Participating in Assisi’s Mission of Peace

What has drawn and motivated me to work with Assisi all these years is its sincere commitment to achieving just and lasting peace through concrete development initiatives in poor and disadvantaged communities across the country.

My first exposure to Assisi’s mission was through Ambassador Howard Dee, one of our mentors at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). Ambassador Dee consistently emphasized the deep connection between peace and development, believing that poverty and inequality fuel insurgency in the country. Through our partnership with Assisi, we implemented several livelihood projects for former combatants and conflict-affected communities in the Cordilleras.

A decade later, as my engagement with OPAPP was ending, I sought ways to continue my involvement in peacebuilding. By providence, I reconnected with Ben Abadiano, then President of Assisi, whom I had worked with on a UNDP-assisted conflict prevention program. At the time, he was launching a new initiative called PEACEPATHS for Tri-People Communities in Mindanao. I applied and was fortunate to be accepted as the project coordinator. Through PEACEPATHS, I witnessed Indigenous Peoples, Muslims, and Christians set aside cultural and religious differences to work together on development initiatives—just as formal peace negotiations between the government and rebel forces in the Bangsamoro region were making progress.

In 2010, I had the privilege of working on another peacebuilding initiative: Public-Private Partnership for Justice, Development, and Peace (PPP-JDP). This initiative allowed me to collaborate with reform-oriented mayors and their technical teams to create platforms for dialogue and engagement, addressing the needs of poor and vulnerable communities. It was heartening to see how this program led to the formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategies in 10 low-income municipalities—aligning with the national government’s bottom-up approach to poverty alleviation.

After the PPP-JDP project, I was fortunate to continue my journey with Assisi as it expanded its response to the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples—particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid increasing threats to their land security. I became part of the team that developed and implemented the Partnerships for Indigenous Peoples Program, which brought together local government units, civil society organizations, and Indigenous communities to collectively secure ancestral lands and promote sustainable livelihoods.

Through all these experiences, I have come to embrace the value of dialogue as a fundamental trait of a peacebuilder—one that prioritizes mutual respect, consensus-building, collaboration, and inclusion. As Sir Ben often reminds us, “While we must remain focused on achieving our project objectives, we should equally value the quality of relationships we build in the process of working with our partners and the communities we serve.”

Most importantly, Assisi has deepened my faith in God as our ultimate source of inspiration and guidance in our pursuit of peace, justice, and development. The Foundation has given us opportunities to reflect and discern how God has been present in our lives and work.

As Assisi celebrates its 50th anniversary, my heart is filled with gratitude for the privilege of participating in its mission of peace. I join the entire Assisi family in praying the words of St. Francis: “Lord, make me a channel of your peace.”