December 7, 2019
Quezon City, Philippines – The Bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran earnestly appeals to all three of Bohol islands’ district representatives to support the passage of ‘Rights of Nature’ bill which was filed last November 25 at the House of Representatives by Quezon City 6th District Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte.

Most Rev. Alberto S. Uy, D.D. sent an official letter to 1st District Rep. Edgar M. Chatto, 2nd District Rep. Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado, and 3rd District Rep. Kristine Alexie B. Tutor on November 29 asking them pledge their support for the passage of the Rights of Nature Bill. The prelate has also asked all Boholanos to remain steadfast in protecting mother nature which they’ve done through the passage of several local ordinances like the Bohol Organic Agriculture Code, the Bohol GMO-Free Ordinance, Bohol Environment Code of 1998, as well as their most recent victory against coal-fired power plants through meaningful collaboration of the government, common people, and the church.

The Rights of Nature is a campaign spearheaded by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI) in cooperation with NASSA/Caritas Philippines. In the July 2019 People’s Congress organized by PMPI and NASSA, a loose movement called the Rights of Nature PH was established where more than 50 environmental organizations committed to push the RoN campaign.

Fr. Warly Salise, the Director of the Social Action Center of Tagbilaran, a PMPI partner, emphasized the importance community participation in protecting the environment.

“The church, just like any other entity, community or individual cannot turn away from opportunities towards protecting the environment and recognizing the rights of nature, the church should be in the forefront,” Fr. Warly Salise said.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pastoral letter on ecology released on July 16 have also included a provision for Rights of Nature.

“The recognition of the Rights of Nature is at the core of the call for ecological conversion, as Pope Francis emphasized in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. There he suggested that a “true right of the environment‟ does exist because we human beings are part of the environment. We live in communion with it, since the environment itself entails ethical limits which human activity must acknowledge and respect. Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity,” stated from the 9-page pastoral letter.

The RoN campaign aims to recognize nature to have its own legal rights just like humans and business corporations through the passage of the RoN Bill. It also advocates for a change in development paradigm, a shift from unsustainable economic and political policies favoring big business and extractive industries to advocating for a change in lifestyle and green living.

The inspiration came from Latin American countries particularly Ecuador and Bolivia, as both countries recognize RoN through their constitution and a national law.

In the Senate of the Philippines, Senator Risa Hontiveros filed the RON bill last October 2. Advocates are hoping to get support from other lawmakers in the senate.

Following the recently-concluded FB (Faith-based) National Conference on Human Rights held at BEC Center, Tagaytay last 21-22 November 2019, the first post-conference coordination has taken off for the upcoming Human Rights Day (71st Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights) to celebrate the network’s milestones in the involvement and to express commitment and solidarity for human dignity and common good.

As agreed at the NCR group discussion on regional and national plans, the Catholic Church network or CBCP led by the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace (ECSA-JP), also known as the CBCP-NASSA/ Caritas Philippines, will mobilize all 85 dioceses nationwide to ring all Church bells at 10:00am on December 10 (Human Rights Day) for at least 10 seconds (or 10 times) as a symbol of solidarity, as a minimum action, and/or celebrate mass at 5:30pm or 6:00pm with special prayers for the occasion, in addition to ringing Church bells, when possible. 

We are pleased to share with you the invitation letter of our National Director, Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD, DD to all Bishops to celebrate the Human Rights Day as mentioned; this letter was endorsed by the CBCP President Archbishop Romulo Valles, DD, and sent by the CBCP Secretariat to all Bishops nationwide.  We are also sending this to the SAN.

There was an initial plan to have ecumenical service/ prayer gathering of the NCR faith-based HR network in the morning before going to (sending off to) the groups’ respective celebratory activities and expressions of solidarity on the occasion in the afternoon.  However, due to the varied activities in different places and due to time constraint, as well as to avoid creating another activity, we suggest that instead of a physical meeting, we encourage your organization/ or representatives to ensure your nearby parish or churches knows about the invitation to celebrate Human Rights Day by synchronized ringing of bells and/ or celebrate mass with prayer for human rights at the specified time.  Please feel free to use the attached letter as your guide.

After the witnessing of synchronized ringing of Church bells in the morning on December 10,  we recommend you join the mass for the victims of human rights violations organized by One Voice, which will be held at 1:00pm at the Sta Cruz Church in Manila and/ or the Banal na Misa para sa Katotohanan, Katarungan at Kapayapaan, organized by the AMRSP-JPICC at the Ateneo de Manila University at 5:00pm to be followed by procession and candle lighting along Katipunan Avenue, QC.

The following are the other upcoming activities to be undertaken by the Faith Based HR network  which participated in the National Conference; all are invited to join:

10 December 2019

1:00-2:30pm, Sta Cruz Church, Manila
Mass for the Victims of Human Rights Violations
organized by One Voice

3:00-5:00pm, Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila
#DefendTogether Human Rights Day Rally
Organized by the Movement Against Tyranny
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and
Karapatan Alliance of the Advancement of Human Rights

5:00-6:00pm, March to Mendiola
(contact: Ms Gel Marcelino of MAT at 09475891578)

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5° Congresso Apostolico Mondiale della Misericordia

The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization is pleased to announce that the next World Apostolic Congress of Mercy (WACOM 5), with the theme “Divine Mercy: The Ocean of Love that Envelops the Whole World” will take place from Monday, August 10 to Saturday, August 15 2020 in the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia, (Samoa, Oceania).

This Congress follows those already held in Rome 2008, in Krakow 2011, in Bogotá 2014 and in Manila 2017.

Please visit https://wacom5samoa2020.com/ for further information and to register for this event, or contact directly the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia through

Mrs. Lesina M. Levy, Secretary General for Divine Mercy Oceania Region, via email (divine.mercy@lesamoa.net), or via telephone (+685 7579370 or +685 7737487).

We are grateful to His Excellency Most Rev. Alapati L. Mataeliga, Archbishop of Samoa-Apia, for willingly accepting and diligently organizing such an important event, which highlights the mystery of divine mercy, that every baptized person is called to live and transmit.

Thanking you in advance for your kind attention, receive our kind regards.

Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization
Pontificio Consiglio per la Promozione della Nuova Evangelizzazione
Via della Conciliazione, 5
00120 Città del Vaticano
info@pcpne.va
Tel. +39-06-698-69500 | Fax +39-06-698-69521

WACOM 5 REGISTRATION FEES & BANK ACCOUNT PAYMENT SHOULD BE MADE TO THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT

1.BANK NAME: ANZ Bank (Samoa) Limited Matafele, Vaimauga Sisifo, Upolu, SAMOA.
2.ACCOUNT NAME: WACOM5 SAMOA YEAR 2020
3.CUSTOMER NUMER: 973085676
4.ACCOUNT NUMBER: 4369892
5.PRODUCT TYPE: CURRENT ACCOUNT (Cheque)
6.BSB NUMBER: 010979
7.BANK SWIFT Code: ANZBWSWW