CBCP: 1% of World Youth Day Pinoy delegates turned TNTs

An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said a small percentage of Filipino World Youth Day delegates in the past have become "TNTs" (tago nang tago) or illegal immigrants in other countries. In a report of Sherrie Ann Torres on "Unang Balita" on Friday, Father Conegondo Garganta, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) said about one to three Filipino delegates use World Youth Day as a cover to become illegal migrants in other countries. While he said the number is too little to affect the World Youth Day experience of the other delegates, he said all who took part in the worldwide Catholic event should honor the agreement they signed with the CBCP — that they will return to the Philippines after the event. The report said only 299 out of the the ECY's 427 official delegates have returned to the Philippines so far. Garganta said they can only determine if all the delegates have returned by the end of September. In an article on August 30, Garganta said some 30 percent of the 427 official ECY delegates to the WYD. Aside from the 427 delegates, some 1,500 Filipino non-ECY members also attended the WYD celebration from August 16 to 21 in Madrid, Spain. Appeal to delegates still abroad Garganta appealed to those who are still in Spain to return home to the Philippines immediately to avoid jeopardizing the relations of the CBCP and the Spanish Embassy in Manila. On Thursday, a Filipino Salesian priest urged Philippine delegates to the recent World Youth Day celebration not to commit a sin by illegally overstaying in Spain. In a news release on the Salesians of Don Bosco website, Father Noel Osial, SDB, rector of the Don Bosco Provincial House, said staying illegally in Spain or other European countries is "immoral." “Filipino delegates who are still in Spain or other European countries should come back to the Philippines since the World Youth Day in Madrid ended almost two weeks ago," he said. Meanwhile, Osial said, “All Don Bosco delegates to the World Youth Day have returned. I hope and pray that the other delegates will do the same." The Salesians of Don Bosco oversee schools, youth centers, technical-training centers and parishes all over the Philippines. Ban on Pakistanis Meanwhile, people from other countries that have had an illegal immigrant problem were not given visas to attend the World Youth Day celebration in Spain. a report of the Catholic News in June this year, said hundreds of World Youth Day hopefuls in Pakistan have been left disappointed by a Spanish government decision to suspend visas for Pakistan pilgrims. The report cited the Spanish secretariat-general for World Youth Day (WYD) as saying the ban was imposed to avoid an illegal immigrant problem. “Many people from this country [Pakistan] have tried to stay in Europe after past WYD celebrations as illegal immigrants, that’s why the Spanish government has suspended the granting of visas," the office told Catholic News. World Youth Day According to the 2011 WYD website, the event "is a great worldwide encounter with the Pope which is celebrated every three years in a different country." The intent of the WYD is to "share with the whole world the hope of many young people who want to commit themselves to Christ and others," the website said. The WYD is "open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter with their contemporaries centered on Jesus Christ," it added. - VVP, GMA News