No to Aerial Bombings! Stand Up for Iloilo!

9 December 2021
Pilgrims for Peace/ ACT for Peace

Pilgrims for Peace and ACT for Peace denounce the recent aerial bombings conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a farming community in Sitio Burak, Bgy. Alimodias, Miag-ao, Iloilo. Maj.-Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, confirmed that the AFP used attack aircraft to conduct these attacks. These indiscriminate actions, which left at least eight casualties, are clear violations of international covenants, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), a bilateral agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

The AFP’s disproportionate use of force is clearly an overkill. Initial reports state that the bodies recovered from the site had severed parts, so disfigured that they appeared to be like “corned beef.” The bombings left craters that measured 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Article IV.4 of the CARHRIHL clearly states that civilian communities must be protected from indiscriminate aerial bombings. And yet despite the horror of the incident, the AFP, unfazed, defended and justified its actions. The AFP’s statement that it will continue this style of combat is an ominous sign of further carnage.

The recent incident in Iloilo is not the first time that the AFP has resorted to a disproportionate use of force. In August this year, news reports revealed the use of aerial bombing in a military operation in Dolores, Eastern Samar. Some of the bombs hit households in the vicinity of the operation but luckily did not explode. According to a report, the said incident killed 19 people who are supposedly NPA members.

The impact of these irresponsible actions on the affected community cannot be overstated. The physical destruction of the agricultural lands and forests, which are sources of livelihood for the residents, will take a toll on their economic well-being. Aside from that, such a traumatic experience will leave lasting scars on their mental health.

The thirst for blood of the AFP and the NTF-ELCAC have alarmed peace advocate for years. The so-called whole-of-nation approach of the government’s counter-insurgency campaign is nothing but the indiscriminate use of brute force and an all-out military offensive that sows fear and fails to distinguish between armed rebels and ordinary civilians. For instance, it does not shy away from harassing and red-tagging teachers and students to force them to behave the way the NTF-ELCAC wants them too. These malicious acts are tantamount to state terrorism and do not in any way contribute to resolving the root causes of the armed conflict and alleviating the lives of millions of Filipinos trapped in poverty and a perpetually underdeveloped economy.

It is only through a negotiated peace that the Filipino people will achieve a just and lasting peace. It is only through formal talks between the GRP and the NDPP that the root causes of the armed conflict will be addressed.

We demand a complete halt to these aerial bombings and the immediate launch of independent investigations on the incident in Iloilo and humanitarian missions to attend to the residents’ welfare. Members of these investigating and humanitarian teams must be given access to these sites. We also call on candidates in the upcoming elections, whether at the national or local levels, to stand in solidarity with the victims of this incident, to hold the AFP accountable for its irresponsible acts, and to push for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. #

Reference:

Fr. Ritchie Masegman, Convenor, Pilgrims For Peace
Prof. Michael D. Pante, Lead Convenor, ACT for Peace

Pope to youth in Greece: Experience God’s love, meet real people, dream big

Vatican News

Pope Francis meets young people from various parts of Greece on Monday morning in Athens, ahead of his departure for Rome, urging them to be truly social by engaging in real encounters with those around them as an experience of God’s love.

Vatican News
06 December 2021
By Robin Gomes

Pope Francis urged young people to allow themselves to be amazed by God’s love, have real encounters with others and dream big. He made the exhortation to young people from various parts of Greece at an event on Monday morning at Saint Dionysius School, run by the Ursuline Sisters in Maroussi, in the northern suburbs of Athens.

The event included testimonies from three young people from the Philippines, Greece and Syria, on which the Pope shared his reflections.

School children welcome Pope Francis to the venue

The wonder of God’s love and forgiveness

To the recurring doubts of faith that Katerina Binibini from the Philippines experienced, the Holy Father pointed out that doubts are not a sign of the lack of faith. On the contrary, doubts are “vitamins of faith”: they help strengthen faith and make it more conscious, free and mature. Faith is precisely a daily personal journey with Jesus.

But doubts that make us gloomy and depressed are to be rejected as temptations from the devil. We need to go back to the starting point, and allow ourselves to wonder and be amazed that we are God’s beloved children.

Meeting of Pope Francis with young people in Athens

“So,” said the Pope, “instead of starting the day by looking in the mirror, why not open your bedroom window and focus on the beauty that you see all around you?”

“If nature is beautiful in our eyes, in God’s eye each of you is infinitely more beautiful!” We should feel the wonder of the Father’s forgiveness who embraces and lifts us up.

Know yourself

The Holy Father told the young people to know themselves, stressing, “your worth is in who you are and not what you have” – the “brand of the dress or shoes you wear”. 

Meeting of Pope Francis with young people in Athens

He urged them to watch out against “today’s sirens” of easy gains, consumerism, the cult of physical wellness, entertainment at all costs…”  which like fireworks flare up for a moment and turn to smoke in the air. 

“That is why it is important to cherish the wonder, the amazement, the beauty of faith!” he said.

“We are Christians not out of duty, but out of beauty,” the Pope stressed, inviting the youth to “wonder at creation, at friendship, at God’s forgiveness and at the faces of other people.”

Meeting of Pope Francis with young people in Athens
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Padyak Para Sa Kalikasan, Padyak Para Sa Pangasinan!

December 5, 2021

Pangasinan green groups, advocates hold solidarity bike ride for the environment

December 5 | Pangasinan, Philippines – Pangasinan green groups, in partnership with toxic watchdog, EcoWaste Coalition, held a bike ride for the environment. Dubbed as “Padyak Para sa Kalikasan,” 30 Pangasinense bikers joined a 13 KM bike ride to strengthen the call to ban single-use plastic and incineration in the province. The group also expresses its stand against offshore mining.

BAN Single-use Plastics, Stop Incineration

Bike Ride lead organizer EcoWaste Coalition Policy Advocacy Officer Coleen Salamat explained that “The COP26 has identified that plastic pollution is a major driver in the climate crisis. We urge our lawmakers from the local to the national level to include the people and the planet in their electoral agenda. We continue to call for a nationwide ban on single-use plastics, to ban incineration.”

It can be recalled that in July 2021, the lower house has passed House Bill 9147, Single-use Plastic Products Regulation Act. Meanwhile, the upper chamber has Senate Bill No. 333 or the Single-Use Plastic Product Regulation Act of 2019. No movements on these bills at the moment.

The group also scored the number of WTEs lined up in the province with five proposed Dagupan, Umingan, Urdaneta, and San Fabian. Citing a 2018 report from GAIA, the groups explained that incineration provides more problems than solutions. The process merely transforms the waste into other forms of trash, such as toxic ash and air and water pollution, which are harder to contain and usually more harmful than the original form of the waste.

No to Offshore Mining

Bike Ride Co-lead Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment (PPSE) expresses the groups’ indignation over offshore mining. The Proposed Iron Ore Pangasinan Offshore Magnetite Mining Project in Lingayen Gulf covers the municipal waters of Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, and city waters of Dagupan, Province of Pangasinan, covers a total area of 9,252.4506 hectares.

PPSE convenor Eco Dangla explained that “The offshore mining project will directly impact coastal and marine resources, exacerbate climate and disaster risks, permanently alter natural ecosystems, and economically displace fisherfolk and communities.”

Grassroots at the center

“It’s always the local communities who are the receiving end of environmental destruction. We say time’s up. We are here to show our solidarity to the call to end the toxic plastic pollution and to stop the offshore mining.” Joaquin Alano of Alano Biker’s Club.

The coming together of green groups in Pangasinan is remarkable proof that the frontline communities are vital to defending the people and the planet against pollution, plastics, and profit. “We are readying our ranks to push forward this agenda as the election season warms up.” Salamat ended.

The bike ride event was also participated by members of KUMASA NA, Partido ng Mangagawa – Pangasinan, Bayan Pangasinan, Bayan Muna Pangasinan, Anakbayan Pangasinan, Alano Bike Rider’s Club, and Metro Dagupan Cycling Club, Inc.

The EcoWaste Coalition is a national network of public interest groups pursuing sustainable and just solutions to waste, climate change, and chemical issues towards a Zero Waste community.

The Plastic-Free Pilipinas project collaborates with #breakfreefromplastic members EcoWaste Coalition, GAIA Asia Pacific, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia, and Mother Earth Foundation. The #breakfreefromplastic is a global movement working towards a future free from plastic pollution.

December 8 National Consecration of Families to the Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph

CIRCULAR 21-54

01 December 2021

Your Eminences, Excellencies and Reverend Administrators:

RE: December 8 National Consecration to the Immaculate Conception of Mary and St. Joseph

December 8, 2021 is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and also the closing of the Year of Saint Joseph.

In an earlier circular issued last 8 November 2021, we already mentioned that on the said day, His Excellency Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S. David, Bishop of Kalookan and who by that time will be the CBCP President, will lead the praying of the Holy Rosary and the Act of Consecration of Families to St. Joseph at the Cathedral of San Roque in the Diocese of Kalookan at 11:00a.m. He will be joined by some representatives of families in his diocese. This event will be livestreamed by CBCP News, Dominus Est, Radio Veritas, TV Maria Philippines and cross-posted in various Catholic Social Media platforms all over the country.

Since it is a Holy Day of Obligation and an important Feast of Our Lady, all the archbishops and bishops of the country are kindly reminded and requested to participate in this event together with the clergy, religious, lay men and women, and all families at their homes. It is also suggested by the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy that after the Post-Communion Prayer of the Mass, the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception be prayed first followed by the Act of Consecration of Families to St. Joseph.

Please find attached links to the following prayers:

  1. ACT-OF-CONSECRATION-AND-ENTRUSTMENT-TO-THE-IMMACULATE-CONCEPTION in English and Filipino
  2. ACT OF CONSECRATION OF FAMILIES TO ST. JOSEPH in English and also translated in various dialects.

Let us, as one nation, earnestly pray for the continued protection of our Blessed Mother Mary and seek the assistance of our dear father St. Joseph, as we continue to face together the effects of the global pandemic.

With every best wish, I remain Sincerely in the Lord,

End the Injustice! Release all Political Prisoners Now!

3 December 2021

Peace Statement on the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners

Today, 3 December, the Pilgrims for Peace stands in solidarity with the world in commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners.

Living in a country with a long history of incarceration of political dissenters—with their number increasing tenfold at the time of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos—we stand with the world and join the call to Free All Political Prisoners!

There are currently 652 political prisoners in prisons across the country, with more than 400 of them arrested under Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. of them are consultants to the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). 

Artwork by Bulatlat’s Dee Ayroso

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Living with the Beatitudes of Saint Joseph

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We wish to invite you and your families to join the National Consecration of Families to St. Joseph on December 8, 2021.

As part of our spiritual preparation in the upcoming Celebration of the National Consecration of Families to St. Joseph on December 8, 2021.  We invite everyone to participate in this 9-day novena using the “Living with the Beatitudes with Saint Joseph – A Nine Day Novena for Consecration to St. Joseph” by Amb. Howard Joseph Q. Dee and daughter Angelyn C. Dee.

Consecrating ourselves and our families to St. Joseph is an act of entrustment to his fatherly care, protection, and guidance. The goal of this consecration is to imitate St. Joseph’s virtue, example, and closeness with Christ.

You can get a copy of the digital book in this link:

https://bit.ly/LivingTheBeatitudesWithSaintJosephByHowardDee-DigitalBook

You can also use a Video/MP4 guide for your family from this link:

Raymond Daniel Cruz Channel

Numerous guides can also be found in the FB Page of the National Shrine of St. Joseph and the website of  Dominus Est | DominusEst.PH

Thank you very much!

Jun Cruz
Laiko P.R.O.

Pilgrims for Peace Press Statement

30 November 2021

Press Statement

Militarized government behind widespread human rights violations: upholding civilian governance and respect for democratic rights essential in addressing roots of the GRP-NDFP armed conflict

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

– Matthew 5:9-

Last week’s meeting between military leadership and presidential hopeful VP Leni Robredo caused quite a stir with VP Leni appearing to walk-back her campaign commitment to abolish the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).  In a bid to win-over military leaders, VP Leni expressed her support to ending the communist insurgency in the Philippines through the so-called “Whole of Nation Approach.”  As peace advocates, we urge VP Leni to engage dialogues and study further how to address the roots of the armed conflict in the country.

Executive Order 70, which created the NTF-ELCAC, is a militarist construct to further embed and ca-pacitate military leadership and maneuvering of the civilian government. The onslaught of human rights violations like Red-tagging, harassment, fabricated charges and arrests, extra-judicial killings, and forced and fake surrenders are a natural outgrowth of placing militarist war-hawks at the helm of governance. Their tentacles into essentially every department of government have severely restricted democratic space, while inversely encouraging the commission of unbridled violations of human rights with impunity as well as fostering the questionable and unchecked use of funds for supposed intelli-gence/“peace and development” operations throughout the country.

The unraveling of the peace process under the Duterte administration has resulted in more violence on the ground even as the roots of the armed conflict—poverty, landlessness, inaccessibility to services and inequitable distribution of resources—continue to worsen in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We appreciate VP Leni’s desire to bring relief and development in real and tangible ways, especially in far-flung and under-served communities; however, militarizing “peace (and development)” is an out-and-out oxymoron. Whenever those who are exploited, marginalized and underserved are further oppressed through militarization and threats of violations of their democratic and political rights, they may seem to be silenced or assuaged by infusions of funds through the military or local government unit, but historically, the most oppressed are only further compelled to resistance. 

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