Category: Announcements

Day of Mourning and Solidarity with the People of Negros

August 20, 2019

Dear Friends,

Greetings of peace and justice!

In response to the alarming surge of killings in Negros Island, which has already claimed the lives of 87 unarmed civilians in the last two years, we would like to invite you to a solidarity action for peace and justice on August 20, from 3:30-6pm at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.

We are expecting a range of participants from the religious sector, youth and students, farmers groups, human rights advocates and other concerned citizens. The program will include speeches, cultural performances and other expressions of solidarity for the people of Negros, especially the victims’ families and communities.

Prior to the solidarity action, you may also attend a Holy Mass for the intention of the victims of human rights violations in Negros at the Sta. Cruz Church in Manila from 2-3pm. This will be followed by a short march to Liwasang Bonifacio.

For inquiries and to confirm your attendance, please contact Ms. Gel Marcelino at 09475891578

Thank you very much.

August 6, 2019

To: ALL LAIKO AFFILIATE ARCH/DIOCESAN COUNCILS OF THE LAITY AND NATIONAL LAY ORGANIZATIONS

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The peace and love of the Lord be with you!

For our 21st National Biennial Convention on October 25-27, 2019, we are pleased to inform you that we will be having a Souvenir Program. Its content will include the profile of all Affiliated National Lay Organizations and Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity.

In line with this, we are requesting each affiliate organization to have your write-up printed in one (1) page (letter size -8 1⁄2 x 11). For this we are requesting for a contribution of Two Thousand Pesos (P2, 000) to support the printing of the souvenir program. The deadline for the submission of the foregoing is on or before September 20, 2019.

We are also appealing to everyone to help us in securing advertisers and sponsors.

We look forward to your favorable response.

Sincerely in the service of the Lord,

August 13, 2019

Dear friends,

Greetings of Peace!

The University Student Council (USC) stands as the highest representative institution of students of the University of the Philippines Diliman. The USC represents the students within and outside the university and has a proud and historic tradition of active involvement in the struggle to defend the rights and interests of the students and the Filipino people.

With the increasing number of deaths in Negros Island due to political killings and economic crises, several mass demonstrations and movements are now launched within the country to face the threat of absolute martial rule in the region. Our history has shown us the horrors and atrocities brought up by the rule of authoritarian regimes and we cannot let this happen again.

In pursuit of launching awareness campaigns in surfacing social realities, the UP Diliman University Student Council, in partnership with Defend Negros Network and Anakbayan UP Diliman, will be holding a forum showcasing the stories of rampant political extrajudicial killings and conditions in Negros Island on August 16, 1:00 – 5 :00 PM at the Melchor Hall Theatre, College of Engineering. Families of the victims along with representatives from different organizations will be sharing their experiences. Moreover, student reactors are invited to the event in order to express solidarity with the campaign. With this, we are inviting you to join the forum to be one with the people of Negros in these darkening times and call for the halt on the killings.

We are looking forward to your response as we continue to spread awareness and mobilize for this cause. Should you have any questions or negotiations with regards to the packages, you may contact us at 0935 301 1419 / 0998 468 1974 or email us at peopstrug.updusc1920@gmail.com. Thank you so much.

Good day PMPI partners and friends!

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) would like to invite you on the seventh season of Rak of Aegis this coming Saturday, August 10!

The Rights of Nature PH will be present to promote its campaign and initiatives. Other NGOs promoting the same advocacies are present as well!

On AUGUST 10, 8PM it’s going to be an OPM-TASTIK night with

RODY VERA as Fernan
JIMI MARQUEZ as Jewel
KAKAI BAUTISTA as Mercy
MYKE SALOMON as Kenny
PEPE HERRERA as Tolits
NOEL CABANGON as Kiel
BAYANG BARRIOS as Mary Jane
AICELLE SANTOS as Aileen

Join us for a Saturday night of epic OPM proportions!

Featuring the show-stopping triple-threat ladies and gents of the ensemble
GOLD VILLAR-LIM
GIMBEY DELA CRUZ
MATEL PATAYON
CARLON MATOBATO
PAENG SUDAYAN
GIO GAHOL

Come to the PETA Theater Center and dive into Barangay Venezia for a soaking good time! We guarantee it.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak
( Ecc. 3:6-7)

We must not remain complacent and unresponsive. The cries of the Filipino people penetrate our hearts, as they are directly victimized by intensifying economic crisis, foreign–biased policies that are selling out the West Philippine Sea and enabling the plunder of our natural resources, and ever-increasing human rights violations, especially widespread and heinous drug-related and political killings in poor communities. The growing number of church people facing trumped-up charges stirs anger and concern. Recent spike in assassinations of church faithful, engaging mission and social justice ministry bring indignation.

On July 22, President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA). He will certainly defend his servility to China, the dubious results of elections, and the killings of thousands of poor as well as human rights defenders. His allied senators and congressmen and all those who benefit from his tyranny surely clap in praise of his policies and program.

We say, ENOUGH.

We invite you to join us in Rise and Resist: Our Prophetic Task, Ecumenical Liturgical Program on July 22, 1 PM in front of Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City. At 3pm, we shall be joining the thousands marching as United People’s SONA. A Mass will also be held at 12 NN at St. Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.

Let our prophetic actions blend with the people, who long for the unshackling of oppression and the shattering of the chains of tyranny.

For questions, you may reach the secretariat through Mr. Nardy Sabino at 0928-316-2109 or email us at simbahan.para.sa.katarungan@gmail.com. Thank you!

December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2021

President                                            :           Abp. Romulo G. Valles
Vice President                                   :           Bp. Pablo Virgilio S. David 
Treasurer                                           :           Abp. John F. Du 
Secretary General                             :           Rev. Fr. Marvin S. Mejia 

Regional Representatives

Luzon:
North              :           Bp. Ricardo L. Baccay
Central           :           Bp. Ruperto C. Santos
South              :           Bp. Jose S. Bantolo  
Southeast       :           Bp. Mel Rey M. Uy 
Southwest      :           Bp. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara                        

Visayas:

Eastern & Central     :           Bp. Patrick Daniel V. Parcon
West          :           Bp. Louie P. Galbines

Mindanao:

North              :           Abp. Martin S. Jumoad 
South              :           Bp. Abel C. Apigo 

Chairmen of the Episcopal Commissions, Committees and Offices:

Episcopal Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities, Bp. Jose A. Cabantan

Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate,  Bp. Sofronio A. Bancud, SSS

Episcopal Office on Bioethics,  Bp. Ricardo L. Baccay

Episcopal Commission on Canon Law,  Bp. Jacinto A. Jose

Episcopal Com. on Catechesis and Catholic Education,  Bp. Roberto C. Mallari

Episcopal Commission on Clergy,  Bp. Buenaventura M. Famadico

Episcopal Commission on Cultural Heritage of the Church,  Bp. Julito B. Cortes

Episcopal Commission on Culture,  Bp. Jose S. Bantolo

Episcopal Commission on Doctrine of the Faith,  Bp. Jose R. Rojas

Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs,  Bp. Angelito R. Lampon, OMI

Episcopal Commission on Family and Life,  Bp. Gilbert A. Garcera

Episcopal Commission on Health Care,  Bp. Rex C. Ramirez

Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples,   Bp. Valentin C. Dimoc

Permanent Committee on Internl. Eucharistic Congresses,   Abp. Jose S. Palma

Episcopal Com. on Inter-religious Dialogue,   Bp. Edwin A. dela Peña, MSP

Episcopal Commission on the Laity,   Bp. Broderick S. Pabillo

Episcopal Commission on Liturgy,   Bp. Victor B. Bendico

Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People,   Bp. Narciso V. Abellana, MSC

Episcopal Commission on Mission,   Bp. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP

Episcopal Commission on Mutual Relations,  Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ

Episcopal Commission on Pontificio Collegio Filippino,   Bp. Ruperto C. Santos

Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care,  Bp. Joel Z. Baylon

Permanent Committee on Public Affairs,   Bp. Reynaldo G. Evangelista

Episcopal Commission on Seminaries,  Abp. Socrates B. Villegas

Episcopal Com. on Social Action, Justice and Peace,  Bp. Jose Colin M. Bagaforo

Episcopal Commission on Social Communications,   Bp. Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit, Jr.

Episcopal Commission on Vocations,  Bp. David William V. Antonio

Episcopal Office on Women,  Bp. Crispin B. Varquez

Episcopal Commission on Youth,  Bp. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon

National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal,  Bp. Antonio R. Tobias

Statement of the Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) on the Results of the May 2019 Midterm Elections

The hard-fought democracy in our country is a precious gift from God, and every Christian has the political and moral obligation to preserve it in every circumstance of our collective life as a people and a nation. The Filipino people’s vote is sacred for keeping our democracy dynamic, yet the flagrant and brazen breaches in the recent elections, which is the worst ever, reveal the criminal use of political power to thwart the sovereign will of the Filipino people.

The Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) expresses its indignation for the gross and blatant violations in the conduct of the May 2019 midterm elections, marred with widespread disenfranchisement, vote-buying, tampering with returns and violence, and the vilification and harassment of those supporting independent and progressive candidates and partylists. Taking note of these violations in the election code, our democracy – which is the heart of the matter in the midterm elections – should be guaranteed before any proclamation is made.

The Filipino people is raising serious questions about the integrity, credibility and legitimacy of the elections. Churches have boldly denounced the elections as rigged and botched, and demanding for an investigation into the conduct of the polls. We strongly urge President Rodrigo Duterte to disprove that his government committed electoral violations. As the highest leader of the nation, he owes the people that obligation of guaranteeing that the results offered by the midterm elections legitimately expressed the Filipino people’s sovereign will.

We challenge President Duterte to answer accusations that he has engaged in, and tolerated electoral malpractices that will allow him to establish a political regime based on a concentration of power at his hands. He must establish that the elections has been truly a democratic process, and that none has been disenfranchised with their essential right to suffrage and that their votes are honestly counted.

Most importantly, he must disprove that he coerced and coopted the Commissions on Elections (Comelec) to manipulate election results, as the breach in the transparency in the Smartmatic automated election system (AES) and the suspicious failure of Vote Counting Machines (VCM) are widely believed to be merely ploys to guarantee the victory of his administration’s candidates through wholesale election fraud.

President Duterte must also answer allegations that public funds were used to bribe voters and disbursements were made from the national coffers to obtain political partisanship. He must also answer for the actions of state forces on the harassment and intimidation of progressive candidates and partylist organizations during the election cycle. It does not only speak of election fraud but the abuse and misuse of state powers and national coffers as well.

As the country faces its worst economic and social crisis, and should President Duterte be proven to have systematically and maliciously committed fraudulent actions in the elections, he must be rendered culpable for exacerbating rather than uplifting the state of our nation’s democracy from its present predicament. His failure to uphold the standards of electoral integrity will only strengthen the risk of democracy collapsing in our time which could have catastrophic consequences for everyone.

May we remind President Duterte that any government that exercises power through fraudulent means has no moral basis; and should his government does not right its wrongs by itself, the Filipino people have the patriotic duty to do so for the preservation of our democracy.

We acknowledge that our responsibility in helping shape the future of our nation transcends the elections. We, therefore, call on every Christian to faithfully live-out their divine vocation in upholding the common good, an essential expression of which is to fulfill their patriotic duty to defend our democracy. In a country like ours, where politics has become a rivalry of power and partisan interests, we are called to bring together our moral convictions and political choices to help build a better country.

Let us consciously work for renewed politics in the county and share the richness of our Christian faith in building a Philippine society where the sanctity of human life and the dignity of every human person are respected, where the common good, the people’s sovereign will and the principles of democracy in our country are upheld.

EBF Executive Board,

Bishop Deogracias Iniguez,  Jr.
Roman Catholic Church

Bishop Rex Reyes, Jr.
Episcopal Church in the Philippines

Bishop Joel Tendero
United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Bishop Dindo Ranojo
Iglesia Filipina Independiente

Bishop Ciriaco Francisco
United Methodist Church

May 18, 2019
Quezon City, Philippines