VATICAN CITY — The Commission has strengthened its collaboration with bishops’ conferences in Vietnam and the Philippines, advancing key safeguarding initiatives and laying the groundwork for its Third Annual Report, due for publication in October.

In a 13 March online meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, participants confirmed a coordinated approach to two major workstreams: the development of a national safeguarding policy by the CBCP and the preparation of an Instrumentum Laboris for the Philippines by the Commission. Both processes will move forward in tandem, with the annual report expected to present the bishops’ policy commitments in response to the Commission’s recommendations.

Participants outlined a sequence of forthcoming engagements—including a working session, consultation at the CBCP Plenary Assembly, and a national policy workshop—designed to complete a synodal process of dialogue ahead of the report’s publication.

On 20 March, the Commission held a preparatory meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam ahead of their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit to Rome in April. The discussion provided an overview of safeguarding measures already established in Vietnam, including the creation of a national subcommittee for the protection of minors, the promulgation of pastoral norms aligned with Vos Estis Lux Mundi, and the integration of safeguarding into seminary formation programmes.

Vietnamese representatives identified key areas for further support, including specialised training in canon law, psychology, and case management; strategies to strengthen a safeguarding culture and encourage reporting; and guidance on cooperation with civil authorities within the country’s particular political context.

The Commission outlined potential pathways for resourcing these priorities and welcomed a proposal for a safeguarding workshop in Vietnam. Both sides agreed that the forthcoming Ad Limina visit would provide an opportunity to deepen the dialogue, including a proposed meeting between Vietnamese bishops and Commission leadership during their time in Rome.

The Philippines and Vietnam are expected to be featured in the Commission’s Third Annual Report, reflecting their continued engagement and the progress of safeguarding efforts at the national level.