The Board of Trustees of CPSP-Philippines met on September 14. The primary items dealt with were issues of standards for being a Diplomate in Pastoral Supervision (“DPS”), updating the overall standards of CPSP-Philippines, and maintaining equivalency of standards of CPSP-Philippines with our parent organization (CPSP) while also being sensitive to local concerns.

Presently, board members are looking over the 2021 CPSP standards (with our present standards) to see what updates we need to do.

First of all, we have updated our Training Center Page. A couple more still need to give us updated information, but this should help for now, especially for those seeking to contact one of the training centers directly, Click https://cpspphilippines.com/about-us/directories/training-centers/

Bukal Life Care: Presently, we are holding CPO online with a group of young church leaders in Caloocan City. Chaplain Celia is serving as the supervisor. On September 19, Chaplain Vo will start an online Full-unit CPE. This one will be working with the Baguio General Hospital Cancer Center and in partnership with the KABSAT program.

Adventist Medical Center- Iligan: Dr. Vic has an ongoing CPE, with plans to start an online International CPE group soon.

SPUC CPE Training Center: Chaplain Elvin has an ongoing CPE group (on-site and online)

The Chaplains Office: Chaplain Renato has recently started a new CPE group at Dr. Yanga’s Hospital.

Jethro Guidance Center: Dr. Larry has recently completed a CPE group, and has an extended online CPE still in progress.

Glocal Community Center: Dr. Paul is continuing with his Community Chaplaincy training program.

Atiman Life Care and Counseling Center: Dr. Lyn is planning to start a new CPE group towards the end of September.

Jethro Guidance Center held it’s closing ceremony for it’s online CPE in August 29, 2022. Their Guest of Honor was Dr. Raymond Lawrence, the co-founder of CPSP. Dr. Lawrence was also instrumental in the founding of CPSP-Philippines.

A few weeks ago we congratulated Dr. Merlita (Lyn)Montecastro for passing her board for Diplomate Supervisor with CPSP-PH. And now there is more to celebrate.

Dr. Lyn has relocated to Cebu City. She will be teaching courses and serving as a Chaplain at a school there.

She is also hoping to establish a training center there— “ATIMAN Life Counseling Center.” Until it is established and accredited by CPSP-PHILIPPINES, she will be supervising CPE in partnership with Bukal Life. She plans to have an online CPE group starting the end of September.

On July 30, 2022, CPSP-Philippines held a Diplomate board for Chaplain Merlita (“Lyn”) Montecastro. Members of the board were Diplomates Dr. Larry Gusto, Dr. Paul Tabon, and Chaplain Vo Canoy, with Lyn’s supervisor Chaplain Celia Munson completing the panel.

Chaplain Lyn passed the board and is now only the 7th Diplomate of Pastoral Supervision with CPSP-Philippines.

Chaplain Lyn has had both Chaplain Celia and Dr. Cal Sodoy as supervisors. Chaplain Lyn has served with Bukal Life Care for several years, and has also earned her Doctor of Theology degree from Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary. She will soon be relocating with her husband, Dr. Gilbert Montecastro, to Cebu City where she hopes to training in Pastoral Counseling and Supervision.

Several of our centers are active now. However, in this post we will focus on three.

1. Glocal Community— Headed by CPSP-PH President, Dr. Paul Tabon, and based in Baguio, has recently opened up a new training— Community Chaplain training. The course connects chaplain’s with PNP, barangay leaders, and municipalities to serve. While this course is an end to itself, those who complete are well-set to move into CPE. Dr. Tabon presently has 20 trainees in the program. He has also worked with trainees from Bukal Life Care in working with the police in Christian Life Coaching. Picture below.
2. The Chaplains Office. Based in Bocaue, Bulacan and headed by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio is starting a “hybrid” CPE program. It has different sub-disciplines… Hospital, Community, and Corporate chaplaincy, along with Pastoral Counseling.
3. Jethro Guidance Center, Inc. -Collegium of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP) servicing the need for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) of students of Union Theological Seminary (UTS). Thank you Rev. Dr. Larry Paul B. Gusto, Rev. Ephraim Guerrero, Rev. Dr. Sim Dang-awan and Rev. Carmel Villar of the Dr. José Andrés Sotto Center for Spiritual and Pastoral Care-UTS. Pictures below.

As an added item—- Sadly we only found out about this a year late. We share sorrow with PACPE in the passing of Dr. Lucio Mutia in 2021. Dr. Mutia headed the program at Silliman University having a great impact on Clinical Pastoral Education in the Philippines. He will certainly be missed.

“Harry Stack Sullivan and Anton T. Boisen: Comrades and Revolutionaries in Psychotherapy” by Raymond J. Lawrence

Review by Robert H. Munson, Administrator, Bukal Life Care & Counseling Center

Review in Pastoral Report of CPSP. Link below:

https://cpsp.org//Web/Pastoral-Report-Articles/A%20Review%20by%20Robert%20H%20Munson.aspx

The weekend of the June 4th, The Chaplains Office, headed by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio, had a chaplain’s retreat in Baguio City.

At the event, four were certified as Clinically Trained Ministers. Dr. Paul Tabon, President of CPSP-Philippines, did the awarding. Those who earned CTM are…

1. Chaplain Agnes Barnedo
2. Chaplain Joy Pergis
3. Chaplain Marilyn Nitram
4. Chaplain Gina Ventura

Bukal Life Care presently has a CPE Group active as of this December. More groups will be announced as they come up.

Bukal Life Care and Hesed are also active with CPE groups. When a new group opens in these, or other training centers we will let you know.