300 IEC delegates choose homestay accommodation

CEBU, Philippines - Of the around 8,000 registered delegates of the 51stInternational Eucharistic Congress, 300 have so far opted for homestay accommodations. 

These participants are those who cannot afford hotels or those who opted to immerse with the Filipino families, according to Monsignor Ruben Labajo, head of the Pilgrim and Accommodations Committee.

Around 2,000 out of 15,000 delagates projected to join the IEC will be accommodated free of charge through homestay. 

Nearly 60 countries are well-represented in the official list of delegates. The 51st Congress, which is an international gathering of people aiming to promote awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church, will be held on January 24-31 in Cebu City. 

The accommodation committee of the Congress, however, is still inviting more families living in Metro Cebu to play host to some of the local and foreign delegates. Parishes in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue have been tasked with accepting host families who are willing to provide free accommodation for the delegates. 

“We are hoping that more families will open their doors and accept local or foreign delegates,” Labajo said. 

He said 800 families have already committed to host the IEC delegates. This is already 80 percent of the needed 1,000 family hosts who will accommodate at least 2,000 IEC delegates. 

Labajo said a lot of families have already signified their interest and hopefully will add up to the latest number. 

In fact, he said there are already more than 1,000 families who committed to provide homestay accommodations but did not go through with the parish. 

He said some of the delegates whose member, relative or friend of Catholic charismatic communities directly signified to them. 

“Ang mga sakop sa Bukas Loob sa Diyos or Couples for Christ, for example, diretso na ang arrangement sa ila. So confident mi nga ma-accommodate tanan ug sobra pa gani,” Labajo said. 

For a week, host families are required to provide shelter to at least two delegates including their meals and transportation.

It was made clear by the committee and the Archdiocese of Cebu that some qualifications will have to be taken into account first before homestay arrangement is set with a family who volunteers to become a host, such as security and sanitation. (FREEMAN)