Rev. Theresa Eleanor Paano-Barrientos
DEA Executive Secretary and OIC Director for Communications

Davao City — The Davao Episcopal Area (DEA) formally launched its first-ever Gilas Kalikasan (EarthKeepers) Learning Institute and inducted 57 pioneer EarthKeepers during a four-day gathering held on January 27–30, 2026, at the Brokenshire Hotel, Resort, and Convention Center in Davao City.

The EarthKeepers is a training program of the Global Ministries intended for participants to develop and lead environmental sustainability in their communities. As an EarthKeeper and being inspired from his EarthKeepers Training a decade ago, Bishop Israel M. Painit, DEA Resident Bishop, envisioned and brought the program to the Davao Episcopal Area.

The institute featured worship services, lectures, exposure trips, and workshops designed to deepen ecological awareness and faith-based action. During the opening worship, Rev. Jerry Ganal emphasized that caring for creation is a response to God’s love, affirming that “to care for the environment is to care for the people.”

A series of lectures followed, beginning with Global Environmental Trends presented by Dr. Glenn Roy Paraso, Director of Global Ministries and UMCOR. He explained how the institute addresses three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: renewable energy adaptation, sustainable food production, and water and human survival. Engr. Riedo Panaligan, President of the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST), discussed the current energy landscape and practical applications of sustainable energy in homes and workplaces.

Nonito Olimpo, Chairperson of Agri-Eco Philippines, shared insights on organic farming as a pathway toward climate-resilient, seed-secured, and food-secured households, while advocating for policies that support sustainable food systems. Dr. Girley Gumanao, Vice President for Academic Affairs of Davao del Norte College and Program Director of Taklobo Tours, delivered a lecture titled “World’s Waters and Humankind’s Survival.” She provided participants with a virtual tour of Taklobo Tours in the Island Garden City of Samal, highlighting the critical role of Marine Protected Areas in conserving giant clam species.

Rev. Jenny Phillips, Executive Director for Environmental Sustainability of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), joined the institute for its entire duration. She delivered a comprehensive and thought-provoking lecture, “Our Faith, Our World: The Whole Inhabited Earth and What Our Wesleyan Tradition Teaches Us,” focusing on the stewardship of oikonomia, the Global Ministries Theology on Mission, and the United Methodist Church’s Social Principles.

On the second day, participants engaged in exposure trips to four thematic areas: sustainable food production at Mangayon Organic Farmers Association (MANOFA) Demo Farm in Compostela Valley, Davao de Oro, and Braulio E. Dujali Organic Producers and Rural Workers Association (BEDOPARWA) in Dujali, Davao del Norte; marine biodiversity through Taklobo Tours in the Island Garden City of Samal and the Pawikan Sanctuary in Davao City; recycling initiatives at EnviroTech Winder Waste Recycling Co. and Bantay Dagat Davao; and mangrove reforestation at the Panabo Mangrove Forest Park in Panabo City, Davao del Norte. (More details are available on the Davao Episcopal Area Facebook page.)

The third day featured additional lectures, including a session by Romuel Flores, Consultant for International Disaster Response of UMCOR, who trained participants on conducting carbon audits in homes and workplaces. Bishop Israel Painit followed with a Biblico-Theological Reflection entitled “What It Means to Be an EarthKeeper in the Davao Episcopal Area.” He emphasized that being an EarthKeeper entails faithful discipleship through creation care, climate justice advocacy, implementation of Social Principles and Green Church practices, and honoring Indigenous Peoples’ wisdom while addressing climate vulnerability and promoting resilient and sustainable futures.

The final lecture, “Communication Is Aid: The Case for Climate Mitigation and Climate Resilience,” was delivered by Larren Jo Basilio, Philippines Regional Conference Partnership Lead of United Methodist Communications. He highlighted the vital role of strategic communication in advancing climate mitigation and resilience within the UMC context in the Philippines.

Throughout the institute, workshops, debriefings, and sharing sessions provided space for reflection and commitment-building. Rev. Sheryl del Rosario shared that participants were challenged to take personal responsibility rather than placing blame solely on government actions. Mary Jane Ferrer expressed that the institute inspired her to speak up and advocate for environmental issues within her community.

DS Mercedita Antipolo delivered a deeply moving closing worship message, reminding participants that environmental destruction is equivalent to “stealing from the future of our children.”

The institute concluded with a powerful closing worship, during which Bishop Israel Painit and Rev. Jenny Phillips formally inducted the pioneer members of the DEA Gilas Kalikasan. As an act of commitment, the newly inducted EarthKeepers offered at the altar their written pledges for environmental stewardship and signed the EarthKeeper’s Pledge. The group also issued “A Statement of Solidarity in the Struggle for the Protection of the Environment and the Communities of Dupax del Norte,” affirming their opposition to destructive mining and their commitment to upholding community rights and environmental justice.