“Magbasa asin Maglaom”: Caceres COMBIBLIA wraps up Bible District Series in Rinconada

By Sophia De Vera

IRIGA CITY — The Commission on Biblical Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Caceres (Caceres COMBIBLIA) successfully concluded its year-long series of district gatherings, capping off 2025 with the Rinconada District Bible Conference held on November 30 at St. Anthony of Padua Parish.

Bringing together 124 participants ranging from youth to adults, the whole-day event served as the final installment of a caravan that previously visited the Central, Bay, and Partido districts earlier this year.

Anchored on the theme “Magbasa kan Biblia asin Magin Saksi nin Paglaom” (“Read the Word and Be a Witness of Hope”), based on Romans 15:4, the conference challenged delegates to go beyond mere reading. The goal was to transform participants into “Bible apostles”—ministers capable of breathing new life into the Scripture within their respective parish communities.

Faith in Action

The gathering opened with a vibrant Bible enthronement presided by Fr. Dexter Peñaflor, the COMBIBLIA district coordinator for Rinconada. Fr. Erwin Blasa, COMBIBLIA Director, delivered a keynote on the conference theme, emphasizing the power of reading Scripture to instill hope. This was followed by a session on Spiritual Conversation facilitated by Sr. Maria Culaway, D.M., which offered delegates a practical framework for sharing faith.

One of the event’s highlights was the launch of the commission’s flagship program, “Basahon an Biblia: Sarong Kapitulo kada Aldaw” (“Read the Bible: One Chapter a Day”), designed to make Scripture reading a daily, manageable habit. To ensure the message resonated with the assembly, the launch featured a family reading the Bible in the Rinconada dialect—a gesture intended to bring the Word closer to the people of the district.

A Community Effort

The conference moved from instruction to interaction in the afternoon. A diverse roundtable discussion featured testimonies from a priest, a nun, a family, a youth representative, and a child, proving that the Bible resonates across all generations.

The session revealed a striking contrast in experiences. While adult participants, including the clergy, spoke candidly about the difficulty of finding time to read, the family of Mr. Ronald and Jocelyn Aguila, parishioners from Naga Cathedral, offered a refreshing perspective. Having read the Bible nightly since the program’s launch in March, their teenage son testified: “Reading the Bible every night with my family gives me—gives us—joy.”

The family has now read 20% of the whole Bible, strictly following the one-chapter-a-day reading program.

Perhaps the most poignant testimony came from an 8-year-old child, Ethan Alfonso, a native of Magarao, who has already read nearly half the Bible. “If we read the Bible and believe in God, we do not need to worry, for God will always be with us,” the child shared, moving the audience.

Host parish priest Fr. Wilmer Tria graced the event with an inspiring message, welcoming the delegation which represented over 20 parishes from municipalities including Buhi, Balatan, Baao, Bula, Bato, Nabua, and Iriga City.

Organizing for Mission

The assembly elected new parish and vicarial coordinators, formally organizing the network of Bible ministers in the district.

The day concluded with a Holy Mass celebrated with local parishioners. Presiding over the Eucharistic celebration, Fr. Blasa connected the event to the start of the liturgical season.

“As we light the candle of hope this first Sunday of Advent, we remember that the source of hope comes from the Word of God,” Fr. Blasa said in his homily. “It is the Word of God we prepare for this Christmas—Jesus, the Word made flesh.”

Looking Toward 2026. Leading up to this finale, the commission held preparatory events including an orientation for facilitators of Spiritual Conversation and a Seminar-Workshop on Digital Evangelization. The latter led to the formation of the new COMBIBLIA Social Communications Team, headed by Ms. Alyza Betito, ensuring the commission is ready for modern mission work.

With the district conferences now complete and the organizational structures in place, Caceres COMBIBLIA shifts its focus to the upcoming Caceres Bible Congress, scheduled for January 24, 2026, in Naga City.