THE CREATION AND CARRYING ON OF GKK VIRGIN OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL AT LOWER PUROK 16, BARANGAY FATIMA, GENERAL SANTOS CITY

The Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) or GKK Birhen sa Medalla Milagrosa in Lower Purok 16 Barangay Fatima has created an impact not just on the spiritual aspect of the residents of the place, but it helped in shaping the status quo of Barangay San Jose as well as its history (written or not).
This study aimed to explore and discover the creation and carrying on of the GKK Birhen sa Medalla Milagrosa, the processes in its approval to become a GKK, the steps in choosing its Patron Saint, the reasons why this particular saint was selected, the importance of the GKK in its members and the parish, and the problems they met as well as the effective solutions are undertaken.
The results of the study revealed that the GKK Birhen sa Medalla Milagrosa was created to let the people have easy access to the church. The organizers of the GKK attended BCC seminars and elected ad hoc officers as a requirement of the parish. An assembly of the residents was called for the selection of the patron saint and for the creation of their churches/chapels. The reasons why they chose their patron saints are: (1) it was the decision of the majority; (2) it was the original patron saint of the organizer's places of origin; and (3) personal devotions. The study also revealed that the members also experienced problems such as misunderstandings that resulted in chaos, yet this constraint was solved due to better communication with each other.
Therefore, this study concluded that the pioneers of this place worked in a "bayanihan" spirit in the creation of the GKKS with a democratic approach to governance. Furthermore, the selection of the saints as patrons was based upon whose
persona the residents wanted to follow and pray to.