Silliman Connection
November 28, 2011
To: SUAF Officers, BOD, and Members,
Fely and I attended the lecture/talk of Rev. Nihal Attanayake, president of UU Church Philippines, on November 26, 2011. The focus was to get everyone informed about the existence of Philippine congregations or communities in Negros Oriental under UUPCC (Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council), and to understand their mission and vision. They are in need of partners to support their programs not only to grow their church but to give the people of Negros Oriental especially in the rural and remote areas the opportunities to learn about global and social issues through face to face contact. It includes community outreach, interfaith work and theological training.
Rev. Toribio S. Quimada, Lay Minister of the Iglesia Universal de Cristo, founded the UUCP in the Philippines in 1985 although his work started in 1955. After his death, his daughter, Rev. Rebecca Quimada-Sienes carried on his vision with the help of the UUA and UU Church of the Philippines.
To sustain the UU Church, they have unveiled a huge project - Build UU Philippines, which is the construction of the Quimada Dormitory for women, a thirty-one room, two story residence for 124 young women students to serve the four universities in Dumaguete City, particularly Silliman University, a prestigious university in the Philippines where local and international students come to study. It would house a built-in internet cafe, sundeck, canteen and laundry. In a feasibility study conducted, there are more women than men students, thus the church chose to build a women's dormitory. It will be located in Rovira Road, Bantayan, Dumaguete City.
We have a Silliman connection in all this. Rev. Rebecca Quimada-Sienes and Rev. Nihal Attanayake, went to the Divinity School at Silliman for their theological training. Our new member, friend, Len Pelettieri, is also the Chair, Philippines PCC, First UU, San Diego, CA.
The fact that we missed the opportunity to host Dr. Attanayake was dismaying, either too late to find out about them as former students of Silliman or the inability of SUAF to organize.
It was anticipated that a large Filipino audience will attend but only 3 including 2 Silliman alumni, Fely and I, were present. It was a rude awakening for all of us that were there. The topic was everything Filipino, Dumaguete, and Silliman University in connection with the UUCP.
The dormitory is expected to be completed by March or April.
If you would like to know more information about the project and the UUCP of the Philippines, please contact Len at lenp@cox.net. There are different levels of donations to choose from as an individual or as an organization.
There is a possibility that there will be another visit from UUCP in the future. I would encourage that SUAF will be on the frontlines this time to support past fellow students of Sillliman and their goals to help the community in the new era.
Thank you.
Laarni Catague Gularek
President, SUAF