March 22, 2018
Two of the most pressing issues in our country right now are the efforts to transform the Philippine system of government, and the continuing challenge of peace and development in Mindanao. In this regard, the Jesuit Philippine Province Commission on Ministries has decided to make two separate primers on Federalism/Charter Change and the Expanded Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) available to our ministries and partners in mission. The “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) sheet on Federalism was prepared by Fr. Nono Alfonso SJ and the Jesuit Communications team. The BBL primer and infographic is based on a presentation of Datu Muss Lidasan of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and Ateneo de Davao, and further synthesized by Ms. Ruth Guerrero of Ateneo de Zamboanga. Both primers are downloadable at www.phjesuits.org and at www.jescom.ph.
It is hoped that these primers will add to the groundswell of ongoing efforts in our ministries and ministry clusters to address these important concerns. Over the next few weeks and months, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, the Province Advocacy Coordinating Group, and our other partners will prepare various materials and advocacy efforts to aid in our engagement. We in the Commission on Ministries thus enjoin all our partners in mission to encourage study, reflection, and action on these issues among our ministries and in our wider areas of influence, in the spirit of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines renewed call for the formation of “circles of discernment.”
Roberto E. N. Rivera, S.J.
Chair, Commission on Ministries
Society of Jesus-Philippine Province
Download the Expanded Bangsamoro Basic Law Primer here.
Download the Federalism/Charter Change Primer here.