VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The National Association of Filipino-American United Methodists has approved a resolution urging the U.S. government to condition continued foreign aid to the Philippines based on that country’s compliance in addressing growing concerns about human rights abuses.
A human rights monitoring agency in the Philippines has documented 869 deaths and 180 enforced disappearances, mostly of social activists, including many religious leaders critical of government policies. A major complaint has been the refusal of the government to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings and disappearances.
Members heard reports and resolutions on the human rights abuses from U.S. church leaders and guests from the Philippines during the association’s 11th biennial convocation, July 15-19.
Sharon Ruiz-Duremdes, top staff executive
of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and United Methodist
Bishop Solito Toquero of the Manila Episcopal Area outlined the human rights
crisis for participants.
They reported that a summit meeting has
been called by Philippines Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, a United
Methodist lay leader, to explore the matter. The association has assisted the
United Methodist Board of Church and Society in drafting a resolution to the
2008 General Conference.
“The U.S. must exercise its influence on
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop these extrajudicial killings
now," the bishop said.
Other U.S. human rights matters discussed
in the gathering included a bill in Congress to ensure equity for Filipino
veterans who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The Filipino Veterans
Equity Act (HR 760 and S 1718) would restore full and equal veteran status to
the Filipino veterans by amending the Rescission Act of 1946, which stripped
Filipino soldiers of U.S. veterans’ status. A resolution urging the U.S.
Congress to pass this measure was unanimously approved.
Meeting attendees also embraced a
resolution approved by the East Ohio Annual Conference calling for extension of
benefits to Amerasian children of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines and Japan.
Amerasians are children of U.S. military personnel living in a host Asian
country.
In addition, using the theme “Ride the
Wave, Harness the Power,” the association members focused on their NAFAUM
Paglago National Plan, a congregational development and revitalization program
that includes an endowment campaign.
“Paglago” is a Filipino horticultural
word meaning “luxuriant growth.”
The NAFAUM’s mission is to build and
revitalize 30 Filipino-American congregations by 2013, the centennial
celebration of Filipino Methodism in the United States.
“As a strategy, NAFAUM has entered into
partnerships with boards and agencies to implement the Paglago National
Plan approved in 2003," outgoing
President Pong Javier said in his presidential address, noting the
organization’s contribution to The United Methodist Church’s emphasis on church
growth.
The convocation brought together more
than 100 delegates from the United States, Philippines, Saipan and Nepal.
The Rev. Alejandro Vergara, pastor of the
Kapolei Mission in Hawaii in the California-Pacific Conference, was chosen
president of the association for 2007-2009. Laywoman Ruby Bago of
California-Nevada Conference is the new vice president.
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