RMG – SDB Provinces: the “Saint John Bosco” Province of the Philippine North Province (FIN)

15 April 2025
RMG – SDB Provinces: the “Saint John Bosco” Province of the Philippine North Province (FIN)

(ANS – Rome) – In a world spinning faster by the day—where the youth are often overwhelmed, overlooked, or lost in the noise—a humble force continues to burn steadily. It is a fire first kindled in Valdocco, Turin, and now blazing with purpose across Luzon, Philippines. This is the Salesian North Province, officially known as FIN: the Philippine North Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco. 

It Began with a Dream 

The Salesian mission arrived in the Philippines in 1951, carrying the radical and audacious dream of St. John Bosco: to form “good Christians and upright citizens.” What began as a modest apostolic seed has grown into a vibrant network of schools, parishes, youth centers, formation houses, and social initiatives that now cover the northern part of the archipelago. 

Today, the Philippine North Province (FIN) is one of the most dynamic Salesian provinces in the world. It is composed of twenty-five canonically erected communities and 145 professed Salesians. These men—priests, brothers, clerics, and novices—live out their consecration in daily service to the young, the Church, and society. 

A Profile in Commitment 

As of 2024, the average age of a FIN Salesian is 56.79 years. The Province includes 118 priests, 16 Salesian brothers, and 11 confreres in initial formation. These are not merely statistical figures; they represent lives poured out in classrooms, confessionals, workshops, and youth camps. Each confrere is a testament to Don Bosco’s enduring legacy of accompaniment, education, and pastoral zeal. 

Education with a Heart 

Central to the mission of FIN is the Salesian system of education, rooted in reason, religion, and loving-kindness. The Don Bosco Educational Centers (DBEC) encompass Basic Education Departments (BED), Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers, and two Higher Education Institutions. 

Though enrollment trends fluctuate, especially in the wake of the pandemic, the schools of FIN remain strongholds of value-integrated formation. Beyond academic excellence, the Province prioritizes leadership development, cultural formation, and Christian identity through initiatives such as the Boscolympics, the Student Leaders’ Assembly, and the Bosconian Youth Congress. 

TVET centers, often referred to as the “gateway to the poor,” currently serve over 2,500 trainees. With programs ranging from mechatronics and machining to culinary arts and call center readiness, these institutions offer not only training but also dignity. Many of these trainees come from far-flung provinces, and for them, a Don Bosco certificate is not merely a credential—it is a sign of new beginnings. 

Parishes as Places of Pastoral Creativity 

The eight Salesian parishes and shrines of FIN are more than ecclesial spaces—they are homes for youth ministry, evangelization, and mission. Programs such as the Salesian Youth Leaders Academy and the BAKAS formation modules engage young people from childhood to adulthood, forming them to be leaders, missionaries, and protagonists of their own faith journeys. 

Through consistent recollections, ongoing catechesis, and pastoral programs for families, these parishes embody a vibrant synodality. They also demonstrate strong collaboration between Salesians and lay mission partners, forming communities that are prayerful, responsive, and youth-focused. 

The Frontier of the Margins 

FIN’s heart for the poor and abandoned is nowhere more evident than in its work with street children, migrant youth, and vulnerable populations. Don Bosco Pugad in Makati provides housing and holistic formation for 60 migrant youth from 22 provinces. Tuloy Foundation in Alabang cares for over 170 street children, combining academic instruction with therapeutic and technical programs. 

Residential centers in Legazpi, Tondo, and San Jose offer shelter, accompaniment, and spiritual formation. The Province has also launched manuals and operational frameworks to ensure consistent standards and care for the migrant apostolate. 

Fraternity and Consecration 

Beyond apostolic works, the Salesians of FIN commit themselves to fraternal living, community prayer, and the regular scrutiny of their vows. Annual visitations and provincial recollections encourage confreres to live their consecration with authenticity. While challenges persist—such as gaps in financial reporting, the need for formation in budgeting, and varied participation in common prayer—the overall profile is one of fidelity and hopeful perseverance. 

Formation for the Future 

FIN is home to three major houses of formation: Seminaryo ng Don Bosco and Sandor Community in Parañaque, and the Sacred Heart Postnovitiate in Canlubang. Together with the Don Bosco School of Theology (DBST) and Don Bosco College (DBC), these houses form Salesians from the Philippines and across Asia. 

With new strategic goals focused on intercultural formation, vocational fidelity, spiritual depth, and personalized Salesianity, the Province continues to prepare leaders for a world in flux. 

A Mission That Endures 

As the Salesian Congregation prepares to translate into reality the mandate of the General Chapter 29, the Province responds to its theme—“Passionate about Jesus Christ, Dedicated to the Young”—with a renewed sense of mission. 

In every diploma awarded, every Good Night talk given, every Eucharist celebrated, and every life saved from the margins, the Salesians of Don Bosco in the Philippine North Province quietly proclaim to the world: “The young are worth it. The dream is alive. And the fire still burns”.

A short video illustrating the Salesian reality of the FIN Province is available on ANSChannel.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.infoans.org/en/sections/news/item/24052-rmg-sdb-provinces-the-saint-john-bosco-province-of-the-philippine-north-province-fin#sigProId030e56889b

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information".

Further Information