December 12, 2024
On November 23, the Philippine Bible Society (PBS) held a special anniversary celebration to mark 125 years of Bible ministry in the Philippines—a clear testament that the Lord has been with PBS every step of the way. The event was held at the PBS Tower, which is found in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila.
PBS General Secretary, Mrs Victoria Esperanza Z. Cartera, reflected upon this significant milestone anniversary:
“The Philippine Bible Society has gone through several storms, earthquakes, floods, fires, the ugliness of war, economic crises, a pandemic, and changes in leadership, both in the ministry and in the nation. But all of these have not been able to stop the mission of translating the Word of God into different languages and distributing it to Filipinos everywhere.”
“…Throughout my 36 years at PBS, I have witnessed how God used the Bible Society to change the lives of thousands and thousands of people—including myself. Every person who has been, and who is, a part of this ministry was chosen by God. Our service in the Bible ministry is not an accident. It is a great honour and privilege to be enabled to serve God through the Philippine Bible Society.”
Romans 8:39a was chosen as the verse which best captured the theme of the event: “…there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:39a (GNT)
Milestone Celebration
Such a significant milestone required a special event, and the program featured:
- The dedication of the PBS Bible Museum, highlighting “How the Bible Came to Us.”
- A Bible Parade presenting some published translations of the Bible from the three major islands of the Philippines – carried by PBS staff and representatives from PBS’s partner translation organizations.
- A recorded message from UBS Secretary General, Rev. Dirk Gevers.
- A recorded message from CEO of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Mr. Paul Williams.
- A written message from President and CEO of the American Bible Society, Dr. Jennifer Holloran
- A message from President and Chairman of PBS, Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno (Ret.).
In his message, Rev. Gevers referenced 2 Timothy in his encouragement of PBS and their continued legacy:
“As you have carried forward what was handed to you by your predecessors, you too are laying a foundation for those who will follow you, into the years ahead. Truly, this is a testimony to the truth of what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, when he made that affirmation, “…the Word of God is not in chains.” The Word of God cannot be bound. But the Word of God is living and active, ever seeking – to bring to people the redemptive love of God.”
Appropriate for an event which marked such a long period of ministry, former and current leaders of PBS were honoured, including Presidents of the Board, Board Members, and General Secretaries, with tokens of appreciation for their dedication and service.
Other highlights included performances from a choir, the Archstar Percussion marching band, and the Rizal Technological University’s Kultura Rizalia Troupe, as well as a message from guest speaker, Rev. Dr. Stephen Tan, and a cake-cutting ceremony.
PBS also unveiled a new Memory Lane shares its history. Additionally, a commemorative Bible was released containing the Tagalog 1903 New Testament and the Tagalog 1905 Old Testament, both of which made up the first complete translation of the Bible in a Philippine language. The commemorative Bible was offered to donors for $100 each in order to raise funds for PBS’s Filipino Sign Language Bible translation project.
The anniversary celebrations were streamed live on Facebook and are available here.
History of PBS
In 1898, more than 300 years of Spanish rule came to an end in the Philippines. While Bible ministry in the Philippines already began prior to 1899, the official start of formal Bible Society work is recognised as the arrival of Rev. Jay Goodrich – appointed by the American Bible Society (ABS) to serve as its Manila Office agent. Four days after Rev. Goodrich arrived on November 26, he set up the first ABS Bible depot in the Philippines.
Over the next 125 years, Bible ministry in the Philippines had been characterised by the dedication and collaboration of different groups to make Scripture accessible to Filipinos in their heart languages. During the late 19th century, the American Bible Society (ABS) and the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) worked together, producing the first Bible translations in Tagalog and other local languages. Over the years, local translators and missionaries expanded their efforts, publishing Bibles in other widely spoken Philippine languages such as Cebuano, Ilokano, and Hiligaynon. Their perseverance laid a strong foundation for continued Bible distribution and translation work despite natural disasters and wartime disruptions.
By the mid-20th century, the Philippine Bible House evolved into the independent PBS, achieving full autonomy in 1966 and becoming a full member of the UBS Fellowship. This period saw significant advancements in Bible translation, including the introduction of interconfessional translations that united Catholic, Evangelical, and mainline Protestant translators and scholars. PBS also played an essential role in shaping national culture, with initiatives like the establishment of the National Bible Week and the National Bible Month and the release of accessible meaning-based Bible versions such as the Tagalog Magandang Balita Biblia. Through these efforts, PBS became a self-supporting organization, contributing in many ways to the global Bible translation movement.
In recent decades, PBS has embraced technological advancements to further Scripture engagement, releasing new materials that include Scripture selections and tracts, as well as audio Bible recordings and diglot Bibles. Major projects, including the “May They Be One” campaign and translations for underrepresented languages and communities, also continue to make God’s Word accessible.
This motivation has recently been exemplified in the release of Ang Bible: Pinoy Version, a heterogeneous language Bible translation in Taglish. Taglish is a mixture of English and Tagalog, primarily spoken by young Filipinos in metropolitan Manila but also in areas throughout the rest of the Philippines. Aside from this, PBS has also released the BibliApp Pilipinas Bible application to ensure that the Word of God reaches Filipinos everywhere.
As PBS celebrates its milestones and adapts to contemporary needs, it remains steadfast in its mission to bring the Bible to everyone. The Bible Society used to rely solely on the work of colporteurs and Bible women to distribute physical copies of the Scriptures, but it can now reach all Filipinos, regardless of where they are, through its Bible application. There are truly no boundaries to the Word of God because, by God’s grace, PBS will continue to work with its partner churches and organizations to distribute the Bible and transcend geographical, media, and sense boundaries. The Bible is truly for everyone.
