What is the ICGF?

Since its beginning until 1992, graduates from Family Ministry and Counseling Programs nationwide have been increasing which inspired Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J. to group them altogether for the following objectives:

a. To promote bonding and give regular networks
b. Update skills and knowledge in counseling
c. Advocate the significance of psycho-emotional and spiritual interventions especially for the grassroots
d. Empower the network to give a lending hand to the poor by providing psycho-emotional and spiritual intervention
e. Work with a multiplying effect structure with the networks for more efficient and productive fruits of apostolate for the marginalized and less priviledged grassroots

Because of this, he called the attention of Fr. Arsie Lumigued, Jr., MSC to organize the graduates and host an Inter-Program-Seminar-Workshop of which was held in Cebu City that obtained positive result. From thereon, the first 4-day live-in seminar-workshop named as the Inter-Core Group Formation Program was held and that achieved the above stated aims and obtained additional objectives based on the evaluation that stated the following:

1. Stregthen bonds in the common ministry of pastoral care and counseling through Family Ministry Programs
2. Share reflection of experiences
3. Continue and update Counseling Education
4. Opening the possibilities of sharing resources and common projects in the future.

As a general result, the ICGF has a big potential of coordinated effort to enhance and propagate family ministry programs especially in the area of counseling for the welfare of the counselors and of the grassroots.

Since then, an annual Inter-Core Group Formation has been conducted for the Luzon graduates, named as USBONG- Ugnayan sa Bawat Oras ng Gusot, and for Visayas and Minadanao graduates, BUSWAK...sprouting...blooming...developing...and filled with hope.






1st ICGF
May 11-14, 1993
Punta Engano, Lapu-lapu City
Participants: 35
TOPICS: Dealing with Anger and Family Violence, Dealing with Over-involvement in the Family, Dealing with Crisis, Human Sex Cycle and Healthy Sex, Sexual Disorders, Homosexuality.
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Fr. Ted Gonzales, S.J., Fr. Arsie Lumigued, S.J., Fr. Medel Aseo, Edna Pile and Audie Dy.

2nd ICGF
May 19-22, 1994
Tagum, Davao del Norte
Participants: 63
TOPICS: Marital Crises, Infidelities, Separation Counseling, Reconciliation Counseling, Children of the Separated, Single Parenting
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalaga, S.J., Fr. Arsie Lumingued, Jr. MSC, Fr. Ted Gonzales, SJ, Edna Mallilim, Audie Dy






3rd ICGF
May 24-27, 1995
Mychelling Beach Resort
Mahinog, Camiguin
Participants: 75
TOPICS: Counseling Second Family Systems and the Youth with Special Family Related Problems, Counseling Youth in Crisis, Counseling Homosexuals, Step-teens
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, SJ, Fr. Ted Gonzales, SJ, Fr. Cyrus V. Banque, CMF, Sr. Severina R. Pascual, SPC, Audie Dy, Estela C. Lear, Jimleth Baldago.






4th ICGF
May 20-23, 1996
Bajamunde Farm
Dapitan, Zamboanga City
Participants: 48
TOPICS: Counseling Young Adults and the Dying in their Transitions
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, SJ., Fr. Ted Gonzales, SJ, Fr. Jun Barquez, S.J., Audie Dy, Stella Lear, Jimleth Baldago





5th ICGF
May 22-24, 1997
Shamrock Beach Resort
Quimbal , Iloilo City
TOPICS: Making sense of Life Changes at Midlife
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, SJ, and UGAT Staff





6th ICGF
May 19-22, 1998
Mercedarian Retreat House
Dauis, Bohol
Participants: 81
Theme: Pastoral Care and Counseling for Families of both Internal and External Migration"
TOPICS: Pre-departure Issues: Pastoral Care and Counseling Interventions, Issues Upon Departure: Pastoral Care and Counseling Interventions, Re-integration Issues: Pastoral Care and Counseling Interventions
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega,S.J., Sr. Carmen Segovia, Fr. Jun Barquez, S.J., Myla Buenaventura , Audie Dy, Carlos Lagaya, Jimleth Baldago.






7th ICGF
May 10-14, 1999
San Lorenzo Ruiz Pastorla Center
Ampayon, Butuan City
Participants: 156
TOPICS: Dealing with Anger and Family Violence (a. Battered Wives and Husbands b. Child Abuse), Dealing with Crisis (a. Incest b. Rape c. Suicide), Dealing with Sexuality (a. Awareness b. Disorder)
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Sr. Marissa Valencia, Sr. Carmen Segovia, Jimleth Baldago, Amy Nerecina, Marinela Mirasol







8th ICGF
First Venue: Phase II Dona Vicenta Village
Bajada, Davao City
May 8-11, 2000
Second Venue:
Institute of Religious and Culture (IRC)
Kabahar St. , Guadalupe, Cebu City
October 20-21, 2000
3rd Venue:
Bacolod
Participants: 57
Theme: Families 2000: Achievable in the New Millenium?
TOPICS: Orientation to Families 2000, New Faces of Infidelities, Deeper Reasons for being Unfaithful, Reconciliation and Separation, Issues and Clinical Data of Children of Separated and the Abandoned, Co-parenting, Mina in (4) Age Level
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Sr. Marissa Valencia, Myla Buenaventura, Carlos Lagaya, Patrick Ong-Ante, Guia Mirasol






9th ICGF
May 22-24, 2001
Visayas College of Agriculture (VISCA)
Baybay, Leyte
Participants: 79
THEME: Caring for the Care-giver and Those in Young Adult and Mid-Life Transitions"
TOPICS: Personality Styles of Counselor, Transference and Countertransference, Emotional Stresses of the Counselor, Yound Adult and Midlife Transition
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Patrick Ong-Ante, Jimleth Dulla






10th ICGF
May 21-24, 2002
DECS Ecotech Center
Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City
Participants: 145
THEME: A Decade of ICGF Celebration: Engendering Faith in the Family"
TOPICS: Psychological Aspects on Family Dynamics in Evangelization, Family Towards a Eucharistic Community, Sacrament of Matrimony in Dealing with Cohabitating (live-in) Couples
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Sr. Marissa Valencia R. Valencia, FDCC, Rina M. Ramos-Concepcion, Jemelita Dulla, Evelyn V. Falguera, Carlos Lagaya, Peter Regy Ramos





11th ICGF
May 22-25, 2003
DECS Family Beach
San Juan, Siquijor
THEME: Activating the Young Members of the Family for Greater Church Participation
TOPICS: Involving Young Family Members in our Churhes, The Youth Today, Counseling and Family Issues of the Youth Today
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Jemelita Dulla, Carlos Lagaya, Hazel Melanie Ramos, Rosalie Cataquis, Nicolai Dacuan.






12th ICGF
May 3-6, 2004
Diocesan Formation Center
Malaybalay City
Participants: 73
THEME: Counseling the Elderlies and Retirees
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Jemelita B. Dulla, Carlos T. Lagaya, Rene M. Samaniego, M.D.

What is the ICGF?

1st International ICGF
June 3-7, 2004
Bishop's Convention Center, Macau
Topics: Qualities of Successful Overseas Filipino Workers and OFW Families and How this can come about, How to break the Culture of Dependency among OFW Families
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, SJ, Jemelita Dulla and Hazel Melanie Ramos




















13th ICGF
April 12 to 15, 2005
Dipolog School of Fisheries
Olingan, Dipolog City
Participants: 70
Theme: Dealing with Young Children: Counseling and Parenting in Later Life
Topics: Brief History of Childhood and Child Counseling, Basic Psychological Needs of Children, Multidimensional Framework,Adult vs. Child Counseling, Functional Grandparenting: do's and don'ts, Grandparenting Teens and Grandaprents as Spiritual Guides
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J., Ms. Louise Dey, Jimleth Dulla, Rosalie Cataquis, Karen Vardeleon





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14th ICGF
May 21-24, 2006
San Roque Islet Beach Resort
Mahinog, Camiguin
Participants: 105
Theme: Dealing with Addictions: Individual and Systemic
Topics:Factors in the Addiction Process, Commonly Abused Drugs, From Subtle to Gross Addictions, Addiction and the Family, Codependency, Love and Sex Addiction
STAFF: Fr. Nilo E Tanalega, S.J. , Rosario Scott, Karen Vardeleon