Lakan Sumulong

Dann Pantoja is beginning to use his Tagalog indigenous name -- Lakan Sumulong. This is a statement that our indigenous identities can be a redeeming factor in healing our 'being' (that is, who we are as a people); help symbolize our determination to contribute what we ought to be 'doing' as a nation (that is--active, non-violent, radical transformation); and, determine how we will prioritize what we will be 'having' (that is, inclusive growth and national development based on justice and peace). Asked what fuels his positive outlook in life: “It’s the influence of Jesus, a first century Palestinian carpenter who was executed by the imperial power of his time. He said: ‘Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.’ Jesus defied the ultimate negative factor in our cosmos--death.”

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PRAYING FOR OUR NATIONAL SITUATION DURING THE 2022 HOLY WEEK

We look at our our national situation through the lens of shalom-based transformation — that is, harmony with the Creator (spiritual-ethical transformation), harmony with our being (psycho-social transformation), harmony with others (socio-political transformation), and harmony with the creation (economic-ecological transformation). This season when we commemorate the suffering and death of the Prince of Shalom, we reflect on the condition of our people and our land. This season when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, we also want to celebrate the glimpses of renewed life in our society.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2022/04/18/praying-for-our-national-situation-during-the-holy-week/

THE HEALING POWER OF REMEMBERING: WHAT EDSA MEANS TO ME

EDSA is the term we use to signify the People’s Power Revolution that brought down the Marcos dictatorial regime in 22-25 February 1986. EDSA, or Efipanio Delos Santos Avenue, was the place where millions of people gathered together that led to the dismantling of the violent and murderous Marcos Martial Rule. This week, the government of the Philippines is officially celebrating the EDSA, but Duterte is not scheduled to attend any EDSA Revolution commemorative activity. Each year, I go on a retreat to personally celebrate and remember my fallen colleagues as part of my personal healing. Here is my journal this year.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2022/02/25/the-healing-power-of-remembering-what-edsa-means-to-me/

LOOKING BACK TO 2021 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022 THROUGH THE LENSES OF OUR VISION

We are still focused on our vision. The vision is that, by 31 December 2030, each of our provinces will have a circle of leaders called Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Communities. They would serve as radical, peaceful transformation volunteers in their respective families, spiritual communities, neighborhoods, barangays, cities, or municipalities. The PAR Communities would also get involved in sustainable and regenerative programs that are indigenous to their specific context.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2022/01/07/looking-back-to-2021-and-looking-forward-to-2022-through-the-lenses-of-our-vision/

ON BEING A PEACEBUILDER AND A PARTISAN DURING PHILIPPINE ELECTION SEASON

On May 2022, the Philippines will elect a new president, vice president, senators, congress representatives and local government officials. This will be my first time to vote here in the Philippines since I returned from Canada in 2006. As in Canada, I’m aligning myself politically with a liberal democratic party. Here in the Philippines, a similar political ideology is being led by a woman presidential candidate. Families, religious communities, civil society organizations, business, academia and many other sectors of society are divided right now because of political differences. Although Joji and I are officially employed by Mennonite Church Canada Witness, this is our personal political choice and not, in any way, reflective of Mennonite Church of Canada.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2021/10/15/on-being-a-peacebuilder-and-a-partisan-during-philippine-election-season/

OUR JOURNEY WITH EDSAL, A MERANAW PEACEBUILDING PARTNER, CONTINUES THROUGH SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Our relationship with Edsal Edres started when our peacebuilding network visited our Meranaw partners during the Marawi Crisis. We got involved in peacebuilding activities together, including: fact-finding mission at the very heart of the war zone; Christian-Muslim inter-faith dialogue on peace; joint peacebuilding strategic planning among leaders of civil society organizations; lobbying at the Congress and Senate of the Philippines; and, livelihood initiatives among families affected by war. We are now focused on Inclusive Development and Social Entrepreneurship as an approach to help the war affected families to rise-up from the ravages of armed conflict.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2021/08/06/our-journey-with-edsal-a-meranaw-peacebuilding-partner-continues-through-social-enterprise/

PEACEBUILDING COLLEAGUE CONNECTS US WITH MANDAYA TRIBE FOR INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT

28-30 July 2021. It’s energizing to reconnect with Rolivel Oliveros Elusfa and his team. He was my colleague in civilian ceasefire monitoring from 2006 to 2012 as part of a peacebuilding network. A few months ago, he contacted me and shared his passion to do peacebuilding and development among the Mandaya Indigenous communities. Now, we’re exploring a wider and deeper view of peacebuilding—where building peace is understood as encompassing a holistic and inclusive process of transformation: spiritual-ethical transformation, psycho-social transformation, socio-political transformation, and economic-ecological transformation.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2021/07/31/peacebuilding-colleague-connects-us-with-mandaya-tribe-for-inclusive-development/

OUCH CANADA: LAMENTATIONS FOR THE INDIGENOUS CHILDREN OF TURTLE ISLAND

My heart continually cries in pain for the increasing number of recovered remains of Indigenous children and youth who died in Canada’s residential schools. Along with millions of Canadians, I’m outraged and am calling for further searches of unmarked graves. Because of this, the more I embrace this land and stand in solidarity with her Indigenous Peoples. The more I respect my fellow Canadians who sincerely face this reality with truth, justice, and the pursuit of peace and reconciliation, as articulated in the art of Jennifer Adomeit and other artists. And because of this, the more I condemn the European empires’ greed for wealth and power through colonialism that led to acts of genocide and land stealing against the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island.

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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2021/07/01/ouch-canada-lamentations-for-the-indigenous-children-of-turtle-island/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.