Misereor no longer co-convenor of Philippine advocacy group

MANILA (UCAN): The overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Germany, Misereor, has stepped down as co-convenor of Philippine-Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI), saying the role is no longer necessary. Steffen Ulrich, Misereor’s Philippine desk officer, announced the withdrawal during the PMPI’s general assembly in Manila on February 26.

However, Misereor remains committed to its role as a partner and donor of the PMPI, Ulrich said.

The PMPI is an advocacy network set up in 2003 involving more than 250 Church-based and civic and social development groups that receive funding from Misereor. Its advocacy work incorporates various themes including environmental and rights issues.  

The principal reasons for Misereor serving as co-convenor do not really apply anymore and are “seen as rather obsolete,” managing director Martin Brockelmann-Simon told PMPI member organisations in a recent letter

“Today, approximately half of PMPI member organisations do not partner with Misereor in terms of project funding,” Brockelmann-Simon said noted, adding, “Some of those only maintain a regular or when-needs-arise exchange; some even do not know Misereor at all.” 

As such, he said that the PMPI is no longer a network of Misereor partners anymore.

A different political climate and changes in society were also given as reasons for Misereor stepping back from its partnership with PMPI.

The German Church agency said that having Misereor included in PMPI’s name might give a false impression that it was pulling the network’s strings.

Misereor said it did not want to put the PMPI’s political and social development work at risk as it could hamper the work of the network.

PMPI president, Father Juderick Paul Calumpiano, said the organisation respected the decision and assured that any changes would not affect the amount or quality of services that it gives to communities.