Autobiography

Autobiography of Francisco Bongoan Bilog

Two lovely sisters

Birth and Adoption

1921, Gregoria had another baby and after birth she gave it away to her sister and they named her Buenafflora.  In March 2, 1938, Gregoria again gave birth to a baby boy  which she also gave away to Sinfrosa. They baptized the child as Enrique. The youngest child of Gregoria was born on March 16, 1944 which they named as Francisco. All of her three children were given away to Simfrosa who cared for them as her own.

Enrique was sickly when he was a child, so to counter the spirit of sickness he was baptized twice (an indigenous ritual called “Buniag iti Sirok ti Latok)  in what they called as “Baptism under a plate” where they will give him another alias name. First when he survived a serious sickness he given a named “Bareng” literally means “may he live”. Enrique continued to be sickly so he was baptized again with a new name, “Nayon” meaning “may he continue to live”. He was called as Nayon in our local community.

In 1948, Sinfrosa and Apolinario Bilog wanted to join a group of land settlers to migrate Mindanao under the leadership of Mrs. Rufina Valdez, the wife of judge Juan Valdez, then serving as municipal judge of Kabacan, Cotabato.

A problem then came will Sinfrosa bring her three children to Mindanao? Gregoria and Graciano, the real blood parents of course refused to be separated from them. Sinfrosa had remain childless, so seeing her children being taken all from her, she demanded a payment. The family clan agreed that Simfrosa should take Francisco as the payment for all her sacrifices and labors in giving the life of Buenaflora and Enrique, then known as Nayon. Both couples happily agreed, so before Apolinario and Sinfrosa Bilog left for Mindanao they requested Pastor Candido Zapata, a roving Methodist pastor, to baptized the child as Francisco Bilog, named as a child of Sinfrosa Bongoan and Apolinario Bilog. So I was baptized as Francisco B. Bilog on the 5^th day of February 1948 in Atabay, Baugen, Ilocos Sur, with Rizalino Gray and Honesto Gironella as sponsors.

Settlers in the Promise Land

Many landless people from the islands of Luzon and the Visayas considered the island of Mindanao, as the promised land.” The Spanish and American governments instituted issuing Land Titles in the Philippines, declaring that all lands without any titles is considered public land.

Our family joined the group of Ilocano settlers from Luzon to settle in Mindanao with a promise by the government that they will be give lands free from the public lands in the area. The problem that our family and other settlers faced was that the public land being offered to the settlers were already occupied for generations by the natives in the area.

The indigenous people in Mindanao consist of many tribal groups practiced a communal land property governed by local chieftains and the tribal councils. A family can occupy and cultivate a land area with the permission of the chief or Datu without any payment. When the family wants to transfer, they leave the land area for other families to cultivate.

So if any family settler wants to occupy and cultivate any land area considered by the government as public land, they have to get the permission of the local chiefs. Since the settlers are not members of the tribe they have to give a certain amount of money or anything of value to the Chief, considered by the tribal practice  as a gift to the community. The Chief and the tribal community will then ask any natives in the land area to transfer, so the settlers can settle. The problem was that the natives considered the land area given to the settlers to cultivate was still part of the communal property of the tribe.   The settler who gave a gift to the chief though he was paying for the land, while the indigenous community believes the arrangement with the settlers was controlled by the local tribal community property practice. This created the long standing problem of rebellion in Mindanao.

My family was very poor. They have no money or anything of value to give to the local Datu or Chief. So our family became tenant of a rich family who had money to give to the Datu who in turn gave permission to occupy a wide area of land.  

           Our family settled in barangay Osias, named after Senator Camilo Osias of Ilocos Sur. The Bani family followed to migrate in Mindanao last 1951 and settled here in Osias and in Kilada. So, now, both the Bani and Bilog families were reunited and considered as one big family. The reality was that the three siblings, Buenaflora, Enrique alias Nayon and Francisco with nicknamed Ikoy called their blood parents as “Apong” meaning grandparents and called their foster parents, Apolinario and Sinfrosa as “Tatang and Nanang.”

Early Education

        My parents gave importance to my education. So they chose to stay in Kabacan,  were at that time was one of the few municipalities in the empire province of Cotabato that had a complete elementary and high school.  I have finished elementary education in Kabacan Central Elementary School with determination. I had to walk daily to school barefoot and if it rains in the afternoon I go home running wet. In fact during my graduation ceremony in the elementary I wore a woman’s shoe borrowed from a family friend. I graduated my high school education at Mindanao Institute of Technology with greater determination. I had to walk 6 kilometers daily to school. Since MIT was an agricultural school, our weekly school schedule was MWF – schoolroom academic class, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday- fulltime work in the school farms. I finished high school with a smile.

      I wanted very much to go to college but my parents could not afford the expenses so I just thought it was a dream.

Early spiritual nurture

       Our house in barangay Osias was just 50 meters away from the Pilgrim Holiness Church.* Through their ministry I grew up and attended the Primary and Junior class at the children’s Sunday School and Daily Vacation Bible School. The lively gospel and holiness preaching of the pastor attracted me to attend the evening worship regularly. My early spiritual foundation as a child was built through their ministry.

       During the early 50’s,  a Methodist Church was established in barangay Osias. My parents started regularly attended the church so I joined them and found myself actively participating in the  Methodist Youth Fellowship. I became member of Osias Methodist church. Soon I was elected as local and district officer of the youth fellowship.. Every summer vacation I join the MYF district officers visiting local chapters conducting lectures and fellowship meeting. This started my active participation in the connectional level of the Methodist church.

Call to Candidacy in the Ministry.

      

Knowing that our family did not have the resources to send me to college, I thought of starting my life as a farmer. I joined some of the young people of the community offering our labors to some farmers in preparing their farms for planting rice. We cut grasses and help in plowing the field and at the same time trying to catch fish and frogs for our food. During harvest time we also harvest their rice under a sharing basis. I thought  I was preparing myself as a good farmer.

       On the summer of 1961 while attending the Methodist Youth Annual Conference in Kidapawan, I was offered by the MYF annual Conference  a scholarship to the Mt. Apo Christian Workers School.

      I did not apply for it, nor I wanted  to be a pastor, so I was confused. The annual MYF youth officers, under the leadership of brother Benjamin Justo and sister Carmelita Sagun  told me that my energetic participation in the MYF programs is an indication that God is calling me to the ministry. They said they will continue to pray for me. I entered the Bible School that year and stayed until I completed the course around March of 1963. Our teachers were Rev. & Mrs. Jose Sanchez; Rev. & Mrs. Alejo Gayaden; Miss Rufina Sumajit and Mrs. Marrian Spottswood.

Local Pastor Ministry as a Frontier worker.

       During that summer of 1963, I was told by the District Superintendent to attend the annual Pastor School in Kidapawan. After the closing of the Pastor School that year I was told by the District Superintendent to attend the District conference and the Mindanao Provisional Annual Conference session. The Board of Ordained Ministry of the annual conference encouraged me to give the Lord a chance and respond to His call in the Ministry. I was recommended to be accepted as a local pastor.

      My first appointment was in the Marabog, La Rojas, & Nabaliwa Circuit, in the municipality of Pangantucan, Bukidnon.

      It was an exciting year. The municipalities of Maramag and Pangantucan were government resettlement area of poor farmers from the Luzon and Visayas. They were given at least five hectares of agricultural land to till and were supported by the government agency with monthly rice or corn allowance for three years.

      They were beginning a new life, a new land and a new hope for a better future/ I shared with them this life, for I was also beginning a ministry and a hope that I can succeed and survive. My financial supported from the district conference was then 10 pesos a month which I can only get from the district treasurer during the month of December and May.

      Initially I was told to stay at the residence of a family in Barangay Marabog, Pangantucan, but when I saw that I was a burden in their food resources, I tried to find other friendly settlers where I can stay for the night.

     We had a house worshipping congregation in Marabog and a small church sanctuary in barangay La Rojas.

       I survived indeed, with the encouragement and prayers of our bishop Jose L. Valencia. He said that as a circuit, frontier preacher without a salary and no parsonage I should be busy in my work daily. He said further that I should remember three most important things everyday: to bring with me my Bible, hymnal and where to eat.  I should plan my visitation to be with a family an hour before mealtime so that I can have the Filipino hospitality of free and loving meal.

      The geographical areas of my appointment were, hills, creeks, rivers, lowlands, forest, rugged roads and wide ranches of cows. Public transportation was very limited, even if it was available I don’t have the financial resources for the fare. I normally take the short cut way. My sandals, hat, bag and wooden staff were always ready daily. I did not use shoes during those days because in my travels I have to cross several creeks. I always bring my wooden staff to help me carry my bag, and use it in defense of wild and aggressive cows when I crossed ranches and aggressive dogs in the community. 

      The hardship, the work and lifestyle of the settlers in area of my appointment was not foreign to my life. I too came from a poor family and grew up in a poor farming community in Cotabato.

       I was very young, just 19 years old, with a new vast areas of work, I was always in the go. During day time, the settlers are always in their farm so I have to visit families in their farm work.  I always try to partake in their work in a way I can so that I can talk with them, and create bonding community relationship. Filipino hospitality always assures me that the family I am with during meal time shares them to me. A blessing they say when a pastors eats with them and prays for them.

       During my first year of appointment my monthly rounds were focused in the resettlement areas of Marabog, La Rojas, and Dagumbaan. However, during the early months of 1964 I discovered some of our family distant relatives in Kalilangan when I visited and surveyed the barangay. I took advantage of the hospitality of our relatives by staying with them and getting useful information regarding the people, community, churches and possible prospects for evangelization. My relatives lovingly welcomed me, so I was assured a place to sleep in their homes and eat with them  during breakfast.

      Somebody informed me that there is a Methodist family in the Assembly of God church who informed the congregation when they joined that church that they are joining on the condition that when a Methodist congregation will establish in the community they will return to the Methodist church. I found the said family, Mr. and Mrs. David Dominno. He told me that they will retun to the Methodist church if it will establish in the community. I told them I was appointed to establish a Methodist church in the area and since they are the only Methodist in the community I proposed that I will stay with them in their family house. They welcomed me with opened me with a Filipino Methodist hospitality.

      Together with brother David Dominno we visited houses and families of in-actives church goers in the community. We conducted prayers, Bible studies, devotions and faith sharing. We emphasized the importance of family dedicated to God and that the church is an important fellowship that can nurture them and help them grow in their spiritual life. So we encouraged them to go back to their home church. We also informed them that we are establishing a Methodist congregation nearby  and they are welcome to join us. The first family that we have convinced to join us is the family of Mr. and Mrs. Fidel Camong.

      I was reappointed for a second year in the same areas during the conference year 1964-1965.. This time I included in my area of work the barangays of Kalilangan, Pangantucan and barangay Kilikili, Lanao del Sur.

       We conducted an evangelistic services in Kalilangan with the Reverends Francisco Bauson and Samuel Rufino, pastor Iligan city and Cagayan de Oro City. They traveled by plane and landed on a rugged runway in Nabaliwa, Pangantucan.

      The evangelistic services conducted formally established the presence of Methodist among the Ilocano settlers in Kalilangan. During the evangelistic altar calls, family prospects we made several months before, responded joyfully to join a Methodist congregation.

       An impact in the community about the Methodist church was made by a simple act of mercy. During the visitation of that evangelistic services we found a man with a big boil on his body which needs surgery that can only be done at the hospitals in Malaybalay, the capital of Bukidnon. The Rev. Francisco Bauson offered the Methodist Missionary plane to bring him to the hospital in Malaybalay.

       We had the first Sunday worship service at house owned by Mr. Andres Piluden. Our house visitation made the small congregation grow.

        The District Superintendent, the Rev. Tomas de Los Santos supported the local congregation by giving me an amount to buy a lot for the church building. We were able to buy a residential lot the for church. The members responded with enthusiasm by going to the mountain once a week to cut and sewed trees for lumbers, and bring down cogon grass for a church building. In six months we were able to construct a church building with the free labor provided by the members and the Ilocano community.

         Many things that happened in the church life remained in my mind as a story to tell. An Ilocano resident of the community was consistently drunk every Sunday and creates trouble in the community. He was charged with drunkenness and creating trouble on Sunday, so the local governing group called the Ilocano Concillo Tribunal ordered him to go to his mountain farm every Sunday to avoid creating trouble in the community. In his farm one Sunday morning, it was still early at 9:00 he was already drunk, suddenly he saw a strong red light. He tried to shake his head, he thought  it was just the result of alcohol. The light to him was so real that he remembered a sermon he once heard about hell and the judgment of God. He was so afraid that God came to take him to hell. He prayed,  “Lord God, please don’t take me now. I will stop drinking alcohol and change my life.”. No answer came but a while for the red light to disappear. The following Sunday morning he came to our church to worship and some members were asking why was he not in his mountain farm. He asked me to give him time give his testimony. He related his experienced and considered it as God talking to him. He pleaded that we accept him in our church, which we did, with thankful heart. From that day on he was never drunk again.

       In another incident, during a prayer meeting one night, Mr. Jose Manuel, a Assemblies of God church Council member, joined the group and explained that he was expelled from his church based on a charged of dishonesty to some farmer members of their church. He tried to explained the issues involved for his expulsion, and then requested that he wish to joined the Methodist church if we do not accept him he will find other churches willing to accept him. So we prayed hard knowing that we are all sinners and not in a position to judged one who was seeking to serve the Lord. The next Sunday during worship we welcomed him to the congregation.

      One Sunday morning we scheduled a group baptism in the river nearby the church. Why in the river? Some of those who wanted to be baptized preferred emersion. During the service when I was about to baptized them I requested those to be baptized to go down to the river, then I heard whispering, when I requested explanation, one said, three of the women to be baptized was on their monthly period so they cannot be immersed. I said there is no problem because the Methodist church also believes in showering them or sprinkling them with God’s water. So I did immersion and sprinkling baptism that day.

Pastoral Work in Organized Local Churches

     After two years in the frontier work in Bukidnon I was appointed to pastor the Methodist church in Columbio, Cotabato during the conference year 1965-66.. One day the Rev. Limerio Garibay the Board of Ordained Ministry inquired if I am interested to study in college so I can go to seminary. When I said yes, he told me why did I not apply to the BOOM during conference time. So I told him I did not know the candidacy process. So he said that I can enroll in college serving as a student pastor, so I enrolled at the Magsaysay Memorial College in Tacurong.

      During the second semester, our district superintendent, the Rev. Camilo Toledo go angry why I enrolled in college without the approval of the annual conference and I was appointed full time. I continued my studies during the second semester but I was transferred to Cagayan de Oro City to served in a full time appointment during the conference year 1955-67. .

      The following year the district superintendent of the Mindanao South District, Rev. Adriano Cabotaje saw my desire to progress in my educational endeavor, appointed me as student pastor of a circuit – Lutayan and Blingkong Methodist churches and I studied at King College in Koronadal Cotabato.

      I learned and grew up in the pastoral ministry under the mentorship of my district superintendent for a years, 1967-68.

      During the Mindanao Annual Conference session in 1968 I was commissioned as probationary member of the conference.  In that same conference year 1968-69 I was appointed as the associate pastor of the Rev. James Erb, GBGM missionary. Zamboanga City congregation was a small congregation meeting on a commercial building along San Jose road in the city. The mission strength of the local church was the Ten Brave Christian Movement started by the Rev. Erb  in Zamboanga City of which I actively participated when I became the associate pastor. The movement spread throughout the Mindanao Annual conference, and a quotation from the report of the Rev. James Erb report to the conference says:

   “Fifteen from our church accepted this initial challenge, plus five outsiders. Within one month attendance increase by 25%, offerings doubled and I was at a loss as to what to do to keep all the volunteers busy in service. Weekly Sunday School extension class were started as well as weekly Bible study classes. Laymen begun to work as teachers, visitors, janitors and suppliers of altar flowers. Laymen actively witnessed and challenged others to become Christians and Brave Christians.

    God worked miracles and answered prayers, indifferent husbands of church members were moved by new acts of kindness on the part of their wives. Family devotions were started, even in the home of one whose husband was a Buddhist. People were healed- one from nervous tensions and tranquilizers, another from high blood pressure. People were blessed as they tithed. Families were brought closer together in love. People learned to love their enemies.”

     I was permitted by my Administrative pastor to study in the evening. By God’s blessing I awarded Scholastic Awarded by the Zamboanga A.E. Colleges with free tuition fees every semester during the 1968-70 school years  I was re-appointed for another two years 1969-1971. During the middle part of 1970 we were able to buy a church lot along San Jose Road and built a multipurpose church building which we used at that time as our worship place and Christian education program activities. I graduated my Bachelor of  Arts degree in Zamboanga A.E. Colleges in April 15, 1970. The Rev. James Erb went on furlough so the conference re-assigned me to Zamboanga City. I continued my studies and took up educational units towards Bachelor of Secondary education. The membership of the Zamboanga City congregation continued to grew when I left for the seminary in June of 1971.

      I was admitted as Full Member of the conference and was ordained to the Order of Deacon on May 9, 1971 in Kidapawan Cotabato during the session of the Mindanao Annual Conference.

Seminary Studies at Union Theological Seminary.

     I went to Union Theological Seminary in Dasmarinas Cavite far away from the island of Mindanao. I was provided seminary scholarship through the Philippine Central Conference  Scholarship Fund, covering my tuition fees and board and lodging. Since I had no money for my personal needs, I applied as a student Library Assistant and during Saturdays I cut grasses and tend the gardens of some of our faculties for an honorarium. I enjoyed and survived my three year seminary studies. When I graduated in 1974 with the Bachelor of Divinity degree I was awarded the honor of Magna Cum Laude and Best in History.

Two Years Pastoral Work in the Capital of Bukidnon

    

During the conference session of Mindanao Annual Conference in June 2, 1974 held in Kidapawan, I was ordained to the Elder’s Order and was appointed to Malaybalay Methodist Church, That year the local church started a kindergarten school with an overflowing enrollees under our deaconess Ms. Ruth Beatisula. The following conference year 1975-76 Miss Fidela Loberiano, a graduate of the Bachelor of Kindergarten Education from Harris Memorial College was appointed in Malaybalay to take over the kindergarten school. Our local church school was the only kindergarten school in the capital province of Bukidnon.

     I had a fruitful ministry in Malaybalay and I also started mission work in Valencia City with the support of Mr. Amante Cabotaje. We had worship Sunday afternoon worship service in the house of a brother Mason. With that small group in Valencia I recommended that the annual conference also open a kindergarten school at a lot bought by the Rev. Spottswood years before.

Master of Theology Studies (S.E.A.G.s.T) and marriage

     I had become close and in love with Miss Fidela Loberiano our local church deaconess. I had thought at that time with Ministerial Ethics in mind that I had to leave Malaybalay to prevent the issue of a pastor in love with his deaconess. So during the Conference year 1976-77 I applied for a study leave to take up Master of Theology degree under South East Asia Graduate School of Theology based in Union Theological seminary. My physical separation from Fidela made me more in love with her. I re-applied for another year of study leave to complete my Master of Theology studies. With God’s blessings we married in Malaybalay on November 30, 1977 in a simple ceremony with financial support from friends, local church and the brotherhood of the Musuan Lodge of the Free Masonry in Malaybalay.

University United Methodist Church

      During the conference year 1978-79 we were appointed in Kabacan Cotabato as pastor of the University Methodist church and at the same time Director of the Mindanao Student Center. Working in an academic community and directing the programs of the Mindanao Student Center among the faculty and students of the University was challenging. We reached out to the USM community conducting Bible studies, seminars and fellowship. Mrs. Fidela Bilog started a church kindergarten school, and with joy we had our first child in September 15, 1978 naming her Francidelle.

      The kindergarten school started by Mrs. Bilog continued to increased in enrolment thereby having Nursery and Kindergarten sessions. A dormitory building for the USM students was built as a ministry of the Davao Student Center.  We conducted Bible Studies, offered Library facilities, conducted counseling and tutorials to some of the students in our dormitory which led them to attend the worship services of the University Methodist Church. We ministered at the University Methodist Church until 1981.

Director of Mission to the Visayas / Visayas  State College of Agriculture

      The Mindanao Annual Conference decided to start the opening of the mission to the Visayan island by appointing me as the Director of Mission to the Visayan islands to be base in the Visayas State College in Baybay, Leyte during the annual conference session in 1981.

      We stayed in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Aurora Alkuino, a former deaconess of the Methodist church and a faculty of the VISCA (Visayas State College of Agriculture)  for a few weeks. We were then able to rent a house along the highway of barangay Guadalupe. We started a house worship with two families, then three, four and when it reached five families we had to request the school to permit us to worship in one of the school room of the high school department.

      Using my experienced working with the students and faculty of USM I was able to reached the VISCA community. I visited, prayed, conducted Bible studies, became friends with the hospitable people of VISCA and the local congregation continued to grow and later we named the church as VISCA Community Church.

      We also started reaching out to the community immediately outside the campus of VISCA. Mrs. Fidela Bilog started to opened a Nursery Kindergarten school in purok Utod. Without a building she found a two storey house with vacant in the ground floor. She rented the house ground floor for her nursery kindergarten class. When the owner of the house saw and observed the class session, she enrolled her grandchild and offered her house free from the rent. When the Department of Social Welfare saw the results of the school they offered to co-sponsor it by providing milk and supplementary food for the children.

      We were able to penetrate the Utod community in our visitation and prayers through the ministry of the school. Normally most of the families in the communities belongs to the Roman Catholic Church  thus refusing the visits of protestant pastors but with teacher Fidela Bilog visiting with me, we were always welcome to their homes.

      When the Bishops cabinet were negotiating for us to go to VISCA I made a request to the bishop that we should at stay in VISCA at least four or five years in order to be fruitful. I even suggested with prayers that they give me full mission support for the first two year, deduct one third from our support during the third year, deduct one half during the fourth year and minus two thirds of our mission support on the fifth year. We were looking forward that on the six year the local congregation will be able to pay the full support of the workers. It happened Justas we worked and prayed for.

       During our third year in 1983, Dr. and Mrs. Wilfredo Floresca built a house in purok Utod and offered us to stay and use it as a parsonage. In that same year we transferred worshiping at the VISCA auditorium building with our growing membership. By this we had several faculties in our membership, such as: Dr. & Mrs. Wilfredo Floresca, Dr. and Mrs. Eliseo Ponce, Dr. and Mr. Samuel Go, Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Monera, Mr. & Mrs. Romagos, Dr. & Mrs. Villanueva, the president of VISCA, and others which I cannot remember.

     In 1984 we received money from the Philippine Central Conference that we used to buy a church lot in purok Utod  near the VISCA campus. So we started raising funds for the construction of the church building.

      While in VISCA we surveyed the possibility of starting Methodist work in some municipalities of Leyte such as Ormoc City, Kananga, Tacloban City, Isabel and Tomas Uppus. In 1984 I organized into a mission church in Tacloban.

      Being the only church workers in the Visayan Islands we missed the fellowship of other Methodist workers and churches, I was only very thankful that the Bishop of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines in the eastern Visayan always invites me to attend their church sponsored convocation, and seminars.

       When we left VISCA Community Church in June 1986, the local church was able to provide full support for their church workers.

      Our family grew during our five stay in VISCA.  Francisco Jr. was born in June 8, 1981 while Frederick was born in June 24, 1983.

     Ministries in Davao province

     When I felt that our mission in VISCA was completed, we requested to be back in Mindanao. So during the conference year 1986-87 we were re-appointed to the University Methodist church in Kabacan, Cotabato.

         We worked at UUMC just for one year and in the conference 1987-88 we were appointed in Davao City Central United Methodist Church..

        In 1987 Bishop Jose Gamboa Jr, envisioned the putting up of a cathedral in the heart of  Davao to  be  the seat of United Methodism in Mindanao. This will not only  be  a house of worship, but will include offices for the officials of the  church in the area and offer facilities that will cater or minister to the various needs of the people.

For this vision to happened, the First United Methodist church and Davao Central Methodist Church shall have to merge to make one bigger congregation. So I appointed as administrative pastor of both congregation during the conference yea 1988-89

A  Cathedral Committee was created to plan and bring the vision  of  a Cathedral to reality. Its first meeting was held on June 21,  l987,  where Engr.  Emmanuel  Sola was elected  chairperson.  The  Cathedral  Committee embarked  on fund raising campaigns, the first of which was the  Granadosin Brothers  Concert  held at the Central Bank Auditorium of Davao  City  last October 3, l987, which netted the amount of P123,000.00.

Bishop Jose Gamboa Jr. had a dream of establishing an educational institution preferably a Methodist college on the lot occupied by the First Methodist Church in Bo. Obrero.

The First United Methodist Church did not strongly expressed opposition of the dream of the bishop, however, in 1988, our church embarked on building a sanctuary that replaced the old church building to accommodate the growing membership of the congregation. The new church sanctuary was completed at the cost of Php. 1.4 million and was dedicated to the glory of God in 1990.

       During the session of MAC on May 14-17, 1987, I and Mr. Efraim Nicolas were elected General Conference delegates and attended the said General Conference during the following year in St. Luis Missouri, USA.

District Superintendent of the Mindanao South district.

       We were appointed in South Cotabato, as the District Superintendent and Fidela as the deaconess of Koronadal UMC during the conference years 1989-92  The district covers the geographical area of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and part of the Autonomous region of Mindanao, with 56 local churches.

      I spent most of my conducting charge conferences and leadership trainings. Today I am surprised how we survived, when my salary for months were always late for six months. The stewardship economy of the members were not in terms of money but on the things they produced in their farms and business ventures. So we live on the materials things they gave me when I visit their churches, such as rice, vegetables, live chickens, fish, and fruits.

      I learned many lessons of life on stewardships. One local church pays their pastor through the pledges of some members monthly, One landlord member was assigned to pay the salary of the pastor for one month, while the rest of the months of the year, the members of the church were divided by families and were assigned to pay their pastors for the month. The numbers of family assigned to pay the monthly salary of their pastor depend on their economic standing. When I studied the practice I discovered it has its weaknesses. Most of the member were farmers so if the month assigned to them was not harvest season they cannot pay their pastor, so they requested richer members to pay their responsibility promising to him later. Another weakness was that if the pastor forgets to visit a certain family during especial occasion they will say, “I will not give your salary for you are lazy.” One Sunday I preached on the  stewardship of tithing and made an altar call challenging members to come forward and promised to give their tithe to the Lord. When many came forward to the altar, I challenged them to faithfully fulfill their promise and if at the end of the year their local church was not able to pay the salary of their pastor, I will pay the unpaid amount. During the last charge conference I conducted with them, they reported with thankful hearts that the members who promised to give their tithe did so and they don’t owe from their pastor support.

      During my second year in that district, we divided the geographical area into two districts. Initially some laymen objected to plan of division saying that the district would not be able to pay their district superintendent with fewer churches. Bishop Jose Gamboa Jr said, with God’s you can do it. He said further, if at the end of the year any of these districts have not fully paid their superintendent I will pay the unpaid amount. At the end of the conference year the district superintendent were fully paid.

      My worked with the indigenous pastors and local churches was an educational experienced. I was able to recruit and mentor four Bla’an pastors and organized four indigenous Bla’an churches in South Cotabato.

      My children enjoyed the life in the rural areas with the hospitality and friendship of friends and Methodist.

Ministry in Davao City.

         During the conference year 1992-93 I was re-assigned to Davao City Central United Methodist Church. Upon assuming the office, I convinced the members to start the construction of the church. Several members argued we don’t have enough money and proposed that we wait until we have the full amount for the construction. I said, “we have been raising funds for the last five years and we only have around 500,000 pesos.” I said, “let us start building the church now and have faith fund raising as we built along.” One member threatened that he will stop coming to church if we start building without the full amount. He did so when we started building the church during the middle of 1992. It was indeed a faith fund raising for the building of the church. When the members saw the on-going construction they started to faithfully donate money for the building fund. During the construction years, only a skeleton carpenter force worked in the construction during the months of January to July, while the church zealously focus on fund raising. During the months of August to December the construction go full force with the money raised from January to July.

      The Administrative Council said. “I should remain as their pastor until the church shall be completed.” I also responded, “Ok, my salary shall remained as is, without any increase until the church is completed.”

      During the General Conference in 1996 I was elected as a member of the Board of Director of the General Board of Global Ministries for 4 years.

      In 1995 we tried to re-opened the Methodist work in Calinan, for we have church lot, with church building and parsonage but no congregation for many years. I had an associate pastor for Calinan for two years but was not fruitful We again requested for another pastor during the conference 1987-88 for Calinan, but again for two years not a single converts were made.

      We said, “its not the right time for Calinan, let us have the mission work in Toril area, and we did so. During the year 2000 Mrs. Dinah Serrano, our mission deaconess started a nursery class, Bible studies and visitation using the residential compound and building of General and Mrs. Jose Processo Torrelavega at Dumoy area. The worked was fruitful in Dumoy that we requested for an associate pastor and started building a church sanctuary for the worshipping congregation in 2001.

      I was again re-elected during the 2000 General conference as a director of GBGM for another four years. I was able to request for funding at GBGM for $30,000, another $5,000 from one of the Executives of GBGM for the church building. Through prayers and contacts the Chicago Temple UMC donated $10,000 and $1,000 from Mr. Greene, These generous donations from GBGM and from friends in the USA was able to complete the building of the Sanctuary during the month of March 2002. It took us 10 years to complete the construction of the church building, from 1992 to 2002. Having completed the church building under my pastoral ministry, I was now ready for appointment to other churches.

      The blessing of working in the city was the availability and lower cost of education for our three children during their high school and college days.

MINISTRY IN TAGUM CITY

       My local church appointment during the 2002-2003 conference year was in The United Methodist Church in Tagum City. The challenged of my ministry in Tagum City was to reinvigorate the local church in their mission as they considered important. Their local church mission of birthing a daughter church in New Corella, Davao del Norte came into realization in March 13, 2002, so when I came in as their pastor the local church focus their mission to start a mission congregation in barangay New Bohol, New Corella. The challenged to improved the Kindergarten Learning Center was to build a bigger classroom building. Financially, the local church do not have money to build a school building at that time. I prayed for guidance and came to a dream that it is possible to build a bigger school building. With consultation and support of the church officers they agreed. The plan was to raised 75 thousand pesos every year, which was the cost of one room. Counting the rooms of the proposed building to include a parsonage they will complete it on the year 2010.

       The dream for the school building was named Vision 2010. I was reappointed the following conference year, 2003-2004, so we started the construction for the first room and completed it that year. However, I was transferred to the First United Methodist Church, Davao City during the 2004 annual conference. The dream of the school building came into realization in 2010 when it was completed, they invited me to bless and consecrate the building.

MINISTRY AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, OBREO, DAVAO CITY

     Our appointment, me and Fidela, to First United Methodist Church, Davao City during the EMPAC 2004 annual conference, gave encouragement to the college studies of our children.

     Francidelle, our eldest daughter, completed her Bachelor of Medical Technology at San Pedro College in 1999, took the review for Medical Technology profession and passed. In the year 2000 she enrolled for Medicine course at Davao Medical School Foundation here in Davao City. While in 1998 Francisco Jr. enrolled at the University of Southeastern Philippines taking up Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and graduated in 2002. Frederick also enrolled at USEP in 2000 taking up Bachelor of Civil Engineering and graduated in 2004. He took the Civil Engineering examination review and passed the exam the following year 2005 for Master Plumber and Civil Engineer profession.

     The church continued to become the center of annual conference activities, such as hosting the EMPAC annual sessions last May 17-22, 2001, April 7-10, 2005, and April 19-22, 2007.

     During the year of 2007 Miss Marianne  Lou S. Adanza, a youth member of FUMC, won the National Championship of the Junior level of the 5^th Philippine Bible Society, National Bible Quiz.

     A remarkable mission endeavor at this time was the buying of a church car KIA Panoramic, the mission work for children in Tamayong, the opening of 9 children’s weekend religious classes in Davao city areas and the expansion growth of the church sponsored United Methodist School of Davao.

    A remarkable mission of the church was the educational development of youth. Scholarships were given to candidates for the ministry, either pastor or deaconess, at Southern Philippines Methodist College, Mindanao Methodist Bible School, Wesley Divinity Seminary and schools in Davao city.

    Some members of FUMC took leadership in some positions of the EMPAC: Rody Lucero: Director of GBHEM 2004-2008; President of the National Association of Lay Leaders 2001-2012. Mr. Victoriano Lozano, EMPAC Lay Leader, 2005-2008, EMPAC Lay delegate to the General Conference, April 2008, Forth Worth, Texas and EMPAC UMM conference President. Hope Duroon also served as member of the Board of directors of GBGM 2004-2008.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OF THE OFFICE OF THE DAVAO EPISCOPAL AREA BISHOP

       In June 2009 I was appointed as the Administrative Assistant of Bishop Leo Soriano, the Davao Episcopal Area Bishop. The scope of my work was very different from being a local pastor which I did for so many years. I became like a dynamic bridge linking to promote the leadership ministry of the Bishop to promote the life, and mission of the annual conferences, district conferences and local churches within the geographical area of the Davao Episcopal Area. I also tried my best to bring to the attention of the Bishop’s Office, Philippine Central Conference agencies and General Conference agencies the problems, concerns and yearnings of the Methodist community in the area. The fact that all my pastoral appointments were within the geographical area of DEA, my relationships with the church workers and my perspective on the life and conditions of the people gave me a remarkable foundation for the kind of fruitful respond to their needs and mission ministry.

       In May of 2013 I was given by the East Mindanao Annual Conference a retirement status based on the UMC Book of Discipline of mandatory retirement at the age of 70, since I turned 70 years old last March 16, 2013.

RETIREMENT STATUS

    There is no retirement in the ministry, though there is a retirement in the Episcopal Appointment of pastors to local churches and other church agencies. It is for this reason that the retired clergies of the UMC maintains their annual conference membership, District and local church Charge conference.

    I chose FUMC, Obrero, Davao City as my local church. Here when requested by the FUMC local pastor had the opportunity to preached, conduct the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Holy Baptism, pre-marriage counseling, funerals services and Dedication and Blessings.

    At the Annual and district level, I continued to commitment in teaching at the Basic and Advance Course of the pastor school. I also volunteered to serve as clergy Mentor to candidates for the ministry until they were ordained either as Elder or Deacon.

    Of course I had more time to be with my family, especially my grandchildren which I was not able to share when I was at the full pastoral ministry.

MINISTRY/SERVICE AT THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

1. Church District Level:     

1. District Evangelist- Bukidnon –  1974-76

     2. Chairperson, Committee on Nurture- 1978-1980

2. Chairperson, Committee on Superintendency – MNeD- 2000-2004 & MSeD- 2005-2008

3. District Superintendent, Mindanao South District, 1989-1992

     b. Church, Annual Conference Level:

1. Chairperson, Board of Ordained Ministry, East Mindanao Philippines Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. 1996-2008.
2. Chairperson, Committee on Episcopacy, East Mindanao Philippines Annual

         Conference of The United Methodist Church, 2000-2009.

     c. Chairperson of the EMPAC Conference Committee of Plan and Rules of

         Order- 2012-2016

     d. Chairperson of the Council on Ministries of the East Mindanao Philippines

           Annual conference of the United Methodist Church.

     e. Missionary to the Visayas, 1981-86

     f. Teacher at the following summer programs of The United Methodist

         Church: Pastor’s School, Youth Academy for Local Ministry, Daily Vacation

         Church School Teachers Training, Lay Speaking.

     g. Incorporators: East Mindanao Philippines Annual Conference Inc. 1993

     h. Board of Trustees Member, East Mindanao Philippines Annual Conference,

         Inc.

C. Church, National Conference (PCC) Level

1. Vice Chair of the Phil. Central Conference Committee on Episcopacy. 2008-2012
2. Executive Member PCC Committee on Plan of Organization and rules of order-2008
3. Member, Division of the Ordained Ministry- 2008-
4. Board member, PCC Board of Education- 1996-2000
5. Member, 2008-2012, 2017-2021 PCC University Senate-
6. Chairperson, 2013-2016 PCC University Senate
7. Consistent delegate to the Assembly of the Philippine Central Conference

Since 1984-2008.

8. Elected member, PCC Judicial Court, 2010-2012
9. Vice Chairperson of the PCC Committee on Episcopal Election, 2020

d. Church, International/Global  Level

1.  Member, Board of  Director of the General Board of Global Ministry, NY, USA,  1996-2000, 2004-2008
2.  Member, Board of Director of the General Board of Discipleship, Nashville

                       Tennessee, USA, 2010-2012, 2013-2016

      3. Member, Board of Director of the Upper Room Ministries 2010-2016

     4.  Member Division of Youth Ministry of GBOD for Young People, Nashville

           Tennessee, USA, 2010-2012.

     5. Member, Committee on Aging and Older Adults Ministry of The United

             Methodist Church, 2013-2016

6. Delegate to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in

         St. Louis, Missouri, 1988 

     7. Delegate to the General Conference at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA- 2004

 E. Church  Institutions

1. Member, 1^st Commission on Theological Education of Wesley Divinity School, Phil..
2. Taught as adjunct faculty of Union Theology Seminary  through its Theological Education by Extension (TEE), known in the secular world as distance Learning. 1977-80
3. Adjunct Teacher,  Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges, Kidapawan City.-2000-2004
4. Adjunct Teacher at Bishop Han Theological Seminary, Malaybalay, Bukidnon.-2010-2011
5.  Director: Mindanao Student Center, Kabacan, Cotabato, 1978-1980, 1986-86
6. Teacher, at the Mindanao Methodist Bible School, Tagum City.2000-2012
7. Corporation Member, Mary Johnston Hospital 2004-2008
8. Corporation Member, Wesleyan University Philippine 2011-2016
9. Corporation and Board of Trustees Member, Davao Methodist Mission Center, Inc.  2000-2012
10. Member Corporation and Board of Trustees of Union Theological Seminary, 2013-

G. Ecumenical, Community and Religious Involvement:

1. Delegates to the Biennial Assembly of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, 1986, 1990, 1992.
2. Member, NCCP Board of Education 1990-1994
3. Chairperson, Mindanao Ecumenical Council, NCCP Regional Council 1990.
4. Chairperson, Cotabato Regional Ecumenical Council (COREC) 1989  
5. Board Member; Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, Davao City  Chapter.      
6.  Master Mason of the Free and Accepted Mason of the Philippines,  Musuan

   Lodge 155, Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

7. Founding Member of Koinonia Davao- Association of Bishop, priest,

         A pastor of Davao City, Archbishop F. Capalla is one of the convenors.

8. Corporation Member, Tambayan,  Davao City 2005
9. Chairperson, Tambayan Board of Trustees, Davao City, 2005-2008
10. Co-Convenor & Member of the Mindanao Imams, Priest, Pastors Forum, 2008.