Category: PSYCHO-SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION
Stories and ideas about being in harmony and at peace with one's Being.
As a Filipino peacebuilder shaped by the legacies of colonialism and resistance in our own land, I feel a deep kinship with the struggle of the Palestinian people. I write this especially to my fellow Filipino Christians — both Catholic and Protestant — who may have embraced Zionist interpretations of Scripture without fully considering their historical, ethical, and theological implications. The narrative that modern Israel represents the direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy has often been used to justify the displacement, oppression, and even annihilation of Palestinians. Yet emerging historical and genetic research reveals a truth that challenges this ideology: Palestinians themselves are the closest living descendants of the ancient Israelites (Finkelstein & Silberman, 2002; Atzmon et al., 2010).
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/07/palestinians-as-heirs-of-the-ancient-israelites-a-filipino-peacebuilders-reflection-on-faith-history-and-justice/
I had the honor of participating in the Mennonite Church Canada Gathering 2025, held from July 2–5 in Kitchener, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral Peoples. This national event brought together over 600 delegates and participants under the theme “Each Has a Gift.” I felt truly blessed, inspired, and energized by the spirit of communal worship, intercultural dialogue, and a shared commitment to justice and renewal. The Gathering was a vibrant space for discernment, storytelling, and relationship-building among diverse congregations and cultural communities across Canada. Each day focused on themes such as healing, justice, and belonging, creating a rhythm of spiritual depth and practical engagement. As part of the program, I presented my reflection, “Creating Spaces as Companions,” which explored the decolonization of Christian relationships through the lens of biblical koinonia and Indigenous-rooted companionship. My presentation contributed to the ongoing conversation about how the church can move from transactional partnerships to covenantal, Spirit-led companionships. I emphasized the importance of listening to Indigenous voices, honoring local contexts, and nurturing organic growth within the Body of Christ.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/07/blessed-inspired-and-energized-reflections-from-mennonite-church-canada-gathering-2025/
On 21–22 June 2025, while I’m enjoying the presence of my daughters and their families here in the Greater Vancouver Area, Canada, the world witnessed a historic and deeply alarming event: the United States launched a direct military attack on Iranian soil, striking three of its most fortified nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. For the first time in modern history, the U.S. did not just target Iranian proxies or operatives abroad; it attacked the core of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure within its borders. As a Filipino peace builder, this moment compels deep reflection. Such an escalation raises urgent questions about the fragility of international diplomacy and the thresholds that major powers are now willing to cross. It brings into sharp focus the immense human cost that could follow if global leaders abandon dialogue in favor of force. This act not only threatens regional stability in the Middle East but also reverberates globally, challenging all of us who work for peace and justice to redouble our efforts.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/06/reflecting-on-the-june-2025-u-s-strikes-against-iran-while-with-my-family-in-canada/
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.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/06/philippine-china-relations-and-the-quest-for-stability-amid-a-widening-rift/
The Bagobo-Tagabawa of Upper Catigan, Toril, Davao City, are an indigenous community rooted in rich traditions and ancestral stewardship of the Mt. Apo foothills. Despite their legal recognition under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, they continue to face encroachment from settlers, developers, and commercial interests. Their struggle is not only about land but about dignity, cultural survival, and ecological balance. As Chair and CEO of Coffee for Peace, Inc., and as President of both the Davao City and Davao Regional Coffee Councils, I have witnessed these challenges firsthand. The Bagobo-Tagabawa entrusted me with the title Bai Kasunayan, a sacred responsibility to walk with them in truth and trust. Through agroforestry initiatives and coffee social entrepreneurship, we have worked together to link their ancestral wisdom with sustainable livelihoods. This partnership demonstrates how indigenous aspirations can align with regional coffee development and climate resilience. Yet it also calls policymakers and the wider public to ensure that justice, inclusion, and ancestral land protection remain at the heart of development in Mindanao.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/05/beyond-farmers-in-a-supply-chain-the-bagobo-tagabawa-coffee-producers-of-upper-catigan/
The National Social Entrepreneurship Conference (NSEC) 2025, held on 29-30 April 2025 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, was a transformative gathering of over 500 changemakers—social entrepreneurs, government leaders, academics, grassroots advocates, and impact investors—committed to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future through social enterprise. It was spearheaded by four remarkable institutions—the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt), the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), the University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP ISSI), and the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PReSEnt) Coalition. The conference highlighted both the urgency of our nation’s social and ecological challenges and the powerful role that over 164,000 social enterprises across the country are playing in response. With its theme, “Scaling Change: Advances of Social Enterprises in Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development,” the event served not only as a platform for sharing solutions and innovations, but also as a celebration of resilience, collaboration, and our shared responsibility to center people, planet, and purpose in economic life.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/05/scaling-change-from-the-heart-my-reflections-on-the-national-entrepreneurship-conference-2025/
As an ordinary Filipino concerned about peace, justice, and our nation’s future, I am alarmed by the escalating geopolitical tensions stoked by U.S. President Donald Trump and his billionaire backers. His rhetoric and policies are dangerously provocative, designed to secure U.S. dominance at the expense of global stability. The Philippines, positioned in the Asia-Pacific, risks being dragged into wars not of our making, turning our land and people into pawns of empire. Trump’s disregard for diplomacy weakens global institutions, fuels arms races, and breeds mistrust among nations. Small sparks in places like the South China Sea or the Middle East could trigger interconnected conflicts that spiral into world war. Such a catastrophe would devastate Filipino families, wasting resources meant for education, health, and development. We must resist militarism and demand leaders who value life, dignity, and genuine peace for our children’s future.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/04/manufactured-global-conflicts-trump-weakens-international-institutions/
This Easter Sunday, I walk slowly, reflectively. I carry in my heart not just the memory of an empty tomb, but the weight of what that empty tomb demands of me. The Risen Christ comes to me, as he did to his first disciples, and says, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). These words are not merely to soothe; they are a revolutionary summons—to receive, embody, and proclaim the salaam-shalom of God in a world torn by violence, inequality, and despair. The peace of Jesus is not sentimental. It is subversive. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” he says (John 20:21). The Father sent him into the heart of empire, injustice, and religious corruption. Jesus responded not with the sword, but with humility, suffering love, and bold truth-telling—even unto death. And when he rose, he did not return with vengeance but with peace. “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!” (Luke 24:39).
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/04/resurrection-sunday-contemplative-walk-a-revolutionary-call-to-the-peace-of-christ/
Jesus offers a compelling image of transformation: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:20-33). These words, spoken on the road to the cross, carry a deep truth about how real change—whether in our lives or in our society—often requires loss, death, and letting go. This reflection takes on deeper urgency in the light of recent events: the arrest and ongoing trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. For many, this is a long-awaited moment of justice; for others, it is a painful disruption to a deeply held loyalty. Regardless of where we stand politically, we who follow the Way of Jesus are called not to blind allegiance but to walk in the light of truth, justice, and righteousness. Today, the Gospel challenges us as Filipinos: What must die in us for new life to rise? What does the path of the grain of wheat look like for our nation in this historic moment?
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/03/the-seed-that-regenerates-and-transforms-a-lenten-reflection-on-justice-leadership-and-national-renewal/
As I read today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer headline, “From ‘Tokhang’ to The Hague: Duterte handed over to ICC,” I found myself pausing—not out of surprise, but in solemn reflection. This is a momentous day for our nation. The arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) signifies more than just a legal milestone. It marks a profound shift in our collective conscience—from a time when extrajudicial killings became normalized under a brutal “war on drugs,” to a moment of reckoning before an international tribunal. It is the beginning of an accounting long delayed, yet urgently needed. As a justice-based peacebuilding worker and a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, I do not see this event merely through the lens of legality. I see it as a moral and ethical crossroads for the Filipino people. This is a test of our commitment to truth, justice, and accountability—not only for the powerless, but now, remarkably, for the once-powerful.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/03/former-president-rodrigo-duterte-is-arrested-and-transferred-to-icc/
Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to promote gender justice and economic empowerment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with Bangsamoro women playing a crucial role in peacebuilding and development. Oxfam and The Asia Foundation (TAF), supported by the Australian Government, have implemented programs that provide marginalized women with training, mentorship, and access to financial resources to help them thrive as entrepreneurs. These initiatives culminated in the Bangsamoro WEE Learning Exchange in 17-19 February 2025, which highlighted policy support, Islamic Finance, and inclusive growth strategies. As a panelist at this event, I shared insights from my work with Coffee for Peace, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of inclusive economic growth as a path to lasting peace in the region.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/02/building-peace-through-economic-empowerment-the-role-of-bangsamoro-women/
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.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/01/emil-jonathan-soriano-is-the-new-chairman-of-the-pbci-board-of-trustees/
