By Fr. Joriz Foz Calsa, SDB
Provincial Youth Ministry Delegate

Cebu, Philippines, March 12, 2016 - SDB FIS and the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and the whole Salesian South province are rejoicing when MR. EDUARDO D. EMPELIS, JR., the present SYM FIS senior youth leader and presently the youth coordinating chairman of Lourdes Parish was awarded as the top winner in the annual, “The Outstanding Cebu City Youth Leader” (TOCCYL) community based category last March 12, 2016 at the Sinulog Hall, Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City. He was among the 5 finalists in this year’s awarding. 

Eduardo Empelis, Jr. is a very active leader and animator at Lourdes Shrine and this is his second term as their chairman. He started as an altar server in the Salesian Parish until he became its animator. This is now his eight active years in the parish. He is also a resource speaker giving formation talks to different youth groups in the diocese and the whole Philippines being the youth leader and member of the core group of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) which supervises all youth groups under its umbrella. He was recently chosen to represent the SYM Don Bosco in the international gathering of young people for the celebration of the bicentenary of the death of St. John Bosco in Milan, Italy. 

Eduardo in his thanksgiving speech after being awarded thanked his many mentors especially the Salesians and even shared to everyone our devotion to Mary help of Christians by praying to her everyday with his fellow youth, whether with or without problem and that as a Bosconian he said, “We always carry our rosaries in our pockets.” At the end of the acceptance speech he said, “Before coming for the awarding ceremony, even if I won’t win this competition what is important is that I can help (and serve) the youth.” 

Eduardo graduated from the course of Business Administration at University of San Jose – Recoletos(USJ –R) here in Cebu major in Marketing Management and is presently a masters candidate.

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