Tag: Peace and Reconciliation
Today, 30 November 2025, thousands of Filipinos rallied across Manila and throughout the country against corruption in flood-control projects, with left-wing activists, faith-based groups, youth, and community organizations raising diverse demands. While each group highlighted legitimate concerns, their separate messages created fragmentation that limited the collective impact of the mobilization. From my perspective as a peacebuilder, corruption affects all sectors, so resistance must be multi-sectoral, integrating diverse voices around shared values of justice, dignity, and transparency. I propose People’s Assemblies, Community Action Hubs, regular Solidarity Convergences, and a diversity-of-tactics approach to unite differing strategies toward sustained civic transformation. Ultimately, this multi-sectoral unity can turn indignation into meaningful action that restores integrity, protects human dignity, and fosters long-term social change in the Philippines.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/11/reclaiming-moral-political-solidarity-my-take-on-todays-anti-corruption-rallies-in-the-country/
There are moments in global politics when a small spark of hope shines through the heavy fog of rivalry. The recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, felt like one of those moments to me. On October 30, 2025, the two leaders met face-to-face for the first time since 2019—this time amid the strains of economic sanctions, trade wars, and intensifying competition across Asia (ABC News, 2025; Reuters, 2025). Held during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2025, their nearly two-hour conversation seemed to ease some of the bitterness that has long defined U.S.–China relations. Reports from Reuters and The Guardian confirmed that both sides agreed to reduce damaging trade barriers and reopen cooperation in key sectors like agriculture and critical minerals.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/11/xi-jinping-donald-trump-meeting-in-busan-hopeful-lessons-for-the-philippines/
The moral, social, and ecological wounds of our nation converge into one urgent call for healing. As I reflect on the Philippines through the eyes of a peacebuilder journeying with Indigenous Peoples, I see that corruption, inequality, environmental destruction, and human rights violations are not isolated crises but symptoms of a deeper moral fracture. Justice cannot thrive where integrity is absent, and peace cannot flourish where truth is silenced. From the misuse of public funds to the hunger of our farmers and the cry of the Earth itself, we face the consequences of greed and neglect. Yet amid this pain, I also witness signs of renewal — communities demanding transparency, young people organizing for justice, and faith leaders reclaiming their prophetic voice. The healing of our nation must be integral — moral, economic, ecological, and spiritual — rooted in integrity, compassion, and the collective pursuit of peace through justice.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/10/justice-integrity-and-the-healing-of-our-nation-looking-at-crises-as-a-whole/
04-06 August 2024 — Doug Klassen’s visit to Mindanao was, at its heart, a journey of companionship. As Executive Minister of Mennonite Church Canada (MCCanada), Doug came not merely to see projects or attend meetings, but to walk alongside us—listening, learning, and sharing in the life of our community. For three days, we moved together through the varied landscapes of Mindanao, carrying conversations that deepened our bond as companions in peacebuilding. On the first day, he shared breakfast with CFP staff and baristas, lunch with PBCI staff, held an afternoon meeting with Bennette Grace Tenecio-Mañulit, and concluded the day with dinner alongside the Mindanao PeaceWeavers’ leadership. The second day took us to Camp Darapanan for a meeting with senior Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) representatives, followed by lunch in Cotabato City with Datu Haron Al-Rasheed Baraguir. On the third day, we traveled to the Malipayon Peace Hub (MPH) where Doug had breakfast with MPH staff before returning to Davao City for a lunch meeting with the PBCI Board of Trustees. The visit concluded with a reflective meeting between Doug, Joji, and me.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/08/deepening-companionship-doug-klassen-visits-pbci-cfp-fields-in-mindanao/
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/
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/
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/
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.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/02/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
