The Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute (MPI) is on the lookout for awesome virtual secretariat volunteers to assist its 2024 Virtual Peacebuilding Training happening from September 16, 2024, to November 15, 2024.

The volunteers will serve as class assistants for the two online peacebuilding courses that will delve into diverse themes on advanced peace education and proposal writing for Civil Society Organizations.

The Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute is calling for proposals for a Consultancy Service on the evaluation of the “Enhancing Capacities of Grassroots Peacebuilding Mentors, Phase II” project funded by Misereor as outlined in the pdf Terms of Reference (232 KB) . The evaluation period will run from May 15 to June 30, 2024.

For interested experts, please submit the following:

1. Application Letter with Updated Curriculum Vitae
2. Proposal based on the Terms of Reference
3. List of projects and organizations where similar tasks were performed. Please include at least one sample of your work.

Please email your applications to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on or before May 08, 2024.

“La paz no es solamente la ausencia de la guerra, sino, es la solidaridad entre los hermanos y las hermanas.”

Graffiti on a wall in Bolivia

I remember seeing the above quote many years ago, long before I joined MPI. It states that peace is not just the absence of war, rather, it is solidarity between brothers and sisters. This has been a guiding message for me as I have tried to be in solidarity with those with whom I live and work in whatever context and culture and has extended as much as possible to be in solidarity with our environment in order to work toward a holistic peace.

After ten years, I decided to retire from my work with MPI as of the end of January 2024. It was a difficult decision, made in part so that I could spend more time with Jet, my spouse and life partner, who already retired. I also felt that with Chris Vertucci leaving as director, it was time for the next generation to bring MPI into the future.

The MPI Grassroots Peacebuilding Mentors Training Program Midterm Workshop brought together a dynamic group of mentors for an immersive three-day experience. Held at the serene Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City from October 23 to October 25, 2023, the workshop aimed to foster deep connections, stimulate innovation, and generate transformative project proposals. Facilitated by the dynamic duo, Ashok and Florina Xavier, and Ambrosio “Brosh” Amper, a mentor from Phase 2 Batch 1 of the program, this workshop marked a pivotal moment in the mentorship journey of the participants.