PBCI InfoComm Team

The PBCI Information & Communications Team is a group of volunteer writers, applied communications specialists, and web designers serving with PeaceBuilders Community Incorporated (PBCI) who are working from different parts of the globe. PBCI is a community of missionaries who are dreaming and working together for a just, radical, and active non-violent transformation of our beautiful land.

Most commented posts

  1. NORTHERN MINDANAO LEADERS INITIATE PAR MINISTRY — 6 comments
  2. PBCI SUPPORTS GPH-NDFP PEACE TALKS — 4 comments
  3. ROSABEL NAROMAL LEADS IN WRITING OUR PAPER ON MINING — 4 comments
  4. THE 2013 ZAMBOANGA CRISIS: A CASE OF ‘SHOCK DOCTRINE’ APPLICATION? — 3 comments
  5. COTABATO CITY CHRISTIAN LEADERS WELCOME PAR MINISTRY — 2 comments

Author's posts

WE, THE PBCI-CFP TEAM, REAFFIRMED OUR SOLIDARITY WITH THE TALAANDIG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Every year in October, the Talaandig people of the Philippines come together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage, identity, and resilience through the Annual Talaandig Day. This special day honors the history, traditions, and values of the Talaandig, an indigenous group living primarily in Bukidnon, a province in the heart of Mindanao. The celebration serves as a reminder of their ongoing struggle to preserve their ancestral lands, culture, and ways of life in a rapidly modernizing world. The Talaandig tribal leadership invited our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP) to celebrate with them and to express our solidarity as one of the guest speakers during the program. Here’s our reflection of that day, 14 October 2024.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/10/we-the-pbci-cfp-team-reaffirmed-our-solidarity-with-the-talaandig-indigenous-people/

REGION 11 FARMERS EMPOWERED, COFFEE STANDARDS ELEVATED AT THE DAVAO REGIONAL COFFEE EXPO 2024

21-22 September 2024, Davao City, Philippines. The Davao Regional Coffee Expo 2024 (DRCE24) welcomed local coffee farmers, industry leaders, and enthusiasts, marking a pivotal moment in Region 11’s rise as one of the Philippines’ top Arabica coffee producers. Organized by the Davao Regional Coffee Council, the expo, held in the heart of Davao City, brought together key players in the coffee sector to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and strategize on improving the quality and competitiveness of the region’s coffee products. In her opening remarks, Ms. Felicitas “Joji” Pantoja, President of the Davao Regional Coffee Council and Chair & President of Coffee for Peace, Inc., emphasized the vital role coffee plays in the local economy. She called for continued efforts to elevate production standards, aligning them with global demand.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/09/region-11-farmers-empowered-coffee-standards-elevated-at-the-davao-regional-coffee-expo-2024/

COFFEE FOR PEACE ACCEPTS GRADUATING SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS FROM ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY AS INTERNS

The Department of Sociology and Developmental Studies at Ateneo de Davao University has extended an invitation for us to collaborate as a partner in their Sociology Practicum Program. This program is designed to enrich students’ understanding of the social world by offering them hands-on experience through work with real communities, organizations, or institutions. The Sociology Practicum Program bridges academic learning with structured, supervised work experience, allowing students to apply classroom theories and principles in real-world settings. Through this integration, students are not only trained in the practical use of research and project management but are also guided in developing problem-solving skills rooted in sociological concepts.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/07/coffee-for-peace-accepts-graduating-sociology-students-from-ateneo-de-davao-university-as-interns/

NOTES AND REFLECTIONS ON HON. MOHAGHER IQBAL’S 2024 STATUS REPORT ON THE COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT ON THE BANGSAMORO

Last 27 March 2024, our team participated in the Commemoration of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. CAB is a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), aimed at ending decades of conflict in the Bangsamoro region. The commemoration prompted us to think differ about CAB. How was it implemented in the past 10 years? What were its accomplishments, gaps, and challenges? In the intricate landscape of peace negotiations and conflict resolution, the journey towards stability is often marked by milestones and challenges alike. Honorable Mohagher Iqbal’s 2024 Status Report on the CAB encapsulates this nuanced narrative, delineating the accomplishments, gaps, and challenges in the implementation process. Here are our notes and reflections on what we’ve heard.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/03/notes-and-reflections-on-hon-mohagher-iqbals-2024-status-report-on-the-comprehensive-agreement-on-the-bangsamoro/

MILF RECOGNIZES PBCI FOR OUR “UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE BANGSAMORO PEACE PROCESS”

This afternoon, 27 March 2024, our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) participated in the 10th Year Commemoration of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at Camp Darapanan, the Administrative Offices of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF presented a Plaque of Appreciation to PBCI in recognition of our “unwavering support to the Bangsamoro Peace Process” and for our “tireless efforts to promote peace and development in Mindanao.” Our President & CEO, L. Daniel ‘Lakan’ Pantoja, received the plaque on behalf of our community. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) is a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), aimed at ending decades of conflict in the Bangsamoro region.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/03/milf-recognizes-pbci-for-our-unwavering-support-to-the-bangsamoro-peace-process/

JOJI SPEAKS AT THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES TO PROMOTE SENATE BILL 782, ALSO KNOWN AS “THE PRESENT BILL”

In a landmark move towards combating poverty and fostering inclusive growth, the submission of Senate Bill 782 or the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) program marks a significant milestone. “The essence of the PRESENT bill,” Joji Pantoja explains, “lies in its commitment to empower communities through social entrepreneurship.” By recognizing the impoverished not merely as recipients of aid but as active participants in the economic landscape, the program aims to create sustainable solutions to systemic issues. Ms Pantoja was invited to the Philippines Senate to share the vision of collaborative progress, where communities are equipped with the tools and resources to uplift themselves. “Through the PRESENT Program,” Joji adds, “we embark on a journey towards a more equitable and prosperous future… let us embrace the power of social entrepreneurship to transform lives and build thriving communities.”

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/03/joji-speaks-at-the-senate-of-the-philippines-to-promote-senate-bill-782-also-known-as-the-present-bill/

JOJI PANTOJA SEES HER VISION OF MULTIPLYING ETHICS-ORIENTED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH PAR FRAMEWORK

The Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) recently hosted a Conference on Social Ethics and Entrepreneurship, featuring Joji Pantoja, President & CEO of Coffee for Peace (CFP), as the keynote speaker at the plenary session held on 20 February 2014. Joji’s presentation centered around the peacebuilding framework of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) that emphasizes achieving harmony across various aspects of life and transformation: harmony with the Creator (spiritual-ethical transformation); harmony with our being (psycho-social transformation); harmony with others (socio-political transformation); and, harmony with the creation (economic-ecological transformation). Joji also delved deeper into how human dignity, environmental responsibility, and good governance contribute to her vision of multiplying ethical social entrepreneurs.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/02/joji-pantoja-sees-her-vision-of-multiplying-ethics-oriented-social-entrepreneurs-through-par-framework/

WE PARTICIPATED IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE 22ND FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY OF THE MINDANAO PEOPLES’ CAUCUS

09-11 February 2024, Cotabato City.  A gathering of Civil Society Organization leaders who compose the Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) marked the commemoration of the organization’s 22nd Founding Anniversary. The event also served as a poignant reminder of MPC’s transformative role within Mindanao’s social fabric. We have had the privilege of being part of MPC since 2006, and it’s been an incredibly transformative experience for us. Through our involvement with MPC, we’ve witnessed firsthand the power of dialogue and collaboration in fostering peace and understanding among diverse communities in Mindanao. Together, we’ve participated in forums, engaged in discussions, and worked towards common goals of social justice and reconciliation. MPC has provided us with a platform to contribute to positive change in our region, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a vital movement for peace and development.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/02/we-celebrated-the-22nd-founding-anniversary-of-the-mindanao-peoples-caucus/

TOP SIX COFFEE PRODUCERS FROM LANAO DEL SUR RECEIVE ADVANCED ‘FARMERPRENEURIAL’ TRAINING

30-31 January 2024. Our CFP-PBCI Inclusive Development (IncluDev) Team hosted the most productive farmers from Lanao del Sur for Coffee Farmer-Entrepreneurial Training. In the morning of the first day, they were brought to the Davao Peace Hub to enhance their skills in practicing and sharing Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Principles; they also had coffee roasting and packaging workshop there. In the afternoon, they were welcomed to the Coffee for Peace Cafe to learn about coffee tasting and aroma appreciation. On the morning of the second day, our staff at the Malipayon Peace Hub facilitated a workshop on post-harvest processing skills; they also presented the coffee beans they brought from their farms which were evaluated by seasoned coffee entrepreneurs.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/01/top-six-coffee-producers-from-lanao-del-sur-receive-advanced-farmerpreneurial-training/

ALONG WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, WE WELCOME THE RESUMPTION OF THE NDF-GPH PEACE TALKS

We, at PeaceBuilders Community, join our colleagues in expressing our support and appreciation to both the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in resuming the Peace Talks as communicated in the Oslo Joint Statement signed last 23 November 2023. Our perspective from the ground compels us to amplify the voices of the people with whom we’ve been working. We pray that both GRP and NDFP would focus on resolving the root of armed conflict — that is, the persisting landlessness of the farmers, widespread poverty, depressed wages of workers, and the lack of local, inclusive, industrial development. We are listening to the fresh perspective of the GRP and to the clarifying focus of the NDFP as they both approach the negotiating table. May the God of justice and peace sustain and bless this resumption of peace talks.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/01/along-with-our-colleagues-we-welcome-the-resumption-of-the-ndf-gph-peace-talks/

CHRISTIAN ZIONISM IS COMPLICIT IN THE 75-YEAR OPPRESSIVE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

Christian Zionism is a war-mongering theology which was originally taught to early Filipino converts by fundamentalist American missionaries who, wittingly or unwittingly, were supportive of the colonial interests of their imperialist country, the United States of America. This ideology, wrapped in war-oriented American geopolitics, is still perpetuated among many fundamentalist and conservative evangelical churches in the Philippines. I pray that Filipinos would be healed from this blindness and see what Israel really is — an illegal occupation force in Palestine, oppressing the Palestinians for the past 75 years.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/10/christian-zionism-is-complicit-in-the-75-year-oppressive-israeli-occupation-of-palestine-2/

THE ‘MALIPAYON PEACE HUB’ CONSTRUCTION IS ON TARGET AND WITHIN BUDGET

Last Wednesday, 05 October, our team visited the Malipayon Peace Hub construction site for an exciting update! The owner of the 3A Modular PreFab, the company entrusted with this project, joined us to provide a comprehensive technical overview of the construction’s current status. We are thrilled to report that the progress is right on target and is comfortably staying within the allocated budget. This inspiring journey of building a hub dedicated to justice-based peacebuilding and reconciliation is progressing smoothly, thanks to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved, especially our impact partners.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/10/the-malipayon-peace-hub-construction-is-on-target-and-within-budget/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.