From March 12-14, 2025, more than 180 administrators, faculty members, school personnel, and social action coordinators from all over the Philippines gathered at the Lantaka Campus of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City to attend the 2025 CEAP National JEEPGY Conference. This year’s theme, “Journeying in Synodality towards Justice and Peace” provided a meaningful platform to assess the current state of justice and peace in the Philippines and to respond to it through synodal principles.
Day 1: Laying the Foundations of Justice and Peace
The conference began with a Eucharistic Celebration, presided over by CEAP Vice President and Programs Committee Chairperson Fr. Wilmer Joseph S. Tria. In his homily, Fr. Tria gave a commentary on the “Our Father” prayer in relation to the JEEPGY pillars. He said that the prayer’s exhortation to community life, discernment, and justice should translate into tangible, communal action. This is the spirit behind the advocacy of the CEAP’s JEEPGY pillar programs. Fr. Tria encouraged schools to actively advocate for the JEEPGY pillars to effect meaningful change in the country.
In his Welcome Remarks, CEAP IX Trustee and Ateneo de Zamboanga University President Fr. Guillrey Anthony “Ernald” M. Andal, SJ, likened this year’s advocacy to the “vinta”, the colorful sailboat of Zamboanga, highlighting how the diversity of our people should be seen not as a weakness but as a strength as they navigate societal challenges. In his pre-recorded Opening Remarks, CEAP President Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ, urged schools to be courageous in confronting the contentious issues currently plaguing Philippine society. He emphasized CEAP’s long-standing commitment to addressing justice and peace issues through inclusive and transformative education, and shared his personal experiences in confronting social justice challenges as a leader, educator, and Jesuit.
As CEAP’s new Executive Director, Mr. Narcy F. Ador Dionisio underscored the importance of teaching justice and peace by fostering interconnectedness in education, raising awareness of social issues like hunger and ecological destruction, and shifting from passive learning to active advocacy for a more just and peaceful world through sustainable practices and empathy. This was supported by Fr. Tria’s special message from the Programs Committee Chairperson, emphasizing that critical thinking and action should inspire every person to speak for the voiceless in society.
The Keynote Address was delivered by Adamson University President Fr. Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, CM, Ph.D, S.Th.D. During his Keynote Address, Fr. Pilario shared concrete examples on the situation of justice and peace in Philippine society, including his experiences as a chaplain in Payatas and the tragedies of those who died in the hands of policemen during the war on drugs during the Duterte presidency. He emphasized that education cannot be neutral if it is to serve the cause of justice and peace. Moreover, students need to be taught to respect the dignity of the human person without any exceptions. According to him, in order to effectively teach the message of the Gospel, it is necessary to bring them face-to-face with the victims of injustice.
In addition, Fr. Pilario underscored the importance of integrating Catholic Social Teaching (CST) into the core of our educational framework. He argued that CST is not merely an add-on to religious education but should be the foundation of how we engage with the world and the struggles for human dignity. His call for educators to approach these issues critically—denouncing corruption, environmental degradation, and violence—reminds us that silence and neutrality are forms of complicity. The faces of victims, especially those in marginalized communities, challenge us to confront uncomfortable truths and inspire a deeper, active commitment to transforming society in the spirit of the Gospel. This, he believes, is the true calling of Catholic education.
Fr. Pilario’s Keynote Address was followed by a sharing from three panelists who have had experiences in working for justice and peace in their respective communities. The first panelist, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University President and CEAP Trustee-at-Large Br. Manuel V. de Leon, FMS, spoke of the need to promote restorative justice to form responsible citizens in schools, based on his experiences as an educator and a mediator of dialogue in the aftermath of the Kidapawan Massacre in 2016.
In a similar vein, Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance, Inc. (ZABIDA) President Dr. Grace C. Jimeno-Rebollos discussed peace and development initiatives that are applicable at the level of civil society organizations (CSOs), drawing from the projects of ZABIDA. Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity of the Republic of the Philippines, provided an overview of the Philippine government’s peacekeeping initiatives and peace processes across various presidential administrations, offering a detailed analysis of the current administration's policies. The first day ended with a cultural performance by the Aniwana Cultural Dance Troupe of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Day 2: Immersions and Insights
The second day of the conference featured exposure trips to five organizations engaged in justice and peace initiatives. These included Harmony Village - Silsilah Dialogue Movement, ZABIDA, Katilingban sa Kalambuan, Org. (KKI), Sama Banguingui Ancestral Domain (Simariki Island), and the Association of Tulungatung Innovative Women Agripreneurs (ATIWA). The participants were introduced to these organizations' experiences and their advocacies for justice and peace.
The afternoon of the second day focused on processing experiences from the exposure site visits. Facilitated by Ms. Floraime “Fleur” O. Pantaleta, Executive Director of the Ateneo Zamboanga-Mindanao Institute, the session encouraged participants to discern what the Holy Spirit was communicating through their experiences and to reflect on their learnings and resolutions in response to justice and peace issues in their own communities.
The second part of the afternoon divided participants into four concurrent sessions, each session discussing a particular JEEPGY pillar. The four sessions were a) Ecological Integrity, b) Engaged Citizenship and Youth Empowerment, c) Poverty Alleviation, d) Gender Equality, and e) Media Formation. The resource person for the concurrent session on Ecological Integrity, “Justice: Making Peace with Nature”, was Environmental Studies Institute Associate Director Ms. Melinda “Mei” M. Lamorena, and facilitated by CEAP JEEPGY Ecological Integrity Subcommittee Chairperson Sr. Marvelous L. Misolas, MM.
The resource person for Engaged Citizenship and Youth Empowerment, “Beyond Politics and Partisanship: Church Engagement in Elections”, was Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) Executive Director and CEAP JEEPGY Engaged Citizenship and Youth Empowerment Subcommittee Chairperson Mr. Miguel Karlo L. Abadines. Ms. Mary Elizabeth S. Apolonio from the Ateneo Peace Institute was the moderator of the said session. Those in the session on Poverty Alleviation listened to Mr. Moncini “Muneer” A. Hinay, the President and Co-Founder of Kids Who Farm Sustainable Food Systems, a youth-led organization working towards food security in Zamboanga City. This session was moderated by CEAP Corporate Secretary and Chairperson of the CEAP JEEPGY Subcommittee for Poverty Alleviation Br. Joaquin “Ken” Severino S. Martinez, FSC. The session on Gender Equality, whose theme was “Mainstreaming Women, Peace, and Security in Education”, was graced with the insights of Prof. Rosalyn Romo-Echem from the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU). Ms. Bianca Dominique W. Reyes from the Miriam College Center for Peace Education moderated the session.
The resource person of the fifth session, “Media Education, Christian Spirituality, and JPIC”, was Institute of Spirituality in Asia Executive Director and CEAP JEEPGY Subcommittee for Media Formation Chairperson Fr. Christian “Toots” B. Buenafe, O.Carm., Ph.D., with CEAP JEEPGY Subcommittee for Justice and Peace Chairperson Dr. Loreta N. Castro as the moderator. All sessions served to raise awareness on the interconnection between the JEEPGY Pillars, particularly the relationship between each pillar and justice and peace. The stories and insights from these sessions moved the participants to develop their own JEEPGY-related initiatives in their respective communities.
Day 3: Weaving a Future of Justice and Peace
The third day, facilitated by Pax Christi Pilipinas President Dr. Gail R. Galang, commenced with a Keynote Address on “Peace and Justice Initiatives in the Bangsamoro,” presented by Atty. Laisa M. Alamia, Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. In her speech, Atty. Alamia emphasized the importance of collaboration and inclusivity in the Bangsamoro journey toward justice and lasting peace, highlighting the need for unity despite historical divisions and challenges. She discussed transitional justice measures in the Bangsamoro, including legislative efforts like the IDP Rights Bill and programs supporting former combatants to address past injustices and provide long-term opportunities for marginalized groups. Atty. Alamia stressed that true peace requires not only legal reforms but collective effort, underscored by shared values of cooperation and respect, to create a future where justice and peace are realized for all Bangsamoro and Filipinos.
After Atty. Alamia’s Keynote Message, a special portion of the event, known as “Coffee Conversations for Networking and Linkages”, gave the floor to different participants to share their schools’ initiatives relating to JEEPGY.
The conference closed with a special award presented by CEAP Corporate Secretary Br. Joaquin “Ken” Severino S. Martinez to Ateneo de Zamboanga University for hosting the event.
The closing Eucharistic Celebration was then presided by CEAP IX Trustee and AdZU President Fr. Ernald M. Andal, SJ. To aptly adjourn the conference, Fr. Andal’s homily challenged all the participants to reflect on the nature of true justice, which sees beyond retribution to embrace restoration and transformation, personally and within society. He stressed that justice and peace are not about choosing sides but about embracing the radical love of Christ, which sees all individuals as capable of grace, urging educators and leaders to embody these values in their lives to bring healing to the nation.
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