JWs attended their 2023 Regional Convention in Baguio City, one of the designated venues across the Philippines. Inset: Some delegates from the 1948 District Assembly in Bacolod City. (Photo courtesy by: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Philippines)
Jehovah’s Regional Convention
SEVENTY-five years ago, on August 20-22, 1948, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines hosted their first-ever district assembly, which focused on hope and comfort after the devastation of World War II that left people in dire need of good news.
More than 2,000 attendees from different parts of the country flocked to the venue in Bacolod City. True to the host city’s moniker as the City of Smiles, attendees benefitted from talks that discussed a brighter future for humankind.
One such talk was entitled “The Coming Gladness for all Mankind,” which captured the attention of people from the nearby public park and their houses, who listened attentively through outdoor loudspeakers.
Today, Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to host these assemblies, now known as Regional Conventions. Like those early assemblies, present-day conventions are open to the public. In 2023, about 450,000 people attended.
This year, the theme is “Exercise Patience!” which emphasizes the emotional and social benefits of being patient amid the prevailing impatient nature in the world today.
