Upon the request of Rev. Fr. Cornelio Alpuerto, SVD, Provincial Superior of the Central Province, the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, erected the dumpsite as a parish on March 27 1989. It was named the Parish of the Risen Christ.

It is probably the poorest parish in the whole world. Dark smoke swirls around the altar and flies get into the chalice as the priest celebrates the Eucharist. And yet life goes on. There are baptisms, confirmations, weddings, catechism classes, retreats and recollections.

In the celebrating the Eucharist, the scavengers celebrate the presence of the Risen One among them in the midst of the stinking garbage, at the center of their lives, at the center of their being, at the heart of their community, at the heart of creation.

The parish has been divided of 18 zones and three zones composed a cluster of Basic Christian Communities. The fundamental unit of the Alyansa ng mga Sambayanang Kristyano sa Smokey Mountain was the desire to help uprooted and impoverished people become aware of their own problems and look for solutions within their reach.

Basic Christian Communities are a new way for scavengers in Smokey Mountain to live together as a community where they can express dignity, equality, participation, care and understanding.

The primary aim of the Alyansa is to unite spiritually and social involvement in the struggle to liberate themselves from the shackles of poverty and oppression and in the endeavor to wipe away the tears of Mother Earth.

Parish Priests of Risen Christ Parish:

• Benigno Beltran, SVD (1989-2007)
• Alfredo Sabado, SVD (2007-present)