in making the Carmelite media ministry in this country more dynamic. Our wishes for good health to all of you, then.

In Carmel,

Marlon Lacal, O.Carm. Director, Titus Brandsma Center - Media Program