The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Evangelical Fellowship (EF) has raised concerns over ongoing joint venture agreements involving church-owned properties, warning that these arrangements could affect both governance and control of key mission institutions.
In a press conference in Davao City on Monday, the group flagged partnerships involving major developers, saying the deals may have been entered into without sufficient consultation and clear constitutional basis.
Lawyer Ed Fortaliza said one case involved a joint venture with Vista Land and Apple One, citing developments in Cebu City where a building intended for a medical center near the Visayan Community Medical Center (VCMC) and Bradford area was lost to a private firm.
“Apple One now owns the building, and the church retains only the land,” Fortaliza said, attributing the situation to what he described as mismanagement of the medical facility.
Pastor Wenzyl Dejolde, meanwhile, said the UCCP Board of Trustees had surrendered 60 percent of its shares in the joint venture to Apple One, with an additional 5 percent valued at around P42 million approved in subsequent meetings, bringing the total to 65 percent.
While clarifying that the arrangements were structured as leases rather than outright sales, Dejolde stressed that transferring majority shares effectively gives up decision-making power over hospital operations and mission-related functions.
He said this setup has resulted in Apple One gaining majority control over the Brokenshire Integrated Health Ministries Inc. (BIHMI) in Davao City.
In a statement, the UEF maintained that the issue goes beyond asset management, pointing to what it described as a broader shift in church governance.
The group expressed concern over proposed amendments to the UCCP constitution, which it said could expand the powers of national leadership bodies and reduce the role of local churches.
The fellowship underscored that the UCCP has historically upheld local church autonomy and democratic governance since its establishment in 1948, warning that increased centralization could erode these principles.
The group also described the joint venture arrangements as part of a growing trend toward the commercialization of church assets, which it said were originally established as mission institutions serving communities.
The group further flagged the UCCP assembly set in May 2026 in Tacloban City, where constitutional amendments are expected to be tackled expressing concern that these changes could retroactively legitimize existing agreements and institutionalize centralized control.
UEF called on church leaders to suspend further joint venture transactions, ensure transparency in all agreements, and comply with constitutional processes.
It also urged delegates to carefully scrutinize proposed amendments that may weaken local church participation.
The fellowship said it would continue to pursue appropriate ecclesiastical and legal actions while advocating for the protection of the church’s mission and institutional integrity.
