MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in partnership with DDB Group Philippines (DDB), has launched the #GodIsInYouth campaign in line with the celebration of “500 Years of Christianity” (500 YOC) in the Philippines.
Themed “Gifted to Give,” the year-long celebration consists of a multisectoral series of activities nine years in the making. The special jubilee was formally inaugurated by the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday this year, in a ceremony led by CBCP President, Archbishop Romulo Valles.
Serving as the media agency partner of the CBCP in 500 YOC, DDB Group Philippines worked with CBCP to come up with the #GodIsInYouth campaign that seeks to create renewed interest for the Catholic faith among the Filipino youth, who may no longer be active in church and, as such, are not well-versed in its teachings.
The campaign’s LED billboards were recently put up on three locations along EDSA and one along C5 in Metro Manila. There will also be an execution of the campaign on social media (Instagram) frequented by its target audiences.
DDB Group Philippines Chairman & CEO Gil G. Chua said that it is an honor for the integrated marketing communications agency to be chosen as the agency partner for the 5th centenary anniversary of the coming of the Christian gospel to the Philippines.
“We are devout Catholics and it is a great privilege to have this chance to serve the Catholic Church in a big way. We believe that Christian faith has remained the same throughout the centuries, and only evolved in the way we practice and evangelize our faith. Thus, our campaign targets the youth who may have been estranged by the things that separate the old and the young generations,” said Chua.
CBCP Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, Jr., Chairman Episcopal Commission on Social Communications said that the campaign with DDB will fill in the generation gap between the youth and their parents and other senior members of the church.
“We want the youth to feel welcome, and to believe that the Catholic faith is just as relevant to them as it is to their parents. That the church is a place where they can feel a sense of community and find purpose,” said Bishop Maralit.
Christianity was brought to the Philippines in 1521 when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the archipelago while he was leading a Spanish expedition to the East Indies. The first Mass was celebrated on March 31, 1521 on Limasawa, which became the first Catholic community in the country.
Five centuries hence, the Philippines is now home to Asia’s largest Catholic population with about 81 percent of its 100 million-plus population being Catholics.
