2012 Medical and Advocacy Mission to the Philippines

More Than a Year in the Making

Although the mission was first envisioned in the fall of 2010, planning began in earnest in July 2011. Monthly meeting were held at Rosewood United Methodist Church, mostly chaired by Jolo Buktaw and Kuusela Hilo. Jolo and Kuu formed the backbone of the mission. It was they who made the contacts with our Davao-based partners, got our plane reservations, insurance coverage, and other important logistical arrangements. We were also blessed by a group of women who came to be called "The Friends of Brenda Calida Buktaw", a group of gorgeous, lively women who are Brenda's school-mates and friends. More about them later.

We partnered with several other organizations both in the USA and in the Philippines. A partial list: Anak Bayan USA, Habi Arts, Sisters of Gabriella Awaken; Bayan Muna, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Gabriella, Panalipdan, Mindinao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc., and many more.

The US team was interfaith with representatives from the United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Ecumenical Catholic, and Buddhist faiths. There was also diversity among our ages-- our youngest just turned 17 when the trip began, our oldest was 79.

May Vargas, from an organization called Panalipdan Southern Mindinao, was head of the group on the Philippine side. Between May, Jolo, and Kuu, it is hard to imagine a more patient, wise, or kind trio of leaders. Together they resolved issues, handled crises, held hands, found lost objects, and in general, provided the glue that held our team together.

The Death of Father Fausto "Pops" Tentorio

Father Pops was murdered inside his parish garage on the morning of October 17, 2011. Father Pops was an advocate for the rights of the indigenous peoples of Mindinao, and he worked tirelessly to support them in their struggles against the encroaching corporate mining, logging, and hydro-electric dam building that destroys ancestral lands and pollutes rivers, streams, and air. The case of the murder of Father Pops has yet to see the inside of a courtroom. Father Pops is the third priest from his order to be murdered; this is a continuation of the harassment of leaders who stand up for the rights of the people. There are many religious leaders who have been detained by the military, threatened with their lives, and even killed.

During our visit, we remembered Father Pops through a Welcome dinner called, "Libolong" (Solidarity). The event raised funds for the Father Pops Foundation, which will continue his work in establishing schools and helping the indigenous people to maintain rights to their ancestral lands.

I was struck with how complacent we have all been about the death of Father Pops. Accused of being a communist, he really followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. He made the sufferings of the poor his own; he did all he could to bring the love of Jesus to the people he served. In his will, he specified that Micah 6:8 be on his tombstone. Why have we fellow religious leaders been so silent? When one of our brothers is slain to make way for corporate profits, why aren't we in the streets, demanding that justice be done? How long will they kill our prophets, while we stand aside and look?

Recently, the Philippines was declared the most dangerous place for foreign missionaries. That should concern us for several reasons, perhaps the top two being that the United States government supports both the Philippine Army (which commits enforced disappearances and may have played a role in the death of Fr. Pops) as well as the corporations which seek to exploit the resources of the Philippines, AND that we as United Methodists have several missionaries in the Philippines who worked alongside Father Pops and now continue the advocacy he began.