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INTEGRAL ECOLOGY: Some Ecological Voices in the MSPC Proceedings from 1971 to 2017

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Part 2

(This is the second part of the presentation of Fr. Reynaldo D. Raluto on “Integral Ecology Ministry in Mindanao Context” at the 17 th Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference in Cagayan de Oro City on November 7 to 10, 2022)

LIBONA, Bukidnon (MindaNews / 22 November) — The Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference (MSPC), that takes place once every three years since 1971, is both a “forum of ideas” and a “communion of churches.” As a forum of ideas, according to Bishop Francisco F. Claver, the MSPC is a gathering of delegates (bishops, lay, priests, religious, youth, etc.) from the various churches of Mindanao-Sulu, “to share experiences, to test the ideas behind the experiences, discuss common problems, seek common solutions, and if necessary, set up new structures to meet common needs.” As a communion of churches, the MSPC is intended to be a venue of “cooperation and coordination, mutual assistance and sharing of resources, constant intercommunication and support of one another … openness to one another and to the Spirit in the context of loyalty to and union with Peter.” 1

Significantly, from 1971 to 2022, the MSPC organizers were able to hold 17 triennial meetings. The MSPC XIV that took place in the Diocese of Digos in 2010 is highly significant as it is the first MSPC that substantially treats the ecological concerns under the theme: “Word of God in Mindanao, Creation, and Peace.”

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A pose with the colorful Vinta with Layag (sail) displayed at the Chali Beach Resort in Cugman, Cagaya de Oro where the MSPC XVII was held. Photo by Fr. Reynaldo D. Raluto

However, other MSPC proceedings have also occasionally mentioned ecological concerns. This section is an attempt to gather the scattered ecological voices and to categorize them according to the see-judge-act schema.

What are Their Experiences of the Ecological Realities in Mindanao?

The first significant report that expresses an ecological awareness is recorded in the 1980 MSPC proceedings. Since then, as shown below, the subsequent MSPC proceedings occasionally contained some bits and pieces of ecological concerns:

“Present crop varieties need a lot of fertilizer and insecticide that are very expensive.” (MSPC 4, Regional Collated Report on the Situation of the People of Mindanao-Sulu, Pagadian, 1980).

“… big plantation denuded and already cultivated forestal lands.” (MSPC 6, Sub-regional Workshop Reports of DOPIM, Reported by Fr. Boy Ugto, Zamboanga, 1986).

“The wanton ecological destruction through logging operations, the further conversion of rich agricultural lands to agri-business monopolies …” (MSPC 8, MSPC VIII Statement, Tagum, 1992).

“… our forests being continually depleted, our seas and rivers beinG polluted, our land being poisoned.” (MSPC 9, MSPC IX Statement, Kidapawan, 1995).

“… decrying the loss of our forests due to legal and illegal logging operations … The loss of lives due to frequent flash floods.” (MSPC 11, MSPC XI Statement, Malaybalay, 2001).

“… the destruction of environment continues in the form of mining, logging, illegal fishing, etc.” (MSPC 13, Answers to Pre-MSPC Survey Questions, Surigao, 2007).

“Unsay masulti nato ning generosity sa mga multinationals nga dagko og ginahatag sa Simbahan ug nagasuporta financially sa mga programa sa Simbahan? Usa na man gayod ni ka realidad sa atong Simbahan karon.” (MSPC 14, Question of Mr. Rene Pamplona, Digos, 2010).

How did They Analyze the Ecological Realities? What Can the Christian Faith Say about Them?

It is unfortunate that there is only very few insights contained in the MSPC proceedings that try to analyze and interpret the delegates’ experiences of the ecological crisis. Nevertheless, some lines can be diligently gathered and carefully paraphrased from the MSPC proceedings:

“The lavish dispersal of public money for projects which are claimed to be developmental, but … leads to the ultimate destruction of our people’s natural resources.” (MSPC 3, Statement, Ozamiz, 1977).

“…rediscover the importance of the Word of God in addressing environmental issues … [Take] the Word of God as foundation of advocacies and actions for creation.” (MSPC 14, Statement of Concerns, Digos, 2010).

“… everything, all things were created by God for the use and benefit of men and women. … Everything is for our use.” 2 (MSPC 14, Intervention of Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, Digos, 2010).

“… akong nakit-an [sa mga Lumad] ang ilang paghatag og dakung bili, respeto ug pagkabalaan sa kabuhatan sa Dios … [nga] gipakita sa ilang mga ritwal…” “Kasagaran ra ba pud nag spoil sa atong kinaiyahan mga katoliko ra bang dagko … maoy financier pod sa atong simbahan.” (MSPC 14, Intervention of Fr. Carlito Clase, Digos, 2010).

“The unabated illegal logging, mining explorations and irresponsible mining, use of toxic and dangerous chemicals in agriculture, environmental pollution, indiscriminate waste disposal, excessive CO 2 emissions, lack of concern for human ecology, etc. have all contributed to the major reality of Climate Change and Global Warming. (A paraphrase based on Archbishop Orlando Quevedo’s OVER-ALL PASTORAL-THEOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS ON CREATION in MSPC 14, Digos, 2010).

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The cover page of the proceedings of the MSPC XIV that took place in the Diocese of Digos on October 18-22, 2010. Photo by Fr. Reynaldo D. Raluto

What Decisions and Recommendations have been Made to Transform the Negative Ecological Realities?

Many of the MSPC proceedings actually contain significant decisions and recommendations that would serve as transformative ecological praxis. Arguably, if they were only contextually appropriated and creatively implemented by our respective dioceses in Mindanao, perhaps the present ecological damages would have been avoided. Nonetheless, let us revisit them here, hoping that they would
remind those who have not yet embraced them:

“Protect ecology by preserving swamps, lakes, canal reef, rain forests, watershed areas.” (MSPC 6, Sub-regional Workshop Reports of DOPIM, Reported by Fr. Boy Ugto, Zamboanga, 1986).

“Restoration of ecological balance: conservation of natural resources, reforestation, planting of trees; stoppage of illegal logging and illegal fishing.” (MSPC 7, Collation of the Reports of the Dioceses of the M-S Church by Msgr. Rey Manuel Monsanto, Butuan, 1989).

“… our parishes and dioceses should take needed steps … to stop practices or crimes injurious to our forests, rivers and air for better improved environment for our communities.” (MSPC 7, MSPC VII Statement, Butuan, 1989).

“… commit ourselves to support the: a) preservation of ecological balance and the total log ban; b) passage of a bill for the recognition of ancestral domain; c) struggle of farmers against land conversion…” (MSPC 8, MSPC VIII Statement, Tagum, 1992).

“… ongoing formation of BEC leaders and members: ‘Advocacy program: mining and logging, [and] sustainable agriculture’.” (MSPC 13, Answers to Small Group Discussions, Surigao, 2007).

“… advocate environmental protection (start with the family), integrate ecology in the evangelization modules, implement proper waste and garbage management (promote 3 Rs [reduce, reuse, & recycle]), collaborate and create linkages with government agencies, GOs, NGOs, and POs; lobby with the government officials for ordinances that protect the environment, and make a unified stand against mining and logging.” (MSPC 14, Answers to Workshop Questions on Creation: Step Two, Digos, 2010).

“Donations should not keep us silent when there is need for us to make a stance on behalf of God’s people especially the poor. We really have to live according to our conscience. We have to be brave when necessary.” (MSPC 14, Response of Cardinal Quevedo to the Question of Mr. Pamplona, Digos, 2010).

“… we condemn in unequivocal terms: … All activities which threaten and devastate Creation: the non-sustainable and irresponsible mining activities particularly open-pit mining, logging activities which denude the forests, toxic agricultural practices, destructive fishing, and all activities contributory to climate change and global warming.” (MSPC 14, MSPC XIV Statement, Digos, 2010).

“… pursue the paths of the New Evangelization using solid catechesis for the care of the Earth and for the creation of Peaceful Environment; To undertake concrete measures like Environmental Education and Peace Campaigns in all Churches, BECs, Parish Groups, Catholic Schools and Colleges, as well as conduct activities such as tree planting, adopt-a-forest program, setting up of nurseries in all Catholic Facilities and on Church Lands whenever possible.” (MSPC 14, MSPC XIV Statement, Digos, 2010).

“… continue the Inter-Diocesan Sustainable Agriculture Network (IDSAN) program kay mao man gyud ng kinahanglan sa atong katilingban nga dili na musalig sa mga chemicals … and also not to focus on multinational monocropping pero duna untay diversified organic agriculture.” (MSPC 16, Intervention of Archbishop Tony Ledesma, Davao, 2017).

The foregoing review of the MSPC proceedings shows that there are only very few ecological voices that can be classified under the judging part. Does this fact reveal that the MSPC has not yet sufficiently analyzed and interpreted the negative experiences of the ecological realities? If that is the case, could we suspect the numerous MSPC decisions and recommendations on ecological concerns as not based on adequate analysis and interpretation of the said experiences? Answering these questions would enable me to critically discern what appropriate interventions we need to make later in order to address this methodological limitation.

(To be continued)

[MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Reynaldo D. Raluto is currently the parish priest of Jesus Nazareno Parish in Libona, Bukidnon in the Diocese of Malaybalay. He has also been serving as chair of the Integral Ecology Ministry of his Diocese since June 2022. Fr. Rey holds a doctorate in theology from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) in 2011. Since 2011, he has been serving as Academic Dean of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro where he also teaches fundamental/systematic theology and Catholic social teaching. Among his ecological advocacies are planting/growing Philippine native trees, mountain climbing, and active participation in the cultural and ecological activities of the indigenous people apostolate (IPA) of the Diocese of Malaybalay. He is the author of the book Poverty and Ecology at the Crossroads: An Ecological Theology of Liberation in the Philippine Context (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2015)]

1 Francisco Claver, “The Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference: The Pains of Growth,” in Philippine Priests Forum 11 (December 1979): 15-19, on pp. 15-16.
2 Many people may criticize this insight due to its anthropocentric perspective on treating God’s creation. I respectfully included it here as this might reveal and represent the prevailing perspective operating in the minds of the MSPC XIV delegates.

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