Author: Chris Ablon

I am a priest from the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI). I am currently the National Program Coordinator at the central office Since 2017. I was the Program secretariat for the Mindanao Bishops Conference until 2017. I held several Program related position in the last like, Diocesan Program Coordinator for the Diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon in Mindanao Philippines. Diocesan Program Coordinator for the Diocese of Iloilo, Visayas Philippines. Mindanao Program Coordinator for the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform. Program staff for the Western Visayas Ecumenical Council. I participated as accompanier to the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program for Palestine-Israel in 2011. In 2015 helped develop the Lumad Accompaniment Program in Mindanao, Philippines and the Mindanao Lumad Ministry. I have also undergone a few peace building skills training. I have done an International scholarship course on Land, People, Theology and Sustainability at Swedish Theological Institute in Jerusalem. A course on peace education at the Mindanao Peacebuilding Insititute, in Davao City, Mindanao Philippines. A course on Transformative Peace Leadership at Center for Peace and Conflict Studies in Siem Reap, Cambodia. And all the while since my seminary days I have always been a human rights advocate. I was General Secretary of Karapatan Allowance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights in Northern Mindanao until 2017. Today I remain to be a human rights defender. My present passion is to inspire people. To inspire people to become what they want and ought to be. To inspire people to be free and live freely and discover their freedom and power to build a geytee society. And I do that joyfully. I speak joyfully in public. And I also play with the band. We play songs to inspire people to liberate ourselves and liberate the society we are in. All of this for one simple reason, simply because this is the will and the joy of God.