The CBCP News Service

CBCP News is a news service facility of the CBCP Media Office. It is an alternative news organization staffed by Catholic journalists dedicated to providing Church news written from a distinctively Catholic perspective. Its primary mission is to help spread the Gospel through a standard level of journalism by re-telling in news reports and features how it is witnessed in the daily events and lives of people.
CBCP News is circulated free-of-charge to the global community through its online facility www.cbcpnews.com, through email, RSS (Syndication), or through the CBCP Monitor.

The establishment of the CBCP News Service was approved by the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) during its regular meeting in November of 1997. The project was started in February 1998. Due to several constraints such as personnel and logistics, it could not be pursued as envisioned.
In March 2006, the CBCP Media Office presented to the Permanent Council the plan to operationalize the CBCP News Service. But it took another year to finally realize this project. In July 12, 2007, the CBCP News Service was finally launched at the CBCP Media Office led by the CBCP President, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo.
Mass Media have a very important role in shaping public opinion. Attributed as the first Areopagus of modern times, “It is the principal means of guidance and inspiration for many people in their personal, familial, and social behavior,” says the Encyclical Redemptoris Missio (Pope John Paul II, 1990).
In the Philippines where the Catholic Church plays a prophetic role in almost all aspects of life—which includes the social order—the communications media is doubly important.
The initiative of putting up a church media in the midst of the mainstream or secular media has become a necessity.
It is in this light that CBCPNews was established. Its rationale is to set up “an alternative news organization staffed by Catholic journalists dedicated to providing accurate news written from a distinctively catholic perspective.”
In attention to the decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, CBCPNews disposes itself to be at the service of the Episcopal Conference, dioceses and the catholic community in the use of the means of social communications “in order to attain a more organized thrust on evangelization, conscientization and formation of public opinion according to Gospel values.” (PCP-II, 102-105).

The Ideal News Range of CBCP News

Statements, documents, teachings and events of the Holy Father and the Vatican;

Collegial statements, interventions, teachings, programs and events of the Episcopal Conference of the Philippines;

Statements, interventions, teachings, programs and events of local dioceses and parishes throughout the Philippines;

Interventions, programs and events of religious congregations;

Interventions, programs and activities of basic ecclesial communities, and other lay organizations throughout the Philippines;

Programs and events of catholic schools throughout the country;

Social issues—local, national or international—affecting the lives of the faithful.

News worthy stories about the Christian community and the whole church.

CBCP News Staff

Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio
Editor

Sr. Pinky B. Barrientos, FSP
Associate Editor

Melo M. Acuna
Managing Editor

Roy Lagarde
News Editor

Kris Bayos
Katie Laceda
Noel Barcelona Sales
Staff Writers

Elmer Abad
Jason Asis
Elmer Bandol
Lucille Beumer
Frederick Castro
Ike Durano II
Rolando Emberga
Felina Lagasca, FSP
Antonio Manaytay
Vanessa Puno
Fran Quitoriano
Wendell Talibong
Mark Vertido
Mark Ventura
Maryann Zamora
Fr. Nonie Dolor
Fr. Joseph Suson, SVD
Fr. Jose Quilongquilong, SJ (Rome)
Diocesan Correspondents