MANILA, Philippines - The Angel C. Palanca Peace Program (ACP3) celebrates its 15th anniversary in the peace education and advocacy program in the country. Formerly university based, the ACP3 will begin to be implemented through a foundation to be known as Angel C. Palanca Peace Program Foundation.
The Foundation’s launch is tomorrow, according to Angelina P. José, daughter of the late industrialist educational administrator and chair of the new Foundation.
José said this year’s anniversary events will include several milestones in the history of ACP3 — aside from marking the 115th birth anniversary of Angel C. Palanca who comes from the foremost Palanca family and was chair of the board of trustees of Far Eastern University for 20 years from 1956 to 1976. A book on the reflections and impressions by relatives and friends on the life of the low-key peace advocate, Angel C. Palanca: Peace in His Time, will be launched on that day.
Another book, Winning Peace Book 2 will also be presented to the public. It’s the second collection of award winning essays on peace written by the youth in the yearly writing competition sponsored by ACP3. The first collection was published in 2008 and featured the winning entries from 2004 to 2007. The second book covers the winning pieces from 2008 to 2012. It was edited by Dr. Jaime An Lim, a Palanca winner and a Metrobank Outstanding Teacher awardee. Lim will introduce the book to the public at Paco Park.
“Winners of this year’s competition will be announced on Oct. 1, and the pieces will be part of the next collection,†informed Jose.
The anniversary events include an exhibit, “Peace Gallery A Journey,†to highlight the accomplishments of ACP3 in the past 15 years. F. Sionil Jose, a Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Award recipient and National Artist for Literature, will cut the ribbon in the exhibit opening.
The occasion will begin with the Eucharistic celebration to be officiated by Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales and Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J. The events will begin at 4:30 p.m.