A Trainers’ Training on Safeguarding Vulnerable Minors and Adults was held on February 6–8 at the DC Provincial House (Province of St. Louise de Marillac-Asia) , gathering religious leaders and safeguarding advocates. The three-day formation brought together 42 participants from 17 religious congregations, united in their shared mission to strengthen child protection and safeguarding mechanisms within their ministries.

The training provided a comprehensive and contextualized exploration of safeguarding, rooted in both Church teachings and civil frameworks. Key topics included the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, distinctions between physical abuse and corporal punishment, positive discipline strategies, verbal and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and child neglect. Participants also examined sensitive and urgent issues such as clericalism as a culture that enables abuse, Vos Estis Lux Mundi (Canon Law promulgated by Pope Francis), abuse involving clergy and religious, and civil legislation related to safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC).

Learning sessions were enriched by individual reflection, group sharing, and collaborative work on essential child protection elements. A significant output of the training was the drafting and refinement of safeguarding guidelines, equipping participants to serve as trainers and advocates within their congregations and institutions.

The training was led by Sr. Maria Socorro Pilar Evidente, DC, with the support of Sr. Rowena Encinas, DC, Sr. Patricia Lao, and Kathleen Baez, all members of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (CMSP) Safeguarding Commissions, whose expertise and pastoral sensitivity guided participants through both policy-based and human-centered approaches to safeguarding.

This Trainers’ Training reaffirmed the Church’s call to create safe, accountable, and life-giving spaces, ensuring that the dignity and rights of vulnerable minors and adults are protected at all times.