Inspired by the founder of Opus Dei St. Josemaria Escriva and his first successor Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, Incontro Romano is joint project of two Italian NGOs – Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria and ELIS (Educazione, Lavoro, Instruzione, Sport) – that started in 1990. The initiative creates space for reflection and promotes activities which place the person at the center. It does so by encouraging interdisciplinary research by and for those engaged in the service industry.
Though the Congress culminates in a forum in Rome, a local counterpart was organized last February 2016 in the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Pasay, City. Students from FPTI schools and from other universities attended the event where studies, experiences, initiatives, and projects were shared.
Lourish Candaza and Krizelle Queen Guevarra, both studying in Manila Institute for Culinary Arts and Residential Services (MICARS), were interviewed on how they came across MICARS. As culinary students, they were also asked what makes Filipino cuisine distinct. Given the skills training and personal formation they receive in the FPTI school, both emphasized on the importance of putting love in one’s work. As St. Josemaria Escriva puts it, ““All work has a dimension of service when it is carried out thinking about the people to whom it is directed”.