Just wanted to share with you a letter involving Joseph “Boyet” Ongkiko which is somehow related to the IVCF BOT Statement regarding Mr. Ongkiko and Mr. Estrada.
Here goes…
March 16, 2009
To: Mila Pascual & BALIKATAN
From: Atty. Delano C. Sta. Ana And Jane M. N. Sta. Ana
Re: Resolution Of The IVCF Board On Cagayan Valley Ministries
Hi Mila,
Since we have just received your BALIKATAN e-mail without prior communication from the IVCF Board, we now address this to you. We expect that as you have published the IVCF Board that you treat us equally well by publishing this to all BALIKATAN and IVCF PHILIPPINES.
Let it be known by all that in view of the recent resolution of the IVCF board, we, husband and wife, Atty. Delano C. Sta. Ana and Jane M. N. Sta. Ana, after a long, consistent and faithful relationship and support for IVCF PHILIPPINES, are hereby severing all relations with IVCF PHILIPPINES and all its ministries, including Nurses Christian Fellowship, BALIKATAN or any other national or international ministries thereof.
Let the following facts be known by all:
That “IVPM Cagayan Valley” ( Cagayan province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya) ,the subject of the resolution, was initiated by a pure desire and burden by myself and my wife, who is a Cagayana, to share the gospel to the youth and to the professionals in Cagayan Valley as an IVCF’er would do;
That this burden started even before we left for the United States in 1970 realizing that there was and has never been any witness or work by IVCF in the Cagayan Valley Region;
That this burden was expressed repeatedly to several General Secretaries and especially to Elsie Calalang;
That this was expressed even to then BALIKATAN President Rolando Malincon and wife Eliza several times;
That we were and are willing and able to support two staff workers for Cagayan Valley Region;
That there was no positive response by any of the IVCF personnel or the IVCF Board in this direction;
That as a member of the IVCF Board in 2007, this burden for an initiative in Cagayan Valley was brought to the Board;
That because there was no action being taken, my wife and I took the initiative to fund the opening of this “project” with the full knowledge of the IVCF board; please note that until that time there was no IVCF work in Cagayan Valley in the North;
That the IVCF Board was fully aware of the direction being taken and raised no objections;
That in an informal meeting held with Southern Tagalog group- SVCF Los Banos graduates, IVCF Board Members: Edwin Erni and Jose “Jotique” Lamigo were present and appraised of the initiative;
That at this meeting, we noted that our initiative is in areas where IVCF does not have any work and whenever IVCF is ready and willing to take over including Cagayan Valley, we will relinquish the work to them but that time is of the essence we must continue the initiative;
That we found Joseph “Boyet” Ongkiko and Nicodemo “Nikko” Estrada who shared the burden for the Cagayan Region and partnered with us;
That they do not deserve the treatment and declaration the IVCF Board has just given them since we husband and wife are the sole initiators and supporters of the initiative but the resolution was not even directly addressed to us;
That Boyet Ongkiko is an unpaid volunteer who is working with us because he shares the burden and the same vision;
That Nikko Estrada is also a volunteer which is financially supported by us initially, but is not “IVPM Cagayan Valley” and the salary of Nikko which was a designated fund of 16,000 php monthly did not reach him in full but was drastically slashed to about 5,000 php even if it was a designated fund , therefore, we advised him to make a choice either to resign so he can support his family with full designated salary or get the fraction given by IVCF as a staff worker;
That no IVCF Board Member or staff directly came to us, my wife, in particular, as President of “IVPM Cagayan Valley”, as claimed in the resolution, regarding the call for affiliation to IVCF;
That Yoyit Roldan and Dr. Bel Magalit spoke to me over the phone (sent by IVCF?) In overture, the former to “discuss IVCF” and the latter to “mediate”; but since they are not privy to the privileged information I possess as a former member of the IVCF Board they are not the proper forum to address the issues;
That there was no direct call to my wife Jane M. N. Sta. Ana, being the president of “IVPM Cagayan Valley “(Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva vizcaya)”, in re “affiliation” or anything that the IVCF Board has now brought up; did anybody bother even to know who the rightful person to address the issue is? Did anybody really bother to get in touch with her as President of the SEC-approved group?;
That we took on the name of “IVPM Cagayan Valley” initially believing that we are, since 1958, members of IVCF, myself the first President of the FEU group now known as “Tamaraw Christian Fellowship” and my wife of the UP-PGH IVCF group, both KC grads, faithful supporters ever since, founding members of BALIKATAN, USA, and UGNAYAN Fellowship of New York, myself being the first and founding President of BALIKATAN, and then a member of the IVCF Board; what more evidence does anybody want to judge our “affiliation?”;
That this initiative has always been taken as a direction from the LORD and that long before this published resolution, i.e., in August , 2008, we had decided to change the corporate name to “Passionate Community for Christ” to reflect the new direction which includes not only Cagayan Valley but also Ifugao, Quirino, and Tarlac, realizing that “IVPM Cagayan Valley” has now become irrelevant to us; That this information was relayed to ND Erickson in November 2008 during IVPM National Conference in Lake Sebu; That the change in corporate name is being worked-out;
That we, husband and wife, as IVCF grads, recognize deeply that we are responsible to the LORD and only to the LORD, no one else: not any organization, group, or person; and that whatever connections we have with IVCF should be beyond what you now call “affiliation”. For what is a better “affiliation” other than recognizing the simple fellowship of kindred minds and hearts and true brotherhood in Christ?
That from my point of view “affiliation” is irrelevant, fallacious and misleading. The current IVCF Board of Trustees is assuming power and authority that does not belong to them. As explained by Atty. Jordan Reyes, current member of the IVCF Board of Trustees, the IVCF Student Ministry and IVPM are two parallel organizations, therefore, one cannot be subject to another. This issue is so esoteric that I will discuss it only with people who have legal background.
Finally, we pray that we may all achieve unity and oneness of mind that can only come through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, remembering that Paul and Barnabas agreed to disagree over the issue of Mark, and they parted ways only after a direct albeit heated or “sharp” discussion, may we too part ways, yet pursuing as guided by the Holy Spirit what God has led us to accomplish for His Glory.
Got a copy of the above letter from Boyet Ongkiko.