Tag: inclusive development
I have been reflecting on an important question in Philippine political life: What does it mean to pursue social transformation when the old ideological categories no longer adequately describe our reality? For me, the answer cannot be found simply by declaring the Philippine Left irrelevant, nor by defending everything historically associated with the revolutionary Left. Both positions are too simplistic. The deeper challenge is to distinguish between the validity of social grievances and the validity of the political strategies used to address them. The Philippines continues to experience poverty, land inequality, precarious employment, political dynasties, corruption, oligarchic concentration of wealth and power, environmental destruction, Indigenous Peoples’ struggles, and profound inequalities between urban and rural communities. These realities did not disappear simply because particular revolutionary organizations have weakened. A movement may fail in its strategy while the social conditions that produced it remain unresolved. This is why I believe we need to move beyond the question, “Is the Philippine Left still relevant?” The more important question is: “What kind of social transformation does the Philippines need today?”
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2026/09/10/beyond-the-left-right-binary-toward-a-philippine-politics-of-sovereignty-and-social-transformation/
The SONA ng Sambayanan 2026 is more than a protest statement; it is a prophetic indictment of a political and economic system that continues to produce poverty, corruption, inequality, and ecological destruction. While I affirm its call for accountability, social justice, and the rejection of political dynasties, I also read it through the analytical lens of a more radical transformation, expressed within the ethical commitments of nonviolent Liberation Theology. For me, corruption is not merely the failure of individual politicians but a symptom of deeper structural realities—oligarchic capitalism, landlordism, neocolonial dependence, and the concentration of wealth and power. My commitment remains rooted in the liberating way of Jesus Christ, who confronted oppressive systems through courageous, truth-filled, and active nonviolence. Genuine transformation will not come simply by replacing political personalities but by dismantling unjust structures and building participatory institutions where justice, peace, human dignity, and the common good can flourish.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2026/07/24/beyond-corruption-a-nonviolent-liberation-theology-reading-of-the-sona-ng-sambayanan-2026/
The Davao Regional Coffee Expo 2025 (DRCE 2025) has left me deeply moved—not only by the knowledge shared, but by the spirit of unity that flowed through every session, exhibit, and conversation. I witnessed farmers embrace new tools for climate resilience, women take their rightful place as leaders in the coffee value chain, and researchers bridge science with the lived realities of rural communities. What struck me most was how coffee became more than a crop; it became a story of culture, resilience, and collaboration. Listening to farmers, entrepreneurs, baristas, and academics share their hopes and innovations, I saw a vision of a future where coffee sustains both livelihood and community. For me, DRCE 2025 was not simply an event—it was a movement planting seeds of empowerment, sustainability, and peace, with ripples that will continue to transform lives across Davao and beyond.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/09/05/from-farm-to-future-the-transformative-impact-of-drce-2025-on-mindanaos-coffee-sector/
The National Social Entrepreneurship Conference (NSEC) 2025, held on 29-30 April 2025 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, was a transformative gathering of over 500 changemakers—social entrepreneurs, government leaders, academics, grassroots advocates, and impact investors—committed to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future through social enterprise. It was spearheaded by four remarkable institutions—the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt), the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), the University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP ISSI), and the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PReSEnt) Coalition. The conference highlighted both the urgency of our nation’s social and ecological challenges and the powerful role that over 164,000 social enterprises across the country are playing in response. With its theme, “Scaling Change: Advances of Social Enterprises in Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development,” the event served not only as a platform for sharing solutions and innovations, but also as a celebration of resilience, collaboration, and our shared responsibility to center people, planet, and purpose in economic life.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/05/05/scaling-change-from-the-heart-my-reflections-on-the-national-entrepreneurship-conference-2025/
Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to promote gender justice and economic empowerment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with Bangsamoro women playing a crucial role in peacebuilding and development. Oxfam and The Asia Foundation (TAF), supported by the Australian Government, have implemented programs that provide marginalized women with training, mentorship, and access to financial resources to help them thrive as entrepreneurs. These initiatives culminated in the Bangsamoro WEE Learning Exchange in 17-19 February 2025, which highlighted policy support, Islamic Finance, and inclusive growth strategies. As a panelist at this event, I shared insights from my work with Coffee for Peace and PeaceBuilders Community, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of inclusive economic growth as a path to lasting peace in the region.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/02/20/building-peace-through-empowerment-the-role-of-bangsamoro-women/
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.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/02/10/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
22 January 2025. A pioneering agroforestry initiative is set to take root in the ancestral lands of the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Barangay Binaton, at the foot of Mt. Apo. Spearheaded by PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), Coffee for Peace (CFP), and the Indigenous Ancestral Domain Association (IADA), this project seeks to rehabilitate deforested lands in the foothills of Mt. Apo while fostering sustainable livelihoods for indigenous farmers. The initiative will commence with a 2-hectare demonstration farm, serving as a model for best practices in agroforestry. This initial phase will allow farmers to refine cultivation techniques, integrate traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific approaches, and assess the economic viability of the project before scaling up operations. The long-term goal of this initiative is to expand up to 32 hectares, contingent on funding availability. This ambitious expansion plan underscores the project’s commitment to widespread environmental restoration and economic empowerment.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/01/31/bagobo-tagabawa-farmers-and-pbci-cfp-team-launch-agro-forestry-project-in-mt-apo-together/
