Category: OFFICIAL PBCI STATEMENTS

JOSEPH ASTROPHEL “KA BOYET” IS PBCI EVP FOR ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Joseph Astrophel “Ka Boyet” Ongkiko as its new Executive Vice President for Organizational and Program Development. Mr. Ongkiko assumed his new position on 01 May 2023. His duties will involve developing and sustaining the organizational structure; expanding the stakeholder base; seeking partnerships with other organizations; keeping abreast of the latest developments in peacebuilding; leading periodic reviews of institutional strategic plans; developing inclusive programs for the coconut industry; and, institutionalizing a school of inclusive development. Ka Boyet will also be responsible for revenue generation, through the social entrepreneurial programs of PBCI, towards the sustainability and regeneration of activities under his areas of responsibility.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/05/joseph-astrophel-ka-boyet-is-pbci-evp-for-organizational-and-program-development/

PBCI SHARED JUSTICE AND PEACE CONCERNS OF CIVILIANS AT THE ARMY’S 10TH INFANTRY DIVISION

As part of our inclusive approach in peacebuilding, I and one of my Field Operations staff members, Arafat ‘Toto’ Balono, participated in a military-organized conversation on counterinsurgency, peace, and development in Davao Region. It was held last 24 January 2023, 0830-1300PHT, at the headquarters of the 10th Infantry Division (10ID) of the Philippine Army, Datu Balunto Hall, Camp General Manuel T Yan Sr., Barangay Tuboran, Municipality of Mawab, Province of Davao de Oro. We listened to the military reports and conversation between civil society leaders and Philippine Army officers. When given the chance, I shared our perspective on justice-based peacebuilding beyond the box of the counterinsurgency campaign of the military.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/01/pbci-shared-justice-and-peace-concerns-of-civilians-at-the-armys-10th-infantry-division/

THE SPIRIT OF MAGBABAYA WAS THERE DURING THE TALAANDIG DAY FESTIVITIES

“The Spirit of the Creator was there!” That was the constant existential feeling I had while participating at the Talaandig Day Celebration. It was held last 14 October 2022 in their ancestral territory at the foot of Mt. Kitanglad. That day of festivities was actually the final event of a whole week of rituals and celebrations. It was indeed a day when, from the perspective of our team at PBCI and CFP, we participated in activities that harmonizes us with the Creator, with our being, with others, and with the creation. Our team also accompanied the traditional leaders of the Bagobo Tagabawa Tribe to meet the traditional leaders of the Talaandig Tribe, praying and hoping that the two Indigenous communities become partners in inclusive development.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2022/10/the-spirit-of-magbabaya-was-there-during-the-talaandig-day-festivities/

LOOKING BACK TO 2021 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022 THROUGH THE LENSES OF OUR VISION 

We are still focused on our vision. The vision is that, by 31 December 2030, each of our provinces will have a circle of leaders called Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Communities. They would serve as radical, peaceful transformation volunteers in their respective families, spiritual communities, neighborhoods, barangays, cities, or municipalities. The PAR Communities would also get involved in sustainable and regenerative programs that are indigenous to their specific context.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2022/01/looking-back-to-2021-and-looking-forward-to-2022-through-the-lenses-of-our-vision/

A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS ARE EQUIPPED TO SPEARHEAD PAR MOVEMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

We are now in a three-year transition process to give way to the next generation of leaders in this Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) vision and mission  for which we’ve been sent as missionaries in 2006. This PAR Movement is now being carried by three ‘organizational vehicles’ — PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), Coffee for Peace (CFP) and ProducePeace+ (PP+). The young leaders heading these social enterprises — Tala Alngag Bautista, Sihaya Ansibod, and Bennette Grace Mañulit — are beginning to organize themselves to run a sustainable and regenerative PAR Movement.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/11/a-younger-set-of-committed-leaders-are-being-equipped-to-spearhead-pbci-cfp-in-the-next-decades/

PEACE AND RECONCILIATION THROUGH INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Like eagles with renewed wings in our 60s, we feel re-energized as we were signing up for a new three-year term as church-based peacebuilding workers. We did a content analysis of our current work as partners in this ministry, as married couple, and as fellow professionals in our respective fields. The dominant terms that floated were Peace and Reconciliation, Inclusive Development, and Social Entrepreneurship. Once more, we’re able to define and to clarify the basic concepts and activities involved in our Covenant of Service (2021-2024) with Mennonite Church Canada Witness. We are grateful for this blessing and are excited to be entrusted with an exciting set of field responsibilities.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/05/peace-and-reconciliation-through-inclusive-development-and-social-entrepreneurship/

FOR US, THE ADVENT EXPRESSES OUR JOURNEY IN CHRIST-CENTERED PEACEBUILDING

We join the Christians around the world in celebrating the Advent or Coming of Jesus. During the four Sundays preceding Christmas, we lit the candles on our Advent wreath. Hope. Love. Joy. Peace. Then on Christmas Day, we lit the Christ candle. For us, this progressive lighting of candles symbolizes our journey in Christ-centered peacebuilding. This expresses our sense of expectation. This is our witness and a declaration of the coming of the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ!

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/12/for-us-the-advent-expresses-our-journey-in-christ-centered-peacebuilding/

SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH IMPACT INVESTMENT, INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

There is a need to sustain strategic peacebuilding through impact investment. Such investments support social entrepreneurial endeavors that lead towards regenerative and inclusive development. This is how Coffee for Peace (CFP) and PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) operate in synergy.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/02/peacebuilding-sustainability-through-impact-investment-inclusive-development-and-social-entrepreneurship/

IP COMMUNITIES WELCOME CANADIAN INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

08-17 January 2020. Three Indigenous Communities in Mindanao welcomed the visit of 12 Canadians from Southern Ontario. This is part of PBCI-CFP Inclusive Development Team’s initiative to facilitate the connection between the coffee farming communities and prospective impact investors and market representatives. This relationship-building and social entrepreneurial partnership is based on justice, peace, and reconciliation.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/01/ip-communities-welcome-canadian-inclusive-development-partners/

PBCI-CFP INCLUDEV CONSULTANT PARTICIPATES IN FOSTERING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN BARMM

Last 15-17 August 2019, our Ina, Joji ‘Lakambini’ Pantoja, represented the Inclusive Development Team of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee for Peace (CFP) at a social enterprise policy forum held at the Office of the Chief Minister, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Cotabato City. Ina made a presentation before key members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), other social enterprise practitioners, and academicians.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2019/08/pbci-cfp-includev-consultant-participates-in-fostering-social-enterprise-in-barmm/

PLEASE RESPECT THIRD WAY BRIDGE-BUILDERS IN OUR DIVIDED SOCIETIES

Third Way communities are usually called to be mediators and must be faithful to provide a safe space and a neutral team of facilitators for both sides of the parties-in-conflict to engage in authentic dialogue. Please do not shoot the bridge-builders! Please respect the calling of the bridge-building Third Way communities.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2019/07/please-respect-third-way-bridge-builders-in-our-divided-societies/

RESPONDING TO EO 70 WITH OUR IMAGINATION OF ‘INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE PEACE’

Executive Order 70 will surely affect our active, nonviolent field operations as Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) workers. EO 70 uses novel terminologies such as ‘whole-of-nation approach,’ ‘inclusive and sustainable peace,’ ‘end local armed conflict,’ and ‘national peace framework.’ And yet Martial Law in Mindanao continues. How do we proceed with our work in the context of an increasingly militarizing PAR mission field?

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2018/12/responding-to-eo-70-with-our-imagination-of-inclusive-and-sustainable-peace/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

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