Catholic Educational Association of Legazpi
The Catholic Educational Association of Legazpi or CEAL is an important aprt of the educational aspect of Catholic schools in Legazpi. It is also at the service of the Church and society that also has special concern for Poor and the young, responding to signs of the times taking into account a dynamic mutual collaboration in holistic human development through efforts like evangelization, humanistic formation, and professional training. After which it helps promote personal liberation, promotion of Bicolano and Filipino values, and social transformation through the Kingdom of God.
Educational Catholic Institutions in Legazpi, Albay
The city of Legazpi is considered as the academic center of the Albay province. The city has two major universities a Catholic Institution which is Aquinas University of Legazpi (AUL), the sister university of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and the state run Bicol University. Other notable educational institutions are The Ago Medical Educational Center-Bicol Christian College of Medicine in Albay District which is the first and only school of medicine in the Bicol Region, The city’s renowned private co-educational institution; St Agnes Academy, founded in 1912 and considered as the oldest Catholic school in Albay, is also the sister school of Manila’s St. Scholastica’s College, the Legazpi Hope Christian School, located within St. Vincent Village, Cabangan, Legazpi City. LHCS is a Chinese Christian educational insitution that seeks to provide quality education to form well-rounded and God-fearing leaders for the future, there’s also the Saint Raphael Academy, founded in 1949 by Monsgr. Nicanor B. Belleza, formerly named Saint Raphael Parochial School but it was turned over in 1956 to the Augustinian Recollect Sisters. It celebrated its 60th anniversary in the city last 2009.
With the existence of CEAL, all these educational and catholic institutions create avenues for such member schools to promote unity, friendship and mutual collaboration on various school initiated activities. You might be wondering, what does CEAL and its board discuss in order to help implement and further the thrusts and goals of the school in terms of evangelization, humanistic formation, and professional training? Here are several of the comprehensive board talks that CEAL did to engage those different schools and educational insitutions:
a) Organizational and Human Resource Development
- Discussion on CHED Memo 5 and the tuition cap
- CEAL Basics:the Challenge of Greater Regionalization
- CEAL Consitution and By Laws with discussion and highlighted problems
- CEAL fees and program implementation
- Executive Summary of Catholic Study
- Discussion on House Bill No. 17: Magna Carta for Students by Rep. Edcel Lagman
- Discussion with City Officials Regarding the apparent commercialization of the Peñafrancia Fiesta
- Specific roles of superintendents and presidents of diocesan associations were clarified
- Relationship between CEAL and the Bicol Foundation for Higher Education was defined
- Board officers and members were also given a situationer and evaluation of the 2010 elections, urging schools to involve in the elections, particularly in voter’s registration and further education
b) Stands and Advocacies
- Member schools attended an important forum which discussed at length the Bangsamoro-Christian-Lumad struggle in Minadanao from the perspectives of two speakers with first-hand knowledge and experience of issues
- Clarified with CHED the important areas relative to the requirements of public hearing mandated by Republic Act No. 7722. Most of the issues raised related to public consultation in general
- CEAL member schools conducted a prayer rally against the Reproductive Health Bill
- CEAL member schools joined in a pilgrimage to Joroan, Tiwi Albay in honor of Our Lady of Salvation
- CEAL had provided financial assistance to eight (8) member schools which underwent ESC/EVS re-certification.
- Recently, 866 delegates composed of students; teachers and administrators from 14 CEAL member schools attended an overnight youth camp. It had 13 parallel sessions on various subject areas, games, cultural show, youth ball, praise fest, and a Eucharistic Celebration.