In November, Lee, Renee and Karen from ICUUW met on Zoom with Rev. Jessa, Coordinator of the UU Women’s Association (UUWA) Philippines, Prescila (Precy), President of the UUWA, and Rev. Arman, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP) Church Administrator.
The purpose of the call was to hear about UUWA activities and to explore ways we can develop our connections with each other. We were also concerned about the impact the recent Super Typhoon Tino on Negros Island congregations and their activities. We learned that several of the congregations in the northern part of Negros Island had been hard hit by the typhoon and congregants sustained property damage and damage to their crops, but no injuries were reported. For the most part the roads are now passable and should pose no problems for youth traveling to Dumaguete for the Youth Conference in the days before Christmas.
Women Empowering Women Workshop
The UUWA is presenting a one-day workshop series on Mental Health and Wellness and Financial Literacy in four rural communities. The program, **Women Empowering Women**, is supported by a grant from the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility, administered by the UU Funding Panel.
Jessa is facilitating the program, and Precy is delivering presentations. At recent workshops, they were joined by two young women—a certified accountant and the program manager of the Children’s Legal Bureau—who contributed their expertise. The program reaches not only UU women but also the wider community, including men and local village officials. The UUCP believes that women play an essential role in society, and that educating them about their rights and capacities strengthens their resilience, confidence, and effectiveness as partners in church and community life.
So far, the seminar has been delivered in the Nataban and Nato communities. In Nataban, 30 participants attended—15 UUs and 15 non-UUs—and the event was well received. Participants even encouraged organizers to use a larger venue in the future to accommodate more people. In Nato, attendance was slightly lower—around 20 participants, including children—due to Typhoon Tino approaching the Philippines at the time.
The next seminars will take place in Nagbinlod in November and San Isidro in December. The UUWA would very much like to bring this program to more rural communities, but currently has funding for only four locations.
Financial Sustainability for UUWA
Financial sustainability is always an issue for advancing new UUWA programs and currently they are trying two new projects to raise funds for their work and UUCP. One is a coffee grinding project and the other is a printing and photocopying project. The possibility of a Faithify campaign exists, however the UUCP has many pressing needs at the moment and this may not be a priority. For one, the church in Caican is perilously close to falling into the sea as progressive beach erosion continues. Renee suggested exploring possibilities with the Kiva Microloans for projects such as coffee grinding and printing and photocopying. Best ways for individuals to contribute to help advance the work of “Women Empowering Women” can also be explored.
Inspired by Rev Rebecca Sienes
When discussing what motivates Jessa, Precy, and Arman in their work, all three shared that they have been inspired by the energy, courage, and dedication of Rev. Rebecca Sienes. Jessa, a third-generation minister, felt called to step up and continue the church’s mission and regards Rebecca as a guiding light. Precy, a longtime close friend of Rebecca’s, credits that relationship with helping her find the strength to leave an abusive situation and to encourage other women to seek the peace and self-determination they deserve.
Following in Rebecca’s footsteps, Arman remains tirelessly committed to developing and securing funding for a wide range of important projects aimed at improving the lives of Philippine UUs and their surrounding communities. His efforts include leadership training for UU youth, programs addressing climate change, repairing and saving church buildings, developing new religious education modules, and fostering international partnerships and friendships. Through this ongoing work, the mission of the UUCP continues to move forward with vitality and purpose.
March 2026 UUWA Annual Conference
Next March at the time of International Women’s Day, the UUWA will be having their Annual Conference in Dumaguete. Last year, several of us from ICUUW sent a greeting video to them. It was well received and the women would really like to hear from us again…either with another video, or perhaps a live Zoom connection. Let’s work on it…. We have an active ICUUW/UUWA Messenger group. If you would like to be added to it, please contact Lee Boeke Burke (
A final note about Rev. Rebecca Sienes: she is now mostly bedridden and being tube-fed. She is quite thin and rarely speaks. She continues to live with her son, Persie, and her daughter-in-law, Elvie. Arman reported that the one way to surely bring light into her life is to speak of the UUCP.