Barangay Banaybanay, 6221 Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Philippines

Community Profile: Banaybanay is one of the furthest away Barangay (villages) of Bayawan City in the deep southern portion of Negros Island. Banaybanay is about 30 kilometers from Bayawan City and the travel time from the UU Church of the Philippines to Banaybanay is 4 hours by bus.

The congregational chapel is situated along the national road in Banaybanay. The members of the congregation live quite a distance from the chapel. They are daily waged workers on the sugar cane plantations. Some of them own the right to till the land their families have lived on for generations and some are land title awardees. The members meet for worship every Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

The Congregation: There are about 78 members of this congregation. This includes 17 families, 13 young adults and 19 youth/children.

The Minister: Rev. Henry Legaje, the past President of the UUCP, is the current minister of this congregation. He was educated in the ministry at Silliman University in Dumaguete. He speaks very well for the faith and is an excellent linguist, speaking the two dialects of the island, one of the Northern part of the Philippines, and English.

Contact Person/s for a partnership: Both Henry and his wife, Melca, speak excellent English and are enthusiastic in their desires to connect with North American UUs.

Rev. Henry S. Legaje, Purok 7, Cawitan, 6220, Sanata Catalina, Negros Oriental, Philippines.
Mrs. Johnabeth Espanola, Barangay Banaybanay, 6221 Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Philippines.

Why would the UUs of Banay Banay like to be in a congregational Partnership? Culturally, Filipinos like relations with foreign Nationals. The UUs in Banaybanay are farmers, and they are mostly impoverished. In a partnership they expect to establish mutual understanding and helpfulness.