philippine
Interfaith Summit
on Climate Emergency

Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME is an Italian PIME Missionary priest who arrived in the Philippines in 1977. He spends most of his missionary life in Mindanao giving special attention to dialogue with Muslims in many ways. He was a negotiator for peace helping the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

He is the founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement and is well known for his work on Interreligious Dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

He studied islam and Arabic at PISAI ROME. He holds a doctorate in Education and he is the Author of many books. Fr. D’Ambra is presently the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines—Episcopal Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and he is the director of the new Emmaus College of Theology Major in Interreligious Dialogue in Zamboanga City.

Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman is an international expert on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, having spent the past 30 years of his career working in the public sector and civil society organizations.

In the public sector, he served as deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Coordinating Council (1998 to 2001) in the early part of his career.

Outside government, he has provided technical advice to various United Nations agencies and various governments in Asia on implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

From 2007 to 2015, he served as senior advisor on disaster risk reduction at the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland, promoting high-level advocacy and multi-stakeholder partnership on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at all levels.

After being appointed to the Climate Change Commission in September 2015, he led the Philippine delegation to the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and successfully advocated for the integration of the 1.5°C warming cap in the Paris Agreement.

Rodne is the former Philippine Manager of Washington, DC-based The Climate Reality Project, founded by Nobel Laureate and former US Vice President Al Gore. Currently, he leads Living Laudato Si Philippines movement focused on ethical and environmentally sustainable investments and practices of Catholic institutions and individuals.

While serving as Chairperson of a grassroots cultural and ecological organization Bayay Sibuyanon Inc., he also acts as Greenpeace Philippines’ Vice-Chairperson.

In 2018, the Philippine Tatler included him in the Generation T list as one of the 50 brightest connectors, creative visionaries, influential innovators, and disruptive talents in the Philippines.

Junior Chamber International (JCI) later honored him as one of the 2018 Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women (TOYM) in the Philippines.

He is an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas and was a visiting scholar at the Catholic University of Louvain. He is the author of the book “We Are Nature”, and he also blogs at www.rodgalicha.com.

JL is an advocate of climate change education, just transition to renewables, promoting energy efficiency, nature-based solutions, cleaner air quality, sustainable lifestyles, and climate justice who has represented the Philippines and the youth sector in different capacities during the global and regional UN climate conferences since 2017.

He is also a citizen journalist, writing climate and environmental stories that have been published in international and local media platforms such as The Huffington Post, Asia Sentinel, Rappler, Sun Star, and The Manila Times.

He is a two-time fellow of Climate Tracker, the world's largest youth-led climate journalism network. He is one of the co-authors of the first Philippine Climate Change Assessment Report series, the local equivalent to the IPCC reports.

He is the recipient of the Miguel R. Magalang Climate Leadership Award during the ceremonies in the Philippine Senate and named the SDG 15 Youth Champion by the 2030 Project in 2017.

He earned his MS Atmospheric Science degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in December 2018.

Dr. Lilian Sison is an academic who has served as the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She is currently the Director of International Relations and Programs of UST.

She is also a Professor of Environmental Chemistry. In her advocacy work on Inter-religious Dialogue, she chairs the Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network of Religions for Peace, Asia and has been involved in humanitarian work advocating on women issues, the protection of children, and the protection of the environment.

She currently serves as the Secretary General of Religions for Peace, Philippines, Co-President of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace and immediate past member of the World Council of Religions for Peace. She is the co-founder of UNIHARMONY PARTNERS Manila.

Bishop "Gerry” was formerly known to most people as an ordained priest of the Diocese of Bacolod for 22 years before being appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Jaro by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. Five years later, Pope Francis designated him to the Diocese of San Carlos on the Island of Negros as its 3rd bishop in 2013 when Super Typhoon Yolanda taught us important lessons on the care of our environment now contained in Pope Francis’ Laudato Sí.

Bishop Gerry resides in San Carlos City which is recognized by United Nations as one of the most livable cities in the world, and at the same time serves the people of Negros which is being regarded as the Renewable Energy Capital of the Philippines and Southeast Asia- 9 solar power plants, 8 biomass plants, and 10 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 579.43 MW, it is no surprise that Bishop Gerry together with his priests and the 3 other Bishops in Negros are strongly opposing the planned 300-MW SMC Global Coal-fired Power Plant in San Carlos City.

He stands by his strong conviction that it is a human right to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment.

A Priest of Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan Church)
phone 09299772904
email frdionyifi@yahoo.com

From Calamba, Misamis Occidental (Mindanao)

now:
Parish Priest
Iglesia Filipina Independiente
Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila

program coordinator:
IFI Diocese of Greater Manila Area

spouse:
Rev. Erahvilla Maga-Cabillas
Have 4 Children

ministry:
Priest-in-charge of the IFI Prison Ministry at Maximum Security Compound, New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City

ecumenical involvement:
Member, Quezon City Ecumenical Fellowship
Fellow, Ecumenical Initiative Forum
Executive Board Member, Anawim Misyon para sa Mahihirap, Inc.
Lead Servant, Isaiah Ministry – Metro Manila
Convenor, Movement Against Tyranny – Metro Manila
Co-chairperson, Moro-Christian People’s Alliance

Graduated Bachelor of Theology in 1987 at St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary, Quezon City
Completed Master of Divinity in 1998 at at St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary, Quezon City
Ordained Priest on June 20, 1987

Br. Armin brings with him over 34 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. He served as the Secretary of the Department of Education from June 2010 to 2016 where he led the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program. Prior to this, Br. Armin was at the helm of De La Salle University, serving as its President from April 2004 to June 2010. In previous years, he also served as President of the De La Salle University System, and several other La Salle schools. From 2017 to 2019, he returned in his post as the President of De La Salle Philippines, the network of La Salle schools in the country. Currently he is a board member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the country’s largest, business-led non-governmental organization. In May 2019, he was appointed as the Brother Visitor of the Lasallian East Asia District to oversee the operations of Lasallian communities and brothers in the district.

Br. Armin also served in various capacities in other government and intergovernmental organizations. These include the National Youth Commission (NYC) Advisory Council, UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Board, NEDA Social Development Committee, Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster of the Philippine Cabinet, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). He has likewise been an active member of the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC), Knowledge Channel Foundation, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), and the Sidhay Foundation for Street Children. Br Armin is a professed member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers. An educator at heart, Br Armin began his teaching profession at De La Salle Lipa in Batangas where he worked as a religion teacher, homeroom adviser and campus minister from 1983-1986.

Br. Armin holds a doctorate in Educational Management from the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod, as well as a Master’s in Religious Education and Values Education degree from De La Salle University in Manila. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Letters degree also from De La Salle University.

Peggy has been a volunteer in Tzu Chi Foundation for more than 20 years. She started as a youth volunteer and took part in charity services and helped kickstart the youth recycling program. She was certified as a Tzu Chi Commissioner in 2004 and expanded involvement in the areas of the Tzu Chi missions of Charity, Medicine, Education and Humanistic Culture. She handles volunteer training and guides youth volunteers and now helps coordinates Tzu Chi’s efforts in the disaster areas.

She graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University, worked in consulting and with a major bank for 10 years. She is now working in Tzu Chi with the Office of the CEO.

Shakuntala Moorjani Vaswani, Ph.D. is a co-founder of the Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation, a non-profit interfaith organization established in 2001 that builds bridges of mutual respect, understanding and cooperation between peoples of diverse cultures and beliefs.

Since then she has been active in interfaith peace building programs in the grassroots communities in Metro Manila. She also serves as a resource speaker on Hinduism in Forums, Schools & colleges.

She actively served as a Trustee (2002-2005) and Regional Coordinator for the SE Asia Pacific Region (2005-2011) in the United Religions Initiative (URI), a Global Interfaith Network for Peace.

She has also served her Hindu community in Metro Manila both as a Trustee & President of the Hindu Temple, Bharati Women’s Association and Indian ladies Club among others.

Dr. Shakuntala Vaswani holds a PhD in Marine Botany and was formerly a Lecturer in the University of Nairobi. However, after settling in Metro Manila, she opted to focus on volunteering her services in community building organizations.

She has two daughters both born and educated in Metro Manila and who are leaders in their professions.