Datu Pugawang (colonial name, Luis Daniel ‘Dann’ Alba Pantoja, and also known as Lakan Sumulong), whose name means MindSetter, was entrusted by the Bagobo Tagabawa tribal council with the role of mentoring the next generation of Indigenous leaders to navigate modernity and globalization without losing their roots. While the elders continue to safeguard and deepen the community’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP)—its spirituality, worldview, values, and customary laws—Pugawang helps harmonize these ancient foundations with the realities of the 21st century. He guides young leaders to see technology as a means to preserve culture, to engage in the economy for community well-being rather than profit, and to participate in politics as bearers of ancestral wisdom. For him, Indigenous values are not relics of the past but prophetic voices urgently needed in today’s pursuit of peace, justice, and ecological balance. In this shared work, the elders nurture the roots, and Pugawang shapes the branches—helping the youth grow deeply grounded yet outward-reaching toward the wider world.
Author's posts
CHRISTOLOGY IN CONTEXT: A PANENTHEIST AND PEACEBUILDING PERSPECTIVE
Christology, the theological reflection on the identity and significance of Jesus of Nazareth, has been central to Christianity since its beginnings. Yet, as many scholars emphasize, the first three centuries of the Jesus movement—when believers were known simply as followers of The Way—were characterized by a plurality of Christologies rather than a single, authoritative doctrine (Casey, 2010; Ehrman, 2014). It was only with the rise of imperial Christianity under Constantine that a particular Christology, codified at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, came to dominate the theological landscape. From my perspective, I love Jesus of Nazareth as the historical teacher, prophet, and embodiment of divine love. I also respect the Christian tradition that identifies him as the Second Person of the Eternal Trinity.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/05/15/christology-in-context-a-panentheist-and-peacebuilding-perspective/
MY CONTEMPLATIVE WALK ON A RESURRECTION SUNDAY: A REVOLUTIONARY CALL TO THE PEACE OF CHRIST
This Easter Sunday, I walk and reflect in the spirit of the empty tomb—not as a monument to triumph, but as a living witness to the power of nonviolent love. As an Anabaptist Christian, shaped by a tradition of costly discipleship and radical peace, I hear the Risen Christ speaking again: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). He does not come back with vengeance. He comes bearing wounds. He breathes peace on fearful disciples and sends them out into a world ruled by empire, militarism, and religious complicity. That same world surrounds me today—in Southeast Asia where I live and serve as a peacebuilder, and in Canada, where my family and spiritual community remain deeply rooted.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/04/20/my-contemplative-walk-on-a-resurrection-sunday-a-revolutionary-call-to-the-peace-of-christ/
THE CROSS AND THE NATION: A CANADIAN REFLECTION AMID TARIFFS AND TURBULENCE
As Canadians wake up to the economic uncertainties stirred by protectionist policies from our neighbor and largest trading partner, the United States—particularly under the renewed threats of tariffs by US President Donald Trump—a deeper national introspection is warranted. It is in moments like these, when the ground beneath us seems to shift, that sacred texts offer more than spiritual comfort; they present frameworks for national reflection and transformation. Jesus offers a vivid image of growth through surrender: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). This imagery is striking, not only in its spiritual implications but also in its relevance to the soul of a nation confronting change, pressure, and adversity.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/03/31/the-cross-and-the-nation-a-canadian-reflection-amid-tariffs-and-turbulence/
FORMER PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE IS ARRESTED AND TRANSFERRED TO ICC
As I read today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer headline, “From ‘Tokhang’ to The Hague: Duterte handed over to ICC,” I found myself pausing—not out of surprise, but in solemn reflection. This is a momentous day for our nation. The arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) signifies more than just a legal milestone. It marks a profound shift in our collective conscience—from a time when extrajudicial killings became normalized under a brutal “war on drugs,” to a moment of reckoning before an international tribunal. It is the beginning of an accounting long delayed, yet urgently needed. As a justice-based peacebuilding worker and a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, I do not see this event merely through the lens of legality. I see it as a moral and ethical crossroads for the Filipino people. This is a test of our commitment to truth, justice, and accountability—not only for the powerless, but now, remarkably, for the once-powerful.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/03/12/former-president-rodrigo-duterte-is-arrested-and-transferred-to-icc/
PBCI CELEBRATES PASSAGE OF ‘BANGSAMORO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ACT’; REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE PEACEBUILDING
08 February 2025, Upi, Maguindanao Del Norte — As a long-term advocate for justice and reconciliation in Mindanao, PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) joins the Indigenous Peoples (IP) of Bangsamoro in celebrating the historic passage of the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 by the Bangsamoro Parliament on 10 December 2024. This landmark legislation strengthens the rights, recognition, and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), marking a major step forward for peace and inclusivity in the region. For decades, PBCI has walked alongside Indigenous communities in Mindanao, advocating for their land rights, self-determination, and cultural preservation. The Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 provides a long-overdue legal framework that formalizes these rights, ensuring mechanisms for ancestral domain recognition, cultural preservation, access to government resources, and active participation in governance.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/02/10/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
MY JOURNEY IN USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FRAMED IN SOCIAL ETHICS AND PEACEBUILDING
My journey in using AI within the framework of social ethics and peacebuilding has been a process of discernment, balancing the potential benefits of technology with the ethical challenges it presents. AI can serve as a tool for justice, conflict prevention, and reconciliation, but only if it is framed with human dignity, fairness, and accountability at its core. I have explored its role in early warning systems, mediation, and restorative justice, recognizing both its promise and its risks. Ethical AI must be human-centered, participatory, transparent, and committed to nonviolence. As peacebuilders, we must ensure that AI amplifies the voices of the marginalized rather than reinforcing systems of oppression. The future of AI in peace work is not just about innovation but about moral responsibility—using technology to build a world rooted in justice, equity, and peace.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/01/21/my-journey-in-using-artificial-intelligence-framed-in-social-ethics-and-peacebuilding/
WHY WAVES
CANADIAN CENTRE
PHILIPPINE CENTER
PROFESSIONAL PROFILES
MEET OUR FAMILY
OUR PERCEPTION OF FINAL REALITY
DISTINCT BUT INSEPARABLE DREAMS
PEACE IS TRANSFORMATIVE HARMONY
HOW WE UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENT
VISIT COFFEE FOR PEACE ONLINE
VISIT PEACEBUILDERS COMMUNITY
