In 1974, he established the PREDA Foundation in Olongapo to promote human rights, justice and peace. Believing that poverty, violence and child abuse are barriers to peace and give rise to unhappy people and even criminals, he has been striving to eliminate child abuse and promote respect for children’s rights. He works for peace and a better society by trying his best to change unjust economic, political and social structures.
Over the years, Fr. Shay’s lobbying for new and better laws to protect women and children, helped in their passing into law, in part through his involvement with the media. He has a weekly column in papers and magazines where the passion for his liberating work is reflected in every line he writes. Three years ago, he published a thrilling 500-page thick autobiography (Passion and Power) which has been translated in German. PREDA’s website is regularly updated (see: www.preda.org). His writings, lectures, talks and statements are always based on the solid evidence of his own personal experiences.
Considering the vast work done by PREDA and the daring challenges they face in combating the exploitation of minors, one can sense the powerful leadership exercised by Fr. Shay – of presence, example, persistence, knowledge and competence – that his staff members have learned to trust. Executive director and co-founder of PREDA, Alex Hermoso, underlines Fr. Shay’s persistence and authority in decision-making: “Fr. Shay is not a distant colleague or boss. He is the hands-on kind of person. He wants to know everything and be involved in everything. He is not confined to his office with the nitty-gritty of the running of the operations of all programs and projects. He practically knows everything. He is not just the chairman of the board where you see him once in a while during meetings and the work is brought forward by the executive director and the implementing officers. He is part of all the processes and systems and accepts changes in his decisions when he sees the wisdom of such. This is the reason we stick well together. The older staff members feel confident of his leadership – a leadership by example.”
“Fr. Shay is a great inspiration to me,” says the documentation officer, Fina Marabe-Marañon, who shares with him the vision-mission of PREDA as an instrument to help children, women and indigenous people. The work is difficult and requires great courage. Fr. Shay conveys a sense of urgency. “I must be honest. He is a difficult boss, in the sense that when there’s a child to be rescued from great peril, it must be done immediately. A child cannot wait. When he gives instructions, I know their intensity. If we let time pass by, we may be endangering the life of a person.”
Fr. Shay is hardworking and the staff is well-motivated and imbued by the same spirit of commitment. Fina stresses: “My nine years here have been well spent. At the end of the day, even if I am tired, I see that I have accomplished something. Even in little things, we are shaping positive changes. We do “little things with great love,” as St. Teresa of the Child Jesus said. When we rescue a child, it is not only a number; we are rescuing a precious life in the image and likeness of God.” And she concludes: “If I were not enjoying what I am doing, I wouldn’t be here for so long. The work is not just a profession. It is more a vocation and a passion to help other people.”
