04/12/2025
๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ
Amid heightened public concern over corruption and declining trust in institutions in the Philippines, three respected religious leaders from the Catholic, Muslim, and Hindu traditions convened in a virtual Interfaith forum to discuss ethical leadership based on scripture. The forum was co-hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Philippines and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) Indonesia.
Held on November 29, 2025, the online forum was attended by religious leaders, educators, youth, media, and peace advocates from the Philippines and Indonesia. The event highlighted the importance of ethical leadership rooted in compassion, justice, and integrity in rebuilding public trust and strengthening the role of citizens, especially the youth, as leaders in their communities.
๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ: ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐ป-๐ก๐ฒ๐ด๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ
Dr. Renato Taib Oliveros, Catholic priest, peace advocate, and member of Jesuits Among Muslims in Asia (JAMIA), opened the discussion by drawing from both Christian and Islamic scriptures to illustrate the timelessness of moral law.
He cited verses from both Christian and Islamic scripture to emphasize that moral principles opposing corruption are foundational across religious traditions. However, he noted that todayโs widespread corruption reflects a gap between these teachings and actual societal behavior.
After highlighting these scriptural warnings against corruption, Dr. Oliveros turned his message toward the youth, urging them to rediscover their deeper identity and moral purpose. He shared that many young people today โsee themselves only as the one they see in the mirror,โ forgetting the inner dignity and spiritual depth that guide ethical action. He emphasized that true ethical leadership does not begin with new laws but with an inner transformationโreturning to oneโs values, virtues, and the core teachings of scripture.
๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
From South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Prof. Dr. H. Muhammad Galib M., MA, Professor of Qurโanic Studies and Tafsir at Alauddin State Islamic University of Makassar, expanded on how ethical leadership can only flourish when societies embrace compassion, mutual support, and unity across differences.
โDiversity must be approached with compassion,โ he stressed, โso that human beings can interact dynamically and harmoniouslyโfree from conflict, hostility, and bloodshed that may arise from differing interests.โ
Citing Surah Al-Maidah (5:2), he reminded participants: โHelp one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and hostility.โ
Concluding his message, he urged all to uphold unity and work together in building peace on earth, preventing disharmony and hostility across all faiths, cultures, and nations, โfor we are one humanity.โ
๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ : ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐
Missionary Hindu priest and youth lecturer Kavi Karnapura Das of International Krishna Consciousnes (ISKCON) highlighted a central message from the Bhagavad Gita (3.21): โWhatever action a great man performs, common men follow.โ
He explained that ethical leadership begins with consistency between oneโs values and actions. โ[If] you are a corrupt government officer or a leader, and you tell others not to do the same, it will not work. The first principle of ethical leadership must start from leading by example,โ he said.
He encouraged youth leaders, educators, and policymakers to integrate character formation, discipline, and servant leadership into educational systems so future leaders grow with integrity as their default compass.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Youth leaders shared reflections on how the forum strengthened their understanding of ethical leadership, followed by a Q&A session.
From the Philippines, Jhune Arcy, a student leader from Ilaya National High School, highlighted that despite the many challenges the Philippines faces today, a community guided by faith and grounded in Godโs teachings can overcome dilemmas and uphold peace and unity.
Matthew from Urdaneta City University shared, โThis event on ethical leadership did not only open my mind to new ideas, but reminded me to stay grounded in what truly matters as a leader."
Moving forward, HWPL Philippines and IPYG Indonesia expressed their commitment to holding similar interfaith learning spaces regularly, continuing to empower young people to become ethical, compassionate, and principled leaders.
To further deepen their understanding of peace, ethics, and interfaith harmony, participants and interested youth are encouraged to join the Religious Peace Academy (RPA)โa self-paced online program where they can explore interfaith perspectives and scriptural discussions covering various topics.
Those who wish to learn more may register here for free: tinyurl.com/JoinRPANow
๐ท/HWPL Philippines
