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peace-building experiences of church-based organizations in bicol
Learning Experiences Study on Civil-Society Peace Building in the Philippines
Peace-Building Experiences of Church-based Organizations in Bicol
JOVIC LOBRIGO AND SONIA IMPERIAl
VOLUME 5
2005
UP-CIDS
LEARNING EXPERIENCES STUDY ON CIVIl-SOCIETY PEACE BUIlDING IN THE PHIlIPPINES VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXpERIENCES OF CHURCH-bASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL
Published by the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Copyright 2005 the United Nations Development Programme Manila Ofce. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission from the UNDP and UP CIDS. Inquiries should be addressed to: UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, Bahay ng Alumni, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Tel/Fax: (632) 9293540 Email: cids@up.edu.ph United Nations Development Programme 30/F Yuchengco Tower RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave. cor. Sen Gil J. Puyat Ave., Makati City 1226 Philippines Tel: (632) 9010100 Fax (632) 9010200 The National Library of the Philippines CIP Data Recommended entry: Learning experiences study on civil-society peace building in the Philippines.- - Diliman, Quezon City : UP-CIDS, c2005. 5v. ; cm. CONTENTS: v.1. Framework and synthesis of lessons learned in civil-society peace building / Miriam Coronel Ferrer v.2. National peace coalitions / Josephine C. Dionisio v.3. Psychosocial trauma rehabilitation work / Marco Puzon, Elizabeth Protacio-De Castro v. 4. Peace education initiatives in Metro Manila / Loreta Castro, Jasmin Nario-Galace and Kristine Lesaca v.5. Peace building experiences of church-based organizations in the Philippines / Jovic Lobrigo and Sonia Imperial. Published in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 1. Peace-buildingPhilippines. 2. Peace-buildingCase studies. 3. Civil societyPhilippines. I. UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP-CIDS).
JZ5538 303.69 2005 P061000334 ISBN 978-971-742-095-0 (vol. 1) ISBN 978-971-742-096-7 (vol. 2) ISBN 978-971-742-097-4 (vol. 3) ISBN 978-971-742-098-1 (vol. 4) ISBN 978-971-742-099-8 (vol. 5)
cover design Ernesto Enrique book design and layout East Axis Creative
The opinions expressed herein are those of the writer and do not necessarily reect the views of the UNDP .
contents
vii xi 1 7 9 15 32 51 53 56 62 74 89 116
list of acronyms acknowledgments introduction the case study

The Armed Conict in the Bicol Region The Catholic Church and Its Peace-Building Work in Bicol Evaluating the Bicol Churchs Peace Building
toolkit
Introduction Module 1: Understanding Peace Module 2: Understanding Conict and Violence Module 3: Understanding Human Rights Module 4: Peace Building
references annexes
Annex 1: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
119 121 126
Annex 2: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (plain-language

version)
acronyms
AFP AMP ARMM BBC BCCO BEC BEMJP BRPC BRSAC CODE-NGO CARHRIHL CASAFI CBCP CBD CCJD CfP CHR CIA COPE CPG-ALSOG CPLA CPP CRG CSAC CSO DILG DSAC DSWD ECSA EO FGD GFC GRP HOPE JPAG KBP KI Armed Forces of the Philippines Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao Bishop-Businessmen Conference Basic Christian Community Organizing Basic Ecclesial Community Bicol Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace Bicol Regional Party Committee Bicol Regional Social Action Commission Caucus of Development NGOs Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Caceres Social Action Foundation, Incorporated Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Coalition for Bicol Development Center for Community Journalism and Development Coalition for Peace Commission on Human Rights Criminal Investigation Agency Community Organizing for Philippine Enterprise Communist Party Group Albay Sorsogon Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army Communist Party of the Philippines Civil Relations Group Children in Situations of Armed Conict Civil Society Organization Department of Interior and Local Government Diocesan Social Action Commission Department of Social Welfare and Development Episcopal Commission on Social Action Executive Order Focus Group Discussion Guerilla Fronts Committee Government of the Republic of the Philippines Hearts of Peace Justice and Peace Action Group Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas Key Informant
vii
LEARNING EXPERIENCES STUDY ON CIVIL-SOCIETY PEACE BUILDING

KSPN LGU MILF MNLF MSPA NASSA NDF NGO NPA NPCCR NUC OTG PCP II PISA PLDFI PMP PO POW PPA RDC RP RPF RPOC SAC SAC-JP SIO SPACFI TC TFTP UCCP UN UNDP UP VFA ZOPFAN Komite sa Platon Local Government Unit Moro Islamic Liberation Front Moro National Liberation Front Multi-Sectoral Peace Advocates National Secretariat for Social Action National Democratic Front Non-Government Organization New Peoples Army National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal National Unication Commission Organized Threat Group Second Plenary Council of the Philippines Priests Institute for Social Action Prelature of Libmanan Development Foundation, Incorporated Philippine Misereor Partnership Peoples Organization Prisoners of War Power Purchase Agreement Regional Development Council Republic of the Philippines Regional Peace Forum Regional Peace and Order Council Social Action Center Social Action Center Justice and Peace Desk Social Integration Ofce Socio-Pastoral Action Center Foundation, Incorporated Thematic Coordinator Task Force Detainees of the Philippines United Church of Christ of the Philippines United Nations United Nations Development Programme University of the Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality
viii | A C R O N Y M S
acknowledgments
We are grateful to a number of individuals, institutions and organizations without whose
contribution this study would not have been completed.

The research team of the entire UNDP Learning Experiences Study who patiently reviewed the preliminary report during the initial round table discussions and pointed out gaps and areas that needed clarication and substantiation.
The ofces of the Regional Commission on Human Rights and the Regional Peace and Order Council. The directors of the Social Action Centers of the Bicol Region: Fr. Emmanuel Basas of the Diocese of Masbate, Fr. Leo Doloiras of Diocese of Sorsogon, Fr. Granwell Pitapit, of the Prelature of Libmanan, Fr, Ronaldo Rodelas of the Diocese of Daet, and Fr. Nelson Tria of the Archdiocese of Caceres, for their support and cooperation in providing primary and secondary data on past peace-building efforts of the Church in their respective areas.
Bishop Jesus Varela, Msgr. Ralph Salazar, Msgr. Frank Monje, Rev. Fr. Ricardo Barquez, Jr, Rev. Fr. Eulogio Lawenko, and Pastor Sam Divino of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines. Deeply involved in various peace-building activities, they unselshly shared a substantial portion of their time giving full accounts of their experiences as peace advocates.
The leaders and members of cause-oriented groups and religious organizations who actively worked for justice and peace and acted as key informants for this study: Jean N. Llorin and Bernadette Gavino of Naga City, Judge Jonet Ayo of the Regional Trial Court, Sr. Yoli Lunod of the Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines based in Camarines Norte, Judge Igmedio Camposano and Ms. Nora Aribon of Masbate, and Tootsie Jamoralin of Sorsogon.
Finally, we wish to acknowledge the special contribution of Ed Garcia of International Alert and Atty. Soliman Santos Jr. of the South-South Network for the Engagement of Armed Groups, both resource persons in the national validation workshop for this study. Their knowledge and expertise in armed conict and peace issues provided helpful insights to enhance the usefulness of this study.
ix
introduction
During the period following the
1986 EDSA revolution, the new government of President
Corazon C. Aquino demonstrated a strong commitment to work for a just and lasting peace in the country. Attempts to achieve the goals of peace found concrete expressions in early priority programs on national reconciliation with the rebel forces of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New Peoples Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF). Among others, the programs included the release of political prisoners, and the start of political negotiations that led to a sixty-day cease-re agreement. President Aquinos declaration of 1990 to 2000 as a Decade of Peace (Proclamation 467-A) called upon all sectors of Philippine society to make real efforts toward the attainment of peace. The well-attended National Peace Conference held in October 1990 represented a broad-range multisectoral response to this declaration. Around the same year, the Multisectoral Peace Advocates (MSPA) tried to promote the resumption of political negotiations between the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF since talks broke down in January 1987 amid political uncertainty. But talks never resumed under the Aquino administration. The NDF offered to reopen talks on condition that Aquino reject the renewal of the US lease to the military bases in the country. Aquino chose to support the lease renewal, although in the end, the Philippine Senate rejected a new treaty to this effect. In 1992, President Fidel V. Ramos renewed initiatives toward peace and reconciliation with the issuance of Executive Order (EO)19 creating the National Unication Commission (NUC). The NUC was envisioned to constitute a viable amnesty program and peace process that would lead to a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace. More important, it was conceived as a means to deal more effectively with the problem of bringing back the rebels to the fold of the law through the participation of all concerned sectors of society. This objective called for a series of regional and provincial multisectoral consultations in which the root causes of armed conicts were identied. The overall feedback from these consultations reected to a large extent, the sentiments, values, and cultural convictions of people across the nation. The NUC consultation process concluded that the armed conicts in the country are rooted in widespread poverty and economic inequity, grave injustice and abuse of power, poor governance, the control of power by a few, and the exploitation of indigenous cultural communities, particularly the lack of recognition of their ancestral domain. A documentation of the sectoral

consultations also pointed to other critical concerns that needed attention, for example, moral decadence, foreign intervention and domination, diversity in political beliefs and ideology, environmental degradation, the continuing militarization in some areas, and the physical, mental and psychosocial effects of war on civilians living in war zones. EO 19, which established the NUC and sought the participation of all sectors in public consultations, provided the impetus for nongovernment organizations (NGOs), the church, the academe, and other civil-society groups to network and renew their involvement in the countrys peace process. In effect, these nonstate actors went through a paradigm shiftfrom one that is mainly developmental to one promoting nonviolent change and the peace agenda. In the succeeding administrations of President Estrada (1998-2000) and Macapagal-Arroyo (2000-2003), multisectoral consultations were not as eagerly pursued. A large sector of the society continued to live in acute poverty, grave injustice, and exploitation. The persistence of armed conicts in the countryside added to the peoples suffering. These developments show the need for more sustained peace-building initiatives as well as support from a much broader peace constituency. This brings into focus the role that civilsociety groups have played in the countrys struggle for genuine peace. Such groups are viewed as third party to the ongoing conict between the state and the nonstate armed groups and are, therefore, in a better position to engage in mediation and other forms of peace building basically on account of their credibility, impartiality, and nonantagonistic relationship with the state and armed nonstate actors (NSAs). It is from this perspective that the peace efforts of civil-society organizations (CSOs) as peace organizations are increasingly recognized. In the same light, a study of the experiences of these peace organizations and the effectiveness of their peace-building strategies becomes more relevant as the country continues to forge new ways of resolving the armed conict and achieving the goals of a just and lasting peace.
the UNDP study

Policies geared at promoting peace remain high on the agenda of the national government. Moreover, the problem has elicited a wide response from many international organizations. In this direction, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) embarked on a Learning Experience Study on the Peace-Building Experiences of the Civil-Society Sector in the Philippines through its DILG-UNDP Decentralization and Local Governance Program: Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Participatory Local Governance. The present case study on Catholic church-based peace-building experiences in Bicol is part of this UNDP study. To achieve the purpose of the whole UNDP research, case studies were conducted along
2 |I N T R O D U C T I O N
VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

four thematic areas that included: (1) Peace Coalitions, (2) Psychosocial Trauma Rehabilitation, (2) Peace Education, and (4) Bicol Churches. These themes were selected to provide a good representation of the range of peace-building programs and activities pursued by CSOs in the Philippines (excluding Mindanao and the Cordilleras). The case studies were generally guided by the following objectives: 1) Document the peace-building experiences of the organizations by focusing on activities, issues addressed, and strategies employed. 2) Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies employed in terms of impact on the policy issue, the ground-level situation, and the perceptions, attitudes, and behavior of primary stakeholders. 3) Draw lessons from the experiences by identifying enabling and hindering factors in the achievement of peace-building objectives. The report that follows presents the results of the documentation on the theme Churchbased Peace-Building Experience in the Bicol Region, as undertaken by the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legazpi, province of Albay, Bicol.
the study framework

The research on the peace-building experience of church-based organizations in Bicol essentially followed the framework developed by Miriam Coronel Ferrer for the documentation of civil society experiences in peace building (see Volume 1). The conceptual basis for the study, as presented in the framework paper, emphasized the importance of the peace process as a mechanism to end armed hostilities and pave the way to the full democratization of Philippine society. The framework also highlighted the important role that CSOs play in sustaining the peace process, aware as they are of the serious consequences of armed conicts in many parts of the country and the need to bring about economic, social, and political reforms to address the causes and consequences of the internal war. The rationale of the entire research is reected in this framework. The present study on the peace-building efforts of the Church in Bicol was guided by this framework and the overall objectives of the entire study.
INTRODUCTION
|3
scope of research
This documentation covers the reference period 1986 to 2003, which spans the administrations of four Philippine presidents: Corazon Aquino (1986-1992), Fidel Ramos (1992-1998), Joseph Estrada (1998-2001) and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2004). The period following the election of Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency in May 2004 is not covered. The geographic coverage of this study includes six dioceses and one prelature, corresponding to the six provinces of the Bicol region. The provinces include Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon, all in mainland Bicol, and the two island provinces of Masbate and Catanduanes. The parishes on the southern part of Camarines Sur belong to the archdiocese of Caceres, while those on the northern route are covered by the Prelature of Libmanan. The study emphasized provincial-level initiatives, although significant activities at the parish and barangay levels were also mentioned. The documentation was conned to those activities that were directly related to peace building. Other developmental activities, which were not consciously pursued to address the goals of peace, were excluded. Furthermore, although the documentation has been conned to the activities of the church and church-based organizations including other religious sects, interfacing activities of other civil-society groups were also identied.
research methodology
To provide a broad range of information on the churchs peace-building activities and interventions, the research team employed several qualitative tools for research as described below.

A review of existing documents on peace-building activities initiated or participated in by the church in the six dioceses and one prelature of the Bicol region during the period 1986-2003.
Focused interviews with key informants (KIs) who were identied as most knowledgeable because of their involvement in various peace-building work during particular administrations and some key events during the period covered by the study. The KIs provided in-depth and detailed information on key events as well as valuable insights that proved helpful in analyzing the impact of the strategies pursued by the Church in its peace-building work.
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to supplement data gathered from KIs. The FGD is considered an effective tool for validating or clarifying data obtained from key infor-

mants. It provided additional insights on the situation of armed conict in Bicol and other current issues needing further exploration.

Roundtable discussion on the initial report to identify gaps and related information that could lead to a more comprehensive analysis of the armed conict situation. Regional and national validation workshops prior to the nalization of the thematic paper to gather more insights from resource persons known for their knowledge and expertise in peace building.
The key informants in the Social Action Centers (SACs) of the different dioceses were purposively identied. Initial interviews and setting of appointments followed. KIs were also considered as sources of referrals for additional KIs, particularly those extensively involved in earlier peace-building activities.
the research
With some exceptions, the research process basically followed the methodology proposed for the study. With SAC Legazpi providing administrative support, the research started with the thematic coordinator (TC) sending letters of notication to the SAC directors of the six dioceses in the Bicol region. Through this letter, the TC informed the directors about the case study on the peace-building experiences of the church and solicited their cooperation in providing information as well as related source materials and documents. The TC also requested for assistance in endorsing the researchers to individuals who could provide in-depth information for the study as key informants. Meanwhile, other possible key informants from other provinces and those known region-wide for their active involvement in peace building were identied by SAC-Legazpi. The review of related documents on peace-building activities initiated or participated in by the church began in the diocese of Legazpi and was conned to activities that took place during the period 1986 to 2003. This period encompasses the administration of former presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Arroyo. Data from these documents identied more individuals who could provide detailed information on the activities or prominent conict-related cases of mediation and negotiation. Initial eld visits to the different dioceses were conducted in the mainland provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon, and the island province of Masbate followed. Catanduanes was later dropped from the study because the presence of insurgent groups in this island province was found to be a recent phenomenon.
INTRODUCTION
|5

Contacting possible key informants was not easy since most of those identied were already living elsewhere. Young peace volunteers who were active during those significant years have either pursued their own careers or have married and settled in Manila. The SACs of the different dioceses have also lost contact with their earlier volunteers. Priests who were involved in the peace process were already assigned in different parishes, and some of them were no longer involved in peace-building work. If making initial contacts with key informants was difcult, convening an FGD to provide supplementary data proved to be an even more daunting task. Given the requirement of a homogenous group as condition for an FGD and the tight schedule of most potential participants, more time was required to agree on a common date when at least ten of them would be available. It was simply impractical to wait considering the timetable set for the study. To compensate for data gaps which the lack of FGDs was likely to create, more key informants were included on the list of those to be interviewed. These KIs included the bishops, priests, and the leaders and members of cause-oriented groups and religious organizations who had actively worked for justice and peace. The data presented in this report were largely based on focused interviews with key informants and those culled from the documentation of peace-building activities during the reference period (1986-2003). Newspaper clippings and the documentation of proceedings and output of consultation, workshops, and conferences also provided a wealth of relevant information about the peace process in the region. An interview guide was prepared to facilitate interviews with key informants. To compensate for the lack of more FGD data, additional questions were used to validate related data gathered from other KIs and to ll the gaps created by their failure to recall dates, names, and other details of significant events. Similarities in the responses of the KIs to particular questions generally served to validate information. More important, the strategy of interviewing additional KIs enabled the research team to clarify or qualify vague issues and statements of earlier KIs. The data have been partly validated with the SAC directors during the regular monthly meeting of the Bicol Regional Social Action Commission (BRSAC) on July 29, 2004. A regional validation workshop that served as a forum for FGD was held on September 9, 2004, at the Social Action Center, Legazpi ofce. Participants mostly came from the SACs of Sorsogon, Legazpi, and Masbate, including priests and lay individuals who have advocated and worked for peace in the region during the period covered by this study. Retired Bishop Jesus Varela, a prominent gure in local mediation and negotiation events, also came to share his observations and raise unexplored issues related to the present armed conict.
the case study
the armed conflict in the bicol region
the case study
the bicol region

Occupying the southern stretch of Luzon, the Bicol Peninsula is surrounded by bodies of water that can both be barriers and highways for contact with people from other provinces outside the region. The area is bounded on the north by Lamon Bay and Pacic Ocean on the east, the Sibuyan Sea and Ragay gulf on the west. It has land access to the rest of Luzon through its neighbor on the north, Quezon Province (see Figure 1, Map of the Bicol region). Bicol is accessible to Manila and the rest of Luzon through air, land, rail, and sea. Manila is about nine-hours drive from the province of Camarines Norte for those taking the south road of the ManilaBicol route, and about forty-ve minutes by air transportation. The region is composed of six provinces with four contiguous provinces comprising the mainland: Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Sorsogon. Separated from the mainland by sea are the two island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. There are seven cities in the region: Naga and Iriga in Camarines Sur; Legazpi, Tabaco, and Ligao, in Albay; Sorsogon; and Masbate. It has a total land area of 1,763,249 hectares or approximately 17,632,400 square kilometers. Camarines Sur is the biggest, with 526,682 hectares (Naga City and Iriga City included), and Catanduanes the smallest, with 151,148 hectares. The other provinces have the following areas: Albay-Legazpi, 255,257 has.; Camarines Norte, 211, 249 has.; Masbate, 404,769 has. Of this land area, 1,250,460 hectares are alienable and disposable while 359,789 hectares are public forest areas. The regions topography is generally hilly and mountainous except for a few stretches of plains extending from Camarines Sur to the southwestern part of Albay and several smaller coastal and inland plains in other parts of the peninsula. This characteristic of the regions terrain makes it highly favorable for the growth and movement of armed dissident groups. As of 2000, the Bicol region registered a population of about 4,755,076, which represented

eight percent of the countrys total population. In terms of distribution in the region, Camarines Sur has the biggest population followed by Camarines Norte, while Catanduanes has the smallest population. The region is basically an agricultural area. The average rural family lives on rice, corn, and coconut production, farm labor, and small-scale shing. Due to frequent exposures to typhoons and ood or drought, Bicol exhibits low levels of productivity. It has the worst poverty situation in Luzon. At 53.1 percent poverty incidence in 2000, the region ranks third in poverty incidence in the country (with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Central Mindanao as the rst two). Among the Bicol provinces, Masbate is the poorest with a poverty incidence of 70.9 percent in 2000. Albay and Camarines Sur are better off with a poverty incidence of 47.8 and 48.7 percent, respectively. They are both classied as rst-class provinces. The other three provinces hover around the 50 percent mark, although Catanduanes and Sorsogon actually exhibited an increase
Figure 1 Map of the Bicol Region
10 |T H E C A S E S T U D Y

in poverty incidence in 1997. Masbate and Sorsogon are classied as second-class provinces, while Camarnes Norte and Catanduanes are classied as third class.
the armed conflict in bicol

Although the region may be described as relatively peaceful, the peace and order situation obtaining in some areas is continuously threatened by intermittent aggressions committed in the course of the ghting between government forces and the insurgent groups, notably the CPP-NPA forces. The region is thus typically identied as a key conict area where the military and CPP-NPA forces operate. It is in this light that a documentation of peace-building experiences in the Bicol region nds particular significance. The objective of the CPP-NPA-NDF is to seize political power and eventually supplant the present form of government with communist rule. This is being realized through the protracted peoples war strategy of encircling the cities from the countryside through armed struggle. The peasantry is the main force of the revolution. Political, economic, social, and psychological actions drive a wedge between the government and the people. The CPP-NPA-NDF network includes national democratic organizations operating in the open, legal, and parliamentary arena. The failed peace talks in 1986, Aquinos declaration in early 1987 of a total war policy against the CPP/NPA forces, and government endorsement of different vigilante groups led to an increase in human rights violations in 1987. A report released by the Justice and Peace Desk of SAC-Legazpi in October 1987 conrmed the growing number of vigilante groups in the region that were also perceived as bandit groups sowing terror among the Bicolanos. During the period, Albay was identied as having the highest number of human rights abuses (twenty-eight) followed by Sorsogon with twenty-two; Camarines Sur, eighteen; and Masbate, six. The majority of the victims were peasants. Other victims were workers and youth activists. The above conditions paralleled the reported statistics on the strength of rebels at the national level. The CPP-NPA reached its peak during the same year (1987) and gradually declined until 1996 when the dissidents regained strength. This trend is matched by the national gures on rearms in the possession of the dissidents, which exhibited a sharp drop from 1987 to 1988, and continued to decline slowly until 1995. A 1995 report of the Commission on Human Rights for 1994 said that the insurgency situation in the Bicol region was rather deceptive. Except for Catanduanes where insurgents did not operate, the mainland provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte were reported to be continuously threatened by the presence of both armed rebels and criminal groups. The 1994 records of the CHR regional ofce showed ninety-two human rights violation
THE ARMED CONFLICT IN THE BICOL REGION
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cases led with the ofce, with Camarines Sur and Albay having the highest number (forty and twenty-six, respectively). The groups with the highest number of violation cases were the Philppine National Police (PNP) with thirty-two; the NPAs, sixteen; Philippine Army (PA), twelve; and unidentied armed men, nine. A 1994 report made by the Civil Relations Group (CRG) of the AFP claimed that in Sorsogon, the NPA continuously engaged in liquidations of alleged government informers, robbery, and harassments. It also stated the capture or surrender of some top NPA leaders, including the third-top NPA leader in the Communist Party Group of Albay and Sorsogon (CPG-ALSOG) resulting in the reorganization of the local communist hierarchy. The report adds that in the months following the capture there was a notable decline in NPA strength in the province due to desertion, surrender, or capture of rebels. Ambuscades and extortion, however, reportedly continued. In 1995 the Bicol region experienced a lull in the intensity of armed conict, which was believed to be a consequence of heavy military offensives in the area in the previous year. Again, the national data matched this development with statistics showing the strength of NPA rebels reaching the lowest point for a short period in 1995. Despite the decline in ghting, human rights abuses continued, including killings for which the military and paramilitary groups were mainly responsible. This was the nding of the 1995 report of the regional ofce of the Human Rights Commission for the year 1994. In May 1999, following the ratication of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the level of armed conict once again escalated. In 2002 the United States placed the NPA on its list of foreign terrorist organizations. More recent developments show heightened NPA tactical offensives in the Bicol region. Currently, the CPP-NPA forces are believed to be strongest in Camarines Sur and Albay although recently too, frequent armed encounters, atrocities and other types of human rights violations have been reported in Masbate. The areas in Camarines Sur where the CPP-NPA forces are believed to be strongest are located on the eastern part of the Isarog Mountain and is known as the Partido area. In particular, the Philippine Armys 42nd Infantry Battalion concentrates its operation in Tinambac, Lagonoy, the Caramoan peninsula, and Presentacion which are all located at dispersed points on this eastern section of Mount Isarog. In Albay, almost all municipalities in the third district of Albay, particularly Pio Duran, Ligao, Guinobatan, Jovellar, and Libon are reportedly affected. Contiguous to Guinobatan is Camalig in the second district which is also identied as a critical area. The rebel group in Bicol operates under the Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC) of the CPP-NPA-NDF. According to a 2003 report of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), in
the growth of the CPP-NPA in bicol

The first quarter of 1970 marked the beginning of student protest and mass actions in Manilathe socalled First Quarter Storm (FQS). In the same year, the Southern Luzon Party Committee was established as the first regional committee of the CPP. It launched its first attack on government troopers in San Pedro, Iriga City, in 1971. When the writ of habeas corpus was suspended in the same year and Martial Law eventually declared in 1972, many student activists and labor organizers went back to their hometowns. Among them was Romulo Jallores, who returned to Bicol in 1971 and established an NPA base called the partido area in Tagaon, Camarine Sur, on the eastern side of Mount Isarog. Jallores came from a poor family of abaca farmers and strippers of this town. Jallores, known as Kumander Tangkad, was seriously wounded in an encounter with Philippine Constabulary soldiers. He was eventually killed while in Naga City, where he was recuperating. Six months later, his younger brother Ruben, known as Kumander Benjie, was also killed by PC soldiers in a remote village in the town of Ocampo, Camarines Sur. The cause that the Jallores brothers courageously fought for has gained followers in the short period that they organized the NPA in the partido area. The large crowd that flocked to the Catholic Church where their wakes were held showed the beginnings of the CPP-NPA movement, and the escalation of the armed conflict in the province and later throughout the region. An NPA command has been named after the Jallores brothers. Governments failure to institute agrarian reform and the suspension of many rights fanned the growth of the communist insurgency. Human rights violations allegedly committed by government forces proliferated with impunity both in the urban and rural areas of the region.
early 2002, the CPP-NPA in the Bicol region comprised ve provincial party committees and operated in twelve guerrilla fronts, each with its own Guerrilla Front Committees (GFCs). In addition, there were three independent Komite Seksyon sa Platoon (KSPN) throughout the region. With four guerrilla fronts, Camarines Sur has the biggest concentration of CPP-NPA forces. The Organized Threat Group (OTG), as the CPP-NPA-NDF is referred to in the RPOC, reportedly had 674 regular members as of the rst quarter of 2002 in Bicol. Camarines Sur and Albay were identied as the strongest areas (156 and 138 members, respectively), followed closely by Sorsogon. The weakest area was Catanduanes, with reportedly sixteen members. According to an army press release in October 2003, rebels were known to come to the islands southern towns of San Miguel and Pandan in the early 1990s simply for rest and recreation or to hide from pursuing troops for most parts, they were based in Camarines Sur. However, military reports conrmed that the underground movement had established a baby front committee on the island initially
THE ARMED CONFLICT IN THE BICOL REGION
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called, Ang Isla Kong Pusa (My Island Cat). The high incidence of poverty in the province, the lack of public utilities such as roads and electricity, and a geographic prole that is conducive to the proliferation and mobility of insurgents were cited as major factors contributing to the strength of insurgents on this island and the rest of the province.
the catholic church and its peace-building work in bicol
the case study
for its strong capacity to collaborate with government and NGOs and even with other religious groups in forging new ways to facilitate reconciliation and promote human rights. The unprecedented EDSA people power that dismantled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 further catapulted the Catholic Church to a prominent place in Philippine contemporary history. Although the will of the people was a decisive factor in the success of the uprising, the voice of the Catholic Church through Cardinal Jaime Sin was undeniably the motive force that sustained the mobilization of the people during the critical days of the uprising. In the ensuing years, the Catholic Church emerged as an avenue for contact and dialogue with communist rebels. At present, the credibility that it enjoys with the society at large, the dynamism of its top leaders, and its being closely in touch with the grassroot through the parishes are advantages that have enabled the church to work effectively in pursuit of both the spiritual and social transformation of its constituents. In this study, churches are viewed in its collective sense as institutions. Citizens also comprise their membership in the same manner that civil-society groups are citizens organizations. And because of its demonstrated commitment to the cause of peace, the church may also be construed as a peace organization. Records in the different dioceses of the Bicol region reveal that peace building represents a continuing effort and long struggle of the local church people. Over the years, as is true with other areas in the Philippines, the Bicol clergy has endeavored to reach its constituents through various pastoral issuances like the pastoral letter, pastoral guideline, pastoral statements, and pastoral exhortations, including denouncements. Although such public issuances reach down to the parish level, they are less likely to result in serious reection among the people, much less effect profound changes in their attitude and perspectives on societal matters affecting their lives. At best, they bring about a heightened consciousness about the moral implications of some economic, political, or social issues confronting them. Given this weakness, a more focused approach to respond to issues and problems involving social and economic justice is pursued at the community level through the dioceses Social Action Programs.
mong the civil-society groups engaged in peace building,

the Catholic Church in the Philippines is widely recognized
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Each of the dioceses of the Catholic Church in the Philippines has its own social action arm supported by the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA). In the Bicol region, there are seven Social Action Centers (SACs) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as nonprot organizations. They represent the ve dioceses, one prelature, and one archdiocese that comprise the six provinces of the region, namely, Legazpi (Albay), Sorsogon, the Archdiocese of Caceres and the Prelature of Libmanan (Camarines Sur), Camarines Norte, Masbate, and Virac, Catanduanes. NASSA is the national secretariat of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which is recognized as the collective image of the church in the country although it does not have canonical authority over the individual dioceses (see sidebar, a brief history of the NASSA). The mission and vision statements of the different SACs share a commonality in substance in the sense that they all embody a commitment to social justice and the spiritual transformation of the communities they serve. To pursue this commitment, programs engaged in by a typical diocesan SAC may include: (1) relief and rehabilitation, (2) livelihood, (3) environment, (4) health and nutrition, and (5) protection of women and children. The implementation of the programs tends to vary in terms of emphasis and approach. The Justice and Peace Desk was later added to the component programs of the diocesan SACs as a direct response to the insurgency problems and human rights violations during the Marcos years. The Justice and Peace Desks of Sorsogon and Legazpi SACs were especially active during this period. Inspired by the success of the 1986 uprising in which the Church played a key role, and President Aquinos avowal to pursue peace, the churches in most parts of Bicol took the lead in various peace-building and reconciliation efforts in the rst decade of the post-Marcos period. The Catholic Church and other religious groups in Albay, Sorsogon, and the island province of Masbate were particularly active in facilitating dialogues and negotiations with rebel groups. In most dioceses, both Catholic and Protestant churches, the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) in particular, also supported local NGOs peace and human rights advocacy campaigns. Although actual peace-building activities in the SACs of the Bicol dioceses are less prominent compared to other aspects of their work, the church is recognized as the center of true development, committed as it is to social, political, and economic reforms. Spiritual transformation, however, continues to be its major thrust. The presentation of the peace-building experiences of the Church in Bicol is conveniently grouped into three periods corresponding to three presidential terms beginning from 1986 to 2003. Signicant events occurring in the respective provinces are also presented.
16 | T H E C A S E S T U D Y
the history of NASSA

(Excerpted from the NASSA Annual Report 2004) The Philippine Catholic Churchs involvement in social action work was institutionalized in 1966 with the founding of the Episcopal Commission of Social Action (ECSA) and the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) as its action arm. Its birth roughly coincides with the post-Vatican II, a period of great strides in the evolution of the Churchs social teachings. Several encyclicals and major documents called for renewed social involvement. Pope Paul VIs Populorum Progressio in 1967 was a landmark encyclical and practically the bible of social-action efforts in the 1970s. In the Asian region, social action apostolate was beginning to gain ground with pioneers like Father Walter Hogan and his Priests Institute of Social Action (PISA) in Hong Kong. In August 1965, thirty-two Filipino priests attended a month-long training at PISA. It paved the way for the creation of the Episcopal Commission and NASSA. NASSA gave birth to social action centers (SACs) all over the country. Now totaling eighty, the SACs have become responsible for the organization, direction, and coordination of social-action activities in the parishes and Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). NASSAs work has been strongly grounded on the Church social teachings. It gives criteria for reflection, guidelines for judgment, and direction for action. Thus, NASSA views social teachings as the application of the Gospel to concrete situations. Today, NASSA continues to respond to the calls of the Philippine Church for greater and deeper social involvement and people empowerment. It has adopted the crucial recommendations and redefined its thrust based on the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) in 1991, the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR) in 2001, and several regional assemblies and important resolutions such as the National Social Action General Assembly. In its thirty-seven years of existence, NASSA has gone through several paradigm shifts and reorganizations. However, it has remained faithful to its commitment to serve the poor.
the aquino period

The rst months of Aquinos presidency sought to achieve national reconciliation through peace negotiations. The government offered an amnesty program that encouraged NPA guerrillas to surrender their rearms in return for unconditional amnesty, nancial reward, the promise of livelihood training, and rehabilitation. The sixty-day cease-re agreement was signed on December 10, 1986, and the Aquino government ratied Protocol 2 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The breakdown of peace negotiations between the government and the
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ITS PEACE-BUILDING WORK IN BICOL
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CPP-NPA-NDF in January 1987 renewed hostilities. The NPA saw the offer of amnesty as a ploy to break their ranks.
the regional consultation on justice and peace (1986)

Through the Social Action Center Justice and Peace (SAC-JP) desks, a regional consultation on justice and peace was launched on July 8-10, 1986. Priests, nuns, and church workers gathered to reect on current developments and to re-examine the orientation and direction of the justice and peace program. They believed that in strengthening its justice and peace program, the church can respond effectively to the needs of the times and be supportive of peoples struggle. The bible passage below was invoked at the launching of the regional consultation.
No one patches up an old coat with a piece of new cloth, for the new patch will shrink and make an even bigger hole in the coat. Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, for the skins will burst, the new wine will pour out, and the wine will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wine skins, and both will keep in good condition. (Matthew 9:16-17)
Some of the problems discussed at the regional consultation were the continuing human rights violations as manifested in tenancy problems, labor exploitation, warlordism, and militarization in all its forms (salvaging, harassment, illegal arrests and detentions, and toleration and participation in illegal activities). To address these, some immediate and long-term solutions were recommended during the regional justice and peace consultation. Among the urgent solutions considered were participation in public hearings, dialogues with government agencies, legal aid, media liaison, and campaign for the indemnication of victims of human rights violations. On the other hand, continuing education and organizing work, including networking with other peoples organizations (POs), were proposed as viable options for a longer-term solution. SACLegazpi simultaneously implemented appropriate programs to respond to poverty and health problems. Subregional consultations with farmers, bishops, clergy, and cause-oriented groups were also deemed important to ensure broader participation at the local level. As a nal statement at the regional consultation, the justice and peace group dened its goal of total human liberation in terms of intensied conscientization, organization, and action.
human rights in bicol (1987)

A 1987 Justice and Peace Desk report of SAC-Legazpi condemned President Aquinos total

disregard for Protocol 2. This was reported in the face of excessive human rights violations resulting from the worsening conict between the government forces and the CPP-NPA rebels. Civilians perished and properties were destroyed in search and destroy operations of the Scout Rangers, Marines, and Philippine Army troopers. Then bishop of the Diocese of Legazpi, Concordio Sarte, expressed grave concern over the proliferation of so-called vigilante groups which he said polarized the people and created more problems than solutions. Bishop Sarte nonetheless remained optimistic that lasting peace could be achieved if both sides the government and the rebels pursued peace on the negotiating table. The bishops statement, We tried to keep in touch with the rebels but lost contact with them, attested to the Churchs efforts to respond to the problem at that time.
sAc justice and peace action group 1987

This group was organized to form an effective system in every parish, vicariate, and diocese for reection, study, and documentation that would lead to action for the cause of justice, peace, and development. It was intended to safeguard and defend human rights and provide members with a venue for continuing study and sharing that would deepen their commitment to serve the people. It also coordinated efforts of groups, organizations, and individuals in the province whose basic concern was to uphold the peoples rights. The group was composed of individuals, groups, or organizations and institutions that adhered to the objectives and principles of the diocesan JPAG.
camarines norte
The Task Force Detainee Ecumenical Movement, a program of the religious in the diocese of Camarines Norte, was especially active during the Aquino regime, facilitating successful dialogues between political detainees and the government on human rights. The movement convened the Provincial Peace Council which was composed of then Governor Roy Padilla Jr., the Philippine Constabulary Provincial Director Manuel Porras, Vice Governor Emmanuel Pimentel, and representatives from other NGOs, including the media. Camarines Norte was the scene of many cases of human rights violations including massacres, illegal arrests, detentions, and salvaging during this period. Staunch supporters of human rights during the period prior to Aquinos presidency like Grace Magana and Atty. Antonio Carpio were illegally detained in Camarines Norte. Atty. Carpio is from Naga City and was the chair of the KIlusang Mamamayan para sa Tunay na Demokrasya. He went to Camarines Norte in July 1921 to join a protest rally. Troopers red at
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the demonstrators, resulting in several deaths. Carpio was probably detained illegally to prevent him from reporting the incident to the national headquarters of the Philippine Constabulary.
albay
The Justice and Peace Action Group in the Diocese of Legazpi was formally organized in 1986 to create an effective system in every parish and vicariate that would lead to actions for the cause of justice, peace, and development. In the same year, peace-building efforts launched in Albay included the formation of the local cease-re committee in Legazpi with Bishop Jesus Varela of Sorsogon as chairman, the granting of nancial assistance to the NDF as part of the churchs effort for a successful cease-re, and participation in Regional Peace Advocacy Training sponsored by the NASSA. Several priests worked with the SAC-Legazpi in peace building. Among them were Fr. Jun Barquez, Fr. Conrado Beloso, Msgr. Ralph Salazar, and Msgr. Lucilo Quiambao. Their activities included mediation and facilitation of issuance of safe-conduct passes for rebel returnees, provision of security and shelter to those who signied their intention to return to the fold of the law, factnding missions, and extending assistance in the hospitalization and medical needs of rebels. In 1990, the staff and priests of SAC-Legazpi were invited to attend a lecture on The Role of the Church as Peace Maker by Bishop Francisco Claver, S.J., at Caceres, Naga City. This came in support of President Aquinos declaration of 1990-2000 as the Decade of Peace. The Catholic Church strongly endorsed the launching of the Decade of Peace through a powerful pastoral letter from the CBCP entitled Seek Peace, Pursue It. This pastoral letter proposed a comprehensive ten-point agenda for action taken from the acts and decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II, see: The Ten Paths to Peace as Proposed in the CBCP Pastoral letter of January 31, 1990 on page 23). Here, the church stressed, among others, the need to reorient values and attitudes toward the common good, and to dismantle the structures that support discrimination and marginalization, including graft and corruption. Through the same pastoral letter, the church strongly endorsed the implementation of genuine agrarian reform and socioeconomic development programs, including an effective educational system. The letter also emphasized the churchs support for the peaceful resolution of armed conict between the state and various groups.
masbate
A January 1987 church situationer reported the results of a dialogue sponsored by the Masbate Principled Peace Movement to stabilize peace and order in Masbate. Regional represent-

atives from the government and the NDF arrived at a four-point agreement: (1) the cooperation of the military in curbing criminality and banditry in the province, (2) prohibition on both sides from issuing press statements while possible cease-re violations are being investigated, (3) maximum restraint in patrol encounters, and (4) the holding of ofce by the cease-re committees at the Social Action Center of the Catholic church. Bishop Porrio Iligan represented the citizens panel. Masbate civil society responded enthusiastically to the call for reconciliation. With the backing of Bishop Iligan, the peace advocates, mostly priests, made contact with rebels through emissaries, conducted dialogues, and negotiated with them. These moves were considered condence-building measures to support the cease-re and negotiation process. The church in Masbate in fact succeeded in extending the period of cease-re agreement in the diocese. Some priests, however, were branded as being NPA sympathizers and were feared listed in the AFPs order of battle. Dialogues with the military were initiated. The church coordinated the laying down of arms with other NGOs, law practitioners and government agencies, notably, the DSWD. While many rebels were persuaded to return to the fold of the law, some went back to the hills after meeting frustration in the promised nancial assistance. The possibility of assassination also loomed large among the rebel returnees. A notable case in Masbate is that of Nelson Nadura who was the spokesperson of the NDF during the cease-re. He surrendered in 1998 through the facilitation of the church. He returned to a normal life with his family as a radio broadcaster until he met his death in an ambush early in 2004.
sorsogon
In Sorsogon, local negotiations with rebel groups were facilitated by the coordinator of the Justice and Peace Action Group (JPAG) of the Diocese of Sorsogon. In response to Aquinos call for reconciliation, the church in Sorsogon extended help to rebel groups who wanted to return, although JPAG never actively advocated for the surrender. During this period, church peace workers in Sorsogon also bore the risk of being suspected as NPA sympathizers.
the HOPE in naga/camarines sur

In Naga, a key city in Bicol, the second year of President Aquinos term witnessed the formation of cause-oriented professionals into an alliance called Hearts of Peace (HOPE). The group was aptly named in concurrence with the Popes words that The peace of the heart is the heart of peace. Indeed, the group strongly believed that peace could only come with a change of heart. A meaningful change in attitude and way of thinking at the personal level,
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as members rightly believed, would gradually usher in a climate of peace and nonviolence as a way of life. Jean Llorin of the national Coalition for Peace (CfP) and Atty. Soliman Santos formed HOPE in 1987. Msgr. Alberto Nero, the SAC head in the Caceres archdiocese, convened the rst meeting of the members. Some of the early personalities in the coalition were Becky Torres, Berns Gavino, and Elmer Casillan. Most of the rest of the members were from Ateneo de Nagas Social Integration Ofce (SIO), the schools social action arm, and from other cause-oriented organizations based in Naga and Camarines Sur like the Community Organizing for People Enterprise (COPE), Alyansa ng Mag-aaral na Atenista (AKMA), and Naga for Popular Democracy (NagaPopDem). During its existence, HOPE maintained close coordination with the national CfP , which was then under the leadership of Risa Hontiveros who is now House Representative. Strong support for HOPE came from the Caceres Social Action Center Foundation Inc. (CASAFI), the social action arm of the archdiocese of Caceres. The abduction and killing of Nestor Dacara, one of the community organizers of CASAFI in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, and the NPA bombing of two bridges in Camarines Sur, were among the ashpoint issues addressed by the peace advocates. Pastoral letters and statements denouncing the killing and the escalating violence were read in the churches in Camarines Sur in the ensuing weeks. HOPE initiated various activities such as the exhibit of life-size photos of children suffering from the ill effects of war. The exhibit was launched in coordination with the CfP . Street performance of panuluyan at Christmas, a drama presentation during the Peafrancia Fiesta in Naga, and radio interviews were also undertaken. A regular column in the local newspaper also became a vehicle for the peace advocacy efforts of HOPE. The group also served a petition to the GRP-AFP and NDF-NPA for Christmas and election cease-res and dialogues. Negotiations for the release of government troopers held by the NPA were also conducted. What was probably the most signicant accomplishment of HOPE was its success in forging an agreement with the city government to declare Naga a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) during the Peafrancia holiday in 1988. The Peafrancia is the annual celebration held in honor of the Virgin Mary in the province. The agreement made the city a neutral ground and a sanctuary for both soldiers and rebels. Although there was no actual response from the CPP-NPA regarding their position on the declaration, HOPE believed that the ZOPFAN was respected by both groups as indicated by the cessation of raids and encounters even after the ZOPFAN period was over. Relative peace lasted until more recently in early 2004, when reports of policemen being murdered started to surface. The ZOPFAN drew praises from the national media and was portrayed as a model for possible replication in other high-conict areas. A groundswell of support for declaring Naga a peace zone came from various institutions. The Naga Parochial School and the Colegio de Santa Isabel declared their schools as peace
the ten paths to peace

(From the CBCP Pastoral Letter dated January 31, 1990) 1. Transforming values and mentalities into those that are truly oriented to God and to the common good: We need to be a peopleand to have leaderswho are maka-Diyos and maka-bayan. 2. Dismantling the structures (systems, e.g., ways of relating and acting in economic and political life supported by laws, policies, and entrenched practices) that favor the few and discriminate against the great majority of our people. Monopolies and a taxation system that lies too heavily on those who have less are such structures that need urgent change. 3. Designing and implementing truly transformative programs of agrarian reform, ecological promotion, and socioeconomic development geared toward the eradication of gross imbalances and disparities, and permeated by a sensitive care for people and for the earth. 4. Peacefully resolving questions of self-determination of various groups in the country within the context of national sovereignty, problems such as those posed by the MILF, MNLF, and CPLA. 5. Coming decisively to a moral and political resolution of the complex questions that revolve around the tension of national autonomy and interdependence among nations as reflected by realities such as various foreign economic interests in our country, our external economic debt, the US military presence, and inadequate transfer of technological knowledge so necessary for our economic growth and self-reliance. 6. Developing a satisfactory and effective educational system suited to our countrys needs as well as to those of the various members of the school community. 7. Freeing once and for all our most disenfranchised sectorsthe rural and urban poorfrom various forms of bondage, through a sincere practice of the evangelical option for the poor. 8. Effectively checking graft and corruption in private and public life. 9. Conscientiously observing the laws of our country and effectively delivering socioeconomic services to our people. Just taxes, for instance, have to be paid faithfully and the government must spend these honestly and wisely for the good of the people. 10. Empowering people in law so that decision making and implementing processes may truly be participatory and oriented to the common good.
zones. The Camarines Sur High School launched a Walk for Peace while the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary held a Prayer for Peace. Support for HOPE from the church in Camarines Sur came through CASAFI. The Jesuit community of the Ateneo de Naga also provided support in the form of communication facilities and venues for holding meetings and related activities. What may have actually marred the relative peace resulting from the declaration of Naga as ZOPFAN were the shooting incidents in the city that involved persons of authority. As Santos (2001) noted in his book Peace Advocate, It was not the NPA who took advantage of the ZOPFAN
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but the agents of authority. Moreover, the incident was not actually insurgency-related but apparently had something to do with illegal activities (jueteng, illegal logging, drug trafcking, among others.). The most active years in the life of HOPE were 1988 and 1989. In the succeeding years, the lack of logistical support and volunteer workers greatly hampered HOPEs peace advocacy efforts. In the words of Santos, HOPE could have made more impact if these problems were mitigated. Moreover, the bishop of the Archdiocese, Msgr. Leonardo Legazpi, viewed some of the coalitions activities as too radical and later became critical of its peace initiatives. The members, on the other hand, also expressed concern that some priests were identied as sympathizers of the armed opposition group.
the ramos period

camarines norte
Camarines Norte was a high-conict area in Bicol during the Ramos administration. The Justice and Peace Desk of the Socio-Pastoral Action Center Foundation Inc. (SPACFI) has been engaged in the promotion of peace since its registration in 1994. It works in partnership with various groups in peace advocacy and the promotion of human rights. During this period, the sisters of the Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines (AMP) and the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines coordinated closely in such activities. The church also engaged in advocacy through the radio (The Bishops Hour). Being church-based, the initiatives of SPACFI were viewed as more effective than those of other NGOs since they had the backing of the bishop and the support of the parish. As with other peace-building groups, a major setback in the effort was the lack of resources to fully carry out their mission. The Protestant groups, were considered to be more active particularly in the promotion of human rights compared to the Catholic group. They apparently had stronger mandates from their superiors to engage in human rights work while the local Catholic leadership tended to be more protective of the members of the clergy. The Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) approach was set as the avenue for educating the constituents on peace building in the province. One of the activities of the BEC was the conduct of prayer meetings in small communities. Pockets of nonviolent resistance to these kinds of activities from the NPA forces operating in upland areas of Camarines Norte were encountered by the organizers, particularly in Labo and Panganiban. The participation in the NUC provincial consultation in 1993 is considered the most im-

portant involvement of the church in peace building efforts in Camarines Norte during this period. The local consultations in Camarines Norte were successful and the multisectoral group was able to come up with an agenda for unication. This was submitted to Bishop Varela of Sorsogon who was then the chairman of the Regional Unication Council, with Pastor Harvey Lucena of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines as vice chairman. One of the problems raised in the conduct of the consultations in Camarines Norte was the presence of military representatives who were reported to have conspicuously carried long rearms inside the consultation table and persistently referred to some cause-oriented groups as communists. Accordingly, this was not taken kindly by the representatives of many sectors. Unlike other peace-building activities, the lack of logistical support was less of a problem in the course of these multisectoral meetings since the government provided sufcient funds for the NUC local consultation process. The participants in Camarines Norte consultation, however, were somewhat frustrated with the protracted period it took for the national government to arrive at a nal agenda for peace. The Six Paths to Peace developed by the NUC to address the agenda of seventy-one provinces represented the nal product of these public consultations.
the prelature of libmanan

The Prelature of Libmanan which is a relatively new subdiocese in Camarines Sur also tried to deal with the conict issues in its locality. The rugged and mountainous terrain outside the town centers of the prelature, which covers at least eight municipalities is also conducive to the movement of rebels, although conditions in the poblaciones (town centers) were relatively peaceful. The prelatures early initiatives in the promotion of human rights were carried out in partnership with the government and the CASAFI in Naga. The active personalities in this effort were Fr. Jose Cortez and Fr. Nelson Tria of CASAFI. Through its SAC, registered as the Prelature of Libmanan Development Foundation Inc. (PLDFI), peace-building work within the prelature was conned to mediations to retrieve the body or personal belongings of victims during encounters.No dialogues or negotiations toward peace and reconciliation were initiated by the prelature.
albay
The SAC-Legazpi actively participated in the NUC process in 1993. The local multisectoral consultations contributed to the national peace process by helping build consensus among the people, providing avenues for feedback and input especially local specics for the substantive
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agenda, highlighting the call for the resumption of peace negotiations, and serving as a mechanism for monitoring relevant developments and information dissemination at the local level on the progress of the national-level peace talks. The Diocese of Legazpi through its SAC also implemented programs in community building through the BEC and its prison apostolate program. It also engaged in various campaigns on current national issues and responded to cases of human rights violations. Its basic strategies consisted of information and education drive, seminars, networking, and partnership with other NGOs. Some problems that confronted the group were: (1) the need for a fulltime staff for the Albay Justice and Peace Action Group, (2) lack of support from some parishes in JPAG activities, (3) lack of interest and active involvement by the public at large, (4) presence of leaders with political interests, and (5) lack of nancial resources.
masbate
In Masbate, the NUC provincial-level consultation was organized by the diocesan SAC and was reported to have been well represented and actively supported by the local government. Bishop Varela, chairman of the Regional Unication Council, attended the Masbate provincial consultation. The subsequent regional consultation was held in Naga City and was organized by lawyer Soliman Santos, the head of the Regional Peace Council Secretariat. Masbate sent delegates to this multisectoral consultation. The military was also involved, representing one of the sectors. The Provincial Unication Committee, an organization parallel to the NUC, was created by the provincial government of Masbate. Through this committee and upon the invitation of the provincial governor, the organization succeeded in convening a meeting with the local command of the CPP-NPA to talk about local issues. The talks apparently did not progress. The local command of the CPP/NPA refused localized negotiations. No agreement in terms of protecting human rights and observing International Humanitarian Law and human rights law was arrived at.
sorsogon
In the early part of the Ramos administration, some distinguished rebel leaders like Celso Minguez and Sotero Llamas met with Bishop Varela and the AFP regional commander. It was a case of presenting each others side of the issues in the armed conict. At this meeting, the mutual desire for genuine peace was expressed. Peace advocates and delegates from various sectors in Sorsogon attended the Regional NUC consultation held in Naga. Ex-General and now Senator Rodolfo Biazon and Heidi Yorac

were two of the leading personalities in the NUC who attended the consultation. The peace advocates in Sorsogon were particularly proud that the logo created for the provincial Peace Council was adopted at the national level.
camarines sur
In 1995, CASAFI proposed to embark on a peace-building program in Naga. The bishop of Caceres, Msgr. Leonardo Legazpi, partly rejected this in favor of a peace-building program of a wider scale, that is, one that would cover the entire archdiocese of Caceres. Fr. Wilmer Tria was appointed in charge of the program. Issues directly or indirectly affecting the local peace situationbe they political or socialwere presented to the bishop for decision on whether these would be pursued for action. Unlike the bishops of Albay and Sorsogon, the bishop of Caceres was known to be traditional in his approach to church functions, and not receptive to initiatives proposed by other people in the diocese.
the estrada and GMA periods

the bicol peace forums
A multisectoral group of Bicol peace advocates was activated in 1999 as part of Estradas call for the continuation of the local peace process. It was an upshot of Proclamation 21, which granted amnesty effective March 24, 1999, upon concurrence of Congress. In pursuance of the provision of Proclamation 21, the Local Amnesty Board was created in Bicolone in Legazpi and another in Naga with their respective chairpersons, executive ofcers, and representatives. Toward the end of 1999, Alexander Aguirre, then National Security Adviser, met with the multisectoral peace advocates to organize the Local Peace Forums for the Bicol provinces. During the meeting, Aguirre presented to the peace advocates Estradas Executive Order 115 providing for the localization of the peace process. He stressed the importance of forming Local Peace Forums that would serve as the venues for consultation, dialogue, problem solving and peace building. Five areas were initially selected for the Local Peace Forum: Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte in Bicol, Bohol, Davao City, and Tagum City. The insurgency problem in these areas was recognized to have a high probability of early resolution that would have a direct positive impact on the communities. In the individual dioceses, very little peace initiatives were undertaken even as many perceived that the insurgency and other threats to peace and order have escalated in many areas.
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The trend was indicated by frequent ambuscades resulting in casualties in both government and rebel camps and civilians, abductions of military soldiers and ofcers, and use of landmines. Many of these incidents were however believed to be politically motivated rather than insurgency-related.
the budyong bikolnon

The Budyong Bikolnon was a local consultation-forum of various development stakeholders in the Bicol region with a view to: (1) appreciate the prevailing national and regional situations, (2) awaken the consciousness in peace initiatives, and (3) unite efforts toward progress and development through peace. The Budyong Bikolnon, which is acknowledged as a clarion call for action in view of pressing national and regional concerns on development and peace, drew inspiration from the consultations convened nationwide by the NASSA-JP of the CBCP and the CODE-NGO (Coalition of Development NGOS). Budyong Bikolnon was held on May 11-12, 2000, with the theme Progress and Development through Peace. In the said forum, the national picture was presented as quite dim given the worsening poverty of the Filipino people. Such a situation was acknowledged to have been aggravated by environmental degradation and bad governance reected in graft and corruption, poor implementation of government projects, and poor delivery of basic services. Insensitivity to gender and exploitation of children were also noted as major concerns in the national realm. In the open forum, participants identied other issues like the lack of maturity among politicians, lack of credit programs for the poor, massive land conversion, domestic violence, and absence of security in land tenure as issues of concern. Bicol was portrayed as one of the poorest regions in the country, second only to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The poverty incidence in the region was also observed to be escalating. As a whole, poverty was seen as the effect of several interrelated factors: income inequality, the stagnation of certain industries in the region, overshing in major shing grounds, the drying up of main river basins, decreasing school enrolment, and increasing urbanization. The goals of the Regional Peace Forum were presented in the Budyong Bikolnon conference. It was recalled that a national forum was convened during the regime of President Aquino, but the strategies were later on devolved, thus the need to create localized mechanisms like the Regional Peace Forum (RFP). While the RPF had just started, the members were described to be very clear about their mission and the task of creating a culture of peace in communities within the region. The RPF reportedly has no grandiose plans but intended to concentrate on small but doable strategies that were considered more effective. A two-pronged approach was adopted:

1) Problem solving: The RPF does not look at the people ghting for a cause as the problem. It denes the problem as injustice. The RPF, therefore, recognizes the widely held view that, if justice prevailed and the people were provided the basic services for them to live a more humane life, a large part of the problem would be solved. 2) Negotiation: The RPF acknowledges that the people ghting for a cause are brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends, and therefore must be treated as such in any negotiation. This is perceived to bring in more palpable effect than when negotiation is done on an impersonal level. The Bishops-Businessmen Conference (BBC) also presented its vision, mission and goals during the Budyong Bikolnon. The BBC is composed of various clusters, each addressing a specific sector like mining, education, basic services, environment and indigenous peoples, and labor and employment. The clusters have already made their individual strategic plans and are now translating these into policy-advocacy action.
the justice and peace desk in the diocesan SACs

The Justice and Peace desk had folded in some dioceses particularly in Camarines Norte. On the other hand, it has been revived in others like in Sorsogon. The establishment of a JP desk is being considered in the Prelature of Libmanan but is still in the early stage of conceptualizing the approaches and strategies to be pursued. At present, the continuing resettlement of upland people threatened by insurgent groups is a major concern in the prelature. The problem results in diminished productivity since now and then some families would resettle in the lowlands leaving their farms uncultivated to avoid being harassed by the rebels. Establishing a Justice and Peace Desk to promote peace is being considered by the Prelature of Libmanan Development Foundation (PLDFI), although it has exhibited reluctance to engage in direct brokering, so to speak, to avoid putting the church in a bad light. However, an alternative perceived to be contributing to the peace process and which all social action centers are pursuing is the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) approach. By building the spiritual formation and sense of values in small communities, particularly, those in high-conict areas, the PLDPI director hopes that the nonstate armed actors may gradually be inuenced to take the path leading to more positive attitudes toward reconciliation. After the phasing out of the JP desk in Camarines Norte, advocacy shifted to national mobilizations such as support for the impeachment of then-President Joseph Estrada, signature campaign and information dissemination on the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), and political education. Lately, advocacy included child rights, notably action-research programs on child labor.
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To address increasing human-rights violations in the Diocese of Sorsogon, its SAC created the Peace Building and Human Rights Desk, which performs much of the same functions done by the previous JP desk. The staff is engaged in fact-nding missions on human rights violations. The PBHR Desk hopes to strengthen the capability of its members and volunteers through training, seminars, and development of modules on peace building and human rights.
peace building in masbate

In Masbate, peace advocates believe that the activities of the rebels have somehow lessened to the point of just maintaining specic zones of operation. This is partly traced to the internal problems that resulted in factionalism within the CPP-NPA. The peace building pursued by the peace advocates of Masbate was conned to those mandated by CBCP . The Masbate Association of Peoples Organizations, the umbrella organization for peace advocates in the province, is considered by the diocesan SAC as a mechanism that could help institute measures to address peace and human rights problems in the province.
actors and groups interfacing with the churchs peace-building programs

Numerous groups and individuals have interfaced with church organizations in their peacebuilding efforts. The local consultations in all the provinces were invariably participated in by the religious, the farmers and sherfolk, labor group, urban poor, women, youth and students, educators, and the business community. A number of cause-oriented groups and NGOs like the COPE have also participated in the process Fact-nding missions, particularly those involving human rights violations, were coordinated with other religious groups notably the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) and the Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines (AMP), which operate in Camarines Norte, and the Bicol Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (BEMJP). Peace-building activities of the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), UCCP , AMP , and the BEMJP include mediation and negotiation, peace and human rights advocacy and indirectly, health and nutrition, and livelihood programs. These are done through various cooperative mechanisms with each other. The TFDP and human rights lawyers in the region specically contribute to the promotion of human rights by providing legal assistance to detainees. At present, the TFD is also a mission partner of the Bicol Regional Social Action Commission (BRSAC) in lobbying for the anti-torture law and the declaration of torture-free zones.

The more militant UCCP has its own advocacy programs to promote the rights and welfare of the people. It undertakes various forms of mobilization to bring to the attention of government the cases of human rights violation. It works with the Catholic Church in the region on peace issues. At present, the leading personalities in the peace building endeavors in Camarines Sur include the president of the Ateneo de Naga University, Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J.; Jean Llorin; city councilors Miles Raquid and Joe Grageda; and Anjo Llorin of the Ateneo de Naga University. The predominance of Ateneo alumni could be gleaned from the list of volunteer-members. The group serves as advisers to the bishop on some issues for reection and planning. The group was also very active in supporting former Philippine president Joseph Ejercito Estradas impeachment. Its most noted action to push for peace is in mediation work. Stirred by the dragging negotiation on the release of two soldiers held by the CPP-NPA in Tinambac, Camarines Sur, some members of the group started to think about convening a meeting to discuss how they may be of help in expediting the release process. The two soldiers were eventually released in August 2004 in Presentacion, Camarines Sur. Private individuals, mostly from the middle class, who have once been connected with the SACs of the Bicol dioceses, particularly those in Sorsogon, Albay, and Masbate, continue to work with the Church in its peace efforts. The Church in Masbate undertakes its peace-building work in coordination with NGOs (e.g., Makabayan), teachers, nuns, and law practitioners. Local parishes engage in their own peace-building activities through organizing using the BEC approach. This organizing activity parallels the efforts of the AMP sisters in forming Basic Christian Communities (BCCs) in some areas in Labo, Camarines Norte. In most of the dioceses, the bishops are at the forefront of peace-building efforts. While they ensure close coordination with SAC personnel in peace-building activities and join them in actual mediation work, some also act in their own capacity to negotiate and seek the release of hostages. The bishops in Sorsogon, Masbate, and Albay are regionally recognized for their strong commitment to justice and peace in their own dioceses. In Sorsogon, Masbate, and Albay, the proactive stance and sensitivity of its SACs to the cause of peace and the issues related to it are believed to be the result of their greater exposure to insurgency and its consequences, as well as the strong leadership of their bishops. The varying orientation and attitudes of the bishops may also explain the differences observed in terms of the level of support that peace advocates receive from the church. For instance, bishops in Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte are perceived to be more conservative and traditional compared to those of other dioceses. Some activists who are considered as old guards in Naga attribute this predisposition to the relatively peaceful condition in Camarines Sur, which has experienced less insurgency-related violence and abuses compared to Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate.
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evaluating the bicol churchs peace building
pended on the conditions and opportunities that prevailed among the peace advocates in the different dioceses, and the overall conict situation. One may say that the higher the level of conict, the greater and more concerted the peace efforts the advocates put in. New groups and organizations of peace advocates are also more likely to emerge in high-conict situations.
he strategies adopted by the Church in its peace-building work

were many and varied. The success of some of them largely de-
approaches and strategies

peace advocacy
The main approach common to all dioceses and other religious organizations is peace advocacy. This takes the form of various mobilization activities like rallies, marches, prayer rallies, radio hopping and reporting, lectures, seminars, and symposiums on justice and peace. Open letters from the churches denouncing violence and abuses were also common during the early years of the Aquino administration. Pastoral letters addressing peace issues were also read in masses. The HOPE in Naga embarked on various activities such as exhibits and stage performances to advocate for peace, while Masbate and Albay had theater groups. In Sorsogon, the SAC takes the lead in investigating cases of human rights violation and in projecting them to the media. In addition, there was a radio program called Damayan where mobile announcers join in the discussion on justice and peace issues, and expose abuses. Priests and lay people also participate in the reporting. In Legazpi, advocacy took the form of dialogues, mobilization and press releases. Statements were also issued and aired through the radio. Symposiums and seminars on human rights, as well as research and documentation of human rights violations were also conducted. Forums have always been effective strategies for raising awareness among peace advocates on new issues related to human rights and the peace process. The diocese of Albay, usually
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through its SAC, usually takes the lead in such endeavors. A Bicol Regional Forum on Human Rights was held on August 13-14, 2003 at the Social Action Center-Legazpi. It was a collaborative undertaking of the BRSAC, the Coalition for Bicol Development (CBD), and the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD). The main objectives of the forum were the following: (1) inform the participants of their human rights; (2) facilitate the understanding of the underlying basic concepts of human rights and the governments obligation to implement them; (3) popularize human rights as universal and essential to peoples dignied existence; and (4) develop sectoral/regional action points toward human rights advocacy. A more recent forum, which also focused on human rights, was held in Sorsogon City, on December 9-10, 2004, through the collaborative effort of line government agencies, the Kalipunan ng Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) and other tri-media organizations, the CBD and the BRSAC. The forum was also an occasion for the launching of the Peace Building and Human Rights Regional Center and the Sulong CARHRIHL-Bicol, the citizens network promoting observance of the CARHRIHL, or the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law signed by the government and the NDF. The activities to promote human rights included: (1) media hopping for the promotion and advancement of CARHRIHL; (2) a mass for the victims of human rights violations committed against media practitioners; (3) a media forum that witnessed the reading of the KBP manifesto on human rights violations and the responses from involved government agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Department of justice, the city government, and the provincial government; and (4) a peace forum in which a situationer and the KBP manifesto on human rights were read. At the same peace forum, the peace-building efforts of the church and the promotion and advancement of CARHRIHL were presented. The forum culminated in a mural-making activity featuring symbols of peace. Much has been said about peace as being a product of the way one thinks. Divergences in viewpoints certainly result from differences in attitudes and values in life. This is where peace education nds some relevance. Recognizing further that peace consciousness is nurtured early in life, peace education is more consciously being integrated in all venues for learning not only in informal assemblies but also in formal schooling.
the case study
organizing work
As said earlier, the formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities is considered by the Church as a venue for organizing people and educating them of their rights. It is envisioned that the
EVALUATING THE BICOL CHURCHS PEACE BUILDING
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strengthening of the BECs will bring about positive change in the values and attitudes of the people. Most priests, however, are of the view that the BECs have not reached the stage in which the people they have trained can already dialogue with dissidents. Also, not all parish priests have the interest, willingness, and resources to pursue community organizing in their parishes. The TFDP and UCCP were also involved in organizing activities. The COPE also coordinated with SAC-Legazpi in organizing the urban poor. The declaration of Naga as a Zone of Peace, Neutrality, and Freedom in 1988, provides evidence that such a bold endeavor is possible with a great deal of political will and determination. The apparent success of this peace movement in Naga, though short-lived, may inspire other groups to work for the same after assessing the situation in their own areas. Among the strategies used by other peace-building groups, the ZOPFAN in Naga represents one that has inuenced the national government to recognize HOPEs peace effort as a model for some areas to replicate.
engagement strategy
The churches in Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate have been involved actively in mediation, negotiation, and dialogues with both military and rebel forces. Fact-nding missions were also part of the activities that they undertook in coordination with the TFDP . One celebrated cases of mediation involved Roberto Bernal, who was captured by the communist guerrillas in Bacon, Sorsogon. After forty-eight days in captivity, Bernal was released at the Poor Clares Monastery within the El Retiro Retreat house compound in Barangay Cabid-An, Sorsogon. The release was described as quite organized and safely conducted with the cooperation of the military and the media. Another case was that of an army intelligence ofcer Noel Buan, who was captured in Tayabas Quezon, and was released in Mindoro after a long mediation process. In both cases, the mediator included Senator Loren Legarda and Bishop Varela of Sorsogon. The negotiation also brought the two mediators to Utrecht, The Netherlands, to sign an agreement with the NDF leadership. In Naga, the HOPE proposed ten ways to prevent civilian casualties through an open letter to the local military command and the NPA. The proposal was issued after a bloody encounter in Caramoan, Camarines Sur, in July 1988, in which a Philippine Constabulary team aboard a passenger jeepney was ambushed by an NPA team. The attack killed twelve civilians. The proposal enjoined combatants to: avoid riding in passenger or private vehicles with civilian passengers on board to ensure that no civilian is harmed in their operation; to refrain from using civilians as protective cover; to respect the rights of those who have surrendered or have been wounded; and indemnify victims, among others (Santos, 1994:161-162).
addressing human rights violations and the consequences of armed conict

The Catholic church in Bicol has taken steps to respond to the distressing situation of civilians caught in the midst of armed conict. This type of intervention is particularly acute in militarized areas like Sorsogon, Albay, and Camarines Sur. Being caught in the crossre does not only mean physical harm during armed encounters. The more serious damage may be reected in the big number of displaced families who are forced to leave their homes and farms and resettle elsewhere to avoid exposure to such risks. The case of a barangay captain in Albay who was forced by the local NPA forces in 1992 to leave his barangay, and had nowhere to resettle his family, illustrates one risk faced by local leaders who are deemed uncooperative or aligned to one side. The Church responds to these situations by providing assistance such as emergency relief in the form of food, materials for shelter, and medicine, or some kind of protection to those who fear that their lives are at risk. Help also comes in the form of educational assistance and day-care programs, psychosocial intervention, and provision of health and nutrition services. Training on disaster preparedness, advocacy, and social mobilization including livelihood are also provided. In 1993, the SACs of Legazpi and the Prelature of Libmanan in Camarines Sur, offered these services under the program for Children in Situations of Armed Conict (CSAC), implemented in Jovellar, in Albay and in one barangay each in Libmanan, Pasascao, and Sipocot, Camarines Sur. The Parish of the Holy Rosary in Oas, Albay, together with the TFD-Bicol, two other NGOs, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government (in Sorsogon) provided rehabilitation services to other communities. In most dioceses, particularly Sorsogon, the Justice and Peace desks work closely with the TFDP in organizing fact-nding missions, soliciting funds for the victims, and facilitating free legal assistance. Many priests and church workers, cause-oriented groups, and NGOs are suspected by the military of being supporters of the NPA, thereby putting their lives at great risk. The initiatives of the Church to dialogue with the rebels and promote social justice among the poor through the alleviation of poverty would at times be misconstrued as communistic. As a result, some members of the clergy have become the object of close surveillance by the military. For various reasons like fear or sympathy, community leaders and members have also given material support to the rebels. Some church people have been reported to extend similar assistance to rebel groups. Military ofcials differ on how to treat the extension of support to NPAs by the community. During a consultation held in Bethlehem in Bacacay, Albay, during the Estrada
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administration, one of the AFP generals present viewed this act with an understanding of the difculty faced by the people in such situations, while another general condemned the practice as treason. The military usually responds negatively to the accusations of human rights violations raised against them. They feel they are being falsely accused and unfairly tried by publicity through the media. There is also resentment over what is perceived to be a differential treatment between soldiers and rebels on the part of the civilian government in favor of the latter when the offense involves human rights violations. The Church meets these challenges by maintaining a certain degree of rapport with the military, although the relationship may not exactly be harmonious. The military reciprocates by attending dialogues organized by the church including those that were held with rebel leaders in attendance. The military has also invited the clergy to the seminars and symposiums they sponsored. A priest of the Catholic Church was also reported to have organized a cursillo (spiritual retreat) in the military camp after a series of human rights violations involving the military took place. Such a case demonstrates the Churchs use of its prophetic voice to prevent and to oppose human rights violations.
perceived impact of the churchs peace-building work

the multisectoral consultations and the peace organizations
The local consultations that followed the establishment of the National Unication Commission were viewed with success as demonstrated by the wide sectoral representation which turned up and the accomplishment of the Regional Agenda for Peace. While the programs that were conceived and articulated to translate the agenda into specic actions have apparently been stalled by bureaucratic problems, the fact that the agenda materialized is perceived as a milestone in the overall peace process. The consultation process seems to have given impetus for the emergence of more peace organizations. Peace advocates view the peace process as a success in terms of the stronger and broader membership peace organizations have at present, and the increasingly diverse peacebuilding strategies they engage in. The growing number of people who sympathize with human rights advocates is also perceived as a positive impact of the Churchs advocacy program.
military response to peace building

Peace advocates, particularly those coming from the Church, have met some success in raising the awareness of the military through dialogues, on the need to respect human rights and humanitarian law. The military personnel are now observed to be more careful in their activities. Also, there are now less cases of illegal detention. Priests who mediate with the military regarding particular cases of political detainees are respected, and request for release is granted when meritorious. Two cases of successful intervention may be cited here. During martial law, two priests, Chito Ante and Ely Dolot, were detained in Albay on separate occasions, for alleged subversion. Their release was facilitated by Msgr. Jose Molina, then director of a seminary in Albay. The second case involved a group of farmers in Bacacay who were arrested for allegedly sympathizing with the rebels. Fr. Conrado Belloso and Sr. Barbara Magdaraog conducted an investigation and successfully proved the innocence of the farmers who were subsequently released. Mediation activities for the release of military personnel held by the rebels succeeded because the military cooperated. In the two celebrated cases of Buan and Bernal, specic instructions of the rebels for the military to cease operation and to stay out of the area during the negotiations and release of the detained were duly respected. Peaceful dialogues between the military and armed rebels were conducted safely with the cooperation of the military although the talks did not produce any consensus. The success of the condence-building measures is also demonstrated in the positive response of the rebels in the bilateral cease-re agreement in 1986, which the military also respected. The tendency of the military to treat with suspicion priests who are able to enter the NPA camps and mediate or facilitate dialogues may be viewed as a negative impact on the Church of the Churchs involvement in peace building. On the positive side, the success of priests in mediation work may be attributed to the respect and condence accorded them by both the military and the rebels.
CPP-NPA response to peace building

The Church in Masbate was successful in extending the bilateral cease-re within the province of Masbate even after the end of the 60-day ceasere agreement in February 1987. Several rebels heeded the call for reconciliation and returned to the fold of the law through the Churchs mediation. The impact, however, was short term. Most of them decided to return to their rebel status after the government failed to keep its promise of rehabilitation assistance. Whatever gains achieved by the church in peace building during the Aquino period have disintegrated.
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The same trust accorded by the military to the church was demonstrated by the rebel groups in agreeing to hold dialogues with the military and in negotiations for the release of hostages. The rebels concurrence to release Bernal in a place owned by the Church illustrates this point. The church in Albay was also successful in negotiating a peaceful dialogue between the CPP-NPA and the local government and the military during the ceasere. The rebels were represented by Sotero Llamas and Celso Minguez. First-hand information revealed that it took some time for the priests to persuade the groups to attend the dialogue to be held in the provincial capitol building without bringing their rearms. The success of the priests mediation efforts was attributed to the respect accorded by the military to the church. It was also a clear case of a successful condence-building strategy on the part of the church. The church in Albay has also been the frequent refuge for rebels who chose to return to the fold of the law. The rebels would send a message to a trusted mediator, usually a priest, about their desire to return.
peace education and organizing

The efforts of the church and other church-based organizations in organizing and educating communities are not without positive results. Peace advocates in Masbate have taken note of the fact that less younger people are being recruited by the rebels as a result of their counseling and organizing work with the parents in the communities where rebels maintain strongholds. A marked improvement in the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the communities, where this intervention is at work, was also observed by the peace workers. More people in rural areas are now aware of their civil and human rights. They know where to seek help if they need it. They are more receptive to ideas on justice and peace, and they actually approach the church or the proper government agency to seek help. Priests corroborate the observation that more people are now taking on a positive attitude vis-a-vis issues affecting their lives, particularly justice and peace. While before, the parishioners in rural areas question the priests involvement in social justice issues and are rm in their view that the churchs role is conned to spiritual formation, priests are beginning to notice an open and sympathetic attitude toward a proactive church.
stronger credibility of the church

The church became more credible as a result of its successful mediation and facilitation of dialogues between the military and the rebel groups. The church has also served as a model of leadership not only locally but even more at the national level. The credibility of the church in

peace building is perceived to be the singlemost important factor restraining dangerous moves of both the military and the rebels. This credibility not only strengthened the condence of both camps in the sincerity of the church but also served as a unifying force between and among peace organizations as well as between peace organizations and the military.
the zone of peace freedom and neutrality

Two concrete manifestations of the positive impact of the ZOPFAN as initiated by HOPE in Naga in September 1988, are presented here. One is the overwhelming support given to ZOPFAN by peace organizations, cause-oriented groups, the media and educational institutions. The second is the positive response of the NPA group through a letter declaring a unilateral cease-re in Naga City. The military did not have a similar response to the ZOPFAN.
obstacles to peace building

Peace advocates encountered several obstacles to their peace-building work. Directly, they are affected by threats to their personal safety. Prayer meetings were sometimes suspected by the military as vehicles for gaining the sympathy of people to the cause of the rebels. Also, priests who have earned the trust of rebels and have access to their camps are suspected of being communists or sympathizers. The militarys predisposition to suspect priests who are able to enter the NPA camps and mediate or facilitate dialogues reects the militarys lack of recognition of the churchs role in social justice and reveals a need to dialogue the AFP on the issue. The reassignment of SAC directors which results in the disruption in some initiated activities was also viewed as a hindering factor in the SACs involvement in the peace process. This is especially true when the successor lacks the commitment and interest to carry on the work of the predecessor. Related to this is the lack of interest of parish priests in some peace-building work and the passive attitude of most parishioners.
differences in perceptions and attitudes

Peace advocates tend to believe that peace is a product of the way one thinks and what one believes in, and that apathy among the poor springs from economic deprivation. Among stakeholders, perceptions vary. Some radical groups, for example, believe that members of the military consider it their patriotic duty to hurt rallyists. Also common are beliefs that the conict was created by the CIA, and that the military deliberately whips up the red scare. For
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Summary of Impact and Lessons Learned from the Experience

Impact of Peace-Building Strategies
On Agenda/Policy Well-represented NUC provincial consultation process Provincial consultations actively supported by the LGUs Creation of the provincial unification committee in Masbate Participation in the National Peace Conference and peoples congress Local consultations contributed to national peace talks through various strategies The region was able to come up with a Regional Agenda for Peace Reactivation of the Bicol Peace Advocates in 1999 Local amnesty board created in Legazpi and in Naga Local peace forums organized in Bicol Release of hostages after successful mediation and negotiation Cease-fire respected by both military and rebels Increasing number of sympathizers of human rights advocates Human rights violations actively addressed by human rights advocates through fact-finding missions Less cases of illegal detention Success of mediation activities for the release of hostages Peaceful dialogues between military and rebels conducted safely Consequences of violence and armed conflict addressed through various means Armed violence mitigated through extensions of cease-fire (Masbate) Several heeded the call for reconciliation through the churchs mediation although many also returned to rebel status The church serves as unifying force between and among peace organizations and between peace organizations and the military The Bicol regional SAC has identified peace building as one of the priority concerns in the region in addition to good governance and poverty alleviation, and is now addressing these problems A. Government and Rebels Both camps were receptive to peaceful dialogues and campaigns for cease-fires Military cooperates in mediation activities for the release of hostages
On Ground-Level Situation
On Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behavior of Stakeholders
Military more careful in dealing with political detainees Both military and rebels accord due respect for and trust with the church as mediators Military maintains good relationship with the local church Stronger credibility of the church to both camps after successful involvement in mediation and negotiation B. Communities and Citizens Less younger people are being recruited Increasing awareness of civil and human rights and knowledge of where to seek help if needed Greater receptiveness and more sympathetic attitude toward churchs involvement in social justice Stronger and broader membership of peace organizations including human rights advocates More people joining advocacy activities and campaigns for peace More respect for churchs peace-building work More support for peace organization and causeoriented groups
many rebels, anything that would advance the revolution is moral while anything that would undermine the ght for their cause is immoral. At the parish level, an integrated approach to spiritual formation is being pursued as an effective vehicle for institutionalizing changes in values and attitudes. Because of the different orientation and perspectives about the armed conict among priests, the support given to justice and peace workers varies from one parish or diocese to another.
disillusion of noncombatants over governments program for rebel returnees

The assistance extended by the government to rebel returnees under its amnesty program to facilitate their mainstreaming in Philippine society created some disappointments among the nonrebels. During the Aquino administration, rebel returnees were promised rehabilitation assistance under the amnesty program. Priests found it frustrating to negotiate and convince the rebels to return to the fold of the law after the government fell short of its promise of monetary assistance and livelihood. The decision to lay down arms is fraught with fear and reluctance on the part of rebels. There is always the danger of retaliation from former comrades or continuing suspicion on the
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hindering factors in peace building

Reassignment
of people and disruption in implementing the programs Absence of full-time staff Lack of material and financial resources Conservative and traditional church leaders Varying perceptions as to what peace is and what is morally right or wrong Apathetic attitude of some members of the local leadership; weak response from the community Unsustained enthusiasm of peace volunteers Failure of some parish priests to cooperate Both camps harbor suspicion about peace-building activities Lack of organizational mandate or the protectiveness of superiors Lack of support from LGUs Displacement of people and loss of source of income Human-rights violations Presence of armed group and powerful people in the community Disagreement of rebels with peace-building activity in the community Politicians giving in to the demands of the rebels Discouraging effect of government failure to continue assistance to rebel returnees Lack of support from the national and local governments Delays in the implementation of government reform programs NDF does not support localization of peace talks Rebel contacts belong to the lower rank and have no clout or authority Lack of knowledge of current dynamics and leadership and changes in ideology inside the rebel organization Lack of clarity on how to go about engagement Fear by former combatants of being harmed by aggrieved parties
part of the military. This possibility makes their return to normal lives difcult. The practice of the military to report alleged mass surrender of rebels to earn media mileage also incurs the ire of many peace advocates. This happened recently in Sorsogon where twenty-eight rebel returnees reportedly surrendered, when in fact they were barangay ofcials rounded up by the military only to be labeled as surrenderees. The church recognizes that many ex-combatants come from poor families. As a response, the church and other development NGOs help through the livelihood and social services program of the SACs. The vital role of the church in compensating for the weakness in the rehabilitation efforts of the government is well recognized.

However, the awareness of communities about the rehabilitation assistance extended by the government and the church to returning rebels has led some families to pose as rebels in order to avail of the assistance. People seek monetary assistance from the church in order to settle in other place. Meanwhile, noncombatants who are also poor and in need of the same assistance resent the priority aid extended to returning rebels.
criminal vs. political offenders

This refers to cases of captured rebels charged with serious crimes like kidnapping or murder instead of being classied as political offenders.
delays in implementing the sectoral agenda

The comprehensive sectoral agenda which represents the product of local consultations has yet to be fully implemented. More specically, the implementation of the antipoverty agenda, which embody the most decisive response to the root cause of this internal war, has been stalled by bureaucratic issues and technicalities. Meanwhile, people continue to wallow in extreme poverty and the armed conict persists. Almost all the peace advocates interviewed for this study believe that peace is not merely the absence of war or armed struggle. There are other issues beyond these that need to be addressed for peace efforts to be effective. Foremost of these are the issues of poverty and social justice that the SACs of the seven dioceses respond to through various livelihood programs. Many of these programs that aim to alleviate poverty and protect the oppressed are creating signicant impacts on the lives of the people. The program include the micronance projects, environmental programs, and those pursued for the protection of women and children from violence, etc. This kind of intervention may not be a direct response to the peace issues but they serve to eliminate the oppressive structures that support the state of unpeace in the region.
perceived changes in ideology and questionable practices

At present, confusion permeates the peace-building work of advocates as they reect on what the real issues the CPP-NPA are really ghting for so that proper intervention may be made. Inconsistencies in the stance of the rebel groups have been noted in many instances. A case in point was the churchs action to facilitate the distribution of church-owned farmlands to a
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community. The program, which stands to benet the poor in this community, was resisted by the armed group, who ordered it stopped. Most people also wonder whether the acts of extortion and collection of revolutionary tax from the people are forms of banditry rather than springing from a real ideology. The collection of revolutionary tax and extortion activities on government-funded projects, as well as the requirement of permit for politicians to campaign in rebel-controlled areas, are exploitative actions that have been condemned by the people. At the same time, the absence of these activities in some areas is suspected to be a modus vivendi of some politicians with the rebels, which raises the question of transparency as a basic principle of good governance. In many instances, dialogues and mediation processes failed to reach a consensus for the reason that those responding belonged to the lower rank of the NDF command and, as such, were not in a position to decide or enter into a covenant. Peace advocates also nd the refusal of the rebels to localize peace talks, and the closedmindedness and inconsistent policies of both parties as not conducive to local peace building.
enabling factors in the churchs peace-building work

Some factors have facilitated the success of many peace-building activities of the church in Bicol. Mainly they revolve around the credibility and leadership status established by the church at this point in history. The strong leadership and inuence of the church through the bishops are matched by the unwavering commitment maintained by priests in advancing the cause of peace through direct or indirect peace strategies. The wide coverage of the churchs constituency is denitely a positive factor in its peaceadvocacy strategies like mobilization and dissemination of information. The church also beneted from the condence and respect of the concerned parties in its negotiation and mediation roles. The importance of religion as a wellspring of human behavior is highlighted in the many instances that the church triumphed in conict prevention and peace building. Related to this, most priests involved in peace building expressed condence that peace is attainable even though great difculties are met in the struggle because they know that the rebels were also brought up embracing the Catholic faith. The leadership and credibility of well-known personalities like Senator Loren Legarda have also played a key role in the success of mediation proceedings involving NPA hostages. Moreover, the cooperation and support of the media were also important elements in the success of peace advocacy as well as the prevention of abuses and human rights violations. The latter nds support in the observed decline in human rights violations when previous abuses are highlighted in the media.
the BRSAC thrust

The Bicol Regional Social Action Commission or BRSAC, which is chaired by the director of SAC-Legazpi, is adopting a three-pronged approach to social action in partnership with other member-NGOs of the Philippine Miserior Partnership (PMP) in the region. Through a series of brainstorming sessions, consultation workshops, and research studies conducted over three years, the PMP identied three priority concerns that need to be addressed in the Bicol region: poverty alleviation, good governance, and peace building. These thrusts in effect dene the direction that the SACs in all the six dioceses and one prelature in Bicol will be taking within the next ve years or so. To manage the implementation, specic areas of responsibility are assigned to respective diocesan SACs. The poverty alleviation component is under the direction of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte SACs while the area of good governance is under the responsibility of SAC Legazpi. Peace building is the specic focus of Sorsogon SAC. The present research on peace building is particularly useful to SAC Sorsogon as data source to complement its plan of developing a training manual on peace building.
the church leadership

The top leadership of the Catholic Church has actively supported various peace initiatives of the government. It has been successful in bringing groups together to work for peace as a common goal. However, the vigor with which the upper echelon of the church leadership collaborates with the government on peace building does not seem to be effectively passed on to the lower level in some dioceses. What facilitated peace building at the local level as experienced by HOPE was the support of the local government, the schools, and other cause-oriented groups. More support in terms of resources may be needed at the diocesan level to carry out peacebuilding tasks mandated from the top and to be able to embark on local initiatives.
the role of the media

The members of media have often been criticized for their tendency to sensationalize and exploit situations. Despite this, the media is recognized to be a very effective vehicle for peace building provided that careful study and judicious presentation of facts are observed by those concerned. Its effectiveness is established during emergency situations when peace advocates go radio-hopping and get the desired public reaction. That the life of a media practitioner is also at risk in exposing the truth should also be the concern of the public.
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Radio Veritas and some local newspapers in Bicol are known for their responsible coverage of events. They maintain their integrity as exponents of truth, especially where peace is at stake. The KBP and other tri-media organizations are working closely with the SAC-Legazpi in peace-related undertakings.
the signicance of broad participation

Peace efforts should truly be participatory and oriented to a common goal. Discussions are often slowed down by differences in perspectives about an issue. What may seem marginal to one group may be very signicant to another. There is a need to discern substantive issues and reach a consensus if the goal of peace is to be realized. This appeared to be a common observation of peace advocates from different sectors and areas in the consultation process. The question as to which groups contributed more is a matter of least importance. What is really of critical concern is achieving the goals of a particular strategy or peace-building activity in solidarity with other groups working toward the same end. Every group is considered important regardless of the role it plays in the peace process. This statement was made in light of the observation that peace-building actors tend to compete with each other for recognition and credit.
enhancing the role of the church in peace building

There is an apparent need to go into a deeper analysis of why and how the conict persists so that some positive steps may be taken in order to move forward. The polarization taking place in Philippine society brings into focus the peace-building roles of a neutral third party that is not antagonistic to both contending parties. How these roles may be harnessed and maximized toward genuine peace is a challenge for the church and other peace organizations. Besides its broad constituency, the church also has at its disposal a wide range of resources to carry out effective peace-building work. Its rich history of spiritual practices and wisdom must be passed on to future peacemakers. Peace-building strength lies in the power of the clergy to inspire and enjoin everyone for the common good. Among the objectives for achieving the common good is the establishment of a just social order, inspired by the Christian faith. A faith-based perspective, therefore, does not necessarily speak of peace building in terms of being neutral to both parties but taking the side of the common good. Sharing the gospel of truth, peace, justice, and forgiveness is the

ultimate good that may follow from peace-building work. The churchs peace-building work as it is now is ecumenical and interreligious in orientation, but it is also collaborating in new and productive ways with government and nongovernment organizations in its work with the poor and marginalized.
faith-based promotion of human rights

Central to the faith-based peace-building work of the church is the recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of the human family (Universal Declaration of Rights, 1948). Gods decree to love ones neighbor as oneself is at the core of this declaration, which assures people, among other things, of:

the safety of life, liberty and security; immunity from slavery and servitude; protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; our inviolable rights as persons who are entitled to enjoy equal protection by the law; protection from arbitrary arrest, incarceration, or exile; the presumption of innocence unless otherwise proven; the freedom to express our thoughts and opinions without reprisal; and equal opportunity in our own country.
International Humanitarian Law declares, among others, respect for civilians and prisoners of war (POWs). It also calls for the protection of the most vulnerable groups such as the children, and the basic sector that includes laborers, peasants, women, sherfolk, and cultural minorities. The initiatives of the church in holding various forums on peace and human rights address the protection of these groups by raising the awareness of those involved in the implementation of these humanitarian laws.
complementary roles of the church, state, and stakeholders

The churchs peace-building role is expected to blend with the efforts of the state and other stakeholders through dialogue-led collaboration. Such is possible since the church has the capacity to reach down to the grass root together with the stakeholders, the basic target of the churchs mission. Complementarity between the state and the church is achieved with the latters direct involvement in peace building and coordinated implementation of development programs designed to alleviate poverty. It cannot effectively work for reconciliation in the face of injustice.
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Lessons Learned from the Experience

Learning Area
On the Policy Environment
Lessons
Peace-building work is constrained by inconsistent government policies, shifts in priorities, and changes in the ideological beliefs of the primary stakeholders and authorities The lack of confidence-building measures impede the rebels resolve to respond to government reconciliation program Cease-fires and extension of cease-fires contribute to the cessation of armed conflict Need to sustain successful peace building with appropriate policy changes The need for nongovernment organizations to supplement rehabilitation and rebel assistance programs of the government The futility of local peace initiatives when the rebels refuse to localize peace talks
Through this two-pronged approach, the church addresses the injustice in being poor and thus exercises its preferential option for the poor. The strategy is in fact being adopted in most Social Action Centers in the region. In addressing peace issues, the formulation of the sectoral agenda in 1993 through the NUC consultations may be used as the basis for the church to start a dialogue with the NDF and the state. This agenda highlighted, among others, the demand for genuine land reform, just wages, and the recognition of ancestral domains.
the process
A solid and critical analysis of situations is important in forging peace-building strategies. The churchs peace-building strategy involves an action-oriented process that seeks support of the basic sector and the middle forces including the elite to develop a critical mass base. Better coordination must be maintained vertically to enhance collaboration and sharing of resources and experiences. The effectiveness of the peace-building process may be enhanced by professionalizing peace-building work. Priests and seminarians are the most qualied to work as agents of peace and reconciliation. They are also the most qualied to receive training on the different peacebuilding strategies and ll the present lack of expertise on how to deal with armed conict.
sustainability
Peace building may be sustained through hope and reconciliation. It requires a slow stepby-step process in order to achieve the kind of reconciled society that we want, one that cannot be attained by a marathon mentality. Psychological intervention and peace education also contribute to the achievement of peace and prevention of future conict.
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toolkit
introduction
rationale
The Catholic Church in the Philippines provides spiritual leadership to the pursuit of justice and peace for the nation. The faith-based response of the Church to achieve peace in the face of communist and Moro armed struggles needs to be understood in the light of the dehumanizing consequences of armed conict. The worsening poverty and marginalization in the country signal the further escalation of social unrest, lending a sense of urgency for the Church to strengthen and expand its efforts in bringing about peace and reconciliation, and pave the way for genuine social reforms. This work hopes to contribute to these efforts. The Catholic Church has the potential to reach down to the grassroots and across barriers in building peace that is based on the Christian faith. Its spiritual leaders provide a legion of potential peace builders and agents of nonviolent change which, when mobilized in a coherent and coordinated strategy, bring great hope for true reconciliation. As of 1998, the Philippine Catholic Church had more than 2,500 parishes with an even bigger number of chapels located in small communities in the countryside, more than 7,500 priests, 1,200 members of male religious congregations, 11,000 religious sisters, and more than 1,000 educational institutions with huge numbers of students and teachers (CBCP 1998). In addition, the Catholic Church supports a large number of radio stations, including those at the parish and diocesan levels. This set of learning modules is primarily designed to train staff of Social Action Centers of provincial dioceses and other church organizations, including the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) composed of church workers and parishioners. It is also intended for other primary and secondary stakeholders like nongovernment organizations and institutions engaged in peace building, peace educators and peace advocates, concerned government agencies, other civil society groups and community-based organizations. The toolkit is also relevant to Protestant groups and other ecumenical organizations. The modules, while using the standard facilitated learning and practicing skills in peacebuilding strategies, also draws on the lessons from past experiences of the Church in forging peace at the local level. The provincial dioceses, through their Social Action Centers, work for justice and peace by employing the strategies of advocacy, organizing, and engagement. Ad-
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vocacy and organizing strategies are intended for the general public and specic groups, while engagement strategies, which include facilitation of dialogues, negotiation, and mediation are directed at the parties in conict, specically, the state/government and the nonstate armed actors. These modules make use of learning activities that are imbued with Christian values and principles. The many ways in which the churches get messages of peace across are basically means to proclaim the gospel and spread its inuence to those involved in the armed conict the state and nonstate armed actors, including noncombatants. Indeed, the Church upholds the truth that a reconciled society in which people live in mutual trust and respect, in peace and dignity, is at the very heart of the gospel. The modules are organized into four parts:

Part 1 Understanding Peace Part 2 Understanding Conict and Violence Part 3 Understanding Human Rights Part 4 Peace Building
general and specific objectives of the modules

This set of training modules is designed for the conduct of a three-day training workshop on peace building. The overall objective of the modules envisions participants to acquire the proper attitude, knowledge, values, and basic skills in applying various strategies and practical guidelines in addressing local conict situations and developing peace programs.
specic objectives of the training modules

1. To acquire a better understanding of the concepts of peace, human rights, conict and violence within the framework of Christian values and principles; 2. To recognize the need to align positive values and attitudes in working for peace; 3. To appreciate the need to sensitize potential peace workers in the task of peace building; 4. 5. To acquire knowledge of common strategies employed by the Church in peace building; To develop peace-building skills and competencies in responding to conict situations;
6. To be able to come up with a concrete plan of action.
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the learning process

The choice of methodology for this training module generally considers the three-step learning process in Silbermans (as cited in Britton 2002) definition of three types of learning: Cognitive learning which involves the acquisition of concepts and facts related to the topic, in this case peace and peace building; affective learning which pertains to the formation of attitudes, feelings and preferences and which, in this module, may refer to acceptable attitudes toward issues related to peace or the state of unpeace; and behavioral learning, which involves the development of skills in the actual performance of activities, or, in this module, the application of acquired skills in peace building. The gure below illustrates that cognitive learning (knowledge) translates into affective learning (attitude) which in turn may lead to behavioral learning (action). Behavioral learning (experience) may then generate more cognitive learning (knowledge) as well as affective learning (positive or negative feelings). The latter, if involving a positive attitude, leads to a search for more knowledge (cognitive learning). Learning is thus seen as being continuously reinforced by experience in the application of behavioral learning and the transformation of attitudes or values. This process is supported by David Kolb in his four-stage model involving doing, reecting, connecting, and testing in a continuous cycle (cited in Britton 2002).
Affective Learning
Behavioral Learning
Cognitive Learning
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module 1: understanding peace
Objectives of the module: 1. To draw out from the participants, their own understanding of peace based on their knowledge, observation, and experiences. 2. To arrive at a common faith-based denition of peace. Method: Workshop using metacards to share ideas, opinions, attitudes or beliefs about peace, and other alternative methods. Materials needed: Blackboard, pentel pens, metacards, masking tape for posting metacards Procedure: 1. Present this question to the participants: As Christians, what comes to your mind when you hear or see the word Peace? The facilitator stresses the expression as Christians to help the participants focus their responses. 2. The participants are instructed to write their answers on metacards making sure the standard rules in using metacards are observed. 3. The participants are given three minutes to write their answers and post their cards on the board. swers and summarizes the predominant ideas by categorizing the responses posted on the board. The facilitator also takes note of faith-based understanding of peace and includes such responses as a dominant idea. 5. Learning may be enhanced if the participants are allowed to participate in summarizing the ideas. This can be done by asking them to clarify their own answers in relation to the Christian idea of peace or involving them in categorizing responses into main topics. 6. The facilitator engages the participants in a discussion about the various concepts of 4. After all the participants have posted their meta-cards, the facilitator processes the an-
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peace that surfaced from the activity making sure they focus on Christian values. 7. A lecture may be delivered at this stage of the activity to reinforce the participants understanding of the various concepts of peace and come up with a common faith-based denition.
alternative methods
Two alternative methods may be used to help stimulate participants understanding of the concept of peace: 1. Allowing the participants to project their own idea of peace by means of drawing. 2. Showing the participants pictures projecting various themes and allowing them to judge which of them are positively associated with peace and which are negatively related. Through the above exercises, the facilitator assists the participants in clarifying their own Christian concept of peace and arriving at a common understanding of what peace is. The results of the exercise are supported by theories and principles to deepen the understanding of the participants and reinforce their own concept and perceptions about peace. Through the integration of lecture in the learning process and reference to the group output, participants come to realize the validity of their own ideas. Afrming the validity of their analysis boosts the condence of the participants for more active involvement in succeeding activities.
deepening
what is peace?
There is no single denition of peace as it is generally understood since it assumes many different dimensions. When one speaks of peace, what comes easily to mind is the absence of conict, hostilities, disagreements, or physical violence. In this sense, peace connotes a harmonious relationship within the family, with neighbors, and among people within the immediate environment. On the other hand, one talks about peace of mind as it pertains to personal peace or inner peace, which is a basic aspiration of a human person. Such inner peace may spring from the rst condition in dening peace, that is, the absence of hostilities or disagreements. Inner peace may also be manifested in the feeling of tranquility and composure as when law and order is properly maintained, and personal protection and the familys safety are guaranteed. Personal peace also comes with the satisfaction or comfort that one experiences when the economic security of the family is assured, that is, being able to provide for the essential needs of its members. On the other hand, when survival of the family is at stake, inner peace
toolkit
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procedure
DRAWING (Projection)
Using the same questions in Method 1, the participants are given crayons and papers to put in drawing their concept of peace.
PICTURE (Analysis)
Pictures of various themes are posted on the
board. Meta cards are distributed for the participants to write his/her assessment of each picture using two choices: (1) if it is positively associated with peace or if it promotes peace; and (2) if it is negatively associated with peace or it tends to negate peace.
They are given five minutes to draw and post their

drawings on the board.
The facilitator asks each participant to interpret

the meaning of his/her drawing. He/she encourages the participants to elaborate her response expressing why his/her drawing represents or is associated with peace.
The participants also write the reason for his/her

own analysis.
The facilitator processes the output by grouping

the drawings into clusters of similar or related ideas/interpretation.
The facilitator summarizes the results of the

picture analysis by involving the participants in analyzing the individual assessments. Dominant grounds for judgment are emphasized in the discussion. If there are disagreements regarding the analysis of a picture, the facilitator engages the participants in a discussion to stimulate their analysis and concept about peace. The group may not arrive at a consensus if the different arguments are acceptable. If an idea has to be rejected, do so by explaining with tact so as not to discourage the participants from speaking out.
The facilitator will also elicit the reactions of the

other participants in the interpretation of the drawing.
A summary of the main ideas about peace as

projected in the drawings is posted on the board to facilitate the learning process and also promote vicarious learning.
The output of the above exercises should be posted on the board as reference in the deepening portion of the module.
is also threatened. The resulting state of unpeace within oneself may easily lead to a disturbance that could affect other people, a condition that may easily give rise to the earlier form of peacelessness associated with conict, hostilities or even physical violence. Personal peace is also felt when one is loved and socially accepted, when ones conscience is clean, when one is condent that he is morally upright and living his life according to the precepts of the Christian faith and, above all, when there is mutual trust and respect with people
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one lives with. The true Christian may nd inspiration in Tolstoys words as he speaks of trust as the wellspring of peace.
Where there is faith, there is love; Where there is love, there is peace; Where there is peace, there is God; And where there is God, there is no need.
Christs nal gift to his disciples is peace when he said Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid (John: 27). The passage is subject to a wide variety of interpretations, although in the Scriptures, it refers to the well-being of men and women who live in harmony with nature, with themselves, with others and with God. The Church sees the meaning of peace as transcending the mere absence of terrorism, war or unrest. As the Lords words reveal, it is the state of serenity experienced when doubts and fears are nally overcome as this passage from Isaiah 32: 18 indicates: Because everyone will do what is right, there will be peace and security forever. Gods people will be free from worries and their homes peaceful and safe. As given in the scriptures, personal peace consists of four interrelated components: (1) harmony with the self; (2) harmony with others; (3) harmony with nature; and (4) harmony with God. The discussion on the next page are excerpts from a publication of the Center for Integrative and Development Studies of UP .
harmony with the self

This is related to an individuals physical, emotional, psychological and mental health. People feel at peace when they are physically healthy and wellwhen their basic needs are met, when they are able to sleep soundly and when they have had physical exercise. This, of course, is related to financial stability, as ones ability to meet his basic needs is dependent upon ones economic status. Emotional, psychological and mental health pertains to a sense of well-being and happiness. It is when a person harbors no worries, fears and hatred in ones heart, feels safe and secure, is confident of oneself, feels accepted and valued by others, is able to accomplish ones plans, and has a clear conscience. This translates to a feeling of calmness and relaxation, and allows a person to be comfortable with and by himself.
harmony with others

To the Filipino, it is said that there is no Other. Everyone is potentially kapwaone with whom one has a shared identity. This is why this particular component is very salient to Filipinos. The family, co-workers, neighbors, friends and fellow countrymen all figure in a Filipinos sense of personal peace. Ones own peace is very much tied to peace of ones kapwa. When one is with ones family, when family is together, safe, healthy, cooperative, understanding and loving, there is peace. When one feels that one is able to provide and serve ones family and the family is, in turn, supportive of ones endeavors, there is peace. Among friends, co-workers and neighbors, there is peace to be found when they are contented and happy, and when there is respect and understanding among them. It is when one has not inflicted pain of any kind to any one, when even the unlovable is loved, when there is reconciliation and forgiveness, and when one has done something good for others. For Christ himself has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own body, he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies (Eph. 2: 14).
harmony with nature

People do not consciously think of their relationship with nature as having an effect on their personal peace. But it is evident that a peaceful and healthy environment is crucial to our sense of harmony and peace. Violence in the form of pollution, excessive logging, fishing and mining, etc., also transmits violence unto human beings through illness, natural disasters, disruption or destruction of livelihood, and poorer living environments. One cannot have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when one is apathetic to the destruction of the environment, or when villagers fall ill because of the pollution of rivers from mining operations. If people continue to live out of harmony with nature, the world will turn into an environment too harsh for human beings to live in.
harmony with God as the foundation of inner peace

Being in harmony with God as a condition for inner peace reflects gospel values that the Church proclaims and enjoins its members to faithfully adhere to. The discussion in the manual gives value to personal peace as being in accord with God. Being a strongly religious culture, a strong relationship with the Creator is essential to the Filipinos sense of peace. Many perceive that there can be peace despite difficult and worrisome circumstances when one is in the presence of God. Being able to talk to God through prayer, to confide ones troubles and to give thanks for ones blessings can grant strength and peace to a person. Thus, the church or mosque, as a holy place of worship where one can commune with God and with other brothers and sisters in faith, is a place where one can take refuge from a conflict-filled world and find peace. For many people, harmony with God is the foundation of peace, as God is love, and it is love and compassion which will bring us to a better relationship with ourselves, others and the environment. It also gives people the strength and hope to continue striving for personal peace throughout life, although this can never be achieved completely and perfectly. Source: UP CIDS Program on Psychosocial Trauma (2003)
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ritual for finding peace

This is poetry invoking womens path to peace recited by a leader amidst the beating of drums and with smoke from incense slowly passed around the women-participants. The recitation is accompanied by a ritual dance. This activity is appropriate for female participants. Its use in this module springs from the claim that women receive higher forms of pain and thus have stronger feelings regarding peace.
Saan ko nga ba huhugutin ang aking Kapayapaan? (Where do I find Peace?)

Reading by the leader
Kagalingan sa sakit (Healing from pain) Kaligtasan sa hinagpis (Refuge from despair) Katapusan ng alitan (The end of conflict) Walang hanggang kapayapaan (Never-ending peace) Sa armas? (In the use of arms?) Sa pagtitiis? (in forbearance?) Ang manahimik o magmaktol? (To keep silent or brood?) Ang tanggapin ang lahat ng latay (To endure every lash) O gumanti sa matinding galit? (Or seek revenge in blind rage?) Sa mundo kong mabilis ang pag-ikot (In my world ever spinning) Nakakahilo (Dizzying) Saan ko nga ba huhugutin ang aking Kapayapaan? (Where do I find peace?) Saan nga ba? (Where) [pass around smoke] Saan ko nga ba huhugutin? Sa sarili (In myself)
Source: Womens Features Services (2001)
Answer by the participants

Kaibuturan ng puso (In the depths of my heart) Sa aking paniniwala (In my beliefs) Sa aking diwa at kaluluwa (In my consciousness and spirit) Hindi ko pa rin alam (I still dont know) Pagmamahal sa kapwa (In love for others) Sa kin (In me) Sa pagmamahal sa sarili (In love of oneself) Sa Diyos (In God) Dito (Here) [points to the heart] Sa pag-iisang diwa ng Pilipino (In the unified consciousness of Filipinos) Sa pinakamalalim sa puso ko (Deep within my heart) Sa kalooban (In my being)Kalinaw (Peace) Sa kapayapaan (In Peace) Pagmumula sa sarili (In oneself)
module 2: understanding conflict and violence

objectives
1. To elicit from the participants experiences and witnessing of violence and conict situations that affected peace at the personal, family and community levels, and accounts of how they responded to these. 2. To identify the various issues and concerns that create conict and violence disturbing to personal peace, and peace within the family and community. 3. To draw out generalizations about commonly shared experiences and responses in conict situation. 4. To be ready to apply the learning on real life situations.
activity: the experiential learning approach or structured learning experiences (SLE)

The method of Structured Learning Experiences (SLE) is also called the experiential learning cycle, an inductive process that involves ve steps (Pfeiffer and Jones, 1980). The diagram below illustrates the ow of activities in understanding the state of unpeace. 1. The Experiencing step. It begins with a reection on the experiences of unpeace and the elements surrounding the experiences. Activities such as role-playing, selfdisclosure, problem solving may be used to arrive at a common reference for discussion. 2. The Publishing step. The sharing of these experiences as well as the reactions and observations take place at this stage of the process. A round-robin system of posting inputs is usually employed in the process. 3. The Processing step. This involves organizing the commonly shared experiences
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and identifying the patterns of responses and interaction based on the results in the publishing phase. This may involve a thematic discussion to pinpoint recurring topics from individual reports 4. The Generalizing step. During this stage, inferences are generated to link the reality of the experiences to the reality of everyday life. This step is also known as the abstraction or integration phase. As the term connotes, it involves the drawing of generalizations based on the patterns that evolved from the processing phase. The abstraction brings about a deeper understanding of the issues that surfaced in the previous steps. 5. The Application step. The last step in the learning process allows the participants to make plans to apply the generalizations in real life context. This may either be in the form of role-playing to try assuming a change in attitude or behavior or putting in writing how the application of the learning may take place.
Source: Pfeiffer and Jones (1980) as used in Llorin et al (undated).

Procedure and guidelines:

Divide the participants into small discussion groups. The facilitator introduces the topic of discussion, the overall aim of the activity, and the mechanics of the experiencing and publishing steps. The facilitator should clarify that the learning exercise will be performed with focus on three levels: self, family and community. The facilitator will assign a facilitator and process observer/documenter for the group discussion. Distribute the guide questions; key terms may be included to guide the discussion. Encourage discussion on the data presented. Identify similarities and differences as well as points of disagreement.
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The group should be given sufcient time to move on to processing and generalization. The results of generalization should be presented visually to promote vicarious learning.
The generalization stage may be augmented by lecture based on articles on related Christian principles and values, theoretical or research ndings to deepen the participants understanding of the issues.
A template for presenting the results of generalization may be prepared in advance to guide the groups presentation. Assist the participants in planning for the application of the learning from the generalizing stage.
Guide questions for discussion: Reection and sharing: 1. What negative experiences have you gone through in relation to peace with yourself, in the home, and in the community? 2. What issues and concerns relate to these experiences? 3. As a Christian, what did you think about these experiences? 4. How did you respond to the issues and concerns related to the experiences? 5. As a Christian how do you cope with the issues affecting peace within yourself, in the family and the community? Processing and analysis: 1. How did you feel reecting on the experiences? 2. What discoveries have you made about yourself and others? 3. What does your Christian faith tell you about your own experiences and those of others? 4. What stories struck you most and why? 5. Which response do you think is most effective? 6. Which response is the most fullling? Generalizations: 1. What have you discovered from this learning episode? 2. What have you learned which may be applicable to real life situations? 3. What is true about the real world? 4. How did you feel about this discovery? 5. What conclusions would you make regarding your experiences and your response to them?
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6. How would you respond the next time you encounter the same experience? 7. How should the family or community respond to the experiences shared? 8. What evolves as the churchs role in responding to issues related to peace in the family and community?
directing the discussion to a common reference theme

The SLE for identifying and understanding conicts intends to bring out issues, problems and concerns that had somehow negatively affected peace and harmony within oneself, the family and the community. The ease with which the sharing would bring out the disturbing issues of violence (structural or revolutionary), violence against women and children, violence in the home, other human rights violations, and other forms of conict would evolve from the learning episode depends much on the ability of the facilitators to encourage self-disclosure among the participants, the level of knowledge of the participants, and the facilitators skill in maintaining the trust and condence of the group. The facilitator may share his/her own experience to guide the discussion. If the training team perceives that this is not possible, the SLE can be modied by making direct reference to the desired themes. Guide questions that directly focus on specic subjects may be introduced at the initial step. Or a brief lecture on the possible issues confronting personal peace, and peace in the home and in the community may be delivered before the experiencing stage.
activity: the Orid method

An alternative method to the SLE is offered by the Associates in Rural Development in its Basic Group Facilitation Methods Manual. The ORID method, which is the acronym for a four-level learning processThe Objective, Reective, Interpretative, and Decisional levels of awarenessprovides a more focused sharing of experiences. The decisional stage corresponds to the application step in the standard SLE. In the group discussion, the levels of learning in the ORID method ensure that:

Individuals are able to contribute and participate in the learning process. The dialogue of the group is focused and meaningful. A variety of perspectives are brought to fore on a given topic, and conversations are non-confrontational.

The collective insight of the group is deepened. The dialogue results in clear ideas and conclusions as the basis of actions and resolutions.
the ORID ow of activity

Opening Stage. Objective level. The stage is set for the introduction of the topic (Understanding Conict). The questions are focused on the experiences of the learners relative to the conict. These are questions that appeal to the senses; what the learners see, hear or feel and what they remember about the experiences. The questions must be very specic and it will be useful to ask each one to cite at least one experience at this level. Reective level. Gathering of initial reactions to what were shared. The questions focus on positive and negative emotions or reactions of the individual or group related to experience related to the issue or topic under consideration. These are questions that appeal to the heart: emotions, memories, and associations. It is advisable to start dealing with positive emotions. Interpretative level. A critical analysis of the issues and experiences lead the individual or group to consider the meaning and signicance of the issues or topic under consideration on the individual or group. The questions should not only focus on what have surfaced but also on gaps that need to be lled. Decisional level. Questions lead the individual or group to action on the issue or topic; decide on the relationship and response to the topic. Questions appeal to reaching consensus about a proposed action to address the topic or issue. It brings back participants to reality and decisions are acted upon with a clear conviction.
Source: Associates in Rural Development (ARD), Inc., (undated).
activity: role play or educational theater on domestic violence

A role-playing activity is introduced in this module to sensitize participants on the most common forms of violence or conict observed or experienced within the family and community. The whole procedure and guideline were adopted from Felix and Dela Paz-Ingentes A Handbook on Community-Based Response to Violence entitled Protecting Women and Children (2003).
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Objectives: 1. To look at attitudes, customs and patterns of behavior, and how they affect women and childrens health and development. 2. To explore issues regarding rights and power and roles within a family and a community in a realistic and nonthreatening way. 3. To facilitate a public discussion of relations within a family and community. 4. To come up with strategies or solutions on how to address violence within the family and community. Materials needed: Script, costumes, and props Procedure: A guide on how to use role plays or educational theater on domestic violence is presented below. The organizers of the program or the facilitators can follow the different activities or modify them according to the situation. 1. Theater or role plays A small group can prepare and rehearse short plays to present to others (theater), or the participants can develop and act out the plays themselves (role-play). If the participants will do the role plays, divide them into groups of about ve people each and give each group a short description of a situation that might lead to a violent confrontation or conict. Invent situations that are believable to people, but not real events that might shame or anger the people who experienced them. The plays will be more realistic if the actors use costumes and props. Ask the group to spend fteen to twenty minutes preparing a ve-minute play. Each group presents their role play for the other participants. Encourage everyone to play a part. 2. How did you feel? After completing the theater or role plays, ask the participants to form three new groups, based on their roles as victims, abusers and witnesses. Ask each group to describe what they felt in these roles. Ask the participants who did not play any role what they felt as they watched, and what they think the different characters might have felt as victims, aggressors and witnesses.
During role plays be careful to create a safe and confidential environment where people are not afraid to speak.

3. Discuss each role play

Ask questions that would lead to: Tell what happened in the play. Identify the triggers that started the violent behavior. Identify the roots of the violence. Consider the impact that the violence has on the victim, the family, the witnesses, and the community.
Repeat this process with each of the plays. The leader may want to write the important ideas on a large piece of paper or a chalk board.
Having the actors step out of their roles before beginning the discussion prevents the groups from labeling one of the participants as a villain or victim. It is important not to confuse the person with the role he or she was playing.
4. The causes of violence Summarize the different ideas about the causes of violent behavior that the group has given and help the group to decide which of those causes are triggers and which are root causes. When we look at the triggers and underlying causes of violence and conicts, it is easier to understand that violence is not natural or inevitable. 5. The results of violence Summarize the different ideas about the harm or results of violence. Help the group to understand that violence harms children, the family, and the entire community in many different ways, even the aggressors. When we look at the different ways that violence harms us, it is easier to understand that violence is everyones concern. 6. Create a common understanding of abuse Ask the group to think about the conicts between family members or couples that are common in their community. Help the group make a list of all their ideas about what situations and types of behavior they think might be abusive. The facilitator should write the answers on cards or pieces of paper and give them back to the people to hold. Then, one at a time, ask each person to tape his or her card on the wall or blackboard. After
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the different cards are presented, work together to put similar types of abuse in groups. If members of the group are not comfortable reading, simple pictures of different types of abuse may be drawn on the cards. 7. Alternative or happy ending role plays Ask the group to spend fteen minutes thinking again about the role play that they did earlier (or the plays that were acted out for them). Give them back the scenes they originally worked with. Ask them to think about how it might have been possible to avoid violence and/or what could have been done afterwards to reduce the harm done. Challenge everyone to think about different actions the victim, the abuser and the witnesses could take. Act out the role play again, this time changing what happens to improve the outcome. 8. Actions to prevent violence in your community Ask the group questions such as What can you do to raise awareness in your family? In your community? As you reect on your own situation, is there something you would want to change in your life? How has violence affected children in your community? What would you tell them? Based on the answers that the group gives to these questions, help them think about specic actions that can be taken to prevent violence in the community.
deepening
Various concepts about peace are given deeper meaning in Soliman Santos Jr.s framework on peace as written for the Hearts of Peace (HOPE) in 1991. It describes peace in terms of three mutually related aspects as illustrated in the diagram on the next page. The diagram shows the interrelationship of the three dimensions of peace and the corresponding type of violence that threatens each type of peace.
Structural
Repressive Violence
Violence
Substantive Peace Personal Peace
Processual Peace
Revolutionary Violence
Personal Violence
substantive peace and structural violence

The path to peace is found in
Substantive peace is reected in the many slogans that Sol Santos cited in his book. They do not only refer to the absence of armed conict but also the presence of social justice. Taken in this sense, conditions that lead to substantive peace find clear expression in the ten paths to peace that the Church has endorsed through the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (see page 23). The emphasis placed on transforming values and mentalities into those that are truly oriented toward the
the struggle for justice. (Pope John XIII) Food and freedom, jobs and justice. (Jose W Diokno) Without development there is no peace. (Xavier Peace Center)
common good, and the need for leaders who are maka-Diyos and maka-bayan highlights the Churchs vision of the country as a transformed society in which people live in mutual trust and respect for truth and the dignity of the human person. The paths that lead to this vision are clearly articulated in the other paths to peace that call for dismantling the structures that favor the few and discriminate against the majority of the people, designing and implementing truly transformative programs of agrarian reform, ecological promotion and socio-economic development, freeing once and for all the most disenfranchised sectors, the rural and urban poor, from various forms of bondage, through a sincere practice of the evangelical option for the poor. This, in essence is the social denition of peace. Structural violence largely reects threats to substantive peace that are rooted in massive poverty and income inequality, injustice and abuse of power, control of political power by a few, and poor governance. Peaceful protests against injustice may be a natural course that the
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marginalized group initially takes. It is when these protests are ignored or even suppressed in order to maintain the status quo that they escalate into armed violence or even war. Violence has been dened in terms of its direct and indirect manifestations. Thus, while direct violence may be associated with actual physical or emotional harm committed by an individual or institution such as murder, rape, armed confrontation, and terrorism, structural violence is one that indirectly affects people and is built within the structures of society. It comes in the form of poverty, hunger, lack of social services, exploitation and other forms of oppression, marginalization, and other manifestations of inequality or discrimination. Such characteristic is said to create a false sense of disempowerment among those in the bottom of the socio-economic scale and makes social mobility difcult for them (UPCIDS Program on Psychosocial Trauma, 2003). The most common form of structural violence is landlessness, which the state or those in power fail to address. In the Populorum Progressio (On the Development of the People), the Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Pope Paul VI very succinctly expressed that private property does not constitute for anyone an absolute and unconditioned right. No one is justied in keeping for his exclusive use what he does not need, when others lack necessities . . . according to the traditional doctrine as found in the Fathers of the Church and the great theologians, the right to property must never be exercised to the detriment of the common good. On the question of land, it is written in the same encyclical that If certain landed estates impede the general prosperity because they are extensive, unused or poorly used, or because they bring hardship to peoples or are detrimental to the interests of the country, the common good sometimes demands their expropriation. The Christian basis of land reform is clearly expressed in these words of the Holy Father.
processual peace and revolutionary violence

Give peace a chance. (John
Processual peace pertains to very specic situations where people pursue social, economic and political reforms through peaceful means. It is working for more humane and peaceful means of resolving conict through dialogues and conict management. This, in essence is the peace process. Some slogans stressing the need for the peace process push for peace talks and cease-res.
Lennon; Antiwar movement)

Make love not war. (Antiwar
movement) There is no way to peace. Peace is the way. (A.J. Muste)
In a bid for social justice, the use of revolutionary violence disregards the principles upheld in pursuing processual peace, negates the peaceful process of reform and undermines whatever gains achieved in the peace process with the use of arms.
personal peace and personal violence

Seeking personal peace begins with the transformation of ones values and requires a personal assessment of the obstacles that serve as threats to inner peace. Such may refer to emotional stresses experienced in life and which need casting aside before personal peace occurs within. These stresses may take the form of anxieties, extreme anger, prejudices or even distrustnegative feelings that work against ones desire for inner peace and are actually the kind of personal violence inicted on oneself. The song Let there be peace on earth best captures the essence of personal peace as a condition for a peaceful relationship with other people. The same message is conveyed by the United Nations declaration stating that war starts in the minds of men, and therefore, it is in the minds of men that peace should be built. Likewise, HOPE, a peace coalition in Naga organized in 1988, was inspired by the words of Pope John Paul II: the Peace of the Heart is the Heart of Peace. These words also afrm former secretary Alfredo Bengzons expression about peace as beginning in the minds of men.
Peace
begins in the minds of men (Alfredo R.A. Bengzon) Pray for Peace, Work for Justice (Catholic Church) Beyond War: A new way of thinking (Beyond War Movement)
activity: categorizing the forms of violence

This short exercise is intended to increase participants awareness of the distinction between direct and indirect violence and lead them into a better understanding of the forms of structural violence. Duration: 20 minutes Procedure:

The participants are grouped into three teams. Each team is given a set of meta cards and markers. Each team is instructed to discuss among its members their awareness of the forms of violence and to write them down on metacards (one idea per card). The metacards are posted on the board. The facilitator categorizes the cards as direct or indirect violence.
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The facilitator leads the input-discussion of forms of violence in society toward the definition and deeper understanding of structural violence
Source: UP CIDS Psychosocial Trauma (2003).
activity: song analysis

This activity is introduced at this point to sensitize the participants to the signicance of personal peace as a precondition for peaceful relationship with other people. This can be sung by the group or recited while interpreting the different aspects of peace that are attached to the song.
Let there be peace on earth

Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, The peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father Brothers all are we. Let me walk with my brother In perfect harmony Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now. With every step I take, Let this be my solemn vow; Take each moment and live each moment In peace eternally Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me.
module 3: understanding human rights
introductory activity
Objectives: 1. To introduce the basic concept of human rights. 2. To emphasize that human rights are inherent in human beings and are a quality benchmark for living. Duration: 30 minutes to one hour Procedure: 1. Show the group a picture of a baby. Post it on the wall or blackboard. 2. Ask the group to write down on metacards what the baby needs in order to have a full life. 3. Ask them to post the metacards on the wall or board around the picture 4. Ask the following process questions: a. Why do you think the baby needs all those written on the metacards? What good will these do to the baby? b. Does the baby deserve all these? What makes the baby deserve all these? c. How about you? Do you deserve to have what the group thinks the baby should enjoy? Why or why not? d. Are there other things adults must have to enjoy a full life? e. f. Can you think of a person who does not deserve these? Why should this person not deserve these? What should happen if the babies and adults are deprived of all these? Is such situation acceptable?
Source: Amnesty International (1998) as used in UPCIDS Program on Psychosocial Trauma (2003), p. 36.
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activity: matching
Objectives: 1. To acquaint the participants with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). enjoyment of rights. Procedure: The participants may be divided into groups of six to discuss the articles seriously and come up with a written output. During the plenary, each group presents a report and facilitates an open forum for the participants to react on the groups output. The facilitator wraps up the session by acknowledging the output of each group and involving them in introduction additional inputs for the exercise. A lecture is then delivered to deepen the participants understanding of the UDHR. 1. Discuss the articles of the UDHR. 2. Give the participants copies of the plain language version of the UDHR. 3. Parallel to the UDHR plain language version, ask the participants to make a list of responsibilities individuals have to do and remember in the exercise and enjoyment of their rights. 4. Engage the participants in a discussion regarding rights and responsibilities using the following guide questions: a. How are rights and responsibilities related? b. Is the performance of ones responsibilities necessary in the exercise of ones rights? Why? c. e. What determines ones responsibilities? What are responsibilities for? What are the effects of human rights violations on the individual? the family? the d. What rights of individuals are most frequently violated? 2. To illustrate the relationship between rights and responsibilities in the exercise and
toolkit
community?
Adapted from the UPCIDS Program on Psychosocial Trauma (2003). Both official and plain language versions of the UDHR are in the CD of this series.
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the fundamental principles of human rights

In his address during the closing of the 48th International Eucharistic congress, the Holy
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Father John Paul II said: What aspiration can be greater than life? And yet, over this universal human longing, threatening shadows gather, the shadow of a culture that denies respect for life in each of its phases; the shadow of an indifference that condemns so many people to a fate of hunger and underdevelopment, the shadow of a scientic quest that at times is at the service of the egoism of the most powerful. Through these words, the Holy Father echoes the Churchs concern for the poor and marginalized, the hungry and those who are victims of injustices, as the God-given rights to life, liberty and security are repeatedly violated in many countries. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights serves as an essential foundation for building a world in which all human beings can, in the centuries to come, look forward to living in dignity and peace (UPCIDS 2003). Considered most important in the context of peace, freedom and justice is Article I which says that All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood. The Churchs social teachings uphold the primacy of the principles of Articles 1, 2 and 7. It acknowledges that, by Gods design, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity, rights, and freedom regardless of race, color, sex, language, creed, social status, or ethnic origin, and that by virtue of this equality, everyone is entitled to equal protection without any discrimination before the law. Similarly, the Church recognizes the guiding principles of Article 25 as the embodiment of the peoples rights to economic and social benets. It ensures, among others, the right of everyone to a decent standard of living in terms of health and well-being that include sufciency in food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. These concerns are found at the very heart of the Bibles prophetic vision and underscores social justice as the foundation of human peace. The Church takes the stand that the failure of the government to translate these fundamental principles of human rights into policies and programs constitutes a denial of access to the fruits of creation and, therefore, a violation of Gods intention for creation. For this reason, the Church looks at the UDHR as a very powerful instrument for aligning Christian values and attitudes and, more importantly, for guiding the state toward actions for addressing injustices through appropriate legislation. On justice, the Church also teaches that love implies an absolute demand for justice, that is, the recognition of the dignity and rights of ones neighbor. And justice attains its inner fullness only in love. Justice alone is not enough. Justice alone leads to negation and destruction. Justice must be tempered with love (St Pauls 2003). Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), the Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII speaks on Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity and Liberty promulgated on April 11, 1963. The Pope said that the conviction that all men are equal by reason of their natural dignity has been generally accepted. . . .For if a man becomes conscious of his rights, he must become equally aware of his
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duties. Thus he who possesses certain rights has likewise the duty to claim those rights as marks of his dignity, while others has the obligation to acknowledge those rights and respect them.
forms of human rights violation

Human rights violations exist in two forms: violations by commission and violations by omission. Violations by commission affect economic, social and political rights of the people through direct actions of the state/government and other actors who may not be readily prosecuted by the state. The situation of human rights violations in Indonesia, in many ways, simulates the Philippine context. The violations listed are parallel to those experienced in the Philippines.

Military action resulting in deaths, displacement, suffering and trauma Kidnapping and hostage taking, hamletting, torturing, salvaging, illegal arrests, or detention without legal procedure or respect for humanity Failure to make or carry out the necessary legislation to address to address economic, social, or cultural rights (beliefs, religious and political afliation, etc.) Denial of rights for certain groups or persons through legislation or discrimination Active support of actions by third parties which are not consistent with economic, social, and cultural rights Implementation of actions or policies that deliberately undermine the promotion of social, economic and cultural rights.
On the other hand, the states violation of human rights by omission may be perceived in the following situations:

Failure to take the necessary action to prevent starvation, hunger or malnutrition Silence and inaction in the face of difculty of members of society to meet their basic needs Failure to take action to repeal or remove legislation that is clearly not consistent with the obligations to respect provisions of human rights.
The above cases of violations give rise to three general categories of obligations of the state to its constituents: respect for, protection, and fulllment of conditions of human rights. It follows that the failure to meet these obligations constitutes a violation of human rights .
Source: Catholic Relief Services (2003).
the human person activity: discovering the value and uniqueness of a human person (for BECs)
Objectives: 1. 2. Help the participants articulate their value as a human person created in Gods image. Enable the participants to identify what promotes and hinders their dignity as persons.
3. Help them plan to uplift those whose dignity is degraded in their community. Time Allotment: One and a half hours Materials needed:Blackboard, chalk, bible, Manila paper Experience: Procedure: 1. Ask the participants to write their names on the blackboard (or manila paper). 2. Encourage as many as possible to participate. Then ask them what they notice about their handwritings. 3. Ask them also to look at their thumbs and why we afx our thumb marks on important documents. 4. Finally, ask them to look at the faces of the participants. If there are brothers, sisters or relatives, ask them to stand for all to see. Ask the group if there are two people who look exactly alike. Handwriting Analysis
deepening
1. Each of us is unique. Our thumb mark is like no other. Even our handwriting is unique. We also look different. Even identical twins have dissimilarities. Each of us also has a unique story to tell. The different experiences and people that have touched our lives have helped create persons we are today. Our values, beliefs and traditions are shaped by our families, friends and teachers who come into our lives at an early age and those we meet as we grow older. 2. The dignity of the human person is rooted in his/her creation in the image and likeness of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1700). Being in the image of God, each person has dignity and is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving him/herself and entering into communion with other persons. 3. Because of our dignity we have rights. We have the right to life, to basic needs such as
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food, clothing and shelter, to choose a state of life. We have the fundamental rights to education, employment, privacy, expression, and religious freedom. Even children have their own rights. We also enjoy civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. For example, we have the right to vote, to participate in public affairs, etc. Moreover, we, the people and the nation, have the right to enjoy development. 4. However, there are forces within and outside us that prevent our fullness, degrade our dignity and violate our rights. There can be outside persons or groups and unjust social structures that trample on our dignity. Within us, we do not live fully because of our ignorance, fear, lack of condence, indecisiveness and indifference. We can also insult or violate the dignity of others. 5. We enhance our human dignity when we exercise the following:

Develop our potentials and maximize our gifts when we develop our talents and use them for the common good, we return these gifts to God. Shape our own life and destiny when we decide, we practice our will, a capacity given by God only to humans. Care for creation when we transform the world and creation, we become co-creators, for example, a farmer gives food, a worker produces things we use, a parent molds the life of a child, a teacher educates the youth.
Love God when we love God, we fully recognize our dignity, giftedness and goodness. Love others when we relate with others, we grow, and when we give ourselves to love others, we become a reection of Gods love.
6. As Christians, we are called to promote human life and dignity. We need to uphold our own rights while respecting the rights of others. God also dreams for us to be a community and a just society in harmony with one another and with all of creation. Poverty, injustice and oppression are not Gods will because these situations do not promote human dignity.
integration
Divide the participants into small groups. Ask the participants to reect on the following and share in their small groups: 1. Why am I important? What hinders the fullness of my dignity (in terms of my personal attitudes or particular situations)? 2. Who, within our community, suffers from degradation of their dignity? Why? 3. What is God asking me to do to promote my own dignity and that of my community?
Sources: Toward a Liberating Formation of Christian Communities by Sr. Julma Neo, DC; Parish-based
Formation Program for Volunteer Catechists, Vol. II by the Catholic Foundation of Asia, as used in Dicen (2005).
christian anthropology
Insights of personalist philosophy, which are primarily based on the doctrine of man made to the image and likeness of God and on the Trinitarian theology of relationships, in addition to traditional philosophy, motivated immensely the articulation of a Christian anthropology in Vatican II and, subsequently, in the magisterium of John Paul II. According to Fr. Thomas McGovern (2003), in a review of the popes Christian anthropology, one of the great themes of the papacy of John Paul II is the articulation of the true nature of the human person as being made to the image and likeness of God. This has been found to be an ever recurrent theme in his magisterial writings, and especially in his encyclicals Centesimus Annus (1991), Veritatis Splendor (1993), and Evangelium Vitae (1995). It is also evident that the Pope is willing to draw on the resources of the phenomenological method to manifest in all its splendor the depths of the human spirit, and to clarify such fundamental topics as conscience, moral judgment, the mystery of freedom and responsibility, and the possibility of obtaining access through these manifestations of the human spirit to the very core of the person. McGovern heavily expounds on the Christian Anthropology of Vatican II and that of Pope John Paul II in trying to emphasize the dignity of a human person in the light of his creation according to the image and likeness of God. Indeed, the rst chapter of Gaudium et Spes (the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) prominently reects this emphasis, combined with a full discourse on mans activity in the universe and the signicance of human freedom and nature of conscience. Considered as the best known passage of the whole document is the Christological conclusion, which has been invoked so often in the magisterium of John Paul II:
In reality, it is only in the mystery of the Word made esh that the mystery of man truly becomes clear... Christ the new Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, fully reveals man to himself and brings to light his most high calling... Human nature, by the very fact that it was assumed, not absorbed, in him, has been raised in us also to a dignity beyond compare. For, by his incarnation, he, the Son of God, has in a certain way united himself with each man.
McGovern describes the second chapter of Gaudium et Spes as one of the most important truths about ourselves. He wrote, If man is the only creature on earth that God has wanted
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for its own sake, man can fully discover his true self only in a sincere giving of himself. This capacity for a relationship with God and with others is a reection of the inner relational life of God himself, which is the Trinitarian communion of the divine Persons. McGovern views this capacity as particularly important in understanding the personal vocation to holiness of every man and theevangelizing mission of the Church.
human development
McGovern sees the very practical implications for human development in the Christian anthropology of John Paul II on the religious, social and cultural planes; that the Holy Father believes that the Christian faith is a source of truth and of life, and thus theological reection can therefore offer a great service in the conguration of cultural, social and political life. According to the pope, it is culture which humanizes man; culture is the medium through which the person becomes more fully what he is called to be. Indeed part of mans vocation to dominate the earth is the economic and cultural development of society. The above statement does not discount the fact that human intervention does not always yield positive results since many cultural and social developments do not foster genuine human development. Some of them have had a dehumanizing effect on man because of the particular moral and economic climate created by the institutions of society social inequalities, ethical problems created by the misapplication of technology (especially in the areas of human sexuality), and the enormous economic imbalances between nations.
man the way of the Church

McGovern views the mission of the Church as something that is both human and divine, converting men into children of God and teaching them how to live as brothers in the same family. Guided by Christ the Church brings the mystery of God to men and in the process reveals man tohimself; she enables him to understand the meaning of his existence and opens up to him the entire truth about his destiny. The anthropology of John Paul II is essentially a program of evangelization, according to McGovern. And this is because the Church is in possession of the truth about man, the evangelized man, the converted man who has put on Jesus Christ, and who receives from the Holy Spirit the charity to enable him to love his own kind. It is not a human anthropology, but a vision of man as God wants him to be. The human and the divine are united in Christ and each one is called to imitate Christ. For this reason the Churchs social teaching is itself a valid instrument of evangelization. As such, it proclaims God and hismystery of salvation in

Christ to every human being and, for that very reason, reveals man to himself ((Centesimus anus, 54). The above considerations provide proof to the profound connection between evangelization and true human development. Because of this, evangelization has always been accompanied by human social initiatives which are an external witness of the preaching of salvation. Thus missionary efforts have invariably been accompanied by the setting up of educational and medical facilities. This demonstrates that salvation is not only spiritual, but that it also has to bring about a Christian conguration in the social and political dimensions of existence (Centesimus anus, 51).
concluding statements
In the concluding portion of McGoverns review, he summarized the guiding principles of Christian anthropology for activating a new evangelizing dynamics. They come in response to the de-Christianization of the West through different forms of materialism. Based on recent philosophical and theological reection which have given rise to new insights and ideas, the Church has introduced these new principles of Christian anthropology as articulated by Vatican II and in the magisterium of John Paul II. The principles are as follows:
First, man is the image of God; this is the fundamental truth about the human person and the point of departure for all subsequent reection on him. Second, Christ revealed man to man; he is the way and the truth for every human person. Third, the communion of love of persons is a reection of the inner life of the Blessed Trinity. This is thepoint of departure for understanding the nature of the nuclear Christian family, which is a microcosm and model of an authentic human society. Finally, man attains self-fulllment in the giving of himself to others; this is the Christian conception of mans calling and the basis to organize a better society which can only be achieved through charity.
McGovern further concludes that these are the basic principles of the truth about man so often articulated by John Paul II. But the implementation of this truth cannot be achieved without the moral energy that comes from Godthedivine life of grace. Only in the Church can one nd this wisdom about man and, at the same time, the power of the grace to live up to this vision.
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christian humanism
Christian humanism is given meaning in an article by R G Clouse (http://mb-soft.com/ believe/copyrig1.html), where it is stated that those who believe that the Christian revelation has a humanistic emphasis point to the fact that man was made in the image of God, that Jesus Christ became man through the incarnation, and that the worth of the individual is a consistent theme in the teaching of Jesus. Thus, the article presents the two greatest and most important commandments pleasing to God as revealed by Jesus Christ when He advised His listeners to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37- 39). Clouse went on to say that Christian humanists acknowledge the contributions of other forms of humanism, such as the classical variety that discovered the value of human liberty, and the Marxists, who realize that man has been estranged from the good life because he is dispossessed of property and subordinated to material and economic forces. However, they caution that these other forms can degenerate into excessive individualism or savage collectivism because they operate without God. The Christian humanist values culture but confesses that man is fully developed only as he comes into a right relationship with Christ. When this happens, a person can begin to experience growth in all areas of life as the new creation of revelation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15).
social responsibility activity: collage-making to sensitize participants on present issues in the country (for BECs)
Objectives: 1. Describe the sociopolitical situation of our country. 2. Explain that social responsibility is essential to the Christian faith. 3. Formulate a plan of action to respond to pressing social issues within the community.
Time Allotment: One and a half hours Materials needed: Blackboard, chalk, old newspapers and magazines, paste, manila paper, scissors, and crayons Procedure: 1. Divide the participants into small groups and ask them to make two posters each (on

manila paper) based on two questions:

What bothers you most about our countrys present situation? What are your dreams for our country? Ask a representative from each group to present their collage and summarize their responses.
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Present and explain statistical data on the sociopolitical situation of the country. As a community, we are not only called to personal conversion and renewal of the Church. We are also called to transform our society. It is not a simple task so we easily get overwhelmed by the complexity of our social problems and thus slide back to passivity and helplessness. We are, however, called to be prophetic communities which essentially includes announcing what is good and denouncing what is evil. As a community our immediate call is to renew our neighborhood and community.
integration
Ask the participants to go back to their small groups to share what hinders them from social involvement. Then ask them to brainstorm possible action to a pressing social problem within the community, for example, illegal drugs, lack of water source, land grabbing, a case of injustice, etc.
challenge
The Philippines is a predominantly Christian country where poverty, injustice, oppression and conict prevail partly because of our lack of awareness and participation in social issues. We often criticize but choose to do nothing. As individuals and BECs we are called to proclaim the good news both in words and deeds. This way we genuinely become authentic prophets of our time reminding others of Gods dream of justice, peace and prosperity for all.
Sources: Ibon Facts and Figures; Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines by the CBCP as used in Dicen (2005).
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human solidarity activity 1: reflection and group sharing

Objectives: 1. To help the participants realize the important role of the Filipino especially the poor in nation building and solidarity in times of crisis. ;2. To encourage the participants to create a situation to be of help with one another toward collective action of solidarity within the Church and their community. Procedure: A. Group Activity 1. If you are to pick an object to symbolize the present situation of our a) personal lives, b) community, c) country, what object would you choose and why? munity, and country). Each group will discuss the assigned situation to them and then choose the symbol for the group. B. Continuing Reection 1. Presentation and explanation of symbols (use the template below). 2. Follow-up questions and discussion:

2. Group sharing: Divide the group into three small groups (personal lives, com-
What is the actual situation of ourselves, our community, and country? What prevalent values support the situation? How do these values operate in the situation? What are their effects?
Todays Values
Areas Personal Community Country Symbol and situation Prevalent Values Manner of Operation Effects

Classify the effects as Positive Negative Neutral
Source: Alay Kapwa (2005).
activity 2: reinforcing learning on human solidarity

Anecdotes, proverbs, and music may be utilized to communicate and reinforce learning or inspire reection on human solidarity. Two examples are given here. The words of Anthony de Mello may be read slowly with appropriate background music. The song Pananagutan should be sung by all. The meaning is better understood and internalized if more people are encouraged to sing it while reecting on the lyrics. After the activity, pose two questions to the participants: (1) the meaning of the story and song from a Christian perspective; and (2) the different ways by which solidarity may be practiced in concrete life situations in the community.
A guru asked his disciples how they could tell when the night had ended and the day began.
One said, When you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a cow or a horse.
No, said the guru.
When you can look at a tree in the distance and can tell if it is a neem tree or a mango tree.
Wrong again, said the guru.
Well, then, what is it? asked the disciples.
When you look into the face of any man and recognize your brother in him, and into the face of any woman and recognize in her your sister. If you cannot do this, no matter what time it is by the sun, it is still night.
Anthony de Mello
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Pananagutan
1. Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang Walang sinuman ang namamatay para sa sarili lamang
Koro: Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isat isa Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos na kapiling nya.
2. Sa ating pagmamahalan at paglilingkod sa kanino man Tayo ay nagdadala ng balita ng kaligtasan
3. Sabay-sabay nang mag-aawitan ang mga bansa Tayong tinuring ng Panginoon bilang mga anak.
deepening
This seemingly simple song Pananagutan carries the beautiful message of human solidarity and responsibility. It reminds as that whether we like it or not we are all in a web of relationships; we are all interrelated. And this calls for everyone to seek the common good. No less than Jesus Christ revealed this when he spoke of the rst and second commandment as the greatest of all commandments and that all other laws should depend on these ((Matt. 22: 37- 39). Similarly, Anthony de Mellos words stress the value of loving ones neighbor even if he or she is an enemy. McGoverns review of the Holy Fathers Christian anthropology as shown in his various works points to the moral question of mans excessive desire for material prot and desire for power with the intention of imposing ones will on others. Therefore, the pope concludes that overcoming the problem involves decisions which are essentially moral [Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (SRS 35)]. McGovern acknowledges that this calls for Christians to seek a real conversion of heart to give way to an attitude of self-giving to others. Human solidarity thus points to a rm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good among individuals and nations (SRS 38); and it is the path to peace and at the same time to development (SRS 39). For John Paul II, solidarity is undoubtedly a Christian virtue In the light of faith it seeks to go beyond itself, to take on the specically Christian dimensions of total gratuity, forgiveness and reconciliation (SRS 40). In the same light of the Christian faith, it

becomes possible to love ones neighbor as a child of God even if he or she is an enemy. A deeper meaning of human solidarity is provided by McGovern, who explained that the awareness of the common fatherhood of God, of the brotherhood of all in Christ, and of the presence and life-giving action of the Holy Spirit will bring to our vision of the world a new criterion for interpreting it. Beyond human and natural bonds, there is discerned in the light of faith a new model of the unity of the human race, which must ultimately inspire our solidarity. This supreme model of unity, which is a reection of the intimate life of God, one God in three Persons, is what we Christians meanby the word communion (SRS 40). Manuel Dy (1994) also wrote about solidarity among the Filipinos as something to be valued as an ethics. He gave the 1986 people power revolution as a glaring example of what solidarity did for the country during those times when the people formed a a single elbow-chain (kapitbisig) pleading with the soldiers of Marcos to join the people. The people protected Ramos and Enrile; each was responsible for the other reconciliation became the byword in the ensuing days. Dy also recognized the value of solidarity as an ethics of responsibility, as the ability to respond to the need of ones neighbor who is also a human being and a Filipino. Solidarity is also viewed in terms of pakikipagkapwa which springs from the inner conviction that the other, though belonging to a different region or faction, is a fellowman who deserves to be respected, attended to and loved. Magkakapit-bisig tayo means that you and I are responsible for one another, we are all in this together.
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module 4: peace building
objectives of the module

1. To assess the personal value orientation of the participants. 2. To raise the participants awareness of the underlying values and principles of human rights in peace building according to the perspective of the Church. 3. To develop among the participants positive values on and attitudes toward peace building. 4. To share the Bicol church experiences and lessons learned in peace building. 5. To enhance the participants awareness of the various strategies which may be employed by the Church in its peace-building work. 6. To develop the participants knowledge and skills in responding to and resolving conflict situations.
methods
1. Identifying values and attitudes toward peace building 2. Sensitizing activity to peace building 3. Inputs (lecture, presentation of research ndings) 4. Brainstorming 5. Role Playing
toolkit
activity 1: drawing out feelings/disposition of participants toward promoting peace

Procedure: 1. Give a brief lecture (input) about the armed conict and the Churchs peace-building work (refer to the case study on Church-based peace building in Bicol).
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2. Post the question: How do you feel about taking part in peace-building activities? 3. Post on the board (using cartolina the size of a coupon bond) drawings of different facial expressions (one expression per picture using the examples given on page 92). 4. Give the participants about ve minutes to think and reect on the question. 5. Ask the participants to write their names on the facial expression that best suits their feeling about being involved in peace building (anxious/curious, afraid, indifferent, enthusiastic, happy, delighted, unsure). 6. Divide the participants into small groups based on the feeling they have expressed about peace building. 7. Choose a facilitator and documenter for each of the group. Allow the small group to reect on the situation and elicit from the individual members the reasons for their reactions/feelings. Give at least 30 minutes for the discussion which may be guided by the following questions:

Why did you feel this way? What positive/negative experience have you gone through to feel this way? What issues and problems relate to these experiences? How can we respond to the problems?
8. Let each group report their output using the following template.
Feeling
Experiences Positive Negative
Issues/problems
Responses
9. Summarize the individual group output and, with the help of the participants, identify the main lessons from the activity. 10. Post the nal output on the board.
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activity 2: verse analysis

Post a copy of the prayer of St. Francis on the board. Divide the participants into small groups and give sufcient time for them to reect on the verses. Allow groups to report on their output.
The Prayer of St. Francis Make me a channel of your peace, Where there is hatred let me bring your love; Where there is injury your pardon Lord; And when theres doubt true faith in you. Make me a channel of your peace, Where theres despair in life let me bring hope; Where there is darkness only light; And wheres sadness every joy. O Master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love with all my soul. Make me a channel of your peace; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, In giving to all men that we receive, And in dying that were born to eternal life.
Reflection guide What is the main message of the prayer? What virtues are being instilled in you by St. Francis in this prayer? What teachings of the Church inspire us to practice the same virtues? What passages in the Holy Scriptures affirm St. Franciss invocation? What human rights are invoked in the verses? Reflect on how the messages of the four verses can be applied in concrete life situations. Allow the participants to link the prayer to the results of the first and second activities.
activity 3: sensitizing participants in peace-building work

Suggested tool: Sharing of experiences or observed occurrences This activity is designed to introduce the participants to the basic process involved in prob-
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lem solving, which is the main tool applied in conict resolution. Brainstorming is commonly used as a tool for problem solving. Procedure: 1. Divide the participants into small discussion groups. 2. For each group, present a particular problem (It may be a conict or a community problem). 3. Allow the group sometime to analyze the situation. 4. Share ideas for resolving the situation using the following guide questions: a. What are the negative effects of the problem? b. Who are mostly affected by the problem? c. What are the roots of the problem? d. What other issues complicate the problem? e. Who are involved in the problem and what roles do they play? f. What ought to be done? g. What options are available to address the problem? h. Allow a representative from each group to present their output. i. Process the information and synthesize the results What values evolved in the analysis of the problem? What values surfaced in nding a solution to the problem?
deepening
clarifying lipino values
Clarifying Filipino values nds relevance in this module with the realization that cultural values underpin the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino character. An examination of these values and how they inuence the Filipinos attitude toward change is essential in promoting unity, peace and social justice. Some values are central to the Filipino way of life as manifested in certain traits and behavior of the Filipino people. Many of the positive values reected here are consistent with Christian values. Yet the Church itself speaks of a fragmented picture of our culture as typied by extreme colonial mentality, shattered values, especially Filipino unity, loss of real sense of sharing and gratitude, and loss of political will and responsibility to the nation as Filipino and real Christian. The discussion that follows is largely culled from the Patricia Licuanans A Moral Recovery Program: Building a PeopleBuilding a Nation (1994).
traits and behavior reective of positive values

getting along well with others
Filipinos are generally admired for certain positive attributes that enable them to face difculties in life. They are people who can get along well with others and who highly value being able to extend help in times of need and the practice of mutual assistance (bayanihan). They have a deep sense of justice and fairness and concern for others, which is a manifestation of pakikipagkapwa tao. The value of pakikipagkapwa tao emphasizes the Filipinos natural disposition to respect human rights and, in this sense, peace and nonviolence. Article 1 of the UDHR states that: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Gods words also challenge us to cherish and protect one anothers rights and freedom. The Churchs teachings afrm pakikipagkapwa-tao as a human right as articulated in the Holy Scriptures.
Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments. (Matthew 22: 37-40) Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets. (Matthew 7: 12)
love for family

Filipinos possess a genuine love for family, which includes not only the immediate members but also the grandparents, and even godparents including those related by afnity. To the Filipino, ones family is the source of ones identity, as well as the source of material support. This sense of family is rooted in a feeling of belongingness and sense of security. The scriptures also upholds the sanctity of marriage with a strict warning to those who do not respect it. Marriage is to be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery. (Hebrews 13:4)
good sense of humor

Filipinos have a cheerful disposition and fun-loving approach to life including its problems. The sense of humor and propensity for fun make for the Filipinos sense of balance and optimism in life. Laughing even during the most trying situations is seen as an effective coping mechanism. The sense of humor and fun-loving attitude are manifested in the love for socials, outings, and family celebrations.
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resiliency
Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust and adapt to conditions of the surrounding environment. They are also creative, resourceful and quick learners and have the ability to improvise and make use of whatever is on hand in order to create and produce. Filipinos have the capacity for hard work under most trying conditions. Their willingness to take risks with jobs abroad is a manifestation of their love for work.
religiosity
The Filipinos possess a deep faith in God and their innate religiosity enables them to comprehend and genuinely accept reality in submission to Gods will and plan. Thus, bad fortune is generally accepted and some optimism characterizes even the poorest lives. Prayer is also an important part of their life. As such they have great capacity to accept tragedy or even death.
attributes reective of negative values

personalism
Filipinos are extremely personalistic, a trait which makes it difcult for them to adjust to impersonal stimuli. For this reason they have difculty dealing with bureaucracy and with standard rules and procedures. Personal contacts are involved in any transaction.
extreme family centeredness

While devotion to the family projects a strong positive value among the Filipinos, this trait certainly does not serve the goals of a transformed society when carried too far. Too much concern for the family has resulted in the Filipinos failure to consider the common good. This has also resulted in factionalisim, political dynasties, and even the protection of erring members. Even more serious is graft and corruption which may spring from putting too much importance to the worth of the tayo-tayo and pakikipagkapwa-tao system.
lack of discipline
The lack of discipline among Filipinos is manifested in their difculty in managing time, in the casual and relaxed attitude, and in an aversion for standard procedures and control. The lack of discipline and carelessness often result in inefciency and violation of rules and casual work ethics.
passivity and lack of initiative

Filipinos tend to be complacent and dependent on another person of authority. They have

a high tolerance for inefciency, poor service, and even violations of ones basic rightscharacteristics that often lead to their being oppressed and exploited.
colonial mentality
Filipinos have a propensity for things that are foreign. This reects their lack of patriotism or active awareness, appreciation, and love of the Philippines. This trait is reected in their preference for foreign fashion, lifestyles, technology, and consumer items.
introduction to peace building

what is peace building?
Three narrow denitions of peace building were stated in the draft framework paper for the UNDP LES prepared by Miriam Ferrer (2004). These denitions refer to peace-building as either strategies to prevent conict from occurring or to deter it from escalating.
Identification and creation of support structures that would prevent the recurrence of conflict; preceded by the phases of peacemaking (bringing hostile parties to an agreement) and peace keeping (cessation of hostilities and creation of a demilitarized order) (Atack 1997, as cited in Ferrer 2004).
Refers to long-term preventive, pre-hostility strategies for measures to remove the internal causes of conflict and to strengthen structural stability in a country against the threat of civil war. Different interpretations emphasize prearmed conflict and post-hostilities aspects (Schmid 2000 as cited in Ferrer 2004).
The employment of measures to consolidate peaceful relations and create an environment which deters the emergence or escalation of tensions which may lead to conflict (International Alert 1995 cited in Schmid 2000).
what are the forms of peace building?

Peace building has been classied according to aims:
Direct intervention in the conict (as in facilitating dialogue, negotiation and mediation); Addressing the consequences of conict (involving psychosocial counseling, trauma relief, reconciliation and rebuilding of social relationships);
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Working on the social fabric (as in promoting participation in decision making, developing good governance, or in education for justice and peace).
In its broadest sense, the concern of peace building goes beyond conict but addresses the underlying context and attitude that give rise to conict such as marginalization, discrimination, unequal access to employment and sources of income, including prejudice and mistrust. The broader denition of peace building is therefore the implementation of programs for addressing the root causes of conict as well as the grievances of the past in order to achieve long-term stability and promote social justice. The same framework paper categorized the general and specic strategies pursued to address the objectives of peace building as presented below.
General strategies of peace building

1. BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PEACE ACTIVISIM
Specific strategies
Advocacy Education Nurturing a culture of peace Developing capacities Preventing and mitigating the violence and its consequences in the community Activities directed at the parties in conflict such as: Lobbying Dialogue Facilitation Mediation Helping define the substance and process of peace negotiations needed to resolve the conflict
2. PROTECTION, PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND WELFARE 3. ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
(see Volume 1 in this series) Three major strategies are adopted by peace-building organizations to address their peacebuilding objectives.

Peace advocacy the main approach common to all peace-building organizations and religious organizations. This takes the form of various mobilization activities like rallies,

marches, prayer rallies, radio hopping and reporting, press releases, lectures, seminars and symposia on justice and peace; open letters on issues involving human rights.

Organizing work This refers to building peace constituents and strengthening the capability of the peace constituents to engage in peace building. The transformation and clarication of values and attitude are part of the organizing work.
Engagement strategies This pertains to facilitation of dialogues, negotiation, and mediation directed at the parties in conict.
General strategies of peace building

1. BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PEACE ACTIVISM 2. PROTECTION, PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND WELFARE
Specific peace-building strategies pursued by the Church in Bicol

Advocacy campaigns and various mobilization activities (marches, prayer rallies); Media campaigns (radio hopping and report press releases); Open letters on human rights, justice and peace; Pushing for the implementation of reforms and national peace agenda; Organizing the Basic Ecclesial Community as conduit for transforming values and attitudes with peace orientation; Integrating peace-building programs in the diocesan SACs in the region and strengthening regional coordination; Training programs on values orientation and leadership; Conducting research on the situation of armed conflict in the region; Promoting observance of cease-fires, human rights and humanitarian laws.
Mediating the release of prisoners held by either side or of belongings and bodies of combatants killed in the fighting; Providing assistance to affected communities (employment and protection after reintegration in the communities); Undertaking livelihood programs to alleviate poverty among the constituents. Negotiation; Mediation; Facilitating the holding of dialogues with the conflicting parties; Providing resources and other support to dialogues and negotiations.
3. ENGAGEMENT OF THE STATE AND NON-STATE GROUPS
church-based peace-building strategies

The case study conducted to document the peace-building experiences of church-based organizations in Bicol under the UNDP Learning Experience Study revealed a wide range of
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peace-building strategies pursued by church workers and volunteers which, for the most part, were spearhead by the justice and peace arm of the Social Action Centers (SAC) of the provincial dioceses in the region. These are presented according to the format that species particular strategies under general categories.
the churchs peace-building experiences in bicol

The church organizations in Bicol, especially in Albay and Sorsogon, have been fairly successful in their peace-building efforts. Despite some hindering factors in the work, the experience provides valuable lessons to guide future peace advocates and peace organizations. Below is a list of the hindering factors and lessons learned in the peace-building work of the churches in Bicol.
Hindering factors
Reassignment of people or discontinuance of programs; Absence of full-time staff; Conservative and traditional church leaders, failure of some priests to cooperate; Varying perceptions as to what peace is and what is morally right or wrong; Apathetic attitude of some members of the local church leadership; Weak response from the community; Unsustained enthusiasm of peace volunteers; Both camps harbor suspicion about peace-building activities; Lack of mandate from and protectiveness of church superiors; Lack of support from LGUs; Displacement of people and loss of source of income; Human-rights violations; Presence of armed groups and powerful people in the community; Disagreement of rebels with peace-building activity in the community; Politicians giving in to the demands of the rebels;
Lessons learned
On Policy Environment Peace-building work is constrained by inconsistent government policies, shifts in priorities, and changes in the ideological beliefs of the primary stakeholders and authorities; The lack of more confidence-building measures impede the rebels resolve to respond to governments reconciliation program; Cease-fires and extension of cease-fires contribute to the cessation of conflict; Need to sustain successful peace building with appropriate policy changes; NGOs need to supplement rehabilitation and rebel assistance programs of the government; Local peace negotiations are difficult when the rebels refuse to localize peace talks. On Actual Peace-building Work Peace advocates recognized the need to address the consequences of violence; Beyond reconciliation, there is a need to help institute actual social and political reforms; Efforts of NGOs to complement government programs designed to institute social reforms need to be encouraged;
Hindering factors
Discouraging effect of government failure to continue assistance to rebel returnees; Lack of support from the national government and local government; Delays in the implementation of government reform programs; The NDF does not support localization of peace talks; Rebel contacts belong to the lower rank and have no clout or authority; Lack of knowledge of current dynamics and leadership and changes in ideology inside the rebel organization; Lack of clarity on how to go about with engagement; Fear of former combatants of being harmed by aggrieved parties.
Lessons learned
The lack of human and material resources to plague peace-building organizations; The media is recognized to be an effective vehicle for peace building; Peace efforts should truly be participatory and oriented to a common goal; Declaration of peace zones is possible as a means for facilitating peace building. The BEC approach may be a conduit for the transformation of values, attitudes, and behavior; Peace education for all primary stakeholders is important;
tools for engagement

Direct intervention with the conicting parties is accomplished using the processes of facilitation, dialogue, negotiation, and mediation. Peace building through the strategy of engagement requires a complete understanding of the conict, analysis of its causes, and being able to predict the worst outcome.
the typology of conflict resolution processes

Negotiation when disputants control both process and outcome; Mediation when disputants are guided by a third party and disputants decide outcome Arbitration when disputants hand over decision-making power to an arbitrator; Litigation when disputants hand over power to solicitors and a judge who decides
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negotiation and mediation

For the purpose of this toolkit, a detailed discussion of the methods of mediation and negotiation as two important strategies for peace building are presented. The discussion is largely culled from the peace-building toolkit, Learning from Good Practice: The Experience of Indonesian Peace-building Practitioners prepared by the Catholic Relief Services. Negotiation and mediation are two different methods in peace building that are used to complement and complete each other. Mediation is usually conducted when efforts to resolve conict indirectly through negotiation between parties in conict fail. In serious conict situations which affect human lives and property, the parties in conict need a third party to facilitate communication between them. This is where mediation begins. The basic difference between mediation and negotiation is as follows: Negotiation is a systematic effort or process undertaken by individuals or groups through lobbying concerned parties until agreement is reached. Mediation is undertaken by individuals or groups to bring together disputing parties to nd their own solution to their problem.
Point of difference
Method Lobbying
Negotiation
Mediation
Brings together parties involved in conflicts to facilitate dialogue Win-win solutions aimed at solving problems, bridging interests, and finding the best solution together
Purpose
Achieve one sides goals aimed at achieving a solution that benefits one party more than others
Attitude
It is clear that the negotiator takes sides, pushing the interest of his party
There is no consensus about neutrality in mediation. The mediator can be from communities involved in the conflict or may be a victim of the conflict. A mediator may be neutral in his/her treatment to the parties in conflict but not in his/her purpose: to create peace among the parties in conflict
Source: Catholic Relief Services (2003: 70-19).

contrasting mediation and negotiation

The distinctions above are not absolute. In conict situations in the eld, it is very difcult to explain the meaning of neutrality. Negotiation, for instance, sometimes ends with a compromise between the parties in dispute rather than the victory of one party over the other.
strategy of negotiation and mediation

Negotiation and mediation strategies are often used in conjunction with advocacy, media campaigns, and socialization. All these strategies complement each other. The relation between strategies is illustrated below:
Illustration 1: A Comprehensive Strategy for Peace Building

Negotiations
Community organizing the core of negotiation and mediation is dialgoue Advocacy Campaigns Social Program Human Rights Promotion Reconciliation Specific strategy is part of a larger strategy Strategies can be implemented separately or simultaneously and can also be combined with other strategies depending on the situation and conditions of the conflict
Mediation
negotiation and mediation in relation to manifest and latent conicts
We need to be as open and exible as possible in our response to conict. It is very important to differentiate clearly between latent and manifest conicts. The strategy used in mediation and negotiation depends on the intensity of the conict.
key elements of mediation and negotiation

The position of mediator and negotiator An understanding of the conict An understanding of the target groups An analysis of parties involved and their roles
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The reaching of an agreement and favorable outcome The position of mediator and negotiator
Type of Conflict
Latent conflict
Definition
Strategy
The usual strategy to be adopted is value transformation. Efforts are aimed at educating, training, and raising the awareness of values which need to be respected, such as tolerance, solidarity, appreciation, responsibility, and love. Negotiation and mediation strategies may be used
Manifest conflict
A conflict that is hidden just below the surface of the everyday interaction of a community and rooted deep within the community. This kind of conflict has not yet taken the form of violent action. It is usually in the form of negative attitudes (stereotypes), suspicion, and other issues related to religion and ethnicity. A conflict that has emerged in outward forms including behavior and actions
the position of mediator and negotiator

The success of mediation and negotiation depends largely on the characteristics and abilities of the individual mediators and negotiators. There are a number of factors that mediators and negotiators need to consider:

Mandate Accessibility Teamwork Credibility Attitude Context Risk factor
other points to consider in mediation

It is always helpful to recognize the stages that the conict has gone through and use this knowledge to analyze the dynamics and events that relate to each stage of the conict.
Conict may be a positive thing for parties concerned because it may lead to an improved situation for those involved. The steps in the mediation process are important in order to put order in any pro-
steps in the face-face mediation process

Opening
statement by the mediator Disputants committing themselves to the process Initial uninterrupted statement about the conflict by the disputant Identifying the issues and setting the agenda Direct exchange and generating options Building alternatives which are acceptable to both disputants Finalizing agreement Closing statement by the mediator
ceeding. These will ensure that both parties are heard and that conict is resolved in the most diplomatic and systematic manner.

There are different types of conict resolution approaches. However, these are situational and vary in intensity, disputants and level of conict. The bottom line is to resolve the conict at the easiest and most practical manner.
One should be sensitive to others feeling and state of mind, but at the same time sensitive to the message that he or she is trying to get across.
some conict antidotes during mediation

future orientation
For future-focused mediations the past is relevant insofar as it provides necessary information for decision-making in the current context.
Conflict Creators
You fool! (and other insults) Im right. You (or they) are wrong I wont . . . Its a failure. He (she) is hopeless! They always . . . Its impossible I cant . . .
Question Reframed
What do you need? How can it be fixed? How would you say your point of view differs from theirs? What would make you willing? How could it work? What would make it better? What are they doing thats OK? Are there any circumstances in which they dont? But if it were possible, what would it take? You cant or you just cant see a way to? What happens if you do?
Source: Cornelius and Faire (1989).
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positive orientation
If someone is harping about the things they dont want, ask them to tell you what they do want. They give everyone time to think and integrate ideas.
Remember this is a dialogue/mediation and not a social conversation.

Offer breaks. When emotions run high it is good to call a cooling off period of perhaps ten or fteen minutes so that each person can go for a walk. Whatever the emotional climate, if youve been meeting for more than an hour and a half then you will all really appreciate a little time out from the process.
the goals of peace and the peace-building toolkit in indonesia

The development of a toolkit on peace building in Indonesia was the result of the bringing together of individuals and organizations who were all working for the promotion of peace through different strategies and approaches (CRS 2003). The initial activity was a brainstorming session to identify a common set of peace concerns that needed to be addressed to achieve a transformed society and bring about a culture of peace. The idea was to come up with specic actions to satisfy the identied concerns. The group output also projected the idea of peacebuilding as a comprehensive framework that brings together different actions and actors to promote conditions of peace and justice. In order to focus on peace building as distinct from other humanitarian or development work of the organizations, peace was dened as a process to: (1) change unjust structures to promote justice and peace; and (2) create mutual trust and respect. The diagram below illustrates the concerns that peace building tries to address to achieve a strong civil society and a culture of peace (CRS 2003).
Equity Justice Tolerance Respect for human rights Prosperity Respect for life
Strong civil society and community organizations Culture of peace
Peace

Based on the above concept, the participants in the activity developed twelve guiding principles of peace building. 1. It responds to the root causes, symptoms and effects of violent conict, before and after conict breaks out. 2. It requires long-term commitment. 3. It uses a process-oriented, comprehensive approach that works at different levels and with local communities while strategically engaging key decisions and policy makers. 4. It builds upon indigenous nonviolent approaches. 5. It requires a thorough and participatory analysis based on accurate information. 6. It is driven by community-dened needs. 7. It is sensitive to gender issues, and takes into consideration the needs and interests of both women and children. 8. It involves a range of stakeholders who represent the diversity of the communities in which the participants work. 9. It strategically includes promotion of human rights and advocacy at local, national and global levels. 10. It strengthens and contributes to a civil-society movement that promotes peace. 11. It requires transparency on the part of the organizations and openness to all parties involved. 12. It acknowledges the balance between rights and responsibilities. (CRS 2003) The resulting toolkit consisted of six areas of peace-building practices which include:

Conict analysis Mediation and Negotiation Peace Advocacy Human-Rights Promotion Tolerance in Diversity Designing and Using Media
In this toolkit, each peace-building strategy is meant to generate theories from practice. Thus it begins with the experience of the organization in the eld, followed by drawing lessons from these experiences. The last activity aims to develop a set of guidelines that could be used by others in their own peace-building practices.
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peace-building experiences of the church in bicol (results of the case study)

The case study on the Churchs experiences in peace-building is the product of a ve-month research in Bicol. It highlights the ndings along four areas: (1) Issues and concerns in peace building; (2) The impact of peace building on three levels, namely, the policy/agenda level, the ground-level situation, and the perceptions, attitudes, and behavior of primary stakeholdersthe government and rebels, and the communities and citizens; (3) Hindering factors or obstacles to peace building; and (4) Lessons learned from the experiences focusing on the policy environment and on actual peace-building work. Two incidents in Albay illustrate the zeal with which bishops take incalculable risks to exercise episcopal authority in the name of peace and to save lives.
In one of the bloodiest coup attempts during the Cory administration, a contingent of soldiers from Legazpi City marched to the airport to join the coup. There they were to wait for another contingent, which was to hijack a plane from Cebu and head for Legazpi to pick up the waiting soldiers. The wives of the soldiers were also there trying to persuade their husbands to give up their decision to join the coup. The bishop of Legazpi made a momentous decision to mediate to prevent further bloodshed. This was one of the rare occasions when the bishop used his ecclesiastic authority to intervene. Dressed in full episcopal regalia, the bishop walked through the runway and, by invoking their Christian faith, appealed to the soldiers to drop their plans and go back to the camp. He succeeded in convincing the soldiers, to the relief of the wives and all those who witnessed the event. On another occasion, a child of a rich businessman was kidnapped by armed men who later demanded ransom money. The parents of the child asked the help of the bishop to negotiate with the kidnappers. Eventually, the bishop agreed to go to the kidnappers hideout to appeal for the release of the child. The bishop was not aware that when he was about to meet the kidnappers, the SWAT team of the PNP in Manila had arrived in Legazpi and was able to reach the kidnappers lair ahead of the bishop. In a matter of minutes, the bishop arrived at the place. The kidnappers were killed but the child was rescued. The bishop, of course, would have also wanted to save the life of the kidnappers.
The two incidents indicate the kind of commitment and dedication that the community of peace builders needs to adopt in order to promote a culture of peace. The excerpt on the following page conveys very clearly the conditions for bringing about a culture of peace.
toward a culture of peace

We cannot work for peace with hearts and minds that are consumed with anger, or a deep sense of grievance, or that are unwilling to forgive. We cannot work for peace by looking at what we can get out of it for ourselves or our family or community, or political constituency, at the expense of someone else, some other community, or some other constituency. We cannot achieve peace by winning, by being victorious and conquering another group. We contribute toward peace building: By being prepared to change our outlook and mindsets; By being prepared to understand the roots of the conflicts and violence we experience; By examining with an open mind how and why people are able to be mobilized into perpetrating acts of violence; By being prepared to give up some of what we have, to systematically address some of the root causes of conflict and violence, and to invest time and resources in building the necessary institutions for ensuring the peace, security and wellbeing of all. Source: Claire Slatter, General Coordinator, DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) panel discussion, DAWN Informs, November 2001 as presented in WFS (2001), p. 23.
tools for developing skills in conflict resolution

This lecture introduces the participants to two commonly used tools for learning skills in conict resolution and the series of steps followed in conducted them.
practice cases in conict resolution
1. case studies
A case study is a description of a realistic situation that highlights a problem.The problem can be resolved using principles and theory given earlier. (Lessons learned from previous works may also help). Case studies are typically documented in writing but can be in video format, too. Analysis and problem solving can be done individually, in groups, or combined (individual, then comparing answers in groups). A good case study does the following: Covers one area of a theory Is intellectually challenging Is realistic Is customized to suit the audience in terms of its description of the organization, products, customers, culture, and other factors Provides adequate time to enable detailed analysis and discussion.
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The logical order of using case studies is as follows: Hand out the case study. Review the steps you will be taking and the time allowance. Check for understanding from the participants. Allow time for people to read the material. Allow people to read the questions individually and write down their answers. This will challenge everyone to think before the group discussion. Set groups to analyze the case. This can be done by randomly counting off people and having everyone with the same number work together. Or, try to mix people up so that the greatest variety of personalities and backgrounds are together. (Homogenous groups learn less and finish quickly.) Appoint a facilitator in each group of four to eight people. Otherwise, the group might rely on the most knowledgeable person for the answers, finish quickly, and learn very little Debrief the exercise. Have a spokesperson from each group report the groups answer to each question. So as not to duplicate discussion, ask the other groups if they have a different answer or additional issues to bring up. Then repeat the process for the next question, and so on, until completion. Summarize the discussion, highlight key issues, match theory and practice. Source: Charney and Conway (2005).
2. role play: design and conduct

Role plays are useful in helping adults apply new concepts and skills and in shifting attitudes. This method of experience-based learning reinforces classroom theory. Clarity of learning outcomes is essential here. Facilitators need to be able to articulate why they want to use role play and what they hope to accomplish. Benefits of role play Reinforcing the classroom theory Allowing adults to practice new skills in a non-threatening atmosphere Feedback from peers Opportunity to experience how others feel Caution: Adults do not like to feel incompetent or embarrassed. Design role plays with this fact in mind.
2. role play: design and conduct

Role
plays should be designed so that: The outcomes are clear. The steps in the process and time lines are laid out. People play themselves or a particular role or styles. There is, if possible, an opportunity for participants to practice new behavior as a result of the feedback. Role plays work best when the scenarios are realistic. There is adequate time to debrief the process. The role play is followed by theory to reinforce the learning. Caution: Never skip the debriefing process. Participants need time to come out of their role by talking about how they feel and describing what happened. If there is inadequate time to debrief the process right after the role play, skip the activity altogether. Role plays can occur in pair, trios, or a group. Source: Charney and Conway, (2005).
role plays for pairs or trios

Review
the learning outcomes, the steps in the process, and the time available. Ask people to work in pairs or trios. Participants choose who will have the major role in demonstrating the skill being learned. Designate a third person to act as an observer. Provide observation sheets and guidelines for the observer. Provide feedback sheets to assist the observer in giving feedback. Allow preparation time if needed to study the role or relevant information. The facilitators role is to observe the groups but not intervene unless participants are off-track or step out of their role. Call time at the end of the first role play. Allow time for debriefingget feedback from either the receiver or the observer. Have participants switch roles. Each member of the pair or trio should have the opportunity to be the giver or initiator. Repeat this process. When the pairs or trios have completed the role play, allow for a large-group discussion of what people learned. Source: Charney and Conway, (2005).
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role plays in groups

Within a group setting, each individual plays an assigned role in accomplishing a particular task. This type of role play can be used to demonstrate: Teamwork Meetings Leadership styles Conflict resolution When particular roles are assigned to individuals: Hand out copies of each of the roles to each person. Emphasize that the details supplied for each role are confidential. Allow time for preparation for the role play. Explain that team members cannot reveal to other members their particular role until the role is over. Steps for group role plays: Review the learning outcomes, the steps in the process, and the time available. Allow preparation time. The facilitators role is to observe the groups process but not to intervene unless people have misunderstood the instructions or out of the role. Call time at the end. Facilitate the debriefing of the process: How do people feel after the role play? What happened? Why did that happen? How might that have been handled differently? Who had the control of the discussion? Did anyone feel left out? Add some of your own observations and ask for explanations and comments from the group. Encourage everyone to speak. Allow participants to explain the role they were playing. Reinforce the learning points with relevant theory.
Source: Charney and Conway (2005).
practice cases in conict resolution for group problem solving or role-playing

Below are some real problem/conict situations for stimulating the participants ability to think and learn how to respond to the crisis. Two approaches may be utilized: One is by role playing or dramatization either as a group or in trios depending on the given situation. The second is through conict analysis through brainstorming or group sharing of ideas on how the conict may be resolved. The detailed procedure provided earlier for role planning may serve as a guide to the dramatization of particular cases. 1. Realizing the lack of access to health services of poor communities located in some farung areas in Bicol, a number of cause-oriented groups have initiated medical missions to these places in cooperation with the local government agency. Confronted with the meager budget for social services, the LGU welcomed the assistance. Similarly, the poor residents who are mostly upland farmers looked forward to such occasions when they can avail themselves of free medical examination and medicine. However, a military detachment is located close to the entrance of the barangay where the medical action mission will be conducted. The communities are under the watch of the military on suspicion of being CPP/NPA-inltrated. The cause-oriented groups are also suspected by the military of being sympathetic to the NPA. During one of the medical missions, the military stopped the vehicle of a medical team and disallowed those who are members of a certain organization to join the mission. The incident reached the attention of the mayor of the town who is not in good rapport with the military owing to some previous incidents of harassment. The mayor is aware that the communities badly needed the assistance being offered by the cause-oriented groups. Some community leaders also approached the mayor seeking his help to resolve the conlict.

If you were the town mayor, what would you do and how would you go about solving the problem? In nding a solution to the problem, what would you consider important factors to take into account? How would you start a dialogue with the military and the cause-oriented groups? If you need a mediator, to whom would you go for help and why?
2. You are a parish priest in one of the rural towns in Bicol. During a recent encounter between the military and a CPP/NPA group in the area, two army soldiers were captured by the rebels. In the wake of the arrests, a series of human-rights violations were reported to have been perpetrated by the military group which had been augmented
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pected of involvement with the NPA have been killed, illegally arrested and tortured. Families evacuated en masse, resulting in serious economic dislocation. These went on while the two army soldiers were held prisoners and no hope for their release was seen in the immediate future. Many people in the community have approached you for help. The whole community is stricken with fear and terror as the spate of illegal arrests went on unabated. As a priest, you are aware of your moral responsibility to intervene. How would you deal with the situation?

How will you start responding to the crisis? What resources do you have to start with? Whom would you approach for help? What potential problems do you anticipate in intervening? How would you deal with these problems?
3. A nongovernment organization in a remote town in Bicol is successfully running a livelihood program for its members. The program has immensely improved the economic situation of the families. In a few years, capital buildup more than doubled, enabling the organization to expand its assistance program to more members. Recently, one of its ofcers got involved in an anomalous deal with the supplier of the raw materials used in the livelihood projects. This has robbed the organization of a large amount of money which could still be used to nance additional projects. The Board of Directors of the organization immediately met to replace the erring ofcer. Disgruntled by the decision, the ofcer, whose wife is related to a member of a rebel group, reported the case to the rebels. The story was distorted to make it appear that the ofcer was treated badly and that the decision was unwarranted. As a result, the rebels raided the ofce of the NGO and seized several documents including accounting records and bank passbooks of the organization. The absence of the passbooks paralyzed the whole operation of the cooperative and the loss of the documents became a serious problem in the accounting of funds.

You are the local eld director of the organization. What would you do to be able to retrieve the documents from the rebels? You are aware that the rebels received wrong information from the disgruntled ofcer.
From whom would you seek help in order to recover the documents? What difculty do you anticipate in retrieving the documents? Would you try to seek the assistance of the erring member?
4. You are the director of a Social Action Center (SAC) in a diocese in Bicol. The SAC is

especially active in its justice and peace program and has been fairly successful in facilitating peaceful dialogues with the rebels. The SAC is also aware that the armed conict in Bicol is mainly rooted in land problems. One day, the regional director of the Agrarian Reform Ofce in Bicol informed the bishop that a large tract of farmland owned by the Church is due for land reform. The tenant-farmers stand to benet from the appropriation. The bishop, for his part, facilitated the preparation of the execution documents. One of the rst steps was to subject the holding to a land survey. Very soon the survey team went to the area to start the survey work. The effort, however, failed when the rebel group in the area stopped the team from continuing the survey. This has caused disillusion among peace advocates since they believed that one of the means to respond to the problem of armed struggle is land reform. The bishop advised you to do something about the case. The bishop wants the survey to be completed and the land distributed to the farmers. What would you do?

What steps would you take to address the problem? What difculties do you foresee in intervening in the case? What help do you need to convince the rebels to let the survey continue?
5. Fishermen in remote barangays of a coastal down in an island province of Bicol have complained about rebels exacting what they deemed excessive revolutionary tax from them. Lately, it was reported that the farmers were engaged in illegal shing with the use of dynamite to enable them to afford tax payment. The illegal activity has been going on for some time now and the DENR could not do anything about it. The military, on the other hand, cannot be expected to police the illegal activity since they were reported also to be exacting tax from the shermen. The LGU, for some reason, could not also do anything about it despite pressure from environmental NGOs to stop the illegal shing activity. You are the director of the environmental NGO and you have decided to take measures to address the anomalous situation. What would you do?

What resources do you have to start with? What difculties or danger do you foresee in intervening on the case? What factors do you consider important in nding a solution for this case?
re-evaluating the participants attitude toward peace building

At the end of the training, drawings of facial expressions used in Method 2 will again be posted on the board for participants to select the expressions that best describe their feeling
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after the training. The effectiveness of the training may roughly be gauged by the comparison of responses at the start and end of the training. An oral discussion of the participants disposition regarding peace building will reinforce the rst exercise.
preparation of the action plan

The last part of the training is the preparation of the action plan. A template may be prepared in advance to facilitate the planning.
references
Alay Kapwa. 2005. The Eucharist: Light and Life of the Filipino, Alay Kapwa Facilitators Guide 2005. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace, and Caritas. Britton, Bruce. 2002.Learning for Change: Principles and Practices of Learning Organizations. Swedish Mission Council (unpublished monograph). Cabbab, Ernestina T., Rosalinda T. Miranda and Evangeline P. Sugcang. 2002. Transformative Citizenship and Leadership Training Manual. Center for Asia-Pacic Women in Politics. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). 1998. Catholic Directory of the Philippines. Manila: CBCP . Catholic Relief Services. 2003. The Peacebuilding Toolkit, Learning from Good Practice: The Experience of Indonesian Peacebuilding Practitioners. Jakarta, Indonesia: Catholic Relief Services. Charney, CY and Kathy Conway. 2005. The Trainers Toolkit. 2nd ed. New York: American Management Association. Clouse, RG from http://mb-soft.com/believe/copyrig1.html. Cornelius, Helena and Shoshana Faire. 1989. Everyone Can Win. How to Resolve Conict. New South Wales: Simon and Schuster Australia. Dicen, Dean P . (ed.) 2005. Journeying with Basic Ecclesial Communities: A Facilitators Guide. Quezon City: Catholic Lay Mission. Dy, Manuel B. Jr. 1994. Outline of a Project of Pilipino Ethics in Values in Philippine Culture and Education: Philippine Philosophical Studies, 1. Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change Series III. Asia, Volume 7. Ofce of Research and Publications and the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. Felix, Leny E. and Regina dela Paz-Ingente. 2003. Protecting Women and Children: A Handbook on Community-Based Response to Violence. Center for Reproductive Health Leadership and Development, Inc. with support from Ford Foundation, Philippines. Ferrer, Miriam Coronel. 2004. Framework Paper on the Documentation of Civil Society Experiences in Peace-building (preliminary draft). Galama, Anneke and Paul van Tongeren. 2002. Towards Better Peacebuilding Practice, On Lessons Learned, Evaluation, Practices and Aid in Conict. Utrecht: European Centre for Conict Prevention. Hohn, J. Caroll. S.J. 1999. Forgiving or Forgetting? Churches and the Transition to democracy in the Philippines in Pagsusuri sa Lipunan at Simbahan Monograph Series No. 20 (August). Published by the Life and Peace Institute and Foundation for Worldwide People Power, Inc.
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Licuanan, Patricia. 1994. A Moral Recovery Program: Building a People, Building a Nation in Values in Philippine Culture and Education: Philippine Philosophical Studies, 1. Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change Series III. Asia, Volume 7. Ofce of Research and Publications and the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. Llorin, Sofronio F., Jean N. Llorin and Angelo Josjua N. Llorin. Undated. Engendering Training Programs of Government Training Institutes in the Asia Pacic Region: Concepts and Guidelines. McGovern,Thomas. 2003. From http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/mcgovern/ mcgovern.html. Santos, Soliman M. Jr. 1994. Heart and Mind in Bicol 1975-1983 (40 Selected Activist Writing). Camarines Sur and Quezon City. _________. 2001. Peace Advocate, 50 Selected Writings, 1986-1997. Manila: De La Salle University Press. Srinivasan, Lyra. 1983. Perspectives on Nonformal Adult Learning, Functional Education for individual, community and national development. Published in the United States of America. The Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus Committee on Evangelization and Culture. 2003 . Ehem! A Manual for Deepening Involvement in Combating Corruption. Tillet, Gregory. 1991. Resolving Conict: A Practical Approach. Sydney: Sydney University Press Australia. UP CIDS Program on Psychosocial Trauma. 2003. Training Manual on Teaching Peace, Human Rights and Conict Resolution. Metro Manila: University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies and the British Embassy. Womens Feature Service (WFS) Philippines, Inc. 2001. Paths to Peace, A Forum on Womens Spirituality.
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annexes
annex 1: universal declaration of human rights

Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, Whereas the people of the United Nations have in the Charter reafrmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge Now, Therefore, The General Assembly Proclaims
annexes
This Universal Declaration of Human Rights As a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individal and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
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Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-selfgoverning, or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile.
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or omission that did not according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense
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constitute a penal offense, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.
Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference of attacks.
Article 13
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. state.
Article 14
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political
crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
ity. Everyone has the right to a nationality. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his national-
Article 16
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its desolution. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
Article 17
Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19
Everyone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold
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opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed chosen representatives.
in periodic and genuine elections, which shall be universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to the realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23
Everyone has the right to work, to a free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration, ensuring for himself and of work and to protection against unemployment.
his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including a reasonable limitation of working hours, and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same special protection.
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Article 26
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Article 27
Everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts Everyone has the right to protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any sciand to share in scientic advancement and its benets. entific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his perIn the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as sonality is possible. are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purpose and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any state, group or person any right to engage in an activity or to perform an act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
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annex 2: universal declaration of human rights (plain-language version)

Article I
When children are born, they are free and each should be treated in the same way. They have reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a friendly manner.
Article 2
Everyone can claim the following rights, despite a different sex/gender a different skin color speaking a different language thinking different things believing in another religion owning more or less being born in another social group coming from another country.
It also makes no difference whether the country you live in is independent or not.
Article 3
You have the right to live, and to live in freedom and safety.
Article 4
Nobody has the right to treat you as his or her slave and you should not make anyone your slave.
Article 5
Nobody has the right to torture you.
Article 6
You should be legally protected in the same way everywhere, and like everyone else.
Article 7
The law is the same for everyone; it should be applied in the same way to all.
Article 8
You should be able to ask for legal help when the rights your country grants you are not respected.
Article 9
Nobody has the right to put you in prison, to keep you there, or to send you away from your country unjustly, or without good reasons.
Article 10
If you must go on trial this should be done in public. The people who try you should not let themselves be inuenced by others.
Article 11
You should be considered innocent until it can be proved that you are guilty. If you are accused of a crime, you should always have the right to defend yourself. Nobody has the right to condemn you and punish you for something you have not done.
Article 12
You have the right to ask to be protected if someone tries to harm your good name, enter your house, open your letters, or bother you or your family without good reasons.
Article 13
You have the right to come and go as you wish within your country. You have the right to leave your country to go to another one; and you should be able to return to your country if you want.
Article 14
If someone hurts you, you have the right to go to another country and ask it to protect you.
Article 15
You have the right to belong to a country and nobody can prevent you, without a good reason. From belonging to another country if it is what you wish.
Article 16
As soon as a person is legally entitled, he or she has the right to marry and have a family. In doing this, neither the color of your skin, the country you came from nor your religion should be impediments. Men and women have the same rights when they are married and also when they are separated. Nobody should force a person to marry. The government of your country should protect your family and its members.
Article 17
You have the right to own things and nobody has the right to take these from you without a good reason.
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Article 18
You have the right to profess your religion freely, to change it, and to practice it either on your own or with other people.
Article 19
You have the right to think what you want, to say what you like, and nobody should forbid from doing so. You should be able to share your ideas also-with people from any other country.
Article 20
You have the right to organize peaceful meetings or to take part in meetings in a peaceful way. It is wrong to force someone to belong to a group.
Article 21
You have the right to take part in your countrys political affairs wither by belonging to the govGovernments should be voted for regularly and voting should be secret. You should get vote and ernment yourself or by choosing politicians who have the same ideas as you. all votes should be equal. You also have the same right to join the public service as anyone else.
Article 22
The society in which you live should help you to develop and to make the most of all the advantages (culture, work, social welfare)which are offered to you and to all the men and women in your country.
Article 23
You have the right to work, to be free to choose your work, to get a salary which allow to you to live and support your family. If a man and a woman do the same work, they should get the same pay. All people who work have the right to join together to defend their interests.
Article 24
Each work day should not be too long, since everyone has the right to rest and should be able to take regular paid holidays.
Article 25
You have the right to have whatever you need so that you and your family: do not fall ii; go hungry; have clothes and house; and are helped is you are out of work, if you are ill, if you are old, if your wife or husband is dead, or if you do not earn a living for any other reason you cannot help.
Article 26
You have the right to go to school and everyone should go to school. Primary schooling should At School, you should be able o develop all your talents and you should be taught to get on wit be free. You should be able to learn a profession or continue your studies as far as you wish.
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others, whatever the race, religion or the country they come from. Your parents have the right to choose how and what you will be taught at school.
Article 27
You have the right to share in your communitys arts and sciences, and any good they do. Your works as an artist, a writer, or a scientist should be protected, and you should be able to benet from them.
Article 28
So that your rights will be protected, there must be an order which can protect them. This order should be local and worldwide.
Article 29
You have duties toward the community within which your personality can only fully develop. The law should guarantee human rights. It should allow everyone to respect others to be respected.
Article 30
In all parts of the world, no society, no human being, should take it upon her or himself to act in such a way as to destroy the rights which you have just been reading about.
Source: UP CIDS (2003).
A N N E X E S | 129

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peace-building experiences of church-based organizations in bicol

Learning Experiences Study on Civil-Society Peace Building in the Philippines

Peace-Building Experiences of Church-based Organizations in Bicol

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119 121 126

Annex 2: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (plain-language

LEARNING EXPERIENCES STUDY ON CIVIL-SOCIETY PEACE BUILDING

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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LEARNING EXPERIENCES STUDY ON CIVIL-SOCIETY PEACE BUILDING

VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL

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VOLUME 5: PEACE-BUILDING EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BICOL