Archbishop Ryan Jimenez called on the community to come together and find creative ways to address homelessness, illegal drugs, domestic and sexual violence and other social issues.

Jimenez emphasized the value of family, intercultural exchange and community in his remarks as the keynote speaker at the 127th Philippine Independence celebration hosted by the Filipino Community of Guam on Saturday.

The event was also a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines, featuring multiple dance and song performances, including those from the Kalilayan Folkloric Group of Catanauan, Quezon that also got the crowd moving. 

“The beauty about considering each other as i-familia-ku, as family, is that we see each other as gifts,” the archbishop said. “The other person next to me is a gift to me, to others, and to the community.”

Jimenez, who was appointed by Pope Francis on July 6, 2024 to become the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana, said the number of local and Filipino homeless on Guam is surprising, considering that the value of family or i-familia-ku is “very strong in both the CHamoru and Filipino cultures.”

“Why can’t family members take them? It’s only when I realized that homelessness is not a separate issue with drug addiction, with abuse, and the many complex social issues,” the archbishop told the crowd gathered at Dusit Thani Resort Guam. 

In the audience were members and guests of the Filipino-American community on Guam and dignitaries including Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Supreme Court of Guam Chief Justice Robert Torres Jr., Speaker Frank Blas Jr., other members of the 38th Guam Legislature, and Philippine Consul General Rosario Lemque.

The Catholic Church, nonprofit organizations and government agencies have all been addressing the issue of homelessness on Guam but more still needs to be done.

“If truly the other person is my brother and sister, if si Pedro standing at the entrance of the Cathedral Basilica is my family, i-familia-ku, something needs to be done,” the archbishop said.

He said the Filipino Community of Guam, an umbrella network of 32 organizations, along with its partners, “can do something.”

“Today, let’s celebrate but let us not forget to continue working together for the common good of Guam. We are all members of the one family of Guam,” the archbishop said. “As we celebrate Philippine Independence Day, let us commit to a spirit of interdependence, that we need each other, that the other is my brother or sister, because the person next to me is i familia ku.”

Jimenez, who was born and raised in the Philippines, started as an overseas Filipino worker on Saipan, serving as a Catholic school teacher.

He was later appointed bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa on Saipan and last year, was appointed by Pope Francis to serve as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana on Guam. He was installed as archbishop on Aug. 15, 2024.

FCG president: We need more young people to get involved

Saturday night’s festivities also included the induction of new officers, board of trustees and board of directors of the Filipino Community of Guam. 

Edna Rebanal, the new president of FCG, said getting the youth involved in FCG has been one of the greatest challenges that the organization faces and the group is determined to change this.

“We all know that the FCG is a graying community. But we have not really given much thought to this nor worked on any form of succession planning,” she said. “Let me be clear. I am not trying to paint a doom and gloom picture here. All I want is for all of us to be on the same page and be consciously aware that this is where we could be headed, if we remained complacent.”

One of her plans is to revisit FCG’s constitution and bylaws, particularly on the membership structure.

“I would like to see some changes with a view to allowing individual membership directly to FCG,” Rebanal said. 

She asked members to support this initiative, saying “this is the only way the organization will be assured of continued existence.”