North American Division Approves Filipino Advisory, Affirms Arreola as Leader
COLUMBIA, MD – The North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has officially voted to approve the formation of the NAD Filipino Advisory, marking a significant milestone for the Filipino Adventist community across the Division.
The Advisory’s Terms of Reference (TOR) will be finalized following the 2025 NAD Year-end Meeting, part of the Division-wide quinquennial TOR review. As with other ethnic advisories, it will be chaired by the NAD Vice President for Multilingual Ministries. While financial support from NAD will be limited to pre-approved routine expenses, independent source of funding may be facilitated by the Advisory.
A Historical Journey of Faith
The NAD Filipino Advisory (NADFA) emerges from the work of the North America Adventist Filipino Churches Association (NAAFCA), a movement rooted in decades of faithful ministry by Filipino churches and leaders. In 2015, pastors and lay leaders convened during the 60th General Conference Session in San Antonio, Texas, and voted to formally organize NAAFCA the following year.
In 2022, Elder VicLouis Arreola III, PhD in Christian Leadership and Doctor of Theology, was elected Coordinator of NADFA, leading the advisory toward formal recognition. He concurrently serves as Vice President for Asian Pacific Ministries at the Pacific Union Conference. He is joined by Elder Elizer Sacay, an attorney and member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, as Executive Secretary, and Elder Joeveney Macabeo, a PhD candidate in Church Administration and Management, as Director of Mission and Strategy.
In May 2025, during a NAAFCA-Pacific Union Conference (PUC) chapter meeting, the pastoral constituency voted to reaffirm Elder Arreola’s leadership. In conjunction with the 62nd General Conference Session in St. Louis, Missouri, the NAD leadership confirmed his appointment as NADFA Coordinator through 2030.
NADFA’s recognition is the result of a Spirit-led and transparent process. It began with the submission of the Filipino Ministries 10-Point Strategic Growth Priorities, a proposal presented to Elder Minervino Labrador, Jr., NAD Vice President for Multilingual Ministries, and referred to Elder Kyoshin Ahn, NAD Executive Secretary. This pathway affirms the legitimacy of NADFA’s formation and the visionary leadership behind it.
A United Vision Forward
NADFA represents a passionate vision to expand ministry impact and serve the growing, intergenerational, and multiethnic Filipino community in North America. Through missiondriven outreach and discipleship, the advisory is poised to strengthen Filipino Adventist work across the Division and beyond. “We move forward with a united vision,” said Dr. Arreola. “This is not only a recognition of our decades of faithful labor and prayer, but a call to deeper commitment and spiritual devotion in service to God and to one another.”
