News

Young people and church leaders from the East Central Philippine Union Conference (ECPUC) came together to celebrate Global Youth Day (GYD) 2026.

Most youth groups in each ECPUC district marked GYD by serving their communities on March 22, following special Sabbath programs for the event.

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What is Global Youth Day?

Global Youth Day is a worldwide initiative from the Seventh-day Adventist Church that encourages young people to "Be the Sermon." The 2026 theme, "Communion in Action," is based on Acts 4:31, showing how a strong connection with God leads to real acts of service.

This year, one of the main focuses was handing out the 2026 Missionary Book of the Year, “Words of Hope,” along with other Ellen White books and leaflets.

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Central Visayan Conference

In Bohol, the members of  Bohol Adventist Youth Province-wide Association (BAYPA) held a special celebration on March 22. The initiative had a significant impact on the community and was supported by leaders at both the union and conference levels. 

The youth shared that, for the first time, leaders from ECPUC and the Central Visayan Conference (CVC) joined them in the celebration. These leaders included Pastor Eliezer “Joer” Barlizo Jr., the first ECPUC president; Pastor Berdandino Maniego, the CVC president; and directors from the youth, ministerial, and stewardship departments of both groups.

“Their presence made us feel the weight they put on the importance of the youth’s involvement in the mission,” one BAYPA youth said. 

Pastor Barlizo also shared his joy and gratitude for the enthusiasm and active participation of all the youth across ECPUC.

“I truly praise God for the exemplary leadership shown by our youth leaders across ECPUC. And I praise God that despite their tender age, they already feel the magnitude of God’s great commission. I see that all of you want to partake in whatever ways you can to the ministry,” Barlizo said. 

During the celebration, BAYPA organized medical missions, visited jails and hospitals, and handed out bottled water. They also cleaned up the coast, gave free haircuts and massages, distributed "free ukay-ukay" clothing, and ran a feeding program.

Central Cebu District (YMC-CCDAC)

The Young Missionaries for Christ from the Central Cebu District Association of Churches (YMC-CCDAC) started their "Communion in Action" mission with a nightly Voice of Youth (VOY) evangelistic series from March 15 to 20.

The highlight came on Sabbath, March 21, with a special service at the Canduman Seventh-day Adventist Church. After the morning program, the youth visited hospitals in the afternoon to pray and comfort patients through their songs.

On Sunday, March 22, they visited Gasa sa Gugma (House of Love), a home for the dying and destitute, where they offered companionship and care to people in their final days.

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Talisay City District

The youth of Talisay City District gathered at the Sudlon Seventh-day Adventist Church for a district-wide fellowship and planning session. 

The church, located in the highlands, welcomed members from over a dozen congregations. The beautiful views of hills and lakes led one attendee to say, “This is already closer to heaven—how much farther must we go to reach it?”

The Lagtang SDA Church also paused its Sabbath service to support the event, so most members from Campo 3, Campo 4, Maghaway, Carmenville, Tabunok, and Lipata District joined the celebration.

Pastor Gaudencio C. Buque Jr., ministerial director of the East Central Philippine Union Conference, gave the keynote message. Drawing on Mark 5, he highlighted how a personal encounter with Christ can transform anyone, showing that youth or even the most unlikely person can become a strong missionary for God.

“Every encounter with Jesus carries good news, power, purpose, and a call to mission,” he added, encouraging the youth to take part in the mission.

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Cebu City District: Impacting Barangay Quiot

At Quiot SDA Church, the youth formed teams for a "search and rescue" mission focused on personal visits and prayer. Each of the five groups visited 10 homes, sang praise songs, shared the Word of God, handed out "Story of Hope" booklets, and distributed bundles of joy.

They shared stories of memorable visits with families, who felt grateful and happy after a prayer and a gospel song. For the Cebu City District youth, these moments showed the heart of the mission: building relationships and sharing hope, one home at a time.

“Their happiness is contagious,” Nestro Pilapil, a youth leader from CCD, said. “We’re praying that next time, we can reach more people, especially during these times of financial and economic crisis. More than anything else, they need Jesus.”

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East  Visayan Conference

The East Visayan Conference (EVC) reechoed these community outreach programs. The youth engaged in a holistic ministry, conducting community health check-ups and providing essential gifts, including "tsinelas" (rubber sandals) to families in need. 

They also ran community feeding programs, organized environmental cleanup drives, and handed out thousands of religious tracts during home visits and prayer sessions.

Negros Oriental-Siquijor Mission

The Central Negros Adventist Youth Federation held a special GYD program during the Sabbath. Beyond community engagements, they held a “Youth Week of Prayer” as one of their GYD Highlights. 

Samar Mission

In Samar, the Northern Samar Adventist Youth Organization (NORSAYO) participated in several outreach activities, including feeding programs, tract distribution, and medical services. These efforts gave them meaningful ways to share hope, care, and encouragement with the community. Participants were grouped by each activity's goal, ensuring every effort helped the outreach succeed.

A Unified Hope

Beyond the scope of this report, many more GYD activities across the ECPUC are undocumented. Nevertheless, the goal stayed the same: to encourage every young person to join in evangelism and remind everyone that youth are the hope of the church. 

Whether handing out books in parks, visiting orphanages, or hiking into the highlands, these young "Sermons in Action" show that youth are the most active force for sharing the gospel during the celebration. 

By Lyn Lucero ⎸ East Central Philippine Union Conference