ACT Philippines Forum links with local faith-based organizations for humanitarian work

For the first time after three years of collaboration, the ACT Philippines Forum opened their fourth annual meeting to the local members of the World Council of Churches and other partner Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs).

The ACT Philippines Forum is composed of Christian Aid, Lutheran World Relief, and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP).

This meeting at the NCCP Bishop La Verne D. Mercado Ecumenical Center revisited the background and progress of the ACT Philippines Forum in the past year.

“One of our priorities this year is to help sustain and strengthen the platform for FBOs doing humanitarian action. What we saw from our past activities is that FBOs have eagerness and energy to communicate and share ideas and learnings from one another. Distinct qualities, values, and ideas arise from our conversations with each other. We need to discover what difference the FBOs could bring,” said Ms. Lot Felizco, Country Director of Christian Aid and the Convenor of the Forum.

The assembly commended the growing community of FBOs wherein distinct qualities and values on humanitarian work was shared. The forum also looked forward to the new challenges of the new phase of their collaborative humanitarian work.

“In service and humanitarian work, there is no time for clashing interests. In the situation of injustice, we must speak the language of peace. There is a need for humanitarian agencies to put human dignity above all else in humanitarian response, for we are all created in God’s image,” said Rev. Rex RB Reyes, Jr., General Secretary of NCCP.

The ACT Philippines Forum aims to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the ecumenical humanitarian and development response, to persons and communities affected by poverty, discrimination, abuse and disasters through improved preparedness, implementation and coordination at national level.

Around 34 participants coming from the local members of World Council of Churches members, ACT Philippines Forum’s local partners, and other faith-based organizations participated in the said event.