Author's posts
The Philippines celebrates Christmas this year amid overlapping spiritual-ethical, psychological-physical, socio-political, and economic-ecological crises that challenge families across the nation. Many experience deep moral fatigue and despair, yet bayanihan (communal sharing or koinonia) and community compassion continue to spark ethical renewal. Rising living costs, despite easing inflation, create physical and psychological strain, but shared meals and local celebrations help restore resilience. Political distrust grows due to corruption and inequality, even as more citizens demand transparency and engage in grassroots solidarity. Economic indicators show mixed progress, with declining poverty overall but persistent vulnerabilities, especially in rural and climate-impacted communities. Still, generosity through remittances, donations, and community aid becomes a grassroots safety net for struggling households. Amid hardship, Christmas emerges as a season of quiet transformation — affirming dignity, hope, and the resilient Filipino spirit.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/12/were-celebrating-christmas-in-the-context-of-current-philippine-realities/
This article, sent today by our Board Chair Emil Jonathan Soriano to Bishop Noel A. Pantoja, critically examines the participation of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) in the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). While the task force promotes a “whole-of-nation approach” to peace and development, its record of red-tagging and militarized posture has made it a controversial institution within the peacebuilding community. Drawing from field-based perspectives of peace practitioners, civil society critiques, and academic literature on faith-based peacebuilding, this essay analyzes the opportunities and risks inherent in PCEC’s engagement with NTF-ELCAC. The paper argues that while PCEC’s involvement presents a possibility for moral oversight and community engagement, it also carries the dangers of co-optation, erosion of prophetic distance, and complicity in harmful state practices. The analysis concludes by proposing conditions under which faith actors may engage state programs while safeguarding ethical commitments to human rights and civilian protection.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/12/church-state-and-counterinsurgency-a-critical-peacebuilding-analysis-of-pcecs-participation-in-ntf-elcac/
Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, struck the Philippines in early November 2025, leaving a trail of destruction across the Visayas islands and affecting communities nationwide. Its sustained winds of up to 165 km/h and prolonged rainfall caused flooding, road disruptions, and displacement for hundreds of thousands of residents. While Mindanao experienced only minor flooding, the Cordillera highlands and the National Capital Region faced localized landslides and urban congestion. Our PBCI–CFP network, spanning Mindanao, Visayas, Cordillera, and NCR, monitored impacts on both our partner communities and the general population. In the Visayas, farmer-partners and cooperatives suffered crop damage, flooded homes, and operational disruptions. The typhoon exposed systemic governance weaknesses, including unfinished flood-control projects, highlighting the deadly consequences of corruption. Despite these challenges, our teams successfully coordinated relief, maintained communications, and supported affected partners. The experience reinforced our commitment to disaster-resilient, climate-conscious, and integrity-driven peacebuilding across the Philippines.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/11/reflective-notes-on-typhoon-kalmaegi-tino-lessons-on-strength-vulnerability-and-integrity/
The Bangsamoro peace process stands again at a crossroad. The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), envisioned as a key milestone in the democratic transition from armed struggle to self-governance, have been postponed—again. What was once scheduled for May 2022, later moved to October 13, 2025, is now uncertain after the Supreme Court’s latest rulings on the constitutional validity of Bangsamoro districting laws and the exclusion of Sulu province from BARMM. As peacebuilders, we must not only analyze these legal and political developments; we must also discern their ethical and social implications. The question before us is this: What does it mean for justice and peace when democracy itself is delayed?
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/10/when-democratic-transition-waits-barmm-election-postponement-and-justice-based-peacebuilding/
On 13 September 2025, Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) convened a timely forum entitled “The Hidden War: Information as the New Battleground in the Philippines” at the Calungsod–San Vitores Jesuit–Lay Collaboration Center. In partnership with the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), the event brought together academics, students, civil society representatives, and security sector leaders to examine the weaponization of information and the spread of disinformation. The forum underscored that false narratives are not mere online irritants but potent tools that shape political decisions, deepen social divisions, and endanger lives. Veteran journalist and AdDU Trustee, Ms. Jamela Alindogan, delivered the keynote address, offering sharp insights drawn from decades of frontline reporting. She emphasized the moral responsibility of journalists, peacebuilders, and educators to defend truth as a cornerstone of justice and peace. Her reflections also exposed the vulnerability of local communities who are deliberately targeted by disinformation to weaken their voices and distort their realities. The forum served as a vital space for critical reflection and collaborative strategizing to protect information integrity in Philippine society.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/10/standing-for-truth-in-the-hidden-war-of-disinformation-a-new-peacebuilding-struggle-in-our-world/
The Philippines and the United States carried out their 7th joint maritime sail on Wednesday, 04 June 2025, in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), with the announcement released on Thursday, 05 June 2025 (Reuters, 2025). This development places the Philippines at a volatile crossroads as maritime disputes with China escalate. The recent drills — the seventh such exercise in 2025 — highlight Manila’s deepening alignment with Washington amid Beijing’s growing assertiveness (Reuters, 2025). These operations go beyond naval maneuvers; they signal a broader geopolitical recalibration, reflecting Manila’s determination to defend its sovereignty while heightening reliance on foreign partners. The intensifying standoff raises pressing questions about the Philippines’ foreign policy trajectory, its economic resilience, and the prospects for peace across the Indo-Pacific.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/06/philippine-china-relations-and-the-quest-for-stability-amid-a-widening-rift/
Upi, Maguindanao Del Norte – As a long-term advocate for justice and reconciliation in Mindanao, PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) joins the Indigenous Peoples (IP) of Bangsamoro in celebrating the historic passage of the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 by the Bangsamoro Parliament on 10 December 2024. This landmark legislation strengthens the rights, recognition, and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), marking a major step forward for peace and inclusivity in the region. For decades, PBCI has walked alongside Indigenous communities in Mindanao, advocating for their land rights, self-determination, and cultural preservation. The Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 provides a long-overdue legal framework that formalizes these rights, ensuring mechanisms for ancestral domain recognition, cultural preservation, access to government resources, and active participation in governance.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/02/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
A pioneering agroforestry initiative is set to take root in the ancestral lands of the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Barangay Binaton, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Spearheaded by PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), Coffee for Peace (CFP), and the Indigenous Ancestral Domain Association (IADA), this project seeks to rehabilitate deforested lands in the foothills of Mt. Apo while fostering sustainable livelihoods for indigenous farmers. The initiative will commence with a 2-hectare demonstration farm, serving as a model for best practices in agroforestry. This initial phase will allow farmers to refine cultivation techniques, integrate traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific approaches, and assess the economic viability of the project before scaling up operations. The long-term goal of this initiative is to expand up to 32 hectares, contingent on funding availability. This ambitious expansion plan underscores the project’s commitment to widespread environmental restoration and economic empowerment.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/01/bagobo-tagabawa-farmers-and-pbci-cfp-team-launch-agro-forestry-project-in-mt-apo-together/
PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) is proud to announce the election of Emil Jonathan Soriano as Chairman of its Board of Trustees. His appointment marks a pivotal moment in the organization’s ongoing mission to promote justice, reconciliation, and sustainable peace across the Philippines. With over a decade of partnership with PBCI and its co-founders, Rev. Dann “Lakan” Pantoja and Joji “Bai Kasunayan” Pantoja, Pastor Jon Soriano brings leadership that is both deeply aligned with PBCI’s core values and forward-looking in its approach to peacebuilding. “I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to learn and grow in my journey of peacebuilding,” Pastor Jon shared, expressing his gratitude and confidence in this new role. PBCI looks forward to collaborating under Pastor Soriano’s leadership as it embarks on the next chapter of innovative and inclusive peacebuilding efforts.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/01/emil-jonathan-soriano-is-the-new-chairman-of-the-pbci-board-of-trustees/
The staff and leaders of Coffee for Peace, Inc., along with Kapeyapaan Coffee Roasting Services, Malipayon Post-Harvest Processing Services, IncluDev Learning Initiatives, and Produce Peace+, gathered on December 15-16, 2024, for a Christmas celebration and year-end evaluation at a beach resort in Samal Island, Davao del Sur. The event featured lively parlor games, swimming, and team-building activities that emphasized trust, communication, and shared purpose. These activities fostered joy, camaraderie, and collaboration among the 35 participants. The gathering also included a reflective session where the group reviewed their accomplishments and challenges for 2024, exchanging insights to guide their work for 2025. Concluding with a shared meal and expressions of gratitude, the event celebrated the festive season while reaffirming the participants’ commitment to fostering peace and sustainable development through innovative solutions and community engagement.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/12/team-bonding-and-reflection-highlight-peace-hub-familys-holiday-celebration/
At PBCI, we join our peacebuilding colleagues in calling on the National Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to accelerate the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), with a particular focus on the Annex on Normalization, while ensuring inclusivity for marginalized groups such as women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples. Our call stresses the importance of unity among the Bangsamoro people, rejecting divisive initiatives, and urges a clearer process and understanding on Sulu’s historical and political relationship with BARMM. PBCI also emphasizes the need for prompt resolution of election-related petitions to avoid undermining self-determination and calls for strengthened protections for vulnerable communities and ancestral domains. Lastly, it appeals for collective solidarity to hold leaders accountable and advance peacebuilding efforts that promote justice and inclusivity.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/12/a-call-on-the-gph-and-the-milf-to-move-with-greater-urgency-in-completing-the-implementation-of-the-cab/
On the afternoon of 16 November 2024, the Malipayon Peace Hub in Managa, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, became the vibrant venue for PeaceBuilders Community, Inc.’s (PBCI) First Annual General Meeting. The hybrid event—combining onsite and online participation—brought together 42 attendees, including field volunteers from across the Philippines, from Canada, from among PBCI and Coffee for Peace (CFP) staff, partners, impact investors, friends, and online followers. This diverse gathering marked a milestone in the organization’s journey, fostering a collaborative spirit to shape its strategic direction. Emil Jonathan Soriano (PBCI Board Chair) and Joseph “Ka Boyet” Ongkiko (PBCI’s Executive Vice President for Institutional and Program Development) led the meeting with a balance of warmth and clarity, ensuring both onsite’ and online participants were fully engaged. The three-hour session was structured yet dynamic, creating space for individual reflection, group collaboration, and collective decision-making.
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/11/first-pbci-annual-general-meeting-generates-strategic-plan/
