MANILA, Nov. 20, 2009— Delegates attending the 5th Asian Youth Day starting Monday have started arriving in the Philippines.

The host Diocese of Imus in Cavite province started preparing for the AYD delegates months ago, arrival areas decked out with various signages and banners.

Participants from Laos were the first to arrive from among the 20 country delegations that have already arrived in the country so far since Wednesday.

Starting today until Monday, the delegates will undergo the “Days in the Dioceses,” which include the archdioceses of Manila and Lipa, and the dioceses of Antipolo, Parañaque, Pasig, Cubao, Novaliches, Caloocan and Imus.

For the meantime, Bishop Joel Baylon, chairman of the Commission on Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the participants will be in different foster homes.

“We want them to experience the life in our parishes. They will be brought to a certain areas where they will understand the realities of Philippine Church,” said Bishop Baylon.

From Nov. 23 to 27, the participants will meet at the Rogationist College in Silang, Cavite for the plenary sessions and lectures.

Bishop Baylon said the participants will be housed in all retreat houses run by religious congregations in Tagaytay City.

Aside from the Philippines, China is the delegation with the highest number of registered participants reaching a total of 83.

It is then followed by Korea with 57 delegates, Korea with 56 and Taiwan with a total 34 participants.

The top three country delegations to arrive last Wednesday were Laos, Mongolia and Cambodia.

From East Asia, other country delegations that already arrived in the Philippines include Hong Kong, Japan, and Mongolia.

Participants from South Asia-- Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore—are also now in their respective foster homes.

Young representatives from Macau and East Timor are also expected to arrive before Monday.

The 5th Asian Youth Day, organized by the youth desk of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), will focus on the Eucharist.

Bishop Baylon said the goal is to "renew Asian youth’s faith in and love for the Word of God and the Eucharist," and to help them integrate these realities into their lives.

The meeting, which aims to gather around 2, 000 young Catholics from 22 countries, draws its theme from the synod of bishops on the Word of God last October in Rome.

Asia’s version of World Youth Day plenary sessions on the Word and Eucharist, reflections and testimonies, workshops, times of prayer and liturgies.

The Asian Youth Days began in Thailand in 1999, and the most recent was held in Hong Kong in 2006. (Roy Lagarde)