2. - IFI.PH

Transcription

2. - IFI.PH

Easter
and beyond
OM’S CORNER
W
E JOURNEYED from Ash
Wednesday, when we were
reminded how Satan tried to
lead Jesus astray, to the glorious Easter
morning. In all those days, we saw how
Jesus spent his life serving the least, the
last and the lost among God’s people.
But, the Church challenges its faithful
to go beyond merely remembering. We
are invited to emulate Jesus and be of
Christian service to others – an action
that calls us to reflect deeply on the life
and love of Jesus, from giving a cup of
water to the thirsty (Mark 9:41) to dying
for someone (John 15:13). We should
conform to the servanthood of Christ,
who came “not to be served, but to serve.”
(Mark 10:45)
military, raked and burned homes, schools
and farms. The Lumad were subjected to
various human rights violations – from
harassments to extrajudicial killings. Such
crimes are deliberately whitewashed and
regretfully underreported.
The indigenous people’s plight was
further highlighted when they marched to
Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, among
the 6,000 peasants pleading that the
government release to them long-awaited
relief goods. They were dispersed violently
on April 1.
The scenes proved painful and ironic:
farmers supposedly producing rice asking
for it; responded to with bullets. Injustice
took the form of poverty, hunger and
violence. It also translated into injuries
and detention – even court cases – for
scores, demise for the families of at least
two.
Christian service is concretized by service
to others (Mark 9:35, 1 Peter 4:10, John
15:12-13). To become a person for others
is the “spirituality” of Christian service. In
secular language, we may call it “style of
It’s a mockery of justice no less how
life and method of work” deeply grounded police involved in the carnage were
in the principle of serving the people.
awarded medals. There we see another
irony: Bullets to the victims, medals to the
Serving others is the very essence of our
executioners.
ministry. We need to remind ourselves that
self-importance is the opposite of service. The cases represent the reply to resistance
To understand this is to save the faithful
in this country. Dissent is criminalized
from selfishness, church workers from
while extrajudicial executions are
careerism in the service.
decriminalized. While the vulnerable
face environmental disasters, poverty and
We should also see selflessness in the
hunger, they also have to endure state
context of God’s peace, a part of the
terror and repression.
Church’s mission in the world. It is rooted
in the very person of Christ “who is our
Through all this, the Iglesia Filipina
peace” (Ephesians 2:14). Therefore, the
Independiente stands with the indigenous
Church must be a medium through which people and peasants, among the many
God’s peace is shared and spread to the
groups that suffer indignity. It is only
world.
just for the Church to question the
rampant cases and the seeming impunity.
The Church makes herself an instrument
The Church must take action as a vital
of peace by responding to situations
expression of Christian service for just
of violence. It goes to the very roots of
peace.
violence. It strives to understand the
questions that surround the conditions
Christ suffered for us to unshackle us from
and contributes to the means to finally end grief and sorrow, and rose from the dead
violence.
so that we may receive the gift of new and
“abundant life” (John 10:20). It would be
One such example is the Church’s support a mockery of God’s grace if we do not
for the Lumad of Mindanao, who resist
claim such a precious gift for ourselves
mining activities forced on their ancestral and for others.
lands. They are now locked in a situation
of violence.
We should all learn to serve the least, the
last and the lost among God’s people, just
Mining corporations, protected by the
like Jesus.
2
THE CHRISTIAN REGISTER
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6
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10
14
15
18
19
16
EU funds project
for human rights defenders
NPO, CoP
to continue solidarity with Lumad
IFI schools want association
Mindanao clergy commit
to Lumad
CO staff reaffirms commitment
Mass
for Pinoy overseas
In the Middle East, triumph
of the faith
Becoming Alberto
EDITORIAL
The sanctity of the ballot
Achieving shalom
‘I stand in solidarity with Kidapawan
farmers’
On May 9, vote for the interest
of the people
And the winner is…
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25
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32
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‘Don’t give us a king!’
Women say
Isang ‘kasa’
G o in g b a c k h o me
Volume 4 Number 1 | January - April 2016
1500 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines, 1000
For IFI, call of pioneering union
in PH still alive
IFI, TEC explore shared ministry
Strong in the faith
Renaissance of Aglipayanism
in Bohol
Free spirits behind bars
Raise the youth in ‘caritas’
THE MOST REV. EPHRAIM
FAJUTAGANA, D.D.
Editor-in-Chief
VAUGHN GEUSEPPE ALVIAR
Managing Editor
JANESS ANN ELLAO
Writer
DCN. NIÑO FRANCO MAMORBOR
Lay-out Artist
LEAH VALENCIA
Cartoonist
JUN VINCENT ALAY-AY
Editorial Assistant
For Filipinistas of Paete, alternative
story is truth
RT. REV. JOSELITO CRUZ
REV. WILFREDO RUAZOL
Editorial Consultants
A RT- ic le
TH E OF F I CI AL PUB LICA TION OF THE IGLESIA FILIPIN A IN DEPEN DIE N TE
3
EDITOR’S NOTE
I
’VE READ resources on the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente, from those
written by our very own scholars to,
among others, one written by an Atenean
and published by Ateneo – two volumes
that covered the infectiousness of the
IFI at its inception, its loss of property
through a Supreme Court ruling, the
schisms and theological reforms.
This search was brought on by
disappointment. First, history books carry
only little – some, wrong – data about
the Church. Second, a values teacher in
high school refused to add to her “list of
religious sects founded in the Philippines”
the IFI. Third, during a class my sister
took, in her History class while taking
UP’s (get that) History program, the
professor said the IFI was a noble church
and then asked: “Nage-exist pa ba ’yon?
(Do they still exist?)”
The underlying issues, I think, are
acceptance and awareness. And I look
at three words – three foundational
characteristics of the Church – that we
should evaluate if we are to regain our
force.
Little victories
professionals and talents. If we can
identify our lawyers or medical
professionals, we can conduct free legal
assistance sessions or dental-medical
missions, for example.
so why don’t we identify best practices
and benchmarks? Better yet, why don’t we
devise “sister parish/diocese” schemes?
Dioceses should start buying properties.
On these, they can build incomegenerating infrastructure or help better
the faithful’s lives, just as they did in
the dioceses of Cagayan De Oro and
Romblon and Mindoros.
As a church, we must not forget our duty
to enrich our faithful spiritually. The
Obispo Maximo has kept encouraging
priests to embrace their context in their
prayers and conducting Bible studies.
Mass should not bore people; and the
Church should fill the parishioners with
the Holy Spirit, with inspiration, with
excitement.
For others that cannot afford new
properties, there’s always property
development. It can be as small as
planting fruit-bearing trees or vegetable
gardens, then selling the produce.
The power of student ministries cannot be
denied if we are to look at start-up sects.
They’ve grown because they’ve targeted
students. We should find the method
instructive.
CHURCH
We should not dismiss the church building
as a place for Sunday Mass. It should be
home. It should be the go-to for anyone
who wants to close their eyes and pray,
no matter the day. It should be a place of
choice for groups that want to gather in
the name of the Lord.
The Church should foster spiritual
growth. As one bishop put it in a recent
conversation, the Church should help
Catholic, in its purest sense, means
the people mature in prayer. We should
universal. As such, we have to abolish
explain why we pray our prayers so that
parochialism. Instead of capitalizing on
they are not empty. The Church should
INDEPENDENT
the walls that divide our parishes, we
also lead people in prayer, and then lead
should look to the name of the IFI and see them to lead prayers. The faithful should
A church worker said that somewhere in
a spiritual bridge.
be taught to meditate, i.e. talk to God on
the life of the Church, we stopped planting
their own.
churches and began problematizing about A constant challenge for us is our
sustaining the churches we have.
recognition. Roman Catholics dismiss us
For church workers to be prepared for this
as an illegitimate religion, whose baptism demand, we should train them, from the
We should be strong on our own feet,
should not be recognized (thus, they remost basic areas like comprehension to
and the first step is to improve and build
baptize our children or force them to hear the advanced areas such as innovation.
churches. If to minimize expenditures, let Mass in their churches). Other sects put us
us encourage members to build preaching in the fold of traditionalists and claim we Let us excite the membership by looking
stations. These can affirm and strengthen
are doing worship all wrong.
at our rich heritage. Stories must be
adherence to the IFI; and may soon grow
documented to inspire our members. We
into parishes.
We should assert ourselves. Let us keep
should not abort the traditions that set us
wearing items that say we are IFI, joining apart from other churches – the “Lupang
Some members are unaware about the
groups that advance appreciation for the
Hinirang,” the flag on altars.
locations of our churches, or lack the
Church; express that we are IFI. Let us
determination to seek them. Let us tell
also learn to defend the faith.
Most importantly, let us not forget, in
members traveling elsewhere if we have
the sea of problems, to bask in the little
even just chapels in their destinations, and We should not just dismiss national
successes and look at the good news from
our children that they should locate their
programs. Our doubt is a lingering
all corners, no matter how few and far
Church or build communities.
problem, and saying no at the very
apart.
beginning does not do our Church any
Connected to that, we need to encourage
good.
members here and abroad to organize,
just as they did in Dubai, Hong Kong,
We should also strengthen the
Managing Editor
Singapore.
partnerships between and among our
parishes and dioceses. They should be able
Let us harness the power of our
to measure themselves up to one another,
CATHOLIC
VAUGHN GEUSEPPE ALVIAR
4
OI K OUMEN E
EU f u n ds p r o j e c t
f o r hu man r ights
de f e n de r s
ABOUT THE COVER
written by JANESS ANN ELLAO
CHILDHOOD stops for the
Lumad children in conflict areas,
this November photo from Kilab
Multimedia tells us.
Dubbed “Confronting Challenges
on Human Rights Defenders in the
Philippines,” the project will employ
several methods to address the various
needs of human rights champions, said
the NCCP in a statement.
Mindanaoan Lumad families are
in exodus because of a conflict
that strikes at the integrity of their
ancestral domain, and thus their
identity. Leaders who oppose
mining and logging activities are
either threatened or murdered by
occupying soldiers and militiamen.
Communities either leave their
homes or live wrapped in fear and
insecurity.
Activities under the project will include
education and training, public advocacy
and lobbying, and support for defenders
who are under threat, the NCCP
explained. It will also provide means for
victims of human rights violations to
rebuild their lives, including livelihood
assistance, medical support and
psychosocial intervention.
The Iglesia Filipina Independiente,
in its call to prophetic witness, has
stepped up its efforts to help the
indigenous people.
ABOUT THE EDITORIAL
CARTOONIST
The EU’s European Instrument for
Democracy and Human Rights invested
P27.8 million ($600,000) to the project.
It is the third partnership the EU and the
NCCP forged over the union’s 25-year
involvement with civil society groups, said
Jerome Riviere, deputy head of Political,
Press and Information Section of the EU
delegation to the country.
Consortium partners include the
National Union of People’s Lawyers
(NUPL), Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong
Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Katribu),
Hustisya, and alternative news media
Bulatlat.
The NCCP’s stance against human rights
violations in the country is derived from
LEAH VALENCIA is an artist
based in Manila. She is also an
urban poor rights advocate. She
organizes urban poor families
in their fight for genuine social
transformation.
“
the biblical teaching that we are created
in God’s image and likeness, as such
“entitled to God’s bounty,” said Rev. Rex
Reyes Jr., NCCP general secretary.
The partnership is timely as human rights
violations continue to go unsolved, said
project coordinator Mervin Sol Toquero,
citing a spike in human rights offenses in
areas with mining interests.
Subjects of human rights violations face
long-term challenges, some survivors said
in testimonials during the program.
Torture victim Rolly Panesa is yet to
secure a job after his 11-month illegal
arrest, detention and torture. Then
a security guard, he was accused by
the military to be a certain Benjamin
Mendoza, an alleged leader of the
Communist Party of the Philippines.
Lumad leader Josephine Pagalan shared
that attacks on the Lumad continued,
and that the Alternative Learning Center
for Agriculture and Livelihood held its
moving up ceremony at the Tandag Sports
Complex evacuation site on the date of
the launch of the human rights project.
Hustisya’s Cristina Guevarra said “an
important element of the NCCP-EU
project is the practical support that will
be offered to victims of human rights
violations and their immediate families.”
NCCP member churches may be
attacked and branded “Communists” for
the support they give to human rights
defenders and victims of abuses, but they
do not plan to back down, Reverend Reyes
said. “The defense of human rights is a
task of every person.”
(Reposted from www.bulatlat.com)
“
T
HE NATIONAL Council of
Churches in the Philippines
(NCCP) and the European
Union (EU) launched on March 17 at
Balay Kalinaw of the University of the
Philippines Diliman a three-year project
to support human rights defenders in the
Philippines.
The defense of human rights is a task
of every person.
5
N EWS
NPO, CoP
to continue
solidarity
with Lumad
IFI schools want association
written by JUN VINCENT ALAY-AY
written by REV. JONASH JOYOHOY
T
HE NATIONAL Priest
Organization (NPO) Board of
Governors and the Council
of Priests (CoP) will continue their
solidarity with the Lumad forcibly
evacuated from various communities in
Mindanao because of mining.
In a joint meeting held at the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente’s cathedral
in Davao City on Jan. 15, NPO and
CoP unanimously decided to continue
Kapitbisig Kasama ng mga Lumad
(Solidarity with Lumad), an initiative
to gather support for the Lumad among
Church members and partners.
Kapitbisig was formed in October 2015
as a short-term joint project of NPO,
CoP and Ramento Project for Rights
Defenders of the South Central Luzon
Bishops’ Conference.
NPO and CoP agreed it was necessary
to continue the program as thousands
remain in various evacuation sites in
Mindanao and militarization and the
threat of paramilitary groups persist.
The program aims to improve on services
it has provided to the Lumad. The
program will also continue to facilitate
solidarity visits to various evacuation sites
in Mindanao.
Last January, IFI, through Kapitbisig,
gave 550 sacks of rice to the evacuees and
raised P200,000 in less than two months.
The priests hope that the mobilization
of bishops, priests, seminarians and the
faithful in support of the Lumad struggle
could become more frequent.
NPO and CoP said they would be able to
serve on a larger scale with a partnership
they forged with Bread for the WorldGermany.
6
L
EADERS of IFI schools need
to organize an association to
advance programs for IFI-owned
and -operated learning institutions.
This is what principals and administrators
expressed in an appeal to the Executive
Commission during the 3rd National
Conference of IFI Schools in the
Philippines, held April 18-20, 2016, at IFI
Conference Center, Manila.
Rev. Dr. Jose D. Falogme Jr. stressed
that it was high time for IFI schools to
organize under an association to pursue
a common vision, mission, goal and
philosophy in order to progress in the field
of academic excellence.
Falogme, the school director of the
Epiphany School of Peace and Goodwill
IFI Learning Institution in Odiongan
town in Romblon, said there were several
advantages if all IFI schools – around
56 so far – formed an association,
the Association of IFI Schools in the
Philippines (AIFIS-Philippines).
The conference was attended by over 30
principals and administrators representing
some 25 IFI-owned educational
institutions nationwide, organized
under the auspices of the Committee on
IFI Schools (CIFIS) and the program
department of the Obispado Maximo.
The CIFIS is set to meet member-schools
to hold a dialogue with stakeholders on
the advantages of forging an association
as well as look into new policies being
implemented through the committee.
The gathering was held to create a
leadership framework and other programs
to further unify school administrators
and policymakers in addressing issues
and identify assets that can be developed,
among others.
Resource persons include Reverend
Falogme and Dr. Lito F. Norona, an
active church leader in Santa Cruz,
Laguna, and vice president for academic
affairs of Union College.
During the plenary session, the attendees
approved the holding of the 4th National
Conference on April 12-14, 2017, in
Bohol.
written by MONSIGNOR MANUEL V. MARASIGAN
Chair, MCC Secretariat
I
written by VAUGHN GEUSEPPE ALVIAR
T IS THE YEAR of the Lumad.
The 13th Mindanao Clergy Convocation
(MCC), held Feb. 15-19 in Cortes town,
Surigao del Sur, committed the clergy
in the southern Philippine conference to
the plight of the Lumad, the indigenous
people of Mindanao, through declaring
2016 as their year.
With the landmark proclamation, the
participants agreed to Rt. Rev. Antonio
Ablon’s proposition to create a Lumad
Concerns Desk, both in the parish
and diocesan levels; and approved the
National Priest Organization Mindanao
Region’s proposal for the clergy to donate
P100 monthly through salary deduction
for the Lumad.
CO staff
reaffirms
commitment
Datu Jose Campos testified that
the Lumad also have their political,
cultural, economic, and religious or
spiritual systems; and, in general,
believe that education is the key to
progress. Sarry Campos, secretary
general of Mapasu, called on the
audience to support the Lumad,
especially in seeking justice for their
slain leaders.
The participants were hosted by the
Parish of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Diocese of
Cortes, led by Rt. Rev. Julius Dacera.
Obispo Maximo Ephraim Fajutagana
formally opened the MCC on Feb.
16 through celebrating the Holy
Eucharist. Isidro Anggos, vice chair
The participants also released the
of the Diocesan Council, said words
Church-Lumad Solidarity Statement at
of welcome. The bishops comprising
the Feb. 18 plenary session and in the
the Mindanao Bishops’ Conference
evening held the Lumad Solidarity Night. (MinBisCon) gave solidarity messages,
after which the clergy paraded around
The MCC revolved around the theme
the town center.
“Promote God’s Peace, Be Steadfast in
Christian Service!” (Col. 1:2; Mk 10:45;
Rt. Rev. Jonathan Casimena of the
Isa 61:1), highlighting the “Church
Davao diocese of the ECP, preached
Ministry to the Lumad.”
during the Concordat Thanksgiving
Eucharist on Feb. 17, celebrated by
The clergy visited the evacuees at Tandag MinBisCon president Rt. Rev. Rudy
Evacuation Center. There were speeches
Juliada.
and presentations from both the clergy
and the Lumad. After the program, the
In his homily, Bishop Casimena
clergy were divided into ten groups and
highlighted the importance of the
assigned to various Lumad groupings for anniversary of the pact between
lunch and further solidarity.
the ECP and the IFI, in view of the
ecumenical relation and prophetic
B’laan Datu Dolping Ogan, secretary
ministry illustrated by the life and
general of Davao-based NGO
calling of the prophet Elijah.
Kalumaran, or “Kusog sa Katawhang
Lumad sa Mindanao,” had a talk
There were inputs and biblicoabout the “Kasaysayan sa Pilipinas
theological reflections, but the priests
ug Pakigbisog sa Katawhang Lumad
also engaged in a friendly competition
(History of the Philippines and Struggle
— there were basketball games in the
of the Lumad),” reacted to by Rt. Rev.
late afternoon and early evening.
Romeo Tagud (convenor of Friends of
Lumad) for IFI, Rev. Ricardo Nuesa and Bishop Juliada, MinBisCon president,
Rev. Armando Untal for the Episcopal
celebrated the Holy Eucharist on Feb.
Church in the Philippines (ECP).
19 to formally close the MCC.
M
EMBERS of the Central Office
(CO) staff drove up to Baguio
City on March 30 for an
Easter recollection that refreshed their
concept of work for the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente.
In the two-day event, the employees of the
Obispado Maximo retraced their essence
as the workgroup central to the execution
of Church programs, through workshops,
group dynamics and open forums.
The event was facilitated by Rev. Ramil
Aguilar and Vincent Alay-ay of the
program department. Speaking were Very
Rev. Eleuterio Revollido, rector of the
Aglipay Central Theological Seminary,
on the Bible’s content on working for
the Church, and Vaughn Alviar of The
Christian Register, on corporate ethics.
The program was based on prior findings
that, although strong at volunteerism, the
staff needed improvements in corporate
ethics.
In an event graced by Obispo Maximo
Ephraim Fajutagana and General
Secretary Joselito Cruz, the staff
committed to formulating their own
mission and vision statements, and setting
long- and short-term goals.
7
N EWS
Mindanao clergy
commits to Lumad
N EWS
T
HE WEEKLY chronicle of the
National Cathedral presaged the
emotional March 13 Mass for
Migrant Sunday.
Instead of carrying a reflection or
readings, the pages had in full a statement
criticizing the government for its
treatment of overseas Filipino workers,
released last year to observe the second
decade since Flor Contemplacion was
sentenced to death in Singapore.
“We see Flor in every Filipino leaving
the country, which according to official
estimates has reached a staggering 6,092
daily,” the National Council of Churches
in the Philippines said in the statement,
signed by Obispo Maximo Ephraim
Fajutagana as chair. “Flor was one of the
millions of Filipinos left with no choice
but to work in a foreign land in order to
provide a better life for their families back
home.”
Our neighbour city-state hanged
Contemplacion after finding her
accountable for killing another OFW and
a boy under her care in 1991.
The incident strained bilateral relations
between the Philippines and Singapore,
and incarnated for the country the
dangers of labor export.
Decades since, both the statement and
the National Cathedral dean, Very
Rev. Julius Caesar Barrameda, said the
country had much to learn.
Bringing home the point was speaker
Shera Salva, a 23-year-old single mother
from Quezon City repatriated in Feb.
29, who narrated during the Homily
her experiences as a victim of illegal
recruitment and human trafficking.
A certain Edna came to their home in
Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City,
asking her if she wanted to work abroad,
she recalled. “She said she would help
me work abroad, and I wouldn’t spend a
single cent.”
She felt obligated to say yes to the offer.
“We couldn’t afford to buy [the baby]
food and milk. I’d be lucky to see coins,
even just P50, in my mother’s wallet…
We were sinking in debt.”
In a process called direct employment,
she was lured with a glistening promise
8
of working in Dubai, earning $400
monthly as a waitress. But, when she
finally began work in September, she
became a domestic helper in Egypt, her
salary at $250.
Her employers became abusive, she
noted. They would even lock her up in
a room, lock her out for the night, go on
a vacation leaving her without food or
money.
When she complained to the embassy
about her situation, they paid her a
visit and notified her she had to prepare
$5,000 if she wanted out of her contract.
She was unable to produce the money.
The couple employing her then
confiscated her cell phone – she would
take it when the couple was away. She
would connect to the Internet through
free Wi-Fi she could pick up from a
window only to update her family.
Her worried parents sought help from
Migrante International, which prodded
the embassy to take Salva and bring her
home. In the process, she was made
to sign a document saying she would
withdraw her police report of the couple’s
abuses.
Complaints of illegal recruitment are
common to Migrante, said Earl John
Pastor, the Migrante coordinator for
Quezon City. They were now handling
over 100 cases, with the number stacking
up rapidly because of the labor export
policy, poverty and unemployment.
“If Shera is made to sleep outside their
home, many others are even sexually
abused, especially women,” said Pastor.
Migrante, citing a 2012 report, said some
55 percent of OFWs are females.
“Sometimes what you think is greener
pasture is not green at all,” said Reverend
Barrameda. “Some don’t get what they
expect. Think also about the months,
years OFWs spend away from their
families.”
“People would expect you to bring home
chocolates and shirts but I came home
only with myself,” said Salva. “I’ve made
big mistakes in my life, at one point
thinking what happened to me in Egypt
was my punishment, but I hope I become
a lesson to all of you.”
Mass
for Pinoy
overseas
N EWS
In the Middle
East, triumph
of the faith
Y
OU MAY KNOW the Middle
East as the epicentre of Islam,
but it also hosts a triumph story
for the Iglesia Filipina Independiente in
the diaspora – a community that lives
out the Pro Deo et Patria call.
The story goes by the name IFI-United
Arab Emirates Community.
The Aglipayans there celebrated the
community’s fifth anniversary on Feb. 19
at Zabeel Park in Dubai, the city where it
holds most of its activities. The program,
attended by some 100 members of the IFI
and the community’s supporters, centered
on a Bible exposition and team-building
engagements.
The community showed its impressive
abilities when it commemorated the
113th anniversary of the IFI. It also holds
weekly Bible studies and several other
fellowships for the faithful in UAE.
It voiced out concerns on issues that
troubled overseas Filipino workers,
including the tampering with balikbayan
boxes and the tanim-bala.
Top officials of the IFI hailed the
Aglipayan community in the Middle East
for its efforts, an initiative begun and
sustained by the laity, even without an
ordained leader or institutional support
from the IFI.
The community is unrelenting in its
mission to provide spiritual guidance to
Aglipayans and Filipinos in the Middle
East, said president Mark Reginio.
The group continues to encourage
members to join its activities regularly, he
said. “There are so many Aglipayans here.
We hope we can locate them.”
9
FEA TUR E
Becoming
Alberto
O
BISPO Maximo Alberto
Ramento had a defense for the
Iglesia Filipina Independiente’s
crusade for the workers of Hacienda
Luisita.
He called it the theology of land.
To him, it was simple: God gathered
the 12 tribes of Israel in one place and
provided for them. It was an egalitarian
community.
“God owns land. The first land reform
was by God,” he said once – forcefully –
in a dap-ayan at Hacienda Luisita. “No
paper can dictate ownership of land.”
The workers of Hacienda Luisita and
longtime sympathizers know best that he
took the fight seriously. Paying homage
to his uncompromising principles,
they called him the bishop of the poor,
workers and peasants, the oppressed.
The ruling powers understood his
stance differently. To them, it was more
insurgency than theology. Thus, he was
labelled subversive.
10 T H E C H R I S T I A N R E G I S T E R
the coffin of Rev. William Tadena,
His impassioned crusade would soon find Ramento praised the unparalleled
him lifeless.
courage of the assassinated priest while
summoning Aglipayans to help the
The police long ruled that Ramento’s
poor, the political prisoners and all the
death on Oct. 3, 2006, in a dilapidated
vulnerable.
IFI church building was homicide by
robbers who apparently took his ring and The battle rages on, for both the Obispo
stereo. After an investigation, the IFI has Maximo and the Hacienda Luisita
not let up on the clamour to declare the
workers for whom he fought. In fact, the
death a murder case.
fervor only intensified and spread across
a whole gamut of advocacies.
The Obispo Maximo was fearless because
he thought the defense of the weak and
In the homily he dedicated to Tadena,
vulnerable was the calling of the Church, he explained: “As Aglipayans, we may
many times tagged an enemy of the state. be afraid, but our love for country flows
They call us Communists, he said, but
in our blood.” To him, that set apart
we’ve in fact been fighting for the same
Aglipayan spirituallity from any other
things even before Communism. The
– and, approaching the 10th year of his
Word simply had to become flesh.
murder, he has become a shining example
of it.
After his tenure as the highest leader of
the Church, Ramento had retreated to the The IFI named a project after him – the
Tarlac City church to feed street children Ramento Program for Rights Defenders.
and host meetings for workers, Very Rev. It is supported by Bread for the World
Eleuterio Revollido said in a homily at
and implemented by the South Central
the Church, before the bishop’s coffin.
Luzon Conference, to aid and develop
human rights activists, especially in
A year before then, when he spoke before workers’ rights and peace, advocacies
As Aglipayans, we may be afraid,
but our love for country flows
in our blood.
“
“
Martyred leader reminds Church
that Word must be flesh
close to the bishop’s heart.
Conference Center.
The Ramento Conference on Catholicity
and Globalization in October 2015
should reflect the global impact of the
church leader. Through it, he became
an example for Christians everywhere,
to defend God’s creation in the age of
“imperialist globalization.”
Service, said OCC’s Rev. Franz Segbers
in a lecture, was the context that made
all churches, whether they be labelled
Orthodox, Protestant or Alternative, truly
catholic, i.e. universal. There is a divine
call for churches to champion the dignity
of Creation, he explained.
The program, held to mark the 50th
anniversary of the Concordat between
the IFI and the Old Catholic Church,
carried a biblical verse: “This gospel of
the kingdom will be preached in all the
world as a witness to all the nations.”
(Matthew 24:14)
At a Mass on the last day of the
conference on Oct. 3, coinciding with
the death of Ramento, Reverend Segbers The Tarlac City church has stopped
said in a sermon that the Obispo Maximo hosting Masses after the 2006 incident,
should be honored as a martyr.
but the diocese is pooling funds to
prepare it for the commemorative
“When these persons who defend the
Mass and for regular Sunday Masses,
rights of the poor are honoured with the
he revealed amid a rally in front of the
Christian designation of ‘martyr,’” he
National Cathedral, right after the Mass.
explained, “then we are striking out at the
scandal of staying silent. The victim will The protest, said Obispo Maximo
not remain nameless. They are dignified
Ephraim Fajutagana during the rally,
by name.”
symbolizes a continuing effort by the IFI
to live out Ramento’s legacy.
Efforts are being made to honor the
bishop when the IFI celebrates the 10th
The Word should become flesh.
It’s apt for the occasion, some 50
participants from the IFI, the National
Council of Churches in the Philippines
and the OCC would agree. It gathered
speakers to lecture on labor issues,
migration, women empowerment,
the plight of the indigenous people –
especially the Manobo in Surigao – at IFI
year of his martyrdom in 2016, taking
off from the commemoration of the first
decade of Tadena’s death, during which
the Mass was held at the La Paz town
chapel where he was killed.
The diocese plans to hold Mass for
Ramento in the church he was killed in,
said Bishop Dindo Ranojo, the newly
elected bishop of the Diocese of Tarlac.
TH E OF F I CI AL PUB LICA TION OF THE IGLESIA FILIPIN A IN DEPEN DIE N TE 11
FEA TUR E
I
T HAS BEEN more than half a year since the brutal killing of a school director
and two tribal leaders that infamously put the once-quiet town of Lianga,
Surigao del Sur, in national and international news.
Fear lingers, however.
defenders,” noted Save Our Schools
spokesperson Rius Valle.
As the Lumad continue to fight mining
companies that encroached on their
ancestral land, they also continue to
suffer attacks.
The latest to join that demographic
was Grade 3 Lumad student Alibando
Tingkas, 15. On Jan. 17, in an incident
Obispo Maximo Ephraim Fajutagana
said was “barbaric” and “very unChristian,” he died of gunshot wounds
to the chest, after paramilitary group
Alamara fired upon him and two others.
The Iglesia Filipina Independiente had
early on condemned the “systematic
oppression” of the Lumad – but there is
no recess for the violence weeks before
the elections, so the Church is keeping an
eye on the situation, among the chronic
Attacks also follow kids to their homes.
human rights problems the Aquino
On June 15, 2015, soldiers opened fire on
administration has failed to address.
a Lumad family’s house in Pacquibato
District, Davao City. The military
The eruptions of harassment have not
reported they killed three NPA members
spared children. They are being prevented in that “encounter,” but a survivor
from attending classes in what the
claimed otherwise.
military said were schools affiliated with
the New People’s Army (NPA).
Lumad leader Aida Seisa, the survivor,
said they were celebrating her daughter’s
As of January this year, said human
birthday with some tribal leaders when
rights group Karapatan, 29 kids lost
the attack took place. They shouted,
their lives to extrajudicial killings
“We are all civilians here,” but the guns
under President Aquino. With Lumad
continued firing, she recalled.
resistance growing, opposing forces
seemed to have found a weak spot in
“My daughter does not want to celebrate
the children, “their future leaders and
her birthday anymore,” she told The
FOR THE LUMAD,
THE STRUGGLE
CONTINUES
Christian Register. Her daughter was hit in
the arm during the attack.
rights group Karapatan Surigao del Sur
asked in a news report.
Seisa was among the Lumad who
sought sanctuary at the IFI’s National
Cathedral last October, toward the end of
the monthlong Manilakbayan, a protest
caravan from Mindanao to Manila that
campaigned for justice for the Lumad.
The cases have only stacked up. Three
suspects had been identified in the
murder of Dionel Campos in Liangga,
but daughter Michelle claimed none
had been arrested. On Feb. 24, several
Lumad, including two children, were
hurt when suspected Alamara members
The Manila City Hall had then forced the burned down one of the dormitories
Lumad out of their camp at Liwasang
at the United Church of Christ in the
Bonifacio, allegedly after pressure from
Philippines Mission Center in Haran,
Malacañang to clear roads for the AsiaDavao City,
Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
The IFI was among the sanctuaries that
“This is the kind of impunity perpetrated
opened for the protesting indigenous
by the Aquino regime and the Armed
people.
Forces of the Philippines. They do not
arrest criminals among their ranks and
Last March 13, 2016, the military and
in paramilitary groups. They even have
the local government of Surigao del
drinking sprees with them,” Michelle told
Sur declared the region a “conflictMichel Forst, United Nations Special
manageable area” that was “ready for
Rapporteur on the Situation of Human
further development.”
Rights Defenders, in a visit to Geneva,
Switzerland.
Less than a week after that
announcement, however, a Manobo
Meanwhile, the National Council of
farmer was fired upon by a soldier
Churches in the Philippines, of which
while tending his farm. The farmer
the IFI and UCCP are members, have
survived, but the attack triggered a forced pledged unwaivering support despite
evacuation of at least 33 families in San
the violence. “They may have burned
Miguel town in the province.
down our buildings, but they fueled our
commitment to serve the indigenous
“Is this how the 402nd Brigade ‘manages peoples,” general secretary Rev. Rex
conflict’ in Surigao del Sur?” human
Reyes Jr. said in a press conference.
“
They may have burned down our buildings,
but they fueled our commitment to serve
the indigenous peoples.
“
EDITORIAL
T
HE CHURCH was thrust
into controversy recently over
information that it was endorsing
Bongbong Marcos in his bid for the vice
presidency in May.
There is no truth to that, said the Obispo
Maximo in a statement, citing item 19
of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente’s
Articles of Religion.
The sanctity
of the ballot
“(The) Church is politically independent
of the state, and the state of the Church,”
the item notes. “The Church does not
ally itself with any particular school of
political thought or with any political
party. Its members are politically free and
are urged to be exemplary citizens and to
use their influence for the prosperity and
welfare of the State.”
The statement also upheld the
Filipinistas’ capacity to discern their
own choices, while reminding us that
the positions at stake should be given to
people who are “able men [and women]
who fear God, men [and women] of
truth, those who hate dishonest gain…”
(Exodus 18:21).
A recent pastoral letter from the Obispo
Maximo further reminded the faithful
that it is our “essential duty as citizens
to elect those persons who are most
committed to the principles of public
service and dedicated to the common
good.”
Voters need to look for integrity; see
whether candidates are honest and
fair, beyond the words they say and
their bearings. We should choose the
self-less. Moreover, we should cast our
votes on people who are well-versed on
and can address the threats to human
dignity – genuine agrarian reform,
national industrialization, sovereignty
and patrimony, peace, free education and
other forms of human development, true
democracy.
Do not be swayed easily. Scrutinize those
who promise the moon and the stars.
Shun and condemn those who vie for
your votes not with excellent platforms
but with money or fear. Be wise to
comprehend sweet lies and false hopes,
the avalanche of misinformation and
misstatements, the mud-slinging. It is the
season of deception, and people who lie
through their teeth deserve to lose.
The Church refuses to accept that all
the transgressions every election time
cannot be stopped and should instead
be accepted as a part of this democratic
undertaking. Let us be vigilant against
these violations and never fall hopeless.
Let us use the election to awaken our
political consciousness, find and expose
self-serving motivations and help our
vulnerable brothers and sisters. Let us
use our votes to champion change; let us
decide based on our intelligent, prayerful
assessment.
This May, we should all guard the
sanctity of the ballot, by looking out for
our nation and looking in for the best
options.
ACHIEVING
SHALOM
New ministry to support Lumad
in their struggle
written by REV. HARDELIO ALFECHE JR.
Diocese of Ozamiz
O
NE OF THE USUAL Christian
greetings used today is
“shalom.” But more than a
greeting, it is a prayer that God’s peace
be upon the person we meet (Luke
24:36), as the Hebrew word literally
means “peace.”
While shalom is one of the most
commonly used, it is, like love, a
misunderstood word.
God’s peace is not merely the “absence
of war.” His peace or shalom is justice,
peace and the integrity of creation (Isaiah
55:17-25). In His peace, all people live
an abundant life, opposite the poverty
and hunger that millions today endure.
In His peace, all human beings live as
one race, none superior or inferior; the
whole created order exists in harmony, all
mutually benefiting from one other.
Many Christians greet each other with
peace during the Eucharist. Most of the
time, though, it is only a liturgical gesture,
not an action or service. It is not lived out,
and is instead buried in hatred and chaos.
One proof of this is extractive mining.
It is probable that the owners and
incorporators, even members of military
and paramilitary groups protecting them,
are Christians. But, they watch mountains
– ancestral lands – being
leveled, with utter disregard for the
Lumad. Some may even be behind the
continuing harassment, displacement and
killing of the indigenous people.
The Church declared 2016 as the Year of
the Lumad. In this regard, the Mindanao
Bishops’ Conference established the
Mindanao Lumad Ministry (MLM) to
serve the Lumad of Mindanao.
MLM is a step toward the realization of
God’s peace or shalom. It is no lip service
and, like Jesus, “came [to being] not to be
served but to serve (Mark 10:45).”
While the Church will be a living
sacrament to the Lumad through
MLM, it will never try to convert
them into Christianity, as if to belittle
their faith. The ministry will focus on
living in solidarity with the Lumad,
joining them in their struggle against
destructive mining, land conversion and
militarization. MLM will also attend to
their needs, such as food and clothing.
The ministry calls every member of the
Iglesia Filipina Independiente to, like
brother Gilbert Paborada a few years ago,
be ready to lay down their life to help the
Lumad and the other oppressed sectors.
To minister to the Lumad is to be like
Christ, to serve the God of life and
salvation, to realize the Kingdom of God
here on earth.
R E FL E C TI O N
‘I stand
in solidarity
with Kidapawan
farmers’
written by REV. RC GUMBAN
Ramento Project for Rights Defenders
I
T IS NOT A CRIME to be
poor. Still, the North Cotabato
provincial government and state
security forces brutally treated the
poor when they opened fire on the
starving farmers.
The incident is pure savagery
committed by those who took an oath
to protect the welfare of the people.
For the longest time, our government
leaders have failed to uplift the lives
of farmers and peasants. The number
of instances when the government
showed its insincerity to look after the
welfare of its people has become too
downright many that one could no
longer keep count.
It failed to provide farmers genuine
agrarian reform. They were subjected
to land-grabbing and oppressive
taxes. They have become victims
of corruption, from the infamous
fertilizer scam to the pork barrel scam.
The money that could have improved
the lives of Filipino farmers were
siphoned to the pockets of the few.
It showed with the bloody dispersal on
April 1 that it has not changed. The
long months of extreme drought in
Mindanao were so catastrophic that
all the farmers’ crops were destroyed.
The provincial government declared
a state of calamity early this year,
enabling the release of calamity funds;
but the farmers did not receive any
aid.
These deprived people mustered their
strength and demanded immediate
help. It is outrageous that our farmers,
who essentially provide our meals, are
I STAND/28
FEA TUR E
SALT + LIGHT
Y
OUNG people of the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente across the
country this year zeroed in on the
example of Jesus as they gathered for the
annual Summer Youth Camp.
Somewhere between 200 to 700 youth
convened in different venues, together
expounding on the theme this year: “YIFI:
Called to be salt and light. Christ be our
light in defending workers’ rights!”
The challenge this year comes from the
classic teaching of Matthew 5:12-16,
which instructs Christians to preserve
the dignity of Creation like salt, and to
spread the light of the Word. It gets
a contemporary retelling as it adopts
workers’ rights, for which the Church
has been a staunch supporter.
The local churches did not disappoint,
incarnating Christ and the Pro Deo
et Patria call with their activities –
lectures zeroing in on the concerns
of workers, from contractualization
to the stalemate in agriculture;
immersions to fishers, farmers and
the indigenous people. They held
presentations that invigorated the
spirit of nationalism, even recognized
outstanding youth.
Of course, fun was on the table. The
participants indulged in contests in the
different arts, even in pageants. They
prepared for intermissions playing up
their many talents and developed their
potentials with group activities, some
involving the great outdoors.
Young Aglipayans nationwide
retrace Christ’s service
As an homage to the people who
made the different diocesan events
truly a highlight of youth ministry for
the IFI, The Christian Register selected
some of your posts all over social
media for sharing on our pages.
On May 9, vote for the interest of the people
written by REV. WILFREDO RUAZOL
E
LECTION time began as throngs
quickly jam-packed political
line-ups, from the national to the
municipal levels.
Choices are polluted by media exposure
and name recall. “Winnability” is
synonymous with the resources to buy
into airtime or space.
With so much gimmickry, it’s
understandable for a voter to ask if the
2016 Philippine elections can bring about
crucial changes, said Obispo Maximo
Ephraim Fajutagana in an interview with
The Christian Register.
It’s a recurring challenge, as the citizenry
constantly falls for the same lies and
promises, he added, claiming some
candidates portray themselves as propoor.
“Helping the voting population to
become aware of the real issues is
a concern of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente,” he said.
The pastoral letter “Cast our votes for
the common good” is his attempt to lay
down the criteria for individuals to cast
wise votes.
dignity, good governance and national
democracy.”
With the elections just days away and
candidates turning more aggressive in
wooing the people, the Church reminds
voters to “judge the merits of each
candidate against the most compelling
and critical issues the country has been
perpetually facing.”
“Our nation needs political leaders who
are committed to pursue genuine agrarian
reform, national industrialization,
national sovereignty and patrimony, a
government that works for total human
development, education that is patriotic
and people-oriented, full respect for
human rights, and peace based on
justice,” the IFI leader said, virtually
outlining what is set to be unfinished
business for the Aquino administration.
The Diocese of Surigao’s Bishop Rhee
Timbang, president of the Supreme
Council of Bishops, admonished
church members to “strive to make
[their] individual vote an act of faith, an
expression of a truly free society, and a
demonstration of a genuinely sovereign
and democratic nation.”
“Justice, peace, righteousness, national
In the letter released on Epiphany
sovereignty and integrity of creation,”
Sunday, Jan. 6, the Obispo Maximo
the bishop added in his admonition,
reminded the public to “elect leaders who should serve as “criteria for discerning
will stand on people’s interests and will
candidates … [who] keep the interests of
advance just peace, respect for human
the people.”
In another pastoral letter, “Living the
ways of the kingdom” published on Palm
Sunday, March 20, Obispo Maximo
Fajutagana asked the faithful to “pay
attention to what candidates and their
parties are espousing in relation to
people’s issues and policies in the pursuit
of a just and peaceful society, and their
commitment to the principles of public
service and dedication to the common
good.”
While convinced that the elite-dominated
elections cannot give birth to a genuinely
democratic government, the Church
encourages the faithful “to exercise their
electoral rights.”
The Church reminds the clergy to guard
against traditional politics and to take
caution in relating with candidates to
avoid the impression that the Church
is endorsing political parties and
candidates.
“Our participation in the electoral process
is not partisan, and the Church does
not endorse any particular candidate or
party,” said Obispo Maximo Fajutagana.
The Obispo Maximo calls on the nation
to vote for candidates who demonstrate
“genuine commitment to defending and
advancing the welfare of the weak rather
than the strong, and the promotion of the
common good over the interest and gains
of the narrow few.”
How lack of choices
can threaten democracy
“
... [A]n election is about
choosing for a public
office and not simply
voting for someone.
“
And the winner is…
written by YOSHIKO LEIGH ALVIAR
Diocese of Tuguegarao
T
HERE is no suspense.
For some 558 posts at stake in the
May 9 vote, unopposed candidates need
only one valid vote to claim the spot they
desire. It’s virtually an assured victory,
which this time around includes former
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
reelectionists Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee
Marcos and Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda.
vice mayor, 30 for municipal councilor,
21 for city mayor, 23 for city vice mayor,
1 for city councilor, 12 for governor, 11
for provincial vice governor and 8 for
Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The issue of unopposed candidates is
old, however it is unfamiliar to some
people. I messaged random people on my
Facebook friend list, and most of them
were apparently unaware of the issue.
Many answered, “Ano ‘yon?” Some were
shocked: “May ganun din pala sa higher
forms of election?”
Much talked-about are political dynasties.
These are roughly defined as people from
the same clan who win one position
consecutively, occupy two or more elective
positions in one term, or are seen as
When I asked them what they thought
occupying an area as their “turf.”
might be the reasons no one would want
to run against them, some said contenders
However, unopposed candidates rarely get may fall prey to violence, or not have
media coverage during elections.
enough clout or money to spend on the
campaign trail, including under-the-table
The biggest number of unopposed
transactions.
candidates is in Ilocos Sur with 25
candidates. Isabela follows with a close
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal
21 candidates, then Ilocos Norte with 19, explained the factors to Philstar.
Pangasinan with 16, Apayao with 11, and
Cagayan and Pampanga with 10 each.
Popularity is a foremost factor, he said.
Noticeably, the biggest numbers come
A candidate may be known for a stellar
from North and Central Luzon.
performance in his recent term, thus
nobody would run against him. For a
Records from the Commission on
contender, it might be a waste of time and
Elections show that of the 558 posts, 32
money.
are for congressional representative, 194
for municipal mayor, 226 for municipal
He also said some unopposed candidates
are in areas controlled by political
dynasties. I am familiar with candidates
that have been unopposed for years
because they come from “unbeatable”
families.
Competition leads to greater effort. It
can force politicians to come out with
stable platforms and scrutinize their
plans. It gives people options, which are
foundational to elections – an election is
about choosing for a public office and not
simply voting for someone. The lack of
choice kills the essence of elections and,
therefore, democracy.
Present conditions may be tolerating
the issue. Willing and qualified people
may ultimately fear the repercussions to
them. Some people may stick with the
candidates with good performance, but
they may also be sticking to candidates
that are ruling.
Another issue that needs addressing
is the one-valid-vote rule. The issue is
generally unstudied, and perhaps the
vote requirement is a matter to start with.
While some unopposed candidates come
from political dynasties, with such ease of
victory, an unopposed candidacy can also
lead to a political dynasty.
One vote is too much for too few; and one
candidate too little for too much.
R EFL EC TI ON
corruption in high places. But, the people
have seen and experienced otherwise.
‘Don’t give us
a king!’
written by DARLENE MARQUEZ-CARAMANZANA
National Council of Churches in the Philippines
I
N THE EARLIER times, Yahweh
anointed leaders among His chosen
people. They provided moral and
spiritual guidance, settled disputes and
ensured that the narrative of their faith
was handed down from one generation
to the next (Deut. 6:4-9). These tasks
reminded the chosen ones of Yahweh’s
salvific act.
In Theocracy, Yahweh had a direct
relationship with the people and
mediated by anointing leaders like Moses,
among others. The people also had a
direct relationship with Yahweh, through
which they could bring their concerns at
once.
Such proved to be a workable relationship
until the people saw Samuel’s heirs unfit
to replace him. A clamor to be ruled
by a king grew stronger because of
that, as well as the example of nearby
civilizations then governed by a person
negotiating with other nations for
political, social and economic survival.
Though the reigns of Saul, David and
Solomon – three of the greatest kings
that Israel ever had – brought glory and
honor, they were also characterized
by corruption, extravagance, murder,
plunder of resources, land-grabbing,
forced labor, violence against women,
wars.
Yahweh warned the people that
atrocity could happen under a king,
but they stubbornly insisted on it. He,
nevertheless, punished kings who did not
lead well and instead made the people
suffer.
Our leaders have been weighed and found
wanting. They have flaunted milestones
under the daang matuwid agenda:
economic improvements; more foreign
investors; job opportunities; curbing
Many are disappeared and killed; cases
are unresolved. The ancestral land of the
indigenous peoples, rich in mineral and
natural resources, are being plundered.
They join women, the LGBT community,
the poor and workers suffering from
various forms of violence. People have
been deprived of social services, from
healthcare to the increase in the monthly
pension of senior citizens.
Meanwhile, politicians and their
cohorts are raking in millions from
salaries, incentives and kickbacks. The
government keeps covering up their
ineptness with the conditional cash
transfer, only to find out it is also a
source of corruption. The Philippine
government has been selling the country’s
sovereignty in the name of political and
economic gains, only to get crumbs from
the table of powerful nations.
The Filipino people are facing a critical
juncture in history with the national
election. Strutting around are traditional
politicians, giving out promises. Guns,
gold and goons make up the vote, like
many other things in the Philippines.
Filipinos should take to heart Yahweh’s
reminder not to put “kings” in power.
The people should choose leaders
who will give justice to the weak and
fatherless; maintain the right of the
afflicted and the destitute; rescue the
weak and the needy, deliver them from
the hand of the wicked (Ps 82:1-4);
keep justice and do righteousness, for
soon God’s salvation will come and
deliverance will be revealed (Is 56:1);
deal wisely and execute justice and
righteousness in the land (Jer 23:5);
and do justice, love kindness and walk
humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Who should the people vote for? Here
is a guide from the Church: (1) One
who seeks and employs justice, (2) one
who works for peace and pursues it, (3)
one who upholds righteousness in his/
her leadership; (4) one who stands for
national sovereignty; (5) one who works
for the integrity of God’s creation.
The Church will be vigilant as ever, once
again bearing pastoral and prophetic
witness as it faces the election. Let us
refuse deception.
Women say
written by DARLENE MARQUEZ-CARAMANZANA
National Council of Churches in the Philippines
The wealth of the nation is
concentrated in the hands of only 50
families, resulting in the perpetuation
of poverty.
Women say: Give us a leader with a
heart for the people!
The rate of poverty has not changed
significantly since 2006, and the
government continues to flaunt
economic progress.
Women say: Give us a leader that wills
the poor’s economic upliftment!
Impoverished families could hardly
make both ends meet because the
prices of basic commodities are
increasing uncontrollably.
Women say: Give us a leader who
knows how it feels to starve and be in
need!
Farmers do not own the land they till,
are left out by economic globalization
and do not have subsidies from the
government.
Women say: Give us a leader who will
push for genuine agrarian reform!
Our workers do not enjoy just wages,
security of tenure and humane
working conditions.
espouse national industrialization!
Indigenous peoples are denied their
rights to ancestral domain and selfdetermination.
Women say: Give us a leader who
can solve the plight of our indigenous
peoples!
Women continue to suffer from all
forms of violence.
work toward ending violence against
women!
NEWS
A
T LEAST two were killed when
state security forces opened fire
at the protesting drought-hit
farmers in Kidapawan City last April 1.
Citing a biblical passage – “Is there
anyone among you who, if your child
asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the
child asks for a fish, will give a snake?”
– Iglesia Filipina Independiente Obispo
Maximo Ephraim Fajutagana said,
“There are people who would; and they
fed starving farmers with bullets.”
The 6,000-strong protest demanded
the release of 15,000 sacks of rice as
government subsidy, after all their crops
dried up.
As early as last year, local and
international agencies have warned that
this year’s El Niño would be the fiercest
in recent history, coupled with the rising
global temperatures.
Kilab Multimedia
Kilab Multimedia
#BigasHindiBala
When rice producers
ask for rice
The North Cotabato provincial
government had declared a state of
calamity back in January, but the starving
farmers said they received no help from
rocks instead of bullets.
the government.
“This government ... has neglected the
plight of farmers who depend on the
land they till for their daily sustenance,”
Obispo Maximo Fajutagana said.
Apart from the two fatalities, dozens
were injured, many of whom sustained
gunshot wounds.
The mission found the police had
destroyed evidence by clearing the crime
scene “through burning of personal
effects confiscated from the protesters
during and after the dispersal.”
The 27-member team was barred from
entering hospitals where the injured
protesting farmers were confined.
Anakbayan said the wounded farmers
Retreating farmers were holed up at the
were handcuffed to hospital beds and
Spottswood United Methodist Church,
the bishop’s residence in the province. For guarded by heavily armed police.
days, the compound was heavily guarded
The provincial government, headed by
by the police and soldiers, and military
tanks roved the area. The forces left only Gov. Emmylou Mendoza, told the media
that they were taking full responsibility
on April 5.
for what she referred to as “clearing
operations,” not a dispersal. At the same
To date, 81 farmers, some elderly and
time, she pinned the blame on progressive
pregnant, were arrested and detained.
groups supporting the starving farmers.
The starving farmers were charged with
direct assault and required to post bail
The local government attempted to
amounting to P6,000.
discredit the farmers’ struggle by saying
that a ranking official of the New
The National Council of Churches in
People’s Army (NPA) was among those
the Philippines and other concerned
arrested.
groups launched a national fact-finding
mission to clear the details of the violent
“Yes, the farmers are indeed NPA. Sila ay
dispersal, including among others
Nagugutom, Pinahihirapan at Api (They are
allegations of torture and claims by the
starving, abused and oppressed),” noted
police that the deaths were caused by
youth activist Vencer Crisostomo during
the Global Day of Action protest last
April 8.
The tragedy in Kidapawan, now likened
to the Mendiola and Hacienda Luisita
massacres, has gained attention from
different groups. Celebrities such
as couple Robin Padilla and Mariel
Rodriguez, sisters Anne and Jasmine
Curtis-Smith, Daniel Padilla, Bianca
Gonzales, Nora Aunor and Monique
Wilson threw support for the farmers,
some donating sacks of rice that were
distributed as soon as the police left
Spottswood.
Lito Roxas, chair of Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in North
Cotabato, urged Filipinos to keep sending
help to the farmers until they could
harvest again. He said that if the El
Niño ends in March, as predicted by the
weather bureau, they can harvest only in
September.
Obispo Maximo Fajutagana called on the
IFI faithful and clergy to open churches
as shelters for the drought-hit farmers,
and gather support and resources for
them.
FEA TUR E
I
N THE BEGINNING, the people
of Patungan thought the Kaybiang
Tunnel would open their place up to
the world.
Before the P745.180-million TernateNasugbu Tunnel opened to connect
Cavite and Batangas, people in this
village — officially listed as Barangay
Santa Mercedes — had either to ride a
boat or trek Pico de Loro to get to the
Maragondon town center.
The arduous travel was unavoidable.
They had various concerns to settle at
the munisipyo, from business permits to
conditional cash transfer. Hospitals were
nowhere near. The only time they were
not required to travel was during the voter
registration, when the Comelec staff went
to them.
Isang ‘kasa’
IFI on troubled grounds
People thought the tunnel finally gave
them a safer choice for travels. They
thought, too, that it would give them
opportunities for tourism.
Residents of Patungan, a secluded
Maragondon shoreline beyond Ternate,
boast a dramatic sunset and waters tamed
by hills extending to the sea. They also
have fish catch to feed guests.
A few know that such a place exists.
To the residents, their home would be
noticeable for the droves of motorists
visiting Kaybiang Tunnel. And why
would these people refuse to pay for
the experience the villagers are familiar
with? Their home would be plucked from
obscurity and turned into prime land.
Soon, however, forts began to rise at the
entrance of their village and armed men
began to restrain people from entering
Patungan. The people suspected that
something was wrong — and, true
enough, someone was beginning to mark
the village as their own.
The reason for the restriction, the plan
the people decry, is a megaproject to turn
the place into a luxury resort. Nowhere
in the plan does it say the residents would
keep their addresses.
The villagers reacted first with confusion,
then resistance. The response intensified
when some members of the community
were arrested for alleged possession of
Life in Patungan is hard,
but it is home, it is worth fighting for...
firearms (one was spared because of a
misspelled warrant of arrest) and the
claimants of Patungan thought to bribe
some owners to leave their homes.
The idea was to plant unrest there, to
divide and conquer, the residents allege.
Now the village is half rubble. Once big
homes, even new ones, are no more;
their owners waived their rights to the
claimant. Their inhabitants were put in
a resettlement area, with scintillating
promises of groceries, rice. Promises
unfulfilled, the remaining residents say.
Anyone who plans to start or restart a
life cannot. At the gate, guards do not
allow construction materials in. Not
even visitors. (I was fetched beyond
the checkpoint by a boat, residents
cautioning that I hide my press ID.)
A video is circulating online of a burial
parade not allowed out — the road was
set on fire, there was a tussle that had
some men put down the coffin and pick
up stones to throw at the guards.
So intense is the situation that regular
Masses in the community chapel
officiated by a Roman Catholic priest
were disrupted. When Bishop Emiliano
Domingo of Cavite, led his clergy in a
pastoral visit to Patungan, residents asked
if he could lend a priest to say the Mass
for them.
Fear could have driven people out.
But, that had no place with home on the
line, residents said, while they signed my
notebook — it was supposedly for two
interviewees only, but everyone around
wrote their names when someone said,
“Para malaman nilang hindi tayo natatakot
(So they may know we are unafraid).”
Fishing in Patungan, aka “Fishville,” has
become less and less profitable because
a few kilometers from the people’s
boats would be foreigners’ bigger, more
superior ones. At night, when even
mothers join their husbands to fish, they
leave keeping in mind their utang and
their homes lighted by a generator they
share with the whole neighborhood.
If anyone fails to pay for the gasoline,
they leave their kids studying by the
candlelight.
the forces of the claimant, at any time of
any day, the alarm would be immediate.
Someone is always guarding the fort.
These are men who’ve arrived from a day
of work at sea. These are women of all
ages, some of whom tuck their babies in a
crib in their kampuhan.
All of them carry their own mugs when
Life in Patungan is hard, but it is home, it they go to the dilapidated sheds they’d
is worth fighting for, the villagers say.
put up. They would survive nights with
their kasa — a jar with one sachet of
Some claim they’ve grown up in
coffee and another of Coffeemate, 1/4
Patungan. Some say Patungan has been
kilo of sugar, all of which they buy from
their home for generations. Some fell
money everyone chips in — and each
in love in Patungan, and began their
others’ company. They would survive
families there. Some are fighting for their with a mutual love for Patungan.
kids. Everyone isn’t going to be landless,
at least not without a fight. They all
When a confrontation happens, they’ve
ask: “How can they wipe out a whole
learned from each other never to back
barangay?”
out.Even women would fight, wherever
their claim would place them. They
The fight has changed the people. When
once camped out near the Maragondon
the tsunami alarm would sound off, they town hall, when those slapped with
would not scurry to the higher ground
claims of illegal possession of firearms
that surrounds them. Instead, they would were detained there. They were at the
hurry to a spot near the sea where they’ve President’s last Sona.
built their own fort. The clinking would
mean an enemy was crossing the line.
They will be wherever their fight takes
them, they say, however far from the
Every time there is a confrontation with
home – so they may keep it.
N E WS
G o i ng bac k ho me
How IFI built homes, not just houses
A
HOUSE is not a home, so says
the classic song.
It is a fact “Yolanda” survivors would
strongly agree to, having been confined
for years now to their bunkhouses,
a constant reminder of coping still
incomplete and promises delayed.
It was Nov. 8, 2013, when “Yolanda”
pummelled the Visayas, the strongest
to make landfall in history. With wind
speeds reaching 315 kilometers per hour
and spawning storm surges, it killed over
6,000 and affected 14 milion people,
4 million of whom were rendered
homeless.
When survivors were transferred to the
bunkhouses from the evacuation centers,
the President pledged it would take only
a few months before they were put in
permanent houses.
Until now, however, those who lived
through “Yolanda” are still in shelters
made with plywood. Some are horrified
still by the loud sound of rain hitting the
iron sheets, unfiltered because there is no
ceiling.
There are design differences among the
200 bunkhouses – of 24 rooms each –
built in Leyte and Eastern Samar, but
they essentially have the same lapses,
noted housing and human rights groups.
How can families live in rooms the size
of two Ping-Pong tables? How can they
have private lives if they are separated
by thin wood? In the biggest blow to the
rehabilitation efforts, a report said the
shelters were subpar and overpriced —
the actual structures assessed at under
P200,000 but listed at nearly P1 million.
project, the IFI has already awarded
homes to its beneficiaries in Buenavista,
Palompon, and in Marabut, areas that
had not been reached by any form of help
from the government.
Reverend Ruazol and IFI Bulig
Katilingban’s (the Visayan arm of
TFER) Rev. Allan Caparro showed that
The government lacked will power and
contrast to guests from The Episcopal
consultation with the survivors, said the
Iglesia Filipina Independiente Task Force Church when they visited the rebuilding
on Emergency Response’s Rev. Wilfredo project in Palompon, Leyte, a part of
celebrations for the Concordat the two
Ruazol. Not to mention the projects
churches signed 55 years ago.
helped only a small number of the
affected communities, he added.
How is such progress possible? Reverend
Ruazol gave three cardinal rules.
Compared to the government’s housing
1.
ASK
THE COMMUNITIES WERE ASKED WHAT THEY NEEDED. The people
said they needed livelihood so TFER distributed 10 boats in
Palompon and 30 in Caridad. Again with the help of locals,
TFER came up with a uniform design for the homes — a base of
concrete, walls of knitted bamboo and nipa roofs.
2.
EVERYBODY WAS INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING PROCESS. The men
supplemented the work of the hired carpenters to augment
the cost, while the women cooked lunch for the workers. The
scheme also helped IFI as it rebuilt its churches. The volunteer
work fostered a sense of ownership, said Reverend Ruazol.
3.
THE BENEFICIARIES WERE TAUGHT TO SUSTAIN THE PROJECTS. They
founded cooperatives and were also trained in poultry farming,
among others. These would ensure that the residents would
continue developing their communities, because much still
needs doing, said Reverend Caparro.
INVOLVE
ORGANIZE
The series of activities on Feb. 4 was
initiated through the Workers’ Assistance
Program (WAP) of the IFI, in cooperation
with the Church Workers Solidarity,
Defend Jobs Philippines and Kilusang
Mayo Uno, among others.
The exposure gathered bishops, priests
and the lay from nearby dioceses as well
as visiting partners from the United States’
The Episcopal Church at the site of the
controversial Kentex fire in Valenzuela
City.
The observance is the first time in years
that the IFI opted to commemorate the
T
HE EPISCOPAL Church
(TEC) sent a delegation to the
Philippines to celebrate the
55th year of its Concordat of Full
Communion with the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente through meetings and
solidarity visits on Feb. 3-7.
The TEC group consisted of six staff
members of The Most Rev. Michael
Curry, the new Presiding Bishop of
TEC: Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick, Bishop
James Magness, Rev. Margaret Rose, Dr.
Peter Ng, Rev. Reynald Bonoan and Rev.
Winfred Vergara.
UOD anniversary through an exposure,
aside from the usual dialogue and forum.
The IFI attributes much of its unique
identity to the UOD, whose aspiration for
liberation aligned with religious freedom,
or the separation from the Vatican and the
Roman polity.
The chair of the Council of Leaders
of UOD, Don Isabelo Delos Reyes, in
fact proclaimed the IFI in a meeting of
the union, thus the IFI’s claim that the
Filipino working class gave birth to the
indigenous Church.
For IFI, call
of pioneering
union in PH
still alive
written by REV. RAMIL AGUILAR
In the present day, the concerns of the
UOD manifest in the IFI’s thrusts “of and
for the poor and oppressed.”
The IFI now runs the WAP which
galvanizes rights advocates for workers, in
an attempt to develop further the Church’s
ministry to the Filipino working class.
ministry of IFI via exposures and
community visits.
Meetings were hosted by IFI Conference
Center. The IFI delegation included Rt.
Rev. Joselito Cruz, Most Rev. Godofredo
David, Rt. Rev. Raul Tobias and Very Rev.
Eleuterio Revollido.
For community immersion, the TEC
delegation was divided into two groups.
One group – Bishop Fitzpatrick, Reverend
Rose and Reverend Bonoan – visited the
IFI’s housing project in Leyte. The rest
visited the site of the Kentex tragedy in
Many outcomes were borne out of the
Valenzuela City, as well as urban-poor
cooperation between the IFI and TEC, the communities in Parañaque and Manila
Obispo Maximo told The Christian Register. and political prisoners.
The agreement was the culmination of a
series of cordial fellowship meetings and
The visits were an opportunity for the
mission-dialogues.
Churches to discuss areas for shared
ministry, addressing the Concordat agenda
However, he added, the IFI still aims to
to be responsive to the challenges of the
enter into more projects with TEC.
fast-changing world, said Rev. Ramil
Aguilar, who led the second subgroup.
The meeting between the two churches
is the first official visit of the American
The visit concluded with a Concordat
side of the Concordat panel, mainly
Council meeting, a Mass and a fellowship
familiarizing them about the life and
program.
IFI, TEC explore
shared
ministry
written by JUN VINCENT ALAY-AY
N EWS
A
PASTORAL visitation and
dialogue marked the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente’s
celebration of the 114th founding
anniversary of Union Obrera
Democratica (UOD), the first modern
trade union in the country.
FEA TUR E
A
SEMINARIAN almost three
decades ago, I was assigned to
a faith community in Buguey,
a town in Cagayan where the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente is not a strong
presence.
Back then, there were other IFI
communities. Now, only this mission
church and its parish in Camalaniugan
town preserve the IFI faith here. In fact,
even this one would have been lost if
not for the decision of one family – the
Balanzas.
A few years before I was sent to the
mission, leaders had told me the church
building stood proud on land beside the
National Highway. It had to be relocated
because of a road-widening initiative
there.
The Balanza family selflessly donated a
lot they owned, on which the place of
A few years after I left, the congregation
was again tested, this time by factionalism.
A parish in Santa Teresita town, whose
priest was then in charge of the mission,
defected from the IFI, joining some
parishes in the area that had long ago
embraced a faction.
Inang Lucing said they were not aware
of the change at first but noticed how
the priest changed some administrative
procedures and then wanted to change the
name on the façade of the church.
That’s when they rallied the people behind
the name of the IFI and shunned the
defecting priest.
Now, the congregation of the St. Anthony
de Padua mission survives even in the
absence of a regular priest to hold Masses
and attend to their various spiritual needs.
Sir Portas has already passed on,
Strong in the faith
A church in Northwestern Cagayan proves ‘alone’ is not ‘weak’
written by REV. GIL ALVIAR
Diocese of Tuguegarao
worship now stands. Aglipayan spirituality
had long been their way of life so they
could not risk losing it, they told me when
my assignment began.
bequeathing the leadership of the mission
to Inang Lucing. Now, she is an icon of
Aglipayanism in San Vicente, Buguey,
making sure their whole clan stays in the
Aglipayan faith.
“My parents have reared us to be a
strong foundation of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente,” Protacio Balanza, or “Sir
Portas,” had told me. Then a teacher, he
was the only surviving male of the clan,
already the second generation of the
founding family here.
I keep remembering how the church held
processions three decades ago, heading
out to the spot in the National Highway
it once stood, passing by farmlands. That
stopped because they lacked a priest to
guide them, with the Camalaniugan
parish an hour away.
My two-month assignment was over
quickly.
There are signs that the congregation is
growing, however. I see the mission for
its promise of expansion, into a parish
and even into an evangelizing force in
Northwestern Cagayan.
“Inang Lucing,” real name Lucita
Balanza, the younger sister of Sir Portas,
would echo that memory every time we
recall the times we’d spent then, the most
recent being last year when I brought my
family with me for the first time.
Even when the second generation of the
Balanza family is gone, Inang Lucing
assured me, the church will live on.
B
OHOL gave Obispo Maximo
Ephraim Fajutagana a salvo
of delightful stories in August
– churches filled with faithful for
Mass, missions earning up to P40,000,
an impressive turnout for the 113th
proclamation anniversary of the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente.
“Bohol is promising but they hadn’t had
their own bishop for years,” said Rt. Rev.
Santie Azaula, taken from priesthood
in the Bataan-Bulacan diocese and
consecrated as the diocesan bishop of
Bohol in May 2014.
It was a matter of harnessing all the
resources, he said. That involved
reigniting the fervor of faith for both the
ordained and the laity.
“The priests’ work depends on the
leader. They were kind of spoiled in the
beginning. They would strongly resist the
bishop then,” he noted. “They needed to
be united behind a system.”
“The first thing they got from me was a
scolding,” he recalled. It was during a
clericus supposed to begin at 8 a.m. that
pushed through at 2 p.m. That was a
wake-up call for the clergy to commit to
the Church, he said.
Bishop Azaula was instrumental in
raising the pay for priests in Bohol – from
P5,000 to P7,000 – but that had to come
with a paradigm shift.
On his encouragement, many priests did
not allow themselves to say Mass only
once every week or to confine worship to
the church. He also makes sure to be an
open line for complaints against priests
and church leaders.
For the first time in decades, he noted,
all parishes in the diocese had their own
priest. He did not want the opportunity to
go to waste.
So, Bishop Azaula turned his priests into
mouthpieces for his ingenious program –
“Pot of Golds,” or Pledges, offerings and
tithes for God’s overflowing love for your
development and service. It was a perfect
way to meld the Bible and financial
progress, and soon enough a profitable
endeavour.
“Parishes here, when I began, earned
little. Cambagi was earning only P3,000
and now earns P12,000. Tagbilaran
City earned P8,000 to P10,000 and now
makes P20,000 to P30,000,” said Bishop
Azaula. “It just boomed, and we’re
now seeing possible parishes among our
missions, new missions to build.”
It also has to do with the spiritual benefit
the overhaul has caused in Bohol.
Services for the Sacraments are free.
Priests hold Masses multiple times in a
week, some even daily; and also conduct
home visitations and Bible studies.
The diocese holds conventions not only
for the trisectoral groups but also for
families, altar servers, lay ministers. Just
this Holy Week, vigils turned into Bible
studies.
All that energy may soon be focused
on increasing presence across Bohol,
especially in towns where there is no IFI
presence.
“The problem now is money, because
when you send a missionary priest,
you need to finance his needs,” said the
bishop. “But, because the parishes are
filled up and finances are picking up, our
graduating seminarians can be our next
missionary priests.”
“Bohol just needs workaholic church
workers, and that’s what we are striving
to become,” he said.
FEA TUR E
Renaissance of Aglipayanism in Bohol
Voices of women
political prisoners in
the Philippines
written by KLEIN EMPERADO
Diocese of Negros and Siquijor
R EFL EC TI ON
“
The reason they were behind bars was their
single-minded desire for justice.
G
INTO man ang kulungan, hangad
ko pa rin ay kalayaan.” (Prison
cells may be made of gold yet I
still desire freedom.)
That was the most striking statement I
heard from a 56-year-old woman political
prisoner during a weekend visit to Camp
Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
Behind bars were the spirits of women
whose fervor so majestically burned that
government authorities suppressed their
rights, their freedoms. They were accused
of various crimes, from sedition to murder
and homicide, illegal possession of
firearms and explosives, and more.
The only crime they would confess to
is their drive to serve the people. Even
behind bars, the spirits of these women
did not waiver and falter. Even there,
even then, they held on to the struggle for
justice and equality.
The author was not able to take pictures because
phones were not allowed inside the prison facilities.
A recipient of the Youth Exchange Program in 2014,
he accompanied four Swedish participants for 2015 to
Camp Bagong Diwa.
‘I stand in solidarity
with Kidapawan farmers’
From page 15
hungry – and met with bullets. It is
immoral of our government leaders to
withhold funds as if the need wasn’t
urgent and to inflict pain on the powerless.
I do not see the need for water cannons,
gunshots and criminal charges. I do not
find necessary the arrest and detention;
Through my eyes, I saw how the free
spirits talked without reservations. Words
contained no trace of desperation despite
the gloom that encased them. The bodies
hospitals turning into garrisons; a church
desecrated by armed men; relief goods
blockaded. I do not understand why the
Department of Agriculture said the El
Niño was not that catastrophic; and why
the President, after being mum for weeks,
pinned the blame on the so-called leftists.
What I see is a dire need for reform in the
Philippine National Police, among the
five most corrupt government institutions.
Many are watching the developments in
the graft charges for North Cotabato Gov.
“
Free spirits
behind bars
of these women had been suppressed, but
not their souls. As if living in the world
beyond the high walls, they practiced their
freedom to speak, to express their ideas
and dreams.
Strength sprung from their mindset: The
reason they were behind bars was their
single-minded desire for justice.
Sometimes, one of the prisoners
confessed, it was inevitable to feel sad
and loose hope. When down, they would
look to each other; their fellow political
prisoners would never fail to inspire and
reinvigorate their weary souls.
Strength could also come from outside
the bars, they said. They asked that we
reveal their faces, bring with us their cries
— the inside was muting them so it was
important for them that we remind the
world of their crusade.
Tears fell from their eyes. They still
wanted to be free again; free to be with the
people, to serve them, struggle with them,
fight with them against the oppressive, the
powerful.
Emmylou Mendoza. People want the
agriculture sector reenergized.
Being a church minister, what happened
to our farmers in North Cobato saddens
me. I pray that they may, in their anguish,
find hope in each other. I also pray for
the families and friends of those who
were killed in that bloody encounter. I
stand in solidarity with them, echoing the
widespread condemnation for that ruthless
and inhumane act.
L
In Cebu and the other Bisaya-speaking
parts of the country, we call it karidad,
from the Spanish word caridad.
written by JAY L CONTENTO
Diocese of Cebu
In whichever language, charity is
generosity and helpfulness to the weak
and vulnerable, the needy, the suffering.
It is the capacity for mercy, for care, for
compassion; something that, as stewards
of God’s creation, we should muster.
Charity is the capacity to be brothers and
sisters in God — from giving alms to
prayer to forgiveness; from awareness of
issues to acting on them.
The youth must be treated as a vital
force, because of the promise we bring.
There are thousands of able youth in
the Cebu diocese alone, with 10 parishes
and dozens of missions, outstations and
chapels in three deaneries: Island (Santa
Fe, Hilantagaan and Kinatarcan); Pataba
(Paypay, Tabuelan and Bato); Cebu (Cebu,
Talisay, Alcantara and Camotes).
Jay L COntento is a recipient of the Youth Exchange
Program between the IFI and the Chuch of Sweden.
He also recently came back from a program of the US
government for youth leaders of the Southeast Asian
region.
Before 2015 ended, members of the Youth
of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente —
250 youth in the Island deanery and some
50 from the Pataba deanery’s Paypay
parish — gathered for the Youth Camp for
Social Action.
In the Youth Adventure Time, we held
a mangrove planting activity, a coastal
cleanup, planted edible gardens (a
response to food scarcity), attended
gender-sensitivity workshops and visited
local politicians for surprise interviews on
their platforms. We saw our impact.
That event was followed recently with
the Summer Youth Camp in Kinatarcan
Island, attended by 250 individuals. In
keeping with the theme — “YIFI: Called
to be salt and light. Christ be our light in
defending worker’s rights” — we not only
attended lectures but also visited fisherfolk
to ask about their hardships.
In my hometown Santa Fe, the YIFI
has been rallying support for the roadsharing agenda, which would make the
roads more accommodating to bikes and
pedestrian. We also visited homes and
other denominations to introduce the I
Vote Good campaign, a movement for
clean elections. We helped organize a
forum for local candidates to talk about
their plans.
The youth-oriented activities of the
Church should magnify the strengths
and opportunities for the YIFI, both as
Filipinistas and Filipinos. They should
spawn leaders and measure the gaps
that time made in terms of conventional
modes of worship and living out.
The youth should be made more active in
the ministry. Meanwhile, older members
must mentor instead of look down
on them. The young ones should be
enlightened, prevented from abandoning
the majestic Aglipayan faith for other
forms of theology and methods of
worship, even faithlessness. Young people
should be raised in our own spirituality —
one that acts in charity.
It does not necessarily cost much to adopt
an advocacy, to care. What it should take
is passion. Be it giving to the poor used
clothes or warm broth or teaching them
livelihood skills; or teaching kids the
basics of faith. There are many problems
to solve.
Three other keywords account for
Aglipayan theology – scripturae, scientia
and libertas. But, caritas is a good start.
Come to think of it, it connects to all three
concepts.
Charity is living like Christ. It compels
us to look at the evidence of injustice. It
disengages us from ourselves and teaches
us to look at kapwa, to liberate them from
their shackles.
I’ve been active in the Church since I
was a kid. I was sacristan when I was
in elementary. As soon as I got to high
school, I was active in the YIFI. I became
an officer of the parish and now am the
diocesan youth president.
With all the years I’ve spent to serve the
Church, and now with a better grasp of its
state, I know many worry that the future
is bleak. For me, the IFI will live on as
long as we Filipinistas know and live out
charity.
R EFL EC TI ON
Raise
the youth
in ‘caritas’
OOK at the logo of the Iglesia
Filipina Independiente and you’ll
find among the four words at the
core of the nationalistic Church a trait
that should define all humanity – caritas,
the Latin term for charity.
FEA TUR E
For Filipinistas of Paete,
alternative story is truth
T
HE CHALLENGE for
alternative communities
is the tendency for their
pronouncements to be alternative, too.
Among those tested by this issue is the
Saint James the Apostle parish in Paete,
Laguna, standing by its claim to a local
tradition there.
celebration – known locally as Urig – was
found on a water lily at the Laguna de
Bay. The IFI claims the image was found
by Ka Binoy dela Cruz, and bequeathed
in 1918 to godchild Mauricio Paelmo
(Uri) and his wife Epifania (Pane).
IFI. However, festivities ended when he
married a non-IFI member, who did not
approve of the annual event.
Every year, Ka Uri would visit his
godfather during Christmas; and once
noticed the Santo Niño hidden in a
baul. Ka Binoy told him to resume
celebrations, and after a few years
awarded the image to him.
People outside the IFI allege that Ka
Uri only stole the image from the older
The Iglesia Filipina Independiente
Roman Catholic Church there, but the
community of Paete is not about to lose
IFI community counters the claim with a
the battle for the origins of “Salibanda,”
letter from Rosario Paelmo Lantican, the Rosario brought the Child Jesus with
a unique practice where people dance to
custodian of the image now in the United them when they migrated to the United
“Paru-parong Bukid” and “Santa Clarang States.
States, bringing it to the Philippines
Pinong-Pino” while parading an image of
yearly until 2009 when traveling alone
the Child Jesus.
In a letter dated Aug. 2 last year, she said became too risky for her. Since then,
in Filipino: “The claim [that my father
they held festivities at their address in
Watchers generously pour water over the borrowed the image and never returned
California, but maintained the gathering
parading believers, the women wear red
it] is not true.”
in Paete through providing funds and
saya and white kimona.
organizing other details with their
She explained that Ka Binoy began
relatives.
According to folklore, the image of
celebrations every third Sunday of
the Santo Niño at the center of this
January for Urig with his church, the
IFI Paete stands by Rosario’s account.
Novele t a
ho nor s
Nanay Pa z
Past reveals power
of God, faith
community
T
HE ELDERS of the Noveleta
parish were all smiles one Sunday paper, dated Oct. 17 last year.
remembering the arrival 60
years ago of Nanay Paz, now an image
“I was a sacristan here,” said Ola, who
beloved to droves regardless of sect.
was 12. Some 300 followers waited
for the entourage of Nanay Paz at the
Gathered at the parish’s meeting room
Noveleta boundary in Barrio San Jose.
were some of the first, now oldest,
He and other sacristans held the ciriales
adherents of Nanay Paz in Noveleta
and processional candles for the aftertown; recalling about Nov. 13 in 1955,
lunch procession then and then served in
the Sunday when Filipinistas of Noveleta the Mass that followed.
welcomed what would be an important
figure in their worship of God.
Nanay Teresa, the narrative said, was a
Muslim royalty who ran from her family
“We welcomed Nanay Paz, Nanay Teresa when she found out she was to marry a
and about three to four jeepneys of the
person she did not love. She once went
faith healer’s followers at the boundary of to the Roman Catholic cathedral in
Noveleta,” recalled Eddie Ola, now based Antipolo and found the 17th-century
in the United States and travelling home
image of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y
yearly for festivities held in the image’s
Buenviaje, through which the Mother
honor.
told her to make a replica in Noveleta.
The Nanay Teresa he referred to was the
faith healer that decided the image should
be moved to the Noveleta church to join
the image of the Santa Cruz on the altar,
said Nanay Celia – Marcelina Santos – in
an official history released by the parish.
Santos, a native of Cavite City, was a
follower of Nanay Paz even before it
was relocated to Noveleta, explained the
That encounter so moved the Muslim
that she converted to Christianity. From
Alan Rahah Libato, she was christened
Teresa dela Paz.
To complete her task, she then asked for
donations of P3.13 for the making of the
image, then instructed some followers,
including Santos, to locate a church that
had the Santa Cruz. Nanay Paz soon
found her place at the foot of the parish
patron, also reportedly miraculous. After
Mass on Sundays, Nanay Teresa would
heal.
When the faith healer died, the two
important images to the IFI kept
aiding pleas, said Raymond Salazar.
He explained the parish has become a
destination for thousands, especially
those who have concerns relating to
travel.
Believers have different ways of
expressing thanks. Some would arrange
with the parish to clothe the image and
the Holy Cross. Others, like Ola, would
find themselves in Noveleta every time
the parish holds a fest for Nanay Paz.
Paeng Balen, now a known photographer
in Cavite province, would take photos
for church events. Others would join the
altar servers and sacristans. Perhaps the
biggest display of thanks is the Mother’s
declaration as Reina de Noveleta.
“Many might not believe these and many
more,” the historical document said in
Tagalog, “but the 60 years of Nanay
Paz with the IFI caused more intense
belief and deeper faith, not only among
Aglipayans…”

2. - IFI.PH

Transcription

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