SACOP finds its roots from the past three decades of social and development involvement of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga. Two catalysts of development, the Catholic Relief Services’ Targeted Maternal and Child Health Program (CRS-TMCHP) and Grassroots Organization Volunteers Association, Inc. (GROVAI), laid the groundwork for the emergence of SACOP as the implementing arm of the Archdiocese’s Commission on Social Action on April 16, 1990.
During the early 70s, the organization focused its modest resources through a systematic delivery of relief services. The Diocese then sought the help of CRS in administering a supplementary feeding program involving malnourished children especially after the devastating flood of 1972. Later on a maternal-child health care program was launched which came to be known as Targeted Maternal and Child Health Program or TMCHP.
Development work began to take shape in mid-80s as the problem of malnutrition was considered within the wider context of poverty in the rural areas. This time the Archdiocese, through the initiative and leadership of GROVAI, took a more radical response by espousing a program that seeks to empower grassroots communities through the formation and organization of the major sectors by way of associations and cooperatives. The enthusiasm of volunteers from the parishes and grassroots organizations propelled the force of the Church’s involvement in poverty alleviation programs. Capability-building, organizational formation and livelihood assistance became the central thrusts. Helping people help themselves was the general orientation of this period.
Time and again calamities tend to define and carve the internal growth of the local church of Pampanga in general and social action work in particular. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 painted a landscape of massive destruction as Pampanga was reduced to a broad center of devastation. Emergency relief, rescue and evacuation served as SACOP’s immediate response due to the emergency nature of the problem. With the participation of the Kapampangan parishes, other dioceses, civic groups and foreign partners in the process, an integrated and sustainable rehabilitation program through Evacuation Center Management, Adopt-A-Barangay and Resettlement became SACOP’s backbone intervention in the succeeding years.
The waning of the extreme episodes of destructive mudflows and flashfloods gave way to the Archdiocese of San Fernando to reflect and re-articulate the meaning of its being a Church. Through the Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly in 1996, the church of Pampanga came up with an Archdiocesan Integrated Pastoral Plan (AIPP 2) which provides in her mission, to empower the laity and parish communities in fulfilling their role as agents in the transformation of society and to serve more responsibly the marginalized in Pampanga. With this direction, SACOP geared towards integrated development at the parish level with its welfare services, pastoral and social development programs.
Today, SACOP maintains an Integrated Development Program on partnership level with the various cooperatives and people’s organizations in the coastal, upland and urban poor communities that have developed into alliances and networks of sectoral organizations and municipal federations. While keeping a foothold on its humanitarian welfare services, community building and pastoral development work, micro-finance program and social enterprises, SACOP is now tapping the potentials of parishes to develop their own social action programs according to the needs of their parishioners and communities.
SACOP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
MOST REV. FLORENTINO G. LAVARIAS, D.D.
Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Fernando (P)
Members
MOST REV. PACIANO B. ANICETO, D.D.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of San Fernando (P)
JUDGE SERAFIN B. DAVID
MR. FLORENDO N. JUICO, CPA
REV. FR. JOSELITO D. HENSON, SThD
President, University of the Assumption
REV. FR. FERNANDO T. DAVID
Parish Priest, Virgen de los Remedios Parish
REV. FR. DEOGRACIAS KERR S. GALANG, MDM
Parish Priest, Holy Cross Parish
REV. FR. KENNETH D. ALDE, MDM
SACOP Executive Director
REV. FR. JUSTIN G. GATUS
SACOP Assistant Director
GALLA N. RAMOS, Corporate Secretary
SACOP Administrative Division Head
SACOP COORDINATING BOARD
Chairman
REV. FR. KENNETH D. ALDE
Executive Director
Members
REV. FR. JUSTIN GATUS
Assistant Director
RHODORA MARIE B. OCAMPO
Community Building Services Unit Head
LEONARDA M. REYES
Livelihood Development Services Unit Head
DEUVIE L. LOZANO
EPHATHA Development Center Head
KAREN M. TAGAMA
Officer-in-charge, Finance Division
GALLA N. RAMOS
Administrative Division Head