Church workers join Negrenses Farmers, fisherfolk struggles inspire in quest for peace church workers to form local PEPP in Cavite By Rev. Eric P. Baldonado ore than a hundred priests, Mpastors, nuns, lay leaders, and delegates of progressive groups called anew for the resumption of peace talks as they graced the launch of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform’s chapter in Cavite on January 11, 2019. With the theme “Sowing Justice, Reaping Peace,” the local chapter was initiated by the Cavite Ecumenical Movement Photo courtesy of Ecumenical Bishops Forum and Ecumenical Bishops’ Forum - egros island is one of the poorest archipelago, accounting for half of Southern Tagalog, in Nregions in the country. More the nation’s total sugar production. partnership with the Philippine than 1.5 million of its population are Sugar became the country’s main Ecumenical Peace Platform living below the poverty threshold, agricultural export commodity in National Secretariat. according to the Philippine Statistics late 1700s up to 1970s. Even with Authority (PSA). the consistent decline in sugar The founding of the PEPP Cavite exportation since the 1970s, Negros marked an important cause in the Known as the sugar bowl of the has remained a mono-crop economy ecumenical body’s advocacy to Philippines, Negros is the largest with almost 350,000 sugar push for peace talks and address sugar-producing region in the workers depending on this industry. the roots of the armed conflict in the country. Continued on page 9 Continued on page 4 is a quarterly Pursuing peace in the Pe a ce Builder newsletter of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform Philippines with editorial offices at: By Bishop Rex B. Reyes, Jr. 2nd floor NCCP Building 879 Epifanio de Los Santos hen I was asked to talk Union for the protection of human Avenue Wabout “pursuing peace in rights defenders four years ago, cor. EDSA and Quezon Avenue the Philippines” I assumed that I the esteemed Retired Justice Raoul Quezon, City am to share my reflections both V. Victorino, Chairperson of the Philippines as an indigenous person and as NCCP and the self-proclaimed one involved in the ecumenical longest serving member of NCCP’s Facebook: Philippine movement for the last 24 years. Executive Committee reiterated Ecumenical Peace Platform that indeed, the search for a Email: [email protected] As you know, indigenous peoples just and lasting peace remains a Contact No: 0927-6303392 are among those greater mass vocation of the NCCP. of the citizens of this land who bear the brunt of continuing The affirmations of Bishop Reuel The Editorial Board: marginalization and vulnerability Norman Marigza yesterday (his caused by a mindset that promotes message at the consecration of Bishop Rex B. Reyes, Jr. “othering”. The areas they the first woman bishop of the IFI Editor in chief occupy are targets for so-called the day before), underscored the development - the exploitation leadership of the IFI and the UCCP Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma SJ, DD. of water resources, minerals in this regard and yes, not without Associate editor and forests. This is true not only pains as it is with any endeavor that among indigenous peoples in the disturbs our assumptions of peace Bishop Deogracias S. Iniguez, Jr. Philippines but also in many parts and justice. The experience of the Bishop Noel A. Pantoja of the world, by whatever name northern dioceses of the Episcopal Sr. Mary John Mananzan OSB they are called - hill tribes, first Church on local peacemaking also Editorial Consultants nations or aboriginals. comes to mind. We can recall also ecumenical initiatives in Southern Mervin H. Toquero Remember also, that during the Tagalog, the Visayas and many Pastor Carlton James Palm dramatic years of Martial Law, parts of Mindanao mainly for just Cesar Villanueva the ecumenical movement in the and lasting peace. Truly, no other Editorial Assistants Philippines, especially the National concern has united the NCCP Council of Churches in the member-churches in prayer and Ofelia A. Cantor Philippines, took a major paradigm action as the concern for just and shift and made peacebuilding and lasting peace. peacemaking its enduring concern. Thus, the NCCP supported the In the past several months, we have Pe a ce Builder January - June 2019 peace process initiated by President been witnesses to the continuing Volume 1 Issue No. 1 Fidel V. Ramos, a military general loss of lives and the vilification of and a Protestant. But beyond that, those who speak for them. The IFI the NCCP supported the peace of course is not without her own “Because everyone will work talks based on its theological concrete experiences of vilification. for justice, there will be peace and pastoral reading of our time. We are also witnesses to the and security forever.” Since then, the NCCP has not serious effects of environmental -Isaiah 32:17 balked. Until the NCCP renewed degradation by the so-called a partnership with the European economic agenda of government. Next page 2 | PEACE BUILDER We are also witnesses to graver 1) Our own people are fighting each a viable peace settlement. The social stratification because of other. There is war in this country agenda and the agreements reached political loyalties. It would seem we and it has been raging fifty years so far are remarkable mainly are moving round and round going now. The sooner we realize this, because they identified the issues nowhere. We are not. Peacemaking the better it shall be for us to unite that brought about the conflict and and peace-keeping is not vanity. for greater resolve towards peace- seek to address those issues. Truly, We can celebrate the achievements making and peacebuilding. Many before us now is the wide picture of the peace talks between the years ago, Paul offered a perspective of injustice and the human and Government and the NDF in the giving us a way of understanding environmental degradation that past. Certainly, the four-fold agenda our concerns today. In telling the cannot be left for the politicians of the peace process, the signing Ephesians to gird themselves, alone to resolve. It also takes our of the Comprehensive Agreement he said: “For our struggle is not faith and resolve to do so. And on the Respect for Human Rights against enemies of blood and flesh, and International Humanitarian Law and other signed documents are stand-out agreements. Only those whose language is war will find these documents flawed and unacceptable. I have just been to my hometown and I left a bit distressed by what I saw and heard. There have been clashes between the elements of the Philippine National Police and that of the New People’s Army in the province. It came to me in a more profound way that we have a long way to go in terms of peace education. What are the causes of this social stratification and the Photo by Carlo Manalansan/Bulatlat ensuing conflict that leads to loss of lives, not only of combatants but but against the rulers, against the we go beyond the propaganda- of civilians? What is the Christian authorities, against the cosmic mongering by the enemies of peace response in our days as our people powers of this present darkness, and justice. It is important for us take sides in the conflict rather than against the spiritual forces of evil in the church to call an end to the on the urgency of peacekeeping in the heavenly places” (Ephesians labelling of people. For instance, and peacemaking? Do theology and 6:12). Our faith bids us to look the association of activism, or in mission have something to say or deeper into the structures that our case as Christians, prophetic shall churches prefer silence in the perpetuate violence and un-peace. witnessing to communism name of neutrality and in the name It would seem then that all of us or insurgency or being anti- of the principle of the “separation are caught in this vicious cycle government or any other lable has of the state and religion”? that pits one side against the to stop. The Constitution guarantees other - certainly not a way towards the right to express one’s political We are drawn into the conflict reconciliation. opinion without fear of harassment and must pray and contribute or persecution. Labelling people to its resolution for at least two The peace process is understandably does not promote the climate for reasons: arduous. But what I do know is that peaceful conversations. there is no other alternative towards Continued on page 8 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF PHILIPPINE ECUMENICAL PEACE PLATFORM | 3 Ang Ating Tugon: This has prompted the ecumenical PEPP and EBF body to establish a local chapter of PEPP in the region, as church launch online workers have long stressed that advocating for a just peace is weekly talk show an imperative of one’s faith and Participants call for the resumption of peace mandated by no less than the he Philippine Ecumenical Peace talks in Tagaytay City during the PEPP Cavite Scriptures. TPlatform and the Ecumenical launch. Bishops’ Forum have launched Continued from page 1 Farmers, fisherfolk... During the gathering, participants an online weekly show to discuss discussed the prospect of pressing issues affecting the people For years, thousands of Filipinos the resumption of the peace from the faith perspective. in the towns and cities in Cavite negotiations under the Duterte have been displaced due to administration, which has “Ang Ating Tugon is about looking widespread land-use conversion unilaterally terminated the peace at people’s issues from the faith and reclamation projects, to name talks and ordered the arrest perspective.