Category: News

14 July 2021
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
The peace & Love of the Lord,
We are pleased to endorse to you the invitation from the Responsible Parenthood & All Natural Family Planning Network to the Webinar on the “New Heroes of the Pandemic: Responsible Parents” on July 26, 2021, 2-5 pm via Zoom.
Attached is the invitation letter & the details of the event.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
(Sgd) ROUQUEL A. PONTE
President

2 July, 2021
Mr. Roquel Ponte
National President
Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas
2F LAIKO Building
372 Cabildo St., Intramuros, Manila
Dear Brother Roquel,
Greetings of hope and good health.
The world celebrates Parents’ Day on the 4th Sunday of July every year, to pay tribute to the noble sacrifices of parents everywhere. The RP ANFP Network recognizes the selfless love of parents in building up the next generation of citizens and desires to honor them in a special way.
In view of this, we are inviting you to a webinar on the “New Heroes of the Pandemic: Responsible Parents”, on July 26, 2021 from 2-5 PM, via Zoom and Live on ANFP Network Facebook page. The webinar is especially designed not only for parents, but also for educators, counselors, community and parish workers involved with families, youth, children, and the elderly.
As a sequel to the successful webinar last April, the RP-ANFP Network will now highlight the fact that amidst the threats presented by the COVID 19 pandemic, responsible parents as our modern day heroes are capable of creating opportunities for families to remain united, healthy and vibrant.
Practical guidelines founded on the realities of the present day situation are envisioned to emanate from insights from our eminent speakers:
 Archbishop-Emeritus Antonio Ledesma, SJ of Cagayan de Oro will discuss the Pastoral Approach to Humanae Vitae contained in Amoris Laetitia.
 POPCOM will provide insights into the challenges to families during this pandemic, specifically the persistent unintended pregnancies and domestic violence.
 Selected parents to share what families can do while facing these challenges.
 Rev. Fr. Luciano Ariel Felloni of “Almusalita” fame will discuss the various perspectives of responsible parenting in light of Catholic Church teachings.
Attached is the program of the event, as we look forward to the active participation of Sangguniang Laiko members. Please share this information to your members and networks.

Truly yours,

(Sgd.) Amelita D. Go, Ed.D.
Chairman

(Sgd.) Dr. Divina LUpe M. Lazaro, M.D.
President

(Sgd.) George Pimentel
Vice President & Executive Director

Plastic pollution is destroying many creatures and poisoning our air and rivers and oceans and people don’t seem to care

LICAS News
Father Shay Cullen
July 1, 2021

Plastic was and is a magical invention. It is a material based on oil and has thousands of excellent and life-saving uses. In the medical world, in construction, in tool-making, manufacturing of phones and other gadgets, cars, household items, furniture and almost everything you see has plastic in it.

Our modern world depends on plastic to sustain its present lifestyle. But that lifestyle built on the plastic revolution has its dangerous dark side. Everything we humans use and discard can have dire consequences for the planet.

Garbage is everywhere and it is damaging our health. Plastic pollution is destroying many creatures and poisoning our air and rivers and oceans and people don’t seem to care.

It is dangerous to health because it is a destructive chemical-based pollutant. The one-time use of disposable plastic stuff is so dangerous and damaging to our lives, our health, our environment. The fish we eat have plastic in them because the vast oceans are filling up with discarded plastic.

June 25 2021

Peasant advocate Carmilo Tabada, a barangay councilor and the program coordinator for Bohol of the Central Visayas Farmers Development Center (FARDEC), was arrested in his home in Trinidad, Bohol at 1:00am today, June 25.

A composite team of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reportedly planted firearms and explosives in his home.

Tabada is now detained at the Trinidad Police Station.

In March 2021, Tabada was subjected to an anti-communist rally in front of his house, with the rallyists claiming that he was hiding firearms. (Read: https://www.facebook.com/…/a.1275…/10157545800062331/…)

FARDEC reports that since this incident at Tabada’s home, red-tagging and surveillance of Tabada has increased.

Tabada has been a member of FARDEC since 1998. According to FARDEC, Tabada has contributed significantly to the rice mill in Trinidad, which aided farmers’ orgs like Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa San Jose (NAMASAJO) in setting rice prices and breaking buyers’ monopolies before the rice mill’s forced closure in December 2020.

FARDEC has previously been red-tagged by government agencies in 2019. In June 2020, Elena Tijamo, the Sustainable Agriculture Program Coordinator of FARDEC, was also abducted from her home in Bantayan Island, Cebu. She remains missing to this day.

Aninaw Productions also earlier reported the arrest of UCCP pastor Nathaniel Vallente in his home in San Jose, Mabini, Bohol at 3:00am today. Vallente is a counselor for NAMASAJO. (Read: https://www.facebook.com/118591512330/posts/10157718393717331/?d=n)

FARDEC says the midnight raids is similar to the Synchronized Enhanced Managing of Police Operations (SEMPO) of Negros Oriental and other parts of the country.

Dear fellow youth ministers,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus!

This Thursday, June 24, is not only the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist but also the 15th anniversary of the signing of RA9346, which prohibited the death penalty in the Philippines.

May we extend these invitations to these two activities relevant to this significant occasion:

• Thanksgiving Mass and Solidarity Gathering (June 24), organized by the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC)
• Webinar (June 26) organized by the Coalition against Death Penalty (CADP)

Slots inside Zoom for both events are limited; if registration into Zoom is unsuccessful, then participation may also be via the Facebook Page of CADP, ECPPC or Youth Campaign against Death Penalty.

We trust that your respective youth ministries will work on being represented in these events, as the issue of the death penalty is something affecting our young people (whether as dependents of those in prison or as persons deprived of liberty themselves), and significant for our Christian faith, especially in the light of recent teachings from Pope Francis.

Thank you for your kind attention!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Fr. CONEGUNDO B. GARGANTA
Executive Secretary

The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP-ECPPC) joins the Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CADP) in the joyful celebration of the 15th year of the abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines.

We at the CBCP-ECPPC maintain that no person is beyond reformation. Every person deserves a second chance in order to correct his/her wrongdoings.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis in his teachings, has constantly stressed that the taking away of life is inadmissible. Every person is valuable as he/she is created in the image and likeness of God.

Thus, we strongly and unequivocally oppose the move of the present Congress to restore the Death Penalty in our Justice system.

We maintain that the death penalty is violative of the inherent dignity of the human person. No person, no matter how evil he is perceived to be, is beyond redemption and reformation.

The death penalty will only mostly victimize the poor. Our past experiences show that most of those who were meted the death penalty were indigent and poor individuals, who simply could not afford quality legal representation to defend them before the courts.

Lastly, the death penalty cannot work in an imperfect judicial system like ours. Once carried out, the death sentence is irreversible, and there is no possibility for rectifying an erroneous judgment.

Let us instead continue affirming our Option for Life, and clamor for the State to pass laws which will make our criminal justice system more restorative and not merely punitive.

We challenge all sectors especially our youth to elect people who will rightfully serve the nation by championing the cause of life and fight the existing culture of death.

Manila, June 24, 2021

Sgd.

+JOEL Z. BAYLON, D.D.
Bishop of Legazpi
Chairman
CBCP-COMMISSION ON PRISON PASTORAL CARE (CBCP-ECPPC)

June 14, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The peace and love of the Lord!

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has launched a new website on “Initiatives for the formation of the lay faithful” http://laityinvolved.org/ The website is a good resource for updating and improving the formation of our respective groups.

We encourage everyone to make use of this valuable tool for the formation and growth of our members.

Sincerely yours in the service of the Lord,

Noted by:

+ MOST REV. BRODERICK S. PABILLO, D.D.
Chairman CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Laity

Your Eminences,
Your Excellencies,
Reverend Monsignori and Fathers,
Consecrated Men and Women,
Partners in the Family and Life Apostolate,
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Peace be with you!

First, we commend all who are organizing conferences, seminars, and events on the national, regional, diocesan, parochial etc. levels to mark the Amoris Laetitia Family Year and the Year of Saint Joseph. Such initiatives not only attest to your pastoral zeal but also help incarnate the Holy Father’s vision of the Church as a “family of families” (AL 87).

Second, we are happy to inform you that the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life is offering conferences that can complement the regional and diocesan programs: “Fathers’ Day” in June, “Grandparents and the Elderly” in July, “Migrant Families” in August, etc.

Third, we invite you to join, promote and share the ECFL’s Fathers’ Day offering on 18-20 June 2021. We take our theme from the opening lines of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Patris Corde: “With a father’s heart: that is how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as ‘the son of Joseph’”. In order to facilitate participation and sharing here and abroad in the context of the pandemic, the event will be streamed live via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archdioceseoflipa:

• Friday, June 18, 09:00-10:30 am
  • Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera’s talk on “Forming Fathers in the Image of Saint Joseph” based on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Patris Corde.

• Saturday, June 19, 09:00-11:00 am: Personal testimonies on fatherhood in the image of Saint Joseph:
  • Family Integration
    • Climbing out of addiction (Mr. Jose Antonio Mañosa, Addictions Counselor ICAC 1 / Recovery Coach)
    • OFW Fathers overcoming distance (Mr. Wilson Lumbao, Electrical Engineer, Saudi Electric Company)
  • Family Discernment
    • Fathers educating children towards their vocation (Rev. Michael Sandoval, Deacon, Archdiocese of Lipa)
    • Fatherhood in an online environment (Mr. Edwin Lopez, International Marketing Manager, EWTN)
  • Family Accompaniment
    • Fatherhood and an LGBT person’s journey (Mr. Edwin Valles, President, Courage Philippines)
    • Family in the midst of the Covid crisis (Mr. Victor Alvarez, Couples for Christ)
• Sunday, June 20
  • 11:00 am: Holy Eucharist to be celebrated by Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera in the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph the Patriarch, San Jose, Batangas.
  • 01:00-03:00 pm: Tribute to Fathers (with games and raffle).

Finally, we invite you to mark the dates of the next ECFL event, the first virtual national conference of grandparents and the elderly on 22-24 July 2021. This is in view of the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as announced by Pope Francis. The program will be sent to you in the first week of July.

Sincerely,

RMP National Office

UCCP leaders speak out in solidarity together with peasant and indigenous peoples advocates
#DefendTheDefenders #StandWithRMP

On June 11, 2021, at 10am, Church leaders and other supporters gathered outside the Manila Trial Court for a vigil protest, while legal counsels of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines(RMP) sought for the lifting of the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s freeze on their bank accounts.

The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, who have been engaging ministry with poor communities for fifty years, are subjects of persecution and “red-tagging.” The United Church of Christ in the Philippines expressed a strong empathy for RMP, since the UCCP Haran Sanctuary is facing similar harassments.  Bishop Emergencio Padillo of the UCCP expressed solidarity and lamented “rather than appreciating their contributions to society, the Duterte administration with their all-out war policies, seeks to attack RMP’s ministries by raising false allegations of ‘terrorism financing.’” Bishop Padillo commended RMP for being instrumental “in bringing health, literacy, and livelihood programs to some of the poorest and most marginalized areas of the country.” 

“RMP is engaged in mission and ministry, which is part of their practice of their religious freedoms. The absurd allegations of ‘terrorism financing’ only unmask how far this government is prepared to go; they want to stifle dissent, and in the process, they are undermining democracy in the Philippines,” said Bishop Padillo.

Another UCCP pastor, Rev. Callum Tabada, also assailed the Duterte administration for impinging on the practice of religion, because they don’t understand ‘peacebuilding.’ He explained that people in the Duterte administration “misconstrue transformative love as rebellion.”

“The law is being ‘weaponized’ against any who do not petty after the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict.  Malicious legal maneuvers, like the case lodged against RMP, are intended to weaken the ministries of the church that are trying to help communities to empower themselves and protect their interests and welfare,” said Rev. Tabada.

Noting that the forces of exploitation through logging, mining and extraction of other resources, together with militarists who promote such endeavors, make life difficult in rural areas, the protesters insisted that Church ministries are under attack because rural communities are easier to dominate, when they are less educated and aware of their rights.

“The current predicament of RMP, where their banks accounts are frozen, denies much-needed services to poor communities.  Under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, there will surely be even more harassments and false allegations against church ministries. The poor are the ones who will suffer most,” said Bishop Padillo.

Once again, the hearing was reset.  Now scheduled for September 20, 2021, the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines will be denied access to their mission monies for months more.  “After decades of service to the poor, this case against them is shameful and should be dismissed,” said Bishop Padillo.

11 June 2021