New Retreat Center Opens on May 4

 

The newest Christian retreat center in the Philippines opens on May 4!

Built on six hectares of rolling terrain in Tagaytay, the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center is the perfect venue for couples' retreats, youth conferences, church seminars,  planning meetings and similar activities.  The main structures are five dormitory buildings and a multi-purpose building with an assembly area capable of seating 800 to 1,000 persons, a dining area with indoor and al fresco seating, and a kitchen. Outdoor activity areas include a baptismal pool, and basketball and volleyball courts.

Future developments will include a prayer site at its second highest point, an amphitheater, and a zipline. A large portion of the grounds will be devoted to a pastoral environment for prayer, meditation, and relaxation.

Unique Feature. While other event facilities in the Philippines have separate buildings for meetings, dining, and  sleeping, the Center uniquely has five dormitories each having a function room and dining area at ground level. These dormitory buildings can sleep four to six to a room and can each accommodate groups of 60 to 120; each dorm has common bathrooms on the ground floor.      

  

Dormitory A-3 at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center.
This building can accommodate as many as 120 guests overnight.

Function room amenities include:

• built-in LCD projector
• projector screen
• whiteboard
• hot and cold water dispenser

An accordion-type partition separates a spacious meeting hall (above) from the dining area (below).

Bedroom amenities include:

• two single beds each with a pull-out / trundle bed  
• sofa bed with pull out / trundle bed
• glass-partitioned en-suite bathroom with toilet and hot-and-cold shower cubicles, and twin washbasins
• bed linens and towels
• air conditioning units and ceiling fans (but guests are encouraged to enjoy Tagaytay's fresh air while sleeping)

One of the highest points of the retreat grounds.  This will be a prayer venue.

Other advantages are ample parking for cars AND buses; the Picnic Grove and its grand view of Taal Volcano is just about 15 minutes away on foot. 

For booking information, please get in touch with Eva Lope at evaranlope@yahoo.com.ph, 09192933157, 645-0536

Take A Sneak Peek

Take a sneak peek inside a bedroom at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center now nearing completion.  This is one of 80 bedrooms that will be ready to accommodate guests by June.   Tell your pastor and church leaders about this place and be among its first guests!

 

Bedroom amenities include:  

• two single beds each with a pull-out / trundle bed  
• sofa bed with pull-out / trundle bed
• en suite bathroom with separate toilet and shower cubicles, twin washbasins 
• linens (beddings and towels)

For booking information, please get in touch with Eva Lope at evaranlope@yahoo.com.ph; 09192933157; 654-0536  

Retreat Buildings to Be Complete By May

Five dormitories, a multi-purpose building, and an administration building at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center are being readied to accommodate guests by May, according to Engr. Rody Gonzales, property development manager. He said a total of 288 carpenters, masons, plumbers, painters, electricians, tile setters, and cabinetmakers are working to meet an end-of-April deadline. Part of the team are 62 former street dwellers trained by the Kaibigan Ministry to do construction work.

Site Plan

Dorms A1 and A2

Activities on  Dorms A1 and A2 as of mid-January include:

• preparation and concrete pouring of slab on fill at the Dorm A1 meeting hall; 
• exterior wall plastering; 
• installation of door jambs and metal furring at bedrooms; 
• and installation of trusses and purlins. 

Dorm A3

At dorm A3, work as of  the third week of January included the making and painting of bedroom closets and doors, final coat painting of bedroom interior walls,  rectification of floor tiles at stair landings, and lay-outing of pin lights to be installed at the meeting hall.

Among the dormitory buildings, three will have 20 rooms each and two will have 10 rooms each.  These will be able to accommodate a total of 400 guests.

Multi-purpose hall development plan.

Multi-purpose hall today

 The multi-purpose building will have an assembly area capable of seating 800 to 1,000 persons, a dining area with indoor and al fresco seating, and a kitchen.

Current major work on this building includes:

• preparation and concreting of kitchen slab on fill and hallway
• concreting of first lift columns
• concrete hollow block laying, 
• wall plastering at the dining area; 
• wall and beam plastering at the kitchen 
• fabrication and installation of trusses at the assembly area

Once complete the retreat center will also have an amphitheater, a prayer tent, a swimming pool, and volleyball and basketball courts.

Aside from being a venue for retreat and training activities of CCT community partners and staff, the place will be open to churches and Christian organizations for such activities as conferences and youth camps. It will also accept walk-in visitors seeking prayer and counseling. Pastoral and counseling staff will be available to lead individual guided retreats or group programs, according to Ruth Callanta, CCT president.

For booking information, please get in touch with Eva Lope at evaranlope@yahoo.com.ph; 09192933157; 09232497605, 806-6912, and 654-0536.

Construction Update

Multi-purpose building

Dormitory A1

Dormitory B1

Dormitory B2

Dormitory A2

Dormitory A3

Future Construction

Dormitories A4 and A5 will both accommodate 120 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. Their construction is scheduled to begin in the middle of 2011 and be completed in 2012.

Dormitory B3 will accommodate 80 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. Its construction is scheduled to begin in the middle of 2011 and be completed in 2012.

Other buildings planned include:

•  Staff housing
•  Small houses to accommodate families
• Open air Amphitheater seating approximately 500 people
• Prayer Tent
• Basketball Court
• Zipline and obstacle course
• Campsites

• Play areas

Future construction areas

Charlie Loro Galas' Story

Only three years ago Charlie Loro Galas was homeless and addicted to drugs. Now he is leading 36 fellow Kaibigans, friends, in the construction of CCT’s Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center.

Dressed in conspicuous yellow overalls, Charlie described his previous ordeals in between directing his team. ‘I lived on the streets of Manila for three years, committing burglaries and armed robberies to survive. I was addicted to rugby (solvents), which helped ease the pains of my constant hunger. People used to be scared of me, but for the first time I can remember, people accept me and I have many friends. I am very happy.”

CCT met Charlie in 2007 through their streetside outreach program. After he took the major step of accepting their help and dedicating himself to change, CCT began his rehabilitation. They taught him how to again cope in society and to treat people compassionately. 

Charlie began vocational training in construction in 2008 and in August 2010 he moved to Tagaytay. “Everything I have is because of CCT, they make me feel at home. I thank God every day.”

Construction Progress

Five dormitories are currently under construction.

Dormitory A1 will accommodate 120 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. It is currently 11% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

Dormitory A2 will accommodate 120 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. It is currently 11% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

Dormitory A3 will accommodate 120 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. It is currently 71% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

Dormitory B1 will accommodate 80 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. It is currently 7% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

Dormitory B2 will accommodate 80 people, include 2 meeting rooms and have 22 bathrooms. It is currently 11% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

The Multipurpose Building will comprise of an Assembly Hall seating between 600-800 people, training, conference and worship rooms and a kitchen and dining hall with seating inside and out.


It is currently 18% complete and scheduled for completion in February 2011.

Center for Community Transformation (CCT)

The Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries is an organized Christian response against poverty and social injustice.  This is carried out through the fusion of social development initiatives and evangelical mission in a uniquely Filipino context.  It serves urban and rural poor communities throughout the Philippines in pursuit of its desire to see changed lives, strong families, and transformed communities centered on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  

It was founded in 1992 by development practitioners who believe that development strategies could best be achieved by enriching the spirituality of a person.  Over the years, the Lord has enabled the organization to deliver wholistic, sustainable, and integrated community-based programs and services that cater to the needs of the whole family.  These services have opened opportunities for the community partners to grow and reach their full potentials as individuals created in the image and likeness of God. 

VISION

We hope to see Christ-centered faith communities where Jesus Christ is honored and worshiped and where people live in dignity and sufficiency in accordance with God's plan for a just, humane, and caring society. 

MISSION

As followers of Jesus Christ, we join the Holy Spirit in God's work of transforming lives and communities. 

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

• Provision of wholistic and integrated services
• Training of servant leaders who will act as agents of transformation
• Establishment of community-based organizations/institutions composed of the poor themselves which will serve as instruments for action and change

DISTINCTIVE

• We are Christian. We do everything for the glory of God, according to Biblical principles.
• We are Filipino. The Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries was organized and is funded, governed, and managed by Filipinos.
• We are a Prayerful, Worshiping, Serving, Witnessing, Discipling, Learning and Teaching group

TARGET GROUPS

• Micro-entrepreneurs
• Informal Service Workers
• Street dwellers
• Children and Youth
• B'laans