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A Tribut to Pastor Ayag Fontillera
July, 2007
Pastor Fontillera went home to be with the Lord early in the morning on August 4, 2007.
Pastor Ayag Fontillera
October 20, 1916- August 4, 2007
"We honor the man who blaze the trail and faithfully sowed seeds of the gospel in the mountains.
Now we can see trees of righteousness flourish over the places he watered with tears of his supplications.
Pastor Ayag has fulfilled his call. The Lord welcomes him as he enters the fulness of joy!" - Bishop Daniel Balais
Philippines for Jesus Movement (Secretary General)
Intercessors for the Philippines (Chairman)
Also by PIO GABAD ARCE (written shortly before Pastor Fontillera's death)
Pastor Ayag Fontillera.
His wrinkled bony face reveals the hard rugged life he lives. Yet, his eyes reflect a character built by
faith and endurance.
Ayag Fontillera is a CMA itinerant pastor who pioneered churches among indigenous tribes of Davao and
Cotabato in Southern Philippines since 1945. He spent most of his life ministering to the Matigsalugs,
a people he consider his own. The Ata Matigsalug is a tribal group found in the hinterlands of Bukidnon
and the mountain districts of Davao City.
Pastor Ayag refused to retire in his work. He is unceasing in his labor to win these highland minorities
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The lowly pastor is a man of prayer. He consistently wakes up very early in the morning to pray. For hours,
pastor Ayag would plead aloud for his people. Amidst the chirping of crickets and constant cry of mountain
birds, his pleadings, carried by the gentle breeze find their way to heaven.
Pastor Ayag is a man of endurance. For many years he was cut off from civilization with no promise of
support. The assurance of God’s calling in his life sustained him and his family in this primitive
condition. They live on whatever the wilderness offers. Whether its rice, corn, sweet potatoes, or nothing
on the table, pastor Ayag has learned to be content.
In the early days when there was a lack of ministers in the mountains, he and his wife would separate
ways ministering in distant tribal villages. Sometimes it would take weeks before they see each other again.
Many of these tribal villages are so distant from one another, that to reach them would mean grueling
hours of travel by foot. With a native guiding him,PastorAyag walks through treacherous mountain trails
and braves swift river currents.
On many occasion death stalks him on the way. Once he was hunted down by rebels after being falsely
accused by people who disliked him. With each danger God always intervened. He uses the Matigsalug people
to protect pastor Ayag. One Matigsalug native inspired by the pastors’ love for them made him a song.
Part of the lyrics was translated: We have all sorts of problems until Pastor Ayag came.
Significant changes have taken place after he started work among the Matigsalug in the 70’s. The natives
were in bondage to appeasing mountain spirits. Their great fear leads them to poverty. They have fertile
lands and a good opportunity to farm them, but they could not because of their fear of demons and spirits
that inhabit the place. After the gospel was preached, pastor Ayag led the people to work the land showing
the people that God is more powerful than the spirits. Since then the place is farmed prosperously.
Pastor Ayag is a peacemaker. Matigsalug chieftains have a high regard for him. They would consult him for
his wisdom. He was instrumental in settling tribal disputes and averted fighting between feuding clans.
"I could not forget the man," narrates a medical volunteer who visited the Matigsalug people in 1986.
"It was a Sunday morning. We were waiting for our bamboo rafts that would take us to villages down river.
Curious villagers gathered around us. Suddenly, I saw pastor Ayag took off his old woolen sweater revealing
an equally tattered barong shirt. Dressed for the occasion, he held a service by the river bank. With deep
convictions, he began to preach on holiness and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Watch therefore, for you do not know the day or the hour when the Son of Man cometh, the old pastor
quoted from scriptures.
His faithful service has paid off. Many of his converts are now pastors. In 1997, with the blessing of the
CMA, he co-founded Simbahang Kristianong Lumad Inc (SIMKRIS), which has churches in Bukidnon and Marilog
district in Davao City. SIMKRIS has also established Kalayahan tribal training center in Gumitan, Marilog
district where pastor Ayag pioneered his first church among the Matigsalug people.
Pastor Ayag Fontillera’s desire is to see many Matigsalug pastors not only reaching to their own people
but other tribes as well. He also desires the education of Matigsalug children.
Pastor Fontillera (in blue) at the 6th WCGIP, September, 2006
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