Manila, Philippines – The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) called on the government of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), to return to the negotiating table during the Day of Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines.
“We call on the government and the NDFP to pick up where they left off on their November 23, 2023 Joint Statement and get the peace negotiations going in earnest.” This was stated by Ms. Minnie Anne Mata-Calub, NCCP General Secretary, in her opening remarks for the National and International Day of Prayer for JustPeace in the Philippines, today September 1.
Ms. Mata-Calub said that “the Day of Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines aims to build a strong peace constituency among Filipinos and the international community, advocating for the resolution of the armed conflict between the government and the NDFP through principled peace negotiations based on social justice.”
The event commemorated the anniversary of the 1992 signing of The Hague Joint Declaration, the framework of the negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which aims to achieve a just and lasting peace by addressing the root causes of the ongoing armed conflict in the country.
Ms. Mata-Calub further emphasized, “Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is a complex process involving social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions. The church community must actively pursue this vision for a just and lasting peace.”
During the event, international organizations expressed their solidarity with the Philippines in its pursuit of Just Peace. The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) both sent letters and prayers supporting the NCCP’s call for peace, which were read during the event. Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, WCC General Secretary, lamented the ongoing human rights situation in the Philippines, including the criminalization of church workers, activists, and Indigenous peoples.
Dr. George Mathews Chunakara, CCA General Secretary, stated, “The continuation of military operations, red-tagging, and human rights abuses deepens divisions and prolongs suffering. Resuming peace talks offers a path to a just resolution that upholds human rights, fosters socio-economic development, and promotes national unity.” The CCA leader’s statement came after news of recent cases of enforced disappearances, including that of former political prisoner Rowena Dasig, who disappeared right outside the Lucena City District Jail after her release on August 21, 2024, and James Jazmines, brother of NDFP consultant Alan Jazmines, who was last seen in Tabaco City, Albay on the night of August 23, 2024.
The event also featured Ms. Norma P. Dollaga, a deaconess from the United Methodist Church in the Philippines and the recipient of the 2024 Peace Award from the World Methodist Council. In her faith reflection, she offered profound insights into the spiritual dimensions of peace and justice. She honored those who serve the people—church members, human rights defenders, activists, and victims of human rights violations—who, despite facing poverty and hunger, refuse to bow down to injustice and abuse of power. She remarked that “Christ is seen in them.”
The World Student Christian Youth Federation-Asia Pacific (WSCF-AP), which co-hosted the event, held a Consultation and Capacity Building Training and Immersion on Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific region prior to the liturgical service. Twenty members of the WSCF-AP, representing youth from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, stood in solidarity with the Filipino people and called for peace, human rights, and justice. The youth representatives led a prayer in their native languages, using a special Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines written by Ms. Dollaga.
The prayer, translated into various Filipino languages (Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Cebuano, and Bicolano) as well as international languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia, and Vietnamese), calls upon God to unite people in their hopes for peace. It encourages solidarity with those who grieve, fight for freedom, and yearn for a just and lasting peace that liberates from oppression, restores human dignity, and unites all in the spirit of freedom and divine understanding.
The liturgical service concluded with a call for JustPeace and urged Filipinos and the international community to support the resumption of peace negotiations.
The NCCP and the WSCF-AP, with the support of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, held the event to kickstart similar activities among churches in the Philippines and among NCCP’s international partners in different parts of the world. In addition to the WCC, CCA, and the WSCF, the Day of Prayer for JustPeace in the Philippines is also supported by the Asia-Pacific Forum of Church Executives in North America and the Interfaith Forum of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.
