The PBCI Information & Communications Team is a group of volunteer writers and web designers at PeaceBuilders Community Incorporated (PBCI) who are working from different parts of the globe. Their task is to document all the activities initiated by the various communities and groups belonging to PAR Philippines — a national peace and reconciliation movement doing inclusive development initiatives, social entrepreneurial training, multiplication of effective peacebuilding workers, conflict transformation consulting, and restorative justice processes. PBCI is a community of missionaries who are dreaming and working together for a just, radical, and active non-violent transformation of our beautiful land.
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TEAM BONDING AND REFLECTION HIGHLIGHT PEACE HUB FAMILY’S HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
The staff and leaders of Coffee for Peace, Inc., along with Kapeyapaan Coffee Roasting Services, Malipayon Post-Harvest Processing Services, IncluDev Learning Initiatives, and Produce Peace+, gathered on December 15-16, 2024, for a Christmas celebration and year-end evaluation at a beach resort in Samal Island, Davao del Sur. The event featured lively parlor games, swimming, and team-building activities that emphasized trust, communication, and shared purpose. These activities fostered joy, camaraderie, and collaboration among the 35 participants. The gathering also included a reflective session where the group reviewed their accomplishments and challenges for 2024, exchanging insights to guide their work for 2025. Concluding with a shared meal and expressions of gratitude, the event celebrated the festive season while reaffirming the participants’ commitment to fostering peace and sustainable development through innovative solutions and community engagement.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/12/23/team-bonding-and-reflection-highlight-peace-hub-familys-holiday-celebration/
JON AND BOYET INITIATE INSTITUTIONAL TRANSITION PROCESS AT PEACEBUILDERS COMMUNITY
On the afternoon of 16 November 2024, the Malipayon Peace Hub in Managa, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, became the vibrant venue for PeaceBuilders Community, Inc.’s (PBCI) First Annual General Meeting. The hybrid event—combining onsite and online participation—brought together 42 attendees, including field volunteers from across the Philippines, from Canada, PBCI and Coffee for Peace (CFP) staff, partners, impact investors, friends, and online followers. This diverse gathering marked a milestone in the organization’s journey, fostering a collaborative spirit to shape its strategic direction. Joseph “Ka Boyet” Ongkiko, PBCI’s Executive Vice President for Institutional and Program Development, led the meeting with a balance of warmth and clarity, ensuring both onsite and online participants were fully engaged. The three-hour session was structured yet dynamic, creating space for individual reflection, group collaboration, and collective decision-making.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/11/29/jon-and-boyet-initiate-institutional-transition-process-at-peacebuilders-community/
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/11/22/canadian-mennonite-delegation-joins-mindanao-peace-workers-to-strengthen-partnerships/
WE, THE PBCI-CFP TEAM, REAFFIRMED OUR SOLIDARITY WITH THE TALAANDIG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Every year in October, the Talaandig people of the Philippines come together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage, identity, and resilience through the Annual Talaandig Day. This special day honors the history, traditions, and values of the Talaandig, an indigenous group living primarily in Bukidnon, a province in the heart of Mindanao. The celebration serves as a reminder of their ongoing struggle to preserve their ancestral lands, culture, and ways of life in a rapidly modernizing world. The Talaandig tribal leadership invited our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP) to celebrate with them and to express our solidarity as one of the guest speakers during the program. Here’s our reflection of that day, 14 October 2024.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/10/15/we-the-pbci-cfp-team-reaffirmed-our-solidarity-with-the-talaandig-indigenous-people/
COFFEE FOR PEACE ACCEPTS ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY’S SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS AS INTERNS
The Department of Sociology and Developmental Studies at Ateneo de Davao University has extended an invitation for us to collaborate as a partner in their Sociology Practicum Program. This program is designed to enrich students’ understanding of the social world by offering them hands-on experience through work with real communities, organizations, or institutions. The Sociology Practicum Program bridges academic learning with structured, supervised work experience, allowing students to apply classroom theories and principles in real-world settings. Through this integration, students are not only trained in the practical use of research and project management but are also guided in developing problem-solving skills rooted in sociological concepts.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/07/29/coffee-for-peace-accepts-ateneo-de-davao-universitys-sociology-students-as-interns/
MILF RECOGNIZES PBCI FOR OUR “UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE BANGSAMORO PEACE PROCESS”
Last Wednesday, 27 March 2024, our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) participated in the 10th Year Commemoration of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at Camp Darapanan, the Administrative Offices of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF presented a Plaque of Appreciation to PBCI in recognition of our “unwavering support to the Bangsamoro Peace Process” and for our “tireless efforts to promote peace and development in Mindanao.” Our President & CEO, L. Daniel ‘Lakan’ Pantoja, received the plaque on behalf of our community. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) is a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), aimed at ending decades of conflict in the Bangsamoro region.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/03/31/milf-recognizes-pbci-for-our-unwavering-support-to-the-bangsamoro-peace-process/
JOJI SPEAKS AT THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES TO PROMOTE SENATE BILL 782, ALSO KNOWN AS “THE PRESENT BILL”
In a landmark move towards combating poverty and fostering inclusive growth, the submission of Senate Bill 782 or the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) program marks a significant milestone. “The essence of the PRESENT bill,” Joji Pantoja explains, “lies in its commitment to empower communities through social entrepreneurship.” By recognizing the impoverished not merely as recipients of aid but as active participants in the economic landscape, the program aims to create sustainable solutions to systemic issues. Ms Pantoja was invited to the Philippines Senate to share the vision of collaborative progress, where communities are equipped with the tools and resources to uplift themselves. “Through the PRESENT Program,” Joji adds, “we embark on a journey towards a more equitable and prosperous future… let us embrace the power of social entrepreneurship to transform lives and build thriving communities.”
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/03/13/joji-speaks-at-the-senate-of-the-philippines-to-promote-senate-bill-782-also-known-as-the-present-bill/