Oppose GENED Dams 1 & 2 in Apayao!

Uphold IP rights and welfare for sustainable environment & development!

9Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there…
12On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food.
Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail,
but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary.
Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

(Ezekiel 47: 9, 12)

“We irrevocably reject, once and for all, the proposed construction of hydroelectric power projects along the Apayao-Abulug River by Pan Pacific Renewable Power Corporation (PPRPC).” This is the resolution emphatically expressed and signed by more than 250 Isnags, consisting of tribal elders, leaders, and members of the Indigenous Peoples of Kabugao, Apayao on April 28, 2021.

Because the Isnags have safeguarded their ancestral territories, the province of Apayao remains a key biodiversity area and is home to one of the last remaining original forests of the Philippines. There are about 105 plant species, 91 bird species including the endangered Philippine eagle, 22 species of amphibians and reptiles, 13 species of bats and 19 mammal species that abounds in Apayao. The Isnags and the whole ecosystem of the province will be brought to naught when such hydroelectric power projects would push through.

If the Gened 1 and 2 dam projects would push through, not only the municipalities of the province of Apayao, particularly the towns of Calanasan, Kabugao, Pudtol, Flora, Sta. Marcela and Luna, would be affected but also the downstream four (4) municipalities of the province of Cagayan: Abulug, Pamplona, Ballesteros and Allacapan.

The PPRPC benefitted from the $3 billion loan between the Philippines and China in October 2016 during Pres. Duterte’s state visit to China. The Bank of China, one of the largest state-run financial institutions, funded the deal. PPRPC is one of firms that will implement the Build, Build, Build projects of the present regime.

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Celebrating 100 years of M.I.C. Presence in the Philippines

By: Bec L. Yao, Ph.D., AsMIC

August 8, 2021 is a remarkable day for the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (M.I.C.) as they commemorate the arrival of the first M.I.C. Sisters in the Philippines. A Eucharistic Celebration was held at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church, Davao City on that day officiated by Archbishop Romulo Valles, D.D., head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and on August 9, 2021 at Mary the Queen Parish, Greenhills, presided by Fr. Guy Peter V. Guibelondo, SJ, the Parish Priest. This momentous event was celebrated with grace and thanksgiving by the M.I.C. Sisters and their benefactors, alumni of their schools and their lay associates, the AsMICs.

Interestingly, Archbishop Valles and Fr. Guy have known the M.I.C.’s in their personal capacity. Archbp. Valles gave testimony to the grace of celebrating 100 years of MIC missionary presence in the Philippines, as part of a tapestry intertwined in the last 100 years of the quincentennial celebration of Christianity in the Philippines. While the celebration is during the days of the pandemic, the Archbishop exhorted the faithful to imagine how daring MIC sisters were, to travel all the way from Canada at that time after World War I and the widespread of the Spanish Flu to come to the east. In his homily, he expounded on the theme of the celebration with the readings of the 19th Sunday in ordinary time:

  1.          Go to the peripheries. This has been the character of the church … and that is what the M.I.C.’s did 100 years ago, to go nowhere …. to people they don’t know.
  2.          Walk for a Mission. From the first reading from the Book of Kings, Elijah walk for a mission…exhausted….to go up to the mountain of the Lord… to find the Lord. When the M.I.C. Sisters arrived in Mati, Davao Oriental in 1947, exhausted from travel, the first order of the day was to go to the presence of the Lord.
  3.          Christlike attitude. In the second reading, St. Paul exhorted the Ephesians to be kind to one another, do away with anger, and every kind of malice. This was paramount in the lives of the M.I.C. Sisters, so that they can become Christlike when they go out and serve… bearing the aroma, the atmosphere, the aura of Christ. On a personal note, Archbp. Valles related his personal experience when he served in Mati in the 70’s as a young priest on how the Sisters educated him in good manners and right conduct and even making sure that his English was impeccable.
  4.          Daily Holy Eucharist.  Jesus is the Bread of Life. We are asked to become one, to be familiar with the people. Though we smell like sheep, our service should be bringing people to heaven.

Fr. Guy on the other hand, congratulated the M.I.C. Sisters on their 100 years of missionary presence in the Philippines. He reminded the M.I.C.’s to always remember: “who chose you”, “why you were chosen” and “what you should do”. He also stressed on the need of a re-examination of hearts; to go back to what you learned in the Novitiate, in the initial formation; to adapt without losing one’s soul. Above all – Edification! To be mindful of your spiritual attractiveness…. because before we can inspire others, we have to inspire each other. Most importantly, do not lose hope!

Presently, the M.I.C. Sisters have three schools, two in Metro Manila and one in Mati, Davao Oriental. These are Immaculate Conception Academy, Greenhills, Immaculate Conception Academy of Manila in Gagalangin, Tondo and Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy in Mati, Davao Oriental. They also engaged in the evangelization among indigenous people in the parish of Kiburiao, Quezon, Bukidnon and on the defunct mission with the Mangyans in Mindoro Occidental that enabled the Mangyans to secure ownership of their ancestral lands.

In Davao City, the MIC Retreat House (MRH), beside Our Lady of Assumption Parish, is a preferred place for spiritual renewal among many groups not only in Davao but also from other parts of the country .

One hundred years ago, on August 8, 1921, five (5) Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (M.I.C.) arrived in the Philippines upon the request of Dr. Jose Teehankee, one of the community leaders of the Manila Chinese, to take charge of the Chinese General Hospital and the new School of Nursing. Dr. Teehankee found an ally in Msgr. Michael O’Doherty, archbishop of Manila who sent a cablegram to his counterpart in Montreal, Canada, Archbishop Paul  Bruchesi. The M.I.C.  foundress, Venerable Delia Tetreault  moved by the Spirit, responded favorably to Msgr. O’Doherty.

MICs have embraced the theme for their platinum jubilee, “In joy and thanksgiving!” which the present pandemic have not managed to dampen.

Manila archbishop asks prayers for Pope Francis’ safety

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Wednesday, August 11, 2021. VATICAN MEDIA

By CBCP News
August 11, 2021
Manila, Philippines

Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila has asked for prayers for Pope Francis’ safety after Italian authorities intercepted an envelope containing bullets addressed to the pontiff.

“Let us pray that God may touch the hearts of people who sow fear, violence, lies, and violate human rights,” Advincula said over Radio Veritas on Wednesday.

Police in Milan are investigating the threat which reportedly originated from France.

The suspicious envelope containing three pistol bullets was flagged by postal workers at a mail sorting facility near Milan on Aug. 9.

“While investigation is ongoing on the origin and the motive of the envelope with three bullets for Pope Francis, let us continue to pray for his safety,” Advincula said.

In July, the pontiff spent 10 days in hospital for colon surgery.

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Hungary and Slovakia in mid-September.

The Vatican also confirmed that the pope will attend the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.

Caritas Philippines sets up scholarship fund for ‘academically challenged’ students

The organization allocated Php65.5 million for its educational assistance as part of its Alay Kapwa Legacy Stewardship Program

LiCAS News
August 10, 2021

Local counterparts of the social action secretariat of the Philippine Catholic Church attend a workshop conducted by Caritas Philippines. (File photo by Mark Saludes)

Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Church in the country, has set up a scholarship fund for “academically challenged” junior high school students.

The organization allocated Php65.5 million for its educational assistance as part of its Alay Kapwa Legacy Stewardship Program.

Bishop Jose Collin Bagaforo said the aim of the project is to provide at least 525 poor children “with equal access to primary and secondary education and skills and opportunities.”

“We need to invest in the education of our youth if we want more gold medals, better government and next-generation leaders,” said Bishop Bagaforo in a report on CBCP News.

Father Antonio Labiao, executive secretary of Caritas Philippines, said the educational assistance covers online learning and other school fees, tutorial services and training.

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Look to Christ, not the law, to receive new life, pope says at audience

Pope Francis greets guests dressed in traditional clothing during his general audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall Aug. 11, 2021. The pope continued his series of audience talks focused on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians and reflected on what role God’s law to Moses plays in helping people encounter Christ. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

By: Carol Glatz
August 11, 2021

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — What made Christian life radically new was the call for those who have faith in Jesus Christ to live in the Holy Spirit, who liberates from the law God handed down to Moses, Pope Francis said during his weekly general audience.

Mosaic law was necessary and important to follow at that time in history, but it served as a path to follow toward an eventual encounter with Christ and his commandment of love, he said Aug. 11 to those gathered in the Paul VI audience hall at the Vatican.

The pope continued with his series of talks reflecting on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, focusing on the apostle answering the question, “Why, then, the law” if, after all, “there is the Holy Spirit and if there is Jesus who redeems us?”

“The law is a journey” and it acts like a teacher that takes people by the hand, leading them forward, toward an encounter with Jesus and having faith in Christ, he said.

God gave Moses the law to prepare his people on this journey during a time of rampant idolatry and to help his people guide their behavior in a way that showed and expressed their faith and covenant with God, he said.

However, he said, the law was not the covenant; the covenant came first with Abraham, hundreds of years before Moses, the pope said. The covenant was based not on the observance of the law, but on faith in the fulfilment of God’s promises, he said.

St. Paul needed to clarify the role of the law to the Galatians because there were “fundamentalist missionaries” among them who seemed almost “nostalgic” about observing Mosaic law, believing that adhering to the covenant also included observing the Mosaic law, he said.

The apostle explains that, “in reality, the covenant and the law are not linked indissolubly,” the pope said. “The first element he relies on is that the covenant established by God with Abraham was based on faith in the fulfillment of the promise and not on the observance of the law that did not yet exist.”

“Having said this, one should not think, however, that St. Paul was opposed to the Mosaic law” because he does defend its divine origin and says it has “a well-defined role in the history of salvation,” the pope said.

“The law, however, does not give life, it does not offer the fulfillment of (God’s) promise, because it is not capable of being able to fulfill it. Those who seek life need to look to the promise and to its fulfillment in Christ,” he said.

This was the problem — when people put more importance on observing the law than with encountering Christ, he said.

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Philippines to hold virtual Eucharistic congress

This Jan. 29, 2016 file photo shows thousands join a Eucharistic procession at the sidelines of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City. PHOTO BY ROY LAGARDE

By Roy Lagarde
August 5, 2021
Manila, Philippines

The Philippine Catholic Church will hold a virtual congress on the Eucharist in “solidarity” with the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress in Hungary’s capital of Budapest next month.

Fr. Miguel Garcia, executive secretary of the bishops’ Permanent Committee on International Eucharistic Congresses (PCIEC), said the local event will be hosted by the Sta. Cruz Church in Manila on Sept. 11.

“Sta. Cruz Church will be the center of the activity but all the talks will be pre-recorded and will be broadcast online,” Garcia said.

Among the speakers include Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos, who served as secretary general of the 51st IEC in the city of Cebu.

The priest from the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament said that preparations are still ongoing and final details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The IEC in Budapest will start on Sept. 5, with Pope Francis scheduled to lead the closing Mass on Sept. 12.

The major religious gathering was originally set for September 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PCIEC had previously planned to send at least 500 delegates to Budapest, but was shelved because of the prevailing health crisis.

The target number of participants was aimed to highlight the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines.

“Unfortunately, we have to cancel the plan because of our situation,” Garcia added.

But he said that Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, the current chairman of PCIEC, is planning to attend the global event.

According to him, it has been a tradition that one of the Masses during the one week celebration is presided by the bishop of the previous host of the IEC.

“He (Palma) is trying his best but I’m still awaiting for any development,” he said.

The IEC first took place in France in 1881 with the goal of increasing devotion to the Eucharist.

It has continued to be held once every four years in a different city across the globe, taking place in Jerusalem, Nairobi, Melbourne, Korea, the U.S., and throughout Europe.

The last congress was held in Cebu in 2016, with more than 12,000 registered delegates, though more than a million people took part in the closing Mass.

It will be Hungary’s second time to host the IEC, with the first one also held in Budapest in 1938.

No to commercial propagation of Golden Rice

The Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc (PMPI) expresses its concern over the commercial propagation of the Genetically Modified (GM) crop in Golden Rice, as approved by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industries (DA-BPI).

The genetically-modified Golden Rice is likely to have unforeseen impacts on people, animals, and other plants’ health, biodiversity, and environment. It is also worrisome that agrochemical and seeds corporations would take advantage and control of the rice farming systems, which is a staple food of Filipinos.   This will be risky for small farmers’ local and traditional rice seeds. Instead of a monoculture crop, the government should continuously promote backyard and community gardening for diversify the sources of nutrients within homes and communities.

While we recognize the need to address the so-called prevalence of nutritional problems such as vitamin A deficiency, which some experts believe is just a myth purveyed by corporations who will benefit from this (VAD), it does not necessarily need to be addressed by an engineered crop, but rather through an eco-systemic approach such as agroecology, permaculture and sustainable agriculture which promote dietary diversification, improve soil health and condition, and are economically viable.

We assert the need for transparency on assessment results and the need for independent testing. We express our doubt on whether Golden Rice has the capability to address nutrient deficiency among Filipinos when other systemic issues such as the provision of affordable food, water, housing, and healthcare for all have yet to be fulfilled.

We raise the question of the necessity of Golden Rice when root crops and leafy vegetables other than rice can already provide Vitamin A. We raise the question of who will truly benefit the most from its profits and the corporatization of food systems that oppress and push our farmers into deeper inequality.

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State of Indigenous Peoples Address 2021 Report

From 26 to 28 July 2021, Indigenous representatives and the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) mounted the State of Indigenous Peoples Address (SIPA). SIPA is an annual gathering that provides Indigenous communities the platform for giving voice to their struggles and aspirations.

On World Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we share the SIPA 2021 report which documents the key discussions during the gathering. The last section of the report, on the calls and commitments of Indigenous communities, is vitally important in responding to the plight of Indigenous peoples, one of the poorest and most marginalized sectors in the Philippines. Tagalog and Binisaya translations of the calls and commitments have also been produced and attached to this email.

SIPA 2021 was organized with solidarity organizations Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement, Lilak Purple Action for Indigenous Women, and Samdhana Institute.

For more information or clarifications, please write to us at lrckskfoeph@gmail.com.

SIPA 2021 ReportDownload
SIPA 2021 Panawagan at TindigDownload
SIPA 2021 Panawagan ug BarugananDownload

Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Friends of the Earth Philippines

Pope’s prayer intention for August: Church on the way

Pope Francis releases the prayer intention for the month of August, inviting everyone to work for a transformation of the Church – a work that begins with “a reform of ourselves” through an experience of prayer, charity and service, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

In his video message for his prayer intention for August, Pope Francis reminds the faithful that “the vocation of the Church is evangelization,” and even more, “the Church’s identity is evangelization.”

In this month, the Holy Father reflects on the situation of the Church, its vocation and its identity, and calls us to renew it “by discerning God’s will in our daily life,” and “embarking on a transformation guided by the Holy Spirit.”

“Our own reform as persons is that transformation,” the Pope said. This allows the “Holy Spirit, the gift of God in our hearts, to remind us what Jesus taught and helps us to put into practice.”

Evangelization and a more missionary option

Pope Francis begins with the specific vocation of the Church, which is to evangelize. The Holy Father dreams of an even more missionary option: “one that goes out to meet others without proselytism and transforms its structures for the evangelization of today’s world.”

He emphasizes that he is not talking about proselytism but rather a reform of the Church through “a reform of ourselves, without prefabricated ideas, without ideological prejudices and rigidity.”

To make progress in this regard, Pope Francis invites all to move forward based on spiritual experience: “an experience of prayer, an experience of charity and an experience of service.”

Reforming the Church

“Let us remember that the Church always has difficulties,” the Pope said, explaining that the Church goes through crises because she is alive; not like the dead who do not go through crises.

In a statement accompanying the Pope’s prayer intention, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which prepares “The Pope Video” each month, explains that in the recent letter Pope Francis wrote to Cardinal Reinhard Marx, in which he refused his offer of resignation, the Holy Father acknowledged the crisis in the Church brought about by abuse cases, emphasizing the need for reform.

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