A FIRST-EVER assembly of Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) was held in the conflict-ridden city of Jolo, Sulu against the backdrop of a possible threat of kidnapping from the notorious Abu Sayyaf group.
Regarded as historic, the BUC meeting last November 18-21 gathered 75 BUC members led by the Conference’s three co-convenors—Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, UCCP Bishop-emeritus Hilario Gomez, Jr., and Ulama League of the Philippines President Aleem Aboali Cali.
Jolo Apostolic Vicar Angelito Lampon, OMI said the meeting was indeed “historical because for the first time it happened in Jolo.”
He said holding the assembly in Jolo was a strong statement from the bishops to the people to sit down and dialogue for the attainment of peace.
The meeting involved participation of 40 lay leaders from the apostolic vicariate.
Lampon said the general idea of holding the meeting in Jolo was to consult the grassroots of their concerns and ask their suggestions on how and what can be done to attain peace in Mindanao.
In a joint statement after the meeting, the BUC renewed its call to end hostilities and pursue the peace process. It likewise urged the government to build up its efforts to stop kidnapping in the area.
“We renew our call for the cessation of all hostilities in order to create a climate of peace where diverse voices can confidently be expressed and sincerely heard. And on the recent violence committed by rebel groups in some areas of Mindanao, let the force of law be applied with justice that leads to peace,” the statement read.
The religious leaders also pledged to continue promote community and sectoral dialogues.
“While we continue with interfaith activities, we shall also pursue authentic intrafaith dialogues among our own communities. We hope that through this open communication, we will find a way to face our own share in the prolonged problem in Mindanao as well as discover how we could go beyond hurts and biases,” the BUC said.
The BUC said that the local communities are simple people who only dream of simple things in life like having “farm to market roads, books and classroom for their children, and other basic services.”
The religious gathering was spearheaded in collaboration with Bishop Angelito Lampon, and the local government unit of Jolo.
The local police and military and MNLF leaders have provided the delegates security during the assembly.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
CBCP: Reproductive Health Bill dangerous to family stability
The Catholic Bishops of the Philippines (CBCP) have made a collective stand on the issue of the controversial reproductive health bill now pending in Congress in a special meeting today at Pope Pius XII Center.
In a pastoral statement read before the media this afternoon, the bishops made an unequivocal declaration that though the bill has a number of good points, some parts of it have fatal flaws that are contrary to Church’s teachings and pose serious threats to family stability.
The statement lauded positive issues in the Bill saying that those “are the kind of things no human institution would have any reason to oppose—maternal, infant and child health and nutrition, promotion of breastfeeding, adolescent and youth health, elimination of violence against women, etc.”, but explicitly denounced provisions they found unacceptable.
“It is our collective discernment that the Bill in its present form poses a serious threat to life of infants in the womb. It is a source of danger for the stability of the family. It places the dignity of womanhood at great risk,” the statement read.
Even as they recognized the right of government to legislate laws, the bishops urged that there should not be separation between God and Man in enacting them.
“We appeal to our legislators to state in the Bill in clear categorical terms that human life from the moment of conception is sacred. We appeal to our legislators to insure that the Bill recognized, preserve and safeguard freedom of conscience and religion. The Bill must inspire parents not only to be responsible but to be heroic in their God-given and Sate-recognized duty of parenting. Without these conditions, the Bill if enacted into law will separate our nation from Almighty God,” the bishops said.
The pastoral statement also clarified the ambiguities they found in the Bill since it does give a clear definition “when protection of life begins.”
It is feared that this ambiguity can provide an excuse for the use of contraceptives that stop the implantation of a fertilized ovum, which constitutes abortion.
The statement also pointed some provisions that go against one’s freedom of conscience such as the Reproductive Health Education curriculum being taught in both private and public schools; mandating employers to provide reproductive health care services to their employees and penalizing anyone who may talk about morality for malicious disinformation.
The bishops urged the Bill’s proponents to look beyond demography but more on health and family development.
They also reiterated that since its people are the greatest asset of the nation, “effective family health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible and heroic parenting.”
“Respect for, protection and fulfillment of family health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents’ and children’s as well,” the statement concluded.
Bishop Socrates Villegas, chair of Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education read the statement together with Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, chair of Episcopal Commission on Family and Life and Bishop Teodoro Bacani, bishop-emeritus of Novaliches.
In a pastoral statement read before the media this afternoon, the bishops made an unequivocal declaration that though the bill has a number of good points, some parts of it have fatal flaws that are contrary to Church’s teachings and pose serious threats to family stability.
The statement lauded positive issues in the Bill saying that those “are the kind of things no human institution would have any reason to oppose—maternal, infant and child health and nutrition, promotion of breastfeeding, adolescent and youth health, elimination of violence against women, etc.”, but explicitly denounced provisions they found unacceptable.
“It is our collective discernment that the Bill in its present form poses a serious threat to life of infants in the womb. It is a source of danger for the stability of the family. It places the dignity of womanhood at great risk,” the statement read.
Even as they recognized the right of government to legislate laws, the bishops urged that there should not be separation between God and Man in enacting them.
“We appeal to our legislators to state in the Bill in clear categorical terms that human life from the moment of conception is sacred. We appeal to our legislators to insure that the Bill recognized, preserve and safeguard freedom of conscience and religion. The Bill must inspire parents not only to be responsible but to be heroic in their God-given and Sate-recognized duty of parenting. Without these conditions, the Bill if enacted into law will separate our nation from Almighty God,” the bishops said.
The pastoral statement also clarified the ambiguities they found in the Bill since it does give a clear definition “when protection of life begins.”
It is feared that this ambiguity can provide an excuse for the use of contraceptives that stop the implantation of a fertilized ovum, which constitutes abortion.
The statement also pointed some provisions that go against one’s freedom of conscience such as the Reproductive Health Education curriculum being taught in both private and public schools; mandating employers to provide reproductive health care services to their employees and penalizing anyone who may talk about morality for malicious disinformation.
The bishops urged the Bill’s proponents to look beyond demography but more on health and family development.
They also reiterated that since its people are the greatest asset of the nation, “effective family health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible and heroic parenting.”
“Respect for, protection and fulfillment of family health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents’ and children’s as well,” the statement concluded.
Bishop Socrates Villegas, chair of Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education read the statement together with Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, chair of Episcopal Commission on Family and Life and Bishop Teodoro Bacani, bishop-emeritus of Novaliches.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Corruption derails rural dev’t, says BEC Congress but it should be addressed even from below
WITH a big percentage of Filipinos living in poverty and a government reeling from the perception of being the most corrupt, a nationwide Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) Congress on rural development comes at a most opportune time.
Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, in his homily at the opening of the second BEC National Congress held at St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro noted that the theme of the congress was a continuation of the discussion of what has transpired in the recently concluded rural congress.
Ledesma is the national chairman of the National Rural Congress which convened last July.
He underscored the role of BECs in rural development saying that BEC members can contribute a lot in making good governance a reality in the country.
Lack of good governance and the problem of corruption have been seen as some of the problems that derail the pursuit of development especially in the rural areas.
“In all of these it is the small people, the Church of the poor, the little ones that organized as BECs can bring collectively their voices to the powers that lead and to be able to transform their own society,” Ledesma said.
Underscoring the role of BECs in rural development, the archbishop challenged the people saying that the poverty “we see around us” is not a “God given kind of poverty.”
“It is a poverty that we must confront and wage war against because it is the poverty that dehumanizes many [of] our brothers and sisters. That denies them the basic rights and the basic needs that they have for their own rightful growth in their human dignity,” Ledesma said.
Combating corruption should start at the bottom
Endemic corruption in all levels of government can be addressed, and it should start at the bottom, said Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI, also the Chairman of CBCP Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities.
“People should start correcting corruption from the bottom, not just waiting for a ‘big fish’ to be caught. Corruption can be controlled at the local level, barangay, municipality, even the province,” said Quevedo.
He said elections are hotly contested even at the kagawad level not so much because of their program but because of the money involved.
“So a lot of money is being spent in local Barangay elections, including among the youth. A lot of corruption is taking place [at this level],” he said.
“It starts at the rural level,” Quevedo said, “although it is not as visible as what is happening at the top. Actually it is all over the Philippines. It has to do with government officials—from kagawad to policemen and all that. That’s why I don’t believe in the idea of corruption only on the top.”
Quevedo said his 25 years of experience as a bishop can attest to the systemic corruption taking place in government.
Corruption is widespread in all areas of government, education, infrastructure… as long as signature is needed, there is corruption there. Contractors use substandard materials to make profit, whether it is a barangay road, or farm to market road… he said.
“Change should start at the bottom. Even if we elect a new president, same thing will happen. Why? Because it’s the system itself. And the system is deeply rooted. There is so much more corruption in the higher level because there is so much more money and also because it’s highly visible. At the bottom, it’s less visible, but there’s corruption there and the people know. A kagawad takes money for anything, even just for transportation fare, budget allocation for transportation,” said Quevedo.
He said if BECs are serious about their projects about authentic development they cannot but influence others.
“It’s a big challenge. The awareness raising would have to be intensified, so that what they would be doing would have effect on the outside,” Quevedo said.
He said if the whole archdiocese is organized in terms of BECs who practice a culture of transparency and accountability, its influence in all areas will be widespread.
The concept of battling systemic corruption should start from the bottom up, he said.
“If the diocese is constituted by BECs and the parishes as such, the influence of the grassroots will be quite extensive,” he said.
One of the main sources of corruption is the budget allocation for infrastructures and countryside development projects of government at the local level where big cuts are slashed from the funds and go to the pockets of local officials.
Watchdog role
Quevedo said the BECs can play a watchdog role by checking on their officials.
“The BECs are the ones who know what is supposed to be given to a barangay. [They] can begin checking on those, because many of those barangay officials are members of the BECs, and therefore if they are given the IRA, or allocation funds, they are the ones who can monitor what is happening to the funds, said Quevedo.
But monitoring happens only at the barangay level since they are the ones who have first-hand knowledge of government programs and activities.
The schools of the archdiocese are also mobilized to address the same problem.
A program on honesty and accountability is part of the schools’ curriculum. It is directed against corruption. That type of program is also given at the BEC level.
The program is a systematic curriculum against corruption, the archbishop said.
Roles of BECs in rural development
Quevedo also said that rural development from the BEC perspective is sustainable development. It starts from the bottom as opposed from the present model of development that comes from top.
“The people have to use their own initiatives and whatever resources they can use in their own communities and develop themselves locally. So more or less it is a gospel countersign to the model of development in the world. They don’t really depend very much on outside help, so it’s called sustainable development,” said Quevedo.
The Cotabato archbishop believed rural development could address the poverty crisis at the local level.
He noted that people in the provinces can survive even with little.
“Big businesses cannot survive, but little people in the grassroots can survive with the kind of development that they can sustain from their own local areas,” Quevedo said.
“Sustainable development does not call for infusion of big capital. What it needs are cooperation and collaboration among themselves [BECs]. And perhaps a little capital from the diocese, from the parish, can help the BEC in the villages. But even that it is not really needed as my experience in Kidapawan and Nueva Segovia [showed]. The BECs there they started their own cooperatives, they started their own compact farming, in terms of community self help,” Quevedo added.
Despite the level of governance the country has at present, Quevedo still expressed optimism that sustainable development can help address poverty.
“It can help because leadership at BEC from the grassroots is again very different from the kind of leadership in politics. There’s a lot of consensus and decision making done by them (BECs). That is true with governance, that is also true with the social action projects, at that is also true with barangay chapel council. Again participation, collaboration and lot of decisions made based on themselves,” Quevedo said.
Showing the way
A number of BECs at the grassroots have formed cooperatives or clusters in marketing their goods. Ledesma said in Northern Mindanao one approach for marketing is to group together vegetable growers or calamansi growers to safeguard the quality of their products to able to market it in bigger cities, even to Metro Manila.
“It is through their clustering and forming associations that BECs can show the way in rural development,” said Ledesma.
He mentioned the pioneering effort of the archdiocese in the growth of a product like castor oil, beans and also in promoting the economic development of their small farmer growers in different areas.
‘Extensions of body of Christ’
Ledesma noted that ‘basic ecclesial communities are extensions of the body of Christ.’
‘‘All of us are but one body of Christ. And the BEC also partake the three functions and gifts of the body of Christ. Christ as Priest, as Prophet and a servant King. And it is in life perhaps that we can reflect a bit about the meaning of BECs,” he said.
Ledesma said that as a participatory Church BEC members share in the liturgical life of the Church. He gave as example the parish liturgical activities members of BECs partake in particularly the reception of the sacraments.
BEC members concretized their roles of being servant in sharing the responsibility of serving the needs of the local Church, he said. Ledesma observed the various roles members perform in the local Church.
“There is also a sharing of responsibility in terms of the multiplication of roles as they minister as alagads, as selda facilitators, as katekistas, and family and life promoters, youth organizers…,” he said.
Ledesma added that the sharing of responsibilities leads the members to grow in their faith, in their hope and aspirations “as one Church linked to the larger structures of the parish, of the vicariates, of the entire diocese and the whole Church in the Philippines.”
Another dimension Ledesma mentioned was the BECs involvement in advocacy work saying that ecclesial communities are called to be prophets and carriers of values. The rural congress last July has pushed into the open the various concerns of basic sectors from the BECs, among them agrarian reform, indigenous peoples’ rights, peace process, good governance, and poverty alleviation.
Still have much room for growth
Despite their dedication and involvement in the life of the Church BEC members still need a lot in terms of growth and guidance, noted Ledesma, admitting that factions are a reality in basic ecclesial communities.
“We cannot still rise up and speak in one voice. And it is in this sense that BECs themselves are invited to take the lead in reconciliation, in providing venues for bringing together homes and factions that have been split and separated from one another,” said Ledesma.
A new way of being Church
The three-day gathering hopes to challenge participants and bring a greater understanding on how BECs can indeed strengthen the faith of its members and how each one can contribute to the transformation of Philippine Society.
Commonly referred to as a new way of being Church, basic ecclesial communities or BECs are also called in various other names in different parts of the Philippines.
In Bangued, it is called Simbaan Dagiti Agkaarruba (SIMBAG); in Kalookan, Munting
Kapitbahayang Kristiyano (MKK); in Lucena, Quezon Province and Pasig, Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano (MSK); in Romblon, Buklod o Sambulig; in Antique, Kristohanon nga Katilingban (KK); and in Talibon, Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban.
Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, in his homily at the opening of the second BEC National Congress held at St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro noted that the theme of the congress was a continuation of the discussion of what has transpired in the recently concluded rural congress.
Ledesma is the national chairman of the National Rural Congress which convened last July.
He underscored the role of BECs in rural development saying that BEC members can contribute a lot in making good governance a reality in the country.
Lack of good governance and the problem of corruption have been seen as some of the problems that derail the pursuit of development especially in the rural areas.
“In all of these it is the small people, the Church of the poor, the little ones that organized as BECs can bring collectively their voices to the powers that lead and to be able to transform their own society,” Ledesma said.
Underscoring the role of BECs in rural development, the archbishop challenged the people saying that the poverty “we see around us” is not a “God given kind of poverty.”
“It is a poverty that we must confront and wage war against because it is the poverty that dehumanizes many [of] our brothers and sisters. That denies them the basic rights and the basic needs that they have for their own rightful growth in their human dignity,” Ledesma said.
Combating corruption should start at the bottom
Endemic corruption in all levels of government can be addressed, and it should start at the bottom, said Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI, also the Chairman of CBCP Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities.
“People should start correcting corruption from the bottom, not just waiting for a ‘big fish’ to be caught. Corruption can be controlled at the local level, barangay, municipality, even the province,” said Quevedo.
He said elections are hotly contested even at the kagawad level not so much because of their program but because of the money involved.
“So a lot of money is being spent in local Barangay elections, including among the youth. A lot of corruption is taking place [at this level],” he said.
“It starts at the rural level,” Quevedo said, “although it is not as visible as what is happening at the top. Actually it is all over the Philippines. It has to do with government officials—from kagawad to policemen and all that. That’s why I don’t believe in the idea of corruption only on the top.”
Quevedo said his 25 years of experience as a bishop can attest to the systemic corruption taking place in government.
Corruption is widespread in all areas of government, education, infrastructure… as long as signature is needed, there is corruption there. Contractors use substandard materials to make profit, whether it is a barangay road, or farm to market road… he said.
“Change should start at the bottom. Even if we elect a new president, same thing will happen. Why? Because it’s the system itself. And the system is deeply rooted. There is so much more corruption in the higher level because there is so much more money and also because it’s highly visible. At the bottom, it’s less visible, but there’s corruption there and the people know. A kagawad takes money for anything, even just for transportation fare, budget allocation for transportation,” said Quevedo.
He said if BECs are serious about their projects about authentic development they cannot but influence others.
“It’s a big challenge. The awareness raising would have to be intensified, so that what they would be doing would have effect on the outside,” Quevedo said.
He said if the whole archdiocese is organized in terms of BECs who practice a culture of transparency and accountability, its influence in all areas will be widespread.
The concept of battling systemic corruption should start from the bottom up, he said.
“If the diocese is constituted by BECs and the parishes as such, the influence of the grassroots will be quite extensive,” he said.
One of the main sources of corruption is the budget allocation for infrastructures and countryside development projects of government at the local level where big cuts are slashed from the funds and go to the pockets of local officials.
Watchdog role
Quevedo said the BECs can play a watchdog role by checking on their officials.
“The BECs are the ones who know what is supposed to be given to a barangay. [They] can begin checking on those, because many of those barangay officials are members of the BECs, and therefore if they are given the IRA, or allocation funds, they are the ones who can monitor what is happening to the funds, said Quevedo.
But monitoring happens only at the barangay level since they are the ones who have first-hand knowledge of government programs and activities.
The schools of the archdiocese are also mobilized to address the same problem.
A program on honesty and accountability is part of the schools’ curriculum. It is directed against corruption. That type of program is also given at the BEC level.
The program is a systematic curriculum against corruption, the archbishop said.
Roles of BECs in rural development
Quevedo also said that rural development from the BEC perspective is sustainable development. It starts from the bottom as opposed from the present model of development that comes from top.
“The people have to use their own initiatives and whatever resources they can use in their own communities and develop themselves locally. So more or less it is a gospel countersign to the model of development in the world. They don’t really depend very much on outside help, so it’s called sustainable development,” said Quevedo.
The Cotabato archbishop believed rural development could address the poverty crisis at the local level.
He noted that people in the provinces can survive even with little.
“Big businesses cannot survive, but little people in the grassroots can survive with the kind of development that they can sustain from their own local areas,” Quevedo said.
“Sustainable development does not call for infusion of big capital. What it needs are cooperation and collaboration among themselves [BECs]. And perhaps a little capital from the diocese, from the parish, can help the BEC in the villages. But even that it is not really needed as my experience in Kidapawan and Nueva Segovia [showed]. The BECs there they started their own cooperatives, they started their own compact farming, in terms of community self help,” Quevedo added.
Despite the level of governance the country has at present, Quevedo still expressed optimism that sustainable development can help address poverty.
“It can help because leadership at BEC from the grassroots is again very different from the kind of leadership in politics. There’s a lot of consensus and decision making done by them (BECs). That is true with governance, that is also true with the social action projects, at that is also true with barangay chapel council. Again participation, collaboration and lot of decisions made based on themselves,” Quevedo said.
Showing the way
A number of BECs at the grassroots have formed cooperatives or clusters in marketing their goods. Ledesma said in Northern Mindanao one approach for marketing is to group together vegetable growers or calamansi growers to safeguard the quality of their products to able to market it in bigger cities, even to Metro Manila.
“It is through their clustering and forming associations that BECs can show the way in rural development,” said Ledesma.
He mentioned the pioneering effort of the archdiocese in the growth of a product like castor oil, beans and also in promoting the economic development of their small farmer growers in different areas.
‘Extensions of body of Christ’
Ledesma noted that ‘basic ecclesial communities are extensions of the body of Christ.’
‘‘All of us are but one body of Christ. And the BEC also partake the three functions and gifts of the body of Christ. Christ as Priest, as Prophet and a servant King. And it is in life perhaps that we can reflect a bit about the meaning of BECs,” he said.
Ledesma said that as a participatory Church BEC members share in the liturgical life of the Church. He gave as example the parish liturgical activities members of BECs partake in particularly the reception of the sacraments.
BEC members concretized their roles of being servant in sharing the responsibility of serving the needs of the local Church, he said. Ledesma observed the various roles members perform in the local Church.
“There is also a sharing of responsibility in terms of the multiplication of roles as they minister as alagads, as selda facilitators, as katekistas, and family and life promoters, youth organizers…,” he said.
Ledesma added that the sharing of responsibilities leads the members to grow in their faith, in their hope and aspirations “as one Church linked to the larger structures of the parish, of the vicariates, of the entire diocese and the whole Church in the Philippines.”
Another dimension Ledesma mentioned was the BECs involvement in advocacy work saying that ecclesial communities are called to be prophets and carriers of values. The rural congress last July has pushed into the open the various concerns of basic sectors from the BECs, among them agrarian reform, indigenous peoples’ rights, peace process, good governance, and poverty alleviation.
Still have much room for growth
Despite their dedication and involvement in the life of the Church BEC members still need a lot in terms of growth and guidance, noted Ledesma, admitting that factions are a reality in basic ecclesial communities.
“We cannot still rise up and speak in one voice. And it is in this sense that BECs themselves are invited to take the lead in reconciliation, in providing venues for bringing together homes and factions that have been split and separated from one another,” said Ledesma.
A new way of being Church
The three-day gathering hopes to challenge participants and bring a greater understanding on how BECs can indeed strengthen the faith of its members and how each one can contribute to the transformation of Philippine Society.
Commonly referred to as a new way of being Church, basic ecclesial communities or BECs are also called in various other names in different parts of the Philippines.
In Bangued, it is called Simbaan Dagiti Agkaarruba (SIMBAG); in Kalookan, Munting
Kapitbahayang Kristiyano (MKK); in Lucena, Quezon Province and Pasig, Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano (MSK); in Romblon, Buklod o Sambulig; in Antique, Kristohanon nga Katilingban (KK); and in Talibon, Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
CBCP office to host int’l meeting of prison chaplains
The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines will host the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Steering Committee of the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA Worldwide) on November 24 to 29 at the Manila Hotel.
The assembly participants include the IPCA president, Vice president, Project Manager, representatives of Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean. Members of the Christian Council of Sweden will also attend the meeting.
While in the country, members of the Steering Committee will visit the Manila City Jail and learn from the director of the Bureau of Jail Management the present situation of jails in the Philippines.
The group will also meet and discuss with Church leaders and government officials who are involved on the issues of human rights.
A fellowship night is likewise scheduled with Chaplains and Volunteers in Prison Service.
The Committee is also set to meet the media on November 26 to discuss Jail and Prison Reforms and Restorative Justice. Speakers include Bishop Pedro Arigo, CBCP-ECPPC chair, Rev. Birgitta Winberg, IPCA Worldwide president, Rev. Agneta Johnson, Correctional Service of Sweden, Rev. Tom O’Connor, chaplain of Correctional Service of America, and Rev. Hennie Human, Representative of Africa and the Correctional Service of Africa.
An ecumenical Christian movement, IPCA is a conference of prison chaplains committed to serve the unity of the Churches. The association provides a worldwide network of prison chaplains who are deeply committed in their work for peace and justice for prisoners.
The assembly participants include the IPCA president, Vice president, Project Manager, representatives of Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean. Members of the Christian Council of Sweden will also attend the meeting.
While in the country, members of the Steering Committee will visit the Manila City Jail and learn from the director of the Bureau of Jail Management the present situation of jails in the Philippines.
The group will also meet and discuss with Church leaders and government officials who are involved on the issues of human rights.
A fellowship night is likewise scheduled with Chaplains and Volunteers in Prison Service.
The Committee is also set to meet the media on November 26 to discuss Jail and Prison Reforms and Restorative Justice. Speakers include Bishop Pedro Arigo, CBCP-ECPPC chair, Rev. Birgitta Winberg, IPCA Worldwide president, Rev. Agneta Johnson, Correctional Service of Sweden, Rev. Tom O’Connor, chaplain of Correctional Service of America, and Rev. Hennie Human, Representative of Africa and the Correctional Service of Africa.
An ecumenical Christian movement, IPCA is a conference of prison chaplains committed to serve the unity of the Churches. The association provides a worldwide network of prison chaplains who are deeply committed in their work for peace and justice for prisoners.
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