VENUE: 2/F Events Place Jollibee, University of Santo Tomas, Dapitan Street, Manila SCHEDULE: Every 1ST and 3RD
Wednesdays NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 40-50 DAY ESTABLISHED: June 12, 2024 The BUILDER
JC Libiran is called Coach because he is an educator, preacher, and content creator.
He says: “I am a certified life coach always seeing the best in others and making ways to bring out the best in people.”
That must be because he himself needed to find meaning in his life and be the best he could ever be.
“Life before Light of Jesus Family and The Feast was a roller coaster ride for me,” Bro. JC shares.
He studied at the University of Santo Tomas. More than his academic challenges, he struggled through knowing what life’s in store for him.
“I was searching for something more beyond the parish experience and my day-to-day life as a Tomasino because I knew deep inside myself that I was meant for more,” he adds.
And God made a way for him to find what he’s looking for. In a bookstore at UST, he saw the Kerygma, inspirational magazine founded by Bro. Bo Sanchez.
He relates: “I got to read Bro. Bo’s writings and I felt that God used his message to speak to me and give the enlightenment that I needed the most during that time.”
And in the magazine, he read about The Feast. He attended the Sunday gathering and thus began his journey leading to Feast U-Belt.
Beginning
Coach JC served as Campus Missions director for the Light of Jesus Family from 2013-2016. Then he became an associate Feast Builder for The Feast Bay Area afternoon sessions with Bro. Alvin Barcelona for more than 10 years–enough preparation for him to be a Feast Builder.
“I knew in my heart that I was ready to build a new Feast for the Bay Area District, and after going through discernment and prayer, I discerned God was pointing me to the University Belt Manila– back to where I was before doing youth and campus missions.”
Thus, the birth of The Feast U-Belt, to continue preparing the next generation of leaders and disciple makers.
Coach JC recalls the beginnings of Feast U-Belt:
“Our Feast started on June 12, 2024, as a gift to our Church and to the nation during her Independence Day.
“Our venue may not be in a hotel, cinema, or auditorium but this was a courageous move to have it in an events place for birthday parties inside our beloved Jollibee fast food chain at the University of Santo Tomas on Dapitan Street, Manila.
“Apart from proclaiming God’s Word, building a sense of belongingness, celebrating the gift of music and worship, our live event aims to feed the mind, the heart, and the tummy of our Feasters with our Yum Burger and Chicken Joy.
At left, images of the happy launching. “Majority of the attendees are students since its location is near the
University Belt but there are young professionals and singles who have come to support and take part of this newest safe space and support community in the Feast Bay Area District.
“Since we hold our Feast on Wednesdays, this is meant to be a mid-week recharge for students and professionals.
“At the Feast U-Belt, you belong… you are loved and you are made for more.”
Coach JC’s favorite “Groupfie” photo in every Feast U-Belt live event.
Building
At the outset, Feast U-Belt courageously faced challenges in building The Feast.
Coach JC continues:
“What has been challenging for us are: limited manpower, raising funds, and developing leaders. We are aware of our gaps and what needs to be improved in our Feast. That’s why we are constantly benchmarking and learning from the best practices of other Feasts and from this, our Core Team will implement, adapt and innovate on how we can bridge these gaps moving forward.
“For manpower, we’ll use the refer-a-servant/volunteer program among our current servants/volunteers.
“For raising funds, we’ll look outward as we attract donors and supporters.
“Developing leaders starts with the existing people who are available and activated, plus scouting potential leaders constantly.”
Fulfilling the Mission
Having overcome its birth pains, Feast U-Belt proudly began fulfilling its mission.
2024 Achievements
Early 2024, Coach JC Libiran and his team and some volunteers earnestly worked on planting The Feast at the University Belt.
They campaigned for donors to raise funds for Feast U-Belt by setting up their iGive Club program.
They created content for promotion on social media, and embarked on online evangelization.
2025 PROGRAMS
Coach JC presents Feast U-Belt’s programs in 2025:
First Quarter of 2025:
- Relaunching the iGive Club program to have more donors that will commit to support Feast U-Belt
- Intensifying discipleship through implementing a program established by Bro. Bo Sanchez outlined in his book, Love Someone Today Second Quarter: Training and equipping leaders and volunteers Third Quarter: Scouting for a bigger venue to accommodate more Feasters
Fourth Quarter: Launching the Singles Ministry and Youth and Campus Missions
Blessings
By God’s amazing grace, Feast U-Belt has touched and changed lives of people God sent for them to serve.
It was June 12, 2024, Independence Day, and yes on a holiday, this new Feast in U-Belt was born where many students and young professionals attended. Among them, a bunch of students from the Centro Escolar University.
They are members of CEU’s Pep Squad, invited by their coach to attend Feast U-Belt. From then on, the group has been consistent in attendance.
And their number has kept on growing.
Says Coach JC: “As a group they always ask me to pray over them– for their studies as well as their tournament with other schools. There are days that they are down like when they lose the competition. Even so, they continue to attend our Feast because here, they get inspired and encouraged to fight on. In their hurdles, they always shout what we declare in The Feast Novena to God’s Love: WE ARE GOD’S POWERFUL CHAMPIONS!
“Before the year ended, I received good news from them that they won as champion in their latest tournament, and they offered their success for the greater glory of God.
“Just like them, all of us are MADE FOR MORE. “For we have been blessed by this, God’s promise:
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.” – Matthew 18:20
