Kathryn Schreiber represents NCNC UCC on Philippines trip, monitors elections, human rights, visits sister church and church assembly

     From May 6-26 I had the immense honor of representing the UCC in the Philippines. 
Eighty-six international election monitors gathered in Manila for training as part of the 2010 People’s International Observer Mission (PIOM). To insure political integrity we paid all our expenses and followed UN guidelines.  Hundreds of volunteers from local NGO’s, including church groups, also served during the days before, during and after the national election on May 10th. 
      All our local volunteers were young, so I asked about that.  "We are the new face of human right workers.  Our parents have been killed, disappeared or imprisoned."  When not engaged in elections activities, I heard powerful stories from these young, courageous Filipinos. 

      Kathryn Schreiber and other election monitors from the People’s International Observer Mission.
     All PIOM teams were sent to highly militarized regions to reduce Election Day violence. I was sent to the Southwest Tagalog Region of Luzon.  I’m pleased to report there were no killings in Quezon Province; however election corruption was alive and well!  We witnessed flagrant vote buying, poll-watcher intimidation and found large presence of heavily armed military — par for the course in Philippines elections. 
     This was the nation’s first electronic election (80%).  We experienced frequent failures of preparation and equipment, causing voters to wait up to eight hours, especially in progressive precincts.  We noted serious irregularities in regional vote tabulation and were unable to collaborate votes cast and votes tallied.  (http://piom2010.wordpress.com/ )  We found Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s June 9th statement troubling: “The Philippines’ successful election exemplified the vitality of the country’s democratic institutions and should be a point of pride for Filipinos everywhere.”
     Next, I joined my congregation’s sister church in Luisiana in Laguna Province in Luzon.  The mutual partnership between Luisiana Evangelical Church, UCCP (United Church of Christ in the Philippines) and United Church of Hayward, UCC is an ongoing process built upon mutual relationships and Christian faith.  At their 105th anniversary Selebrayson I was pleased to be guest preacher sharing the dais with Jimmy Dolo, pastor and Joel Tendero, their Conference minister.  We wove pandan with members of Paatan UCCP.  Mostly, we were together talking and eating.  Wonderful time with wonderful folks. 
     I traveled throughout SW Tagalog meeting with persons who’ve experienced human rights violations at the hands of the Philippines military and their special deputies.  (The US sends $33-34 million dollars to Philippines for military use each year.) 

Striking Nestle’s workers.  

  I heard testimony from the Dumaguete indigenous people, striking Nestle workers, family of disappeared and murdered activists, and hidden and threatened clergy.  All were labeled threatening to the state under President Arroyo’s "counterinsurgency" policy which treats all critics of standing government as enemies of the state. In the past decade this policy was used to perform 1,249 extrajudicial killings; 205 disappearances, 1,028 cases of torture; and 1,963 illegal arrests.  Since President Aquino’s been in office (June 30) an additional six killings and three assassination attempts have occurred and increased military presence has been witnessed in civilian areas.  The Morong 43 are still being held illegally.  (http://www.karapatan.org/)
    In Dumaguete at Silliman University I attended the Theology of Struggle Forum with leading Protestant theologians before the opening of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines’ General Assembly.  I enjoyed time with outgoing Bishop Ben Barloso and members of the Northwest Mindanao Jurisdiction with whom our conference is beginning a partnership.  Many languages are spoken amid the 7,000 islands of the Philippines, so I really appreciated the cultural and linguistic diversity of the assembly.  I also visited with pastor Leomyr and Marissa DeJesus (formerly of Fremont) and CeeJay Agbaynai and his spouse Marlon of Quezon City Metropolitan Community Church.
     Maraming Salamat (thank you very much) to all of you who supported the trip with funds, wisdom and prayers.  We continue the work of mutual international partnerships working for justice, illuminated by the bright light of Christ!
     Sa Pakikibaga at Selebrayson iyong Kapatid sa Kristo, (in the struggle and the celebration, your sister in Christ).
Kathryn

Kathryn Schreiber is pastor of United UCC, Hayward and a member of the Multicultural, Multiracial Transformation Team of the Conference.

Update:
The Rev. Joel Tindero, the Conference Minister of Northeast Southern Tagalog Conference of The United Church of Christ in the Philippines, whom Kathryn Schreiber met on her trip, will be in Northern California October 21-31.  Contact  Kathryn to learn about his schedule or invite him to your church.