SEN. MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO is right. In calling for character change instead of Charter change, the Catholic Church hierarchy in the Philippines should first admit its failure to inculcate Catholic values among Filipinos.
The Dec. 17 prayer rally only revealed that we Filipinos address every pressing national problem and issue by using passion instead of reason.
I always believe that Christ wants the clergy to lead in promoting love and brotherhood. Sadly enough, some priests, and even a few bishops, add to the chaos and misunderstanding in Philippine society today. They even encourage the use of violence to change governments.
They should first address the "character change" message to themselves before they preach it to others. --ROMULO VITOR, via e-mail
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Archbishop Cruz needs to reform Bishop Bactol
Bishop Filomeno Bactol
by ARCHBISHOP OSCAR V. CRUZ, D.D.
PHILIPPINE POLITICS has probably become the biggest obstacle to our socio-human development as a people, the most depressing reality in the life of our country. The mere mention of the word "politics" brings many different pitiful visions and painful reactions. The term "politicos" immediately and strongly carries many connotations — except what is really good and true, what is altogether honest and just.
In effect, it can be rightfully said that the way politics is understood and practiced by the present administration makes it synonymous with lying, cheating, and stealing. And more recently, specifically under the national leadership, politics has acquired more dangerous features, namely, narcissistic, delusional, and greedy for power — no matter the costs, whatever the means, with no holds barred.
The present overall manifestations and expressions of local and national politics in the Philippines are certainly not edifying, much less inspiring: Patronage politics. Politics of personalities. Politics of pay-offs. And lately: Transactional Politics. The combined product of all these political maladies is aptly captured by the shameful nomenclature of "trapos" appended to shameless politicians.
It is precisely of account of the above cited erratic politics and errant politicians that the Roman Catholic Church may not waive her mandate and mission to proclaim certain signal objective truths meant to guide the design and desire of the political community in this country. Otherwise, the Church would be an irrelevant institution here and now. And probably, the eventual loser would be the Filipino people — except the corrupt and corrupting politicians.
It would be rather easy and convenient for the Church to pretend to be — and act as — deaf, dumb, and blind on the deleterious agenda and acts of politics presently dominant in the Philippines. This would, however, be tantamount to the betrayal of her commitment of evangelization here and now in view always of the hereafter and beyond. Politics is a human activity. Human beings may not divest themselves of moral accountability for their actions. Even politicians may not be above ethical principles, above moral imperatives. Otherwise, politics becomes a vicious and odious social ingredient as it now precisely appears in Philippine life and history.
ETHICS AS established by Natural Law, and Morals as founded on positive Divine Law, are in the domain and within the competence of the Church. Yes, her human components may be weak and sinful like other ordinary mortals. But her divine element is what makes the Church essentially truthful that gives her a lasting existence and the pursuant long experience. Trapos come and go. But the Church remains to guide and pray for them now, and eventually to bury them and pray for their eternal repose.
Now and in the years yet to come, seeing the present disrespected administration and those still in waiting, confronted by the actual distrusted national leadership and others yet in the making, faced by the ruling trapos and the politicians coming on deck soon, the Church in the Philippines has to undertake the following more urgent, difficult yet necessary composite pastoral ministry:
Providing human formation and Christian education in the political life of the country in order to build a culture that does not separate politics and morals.
Guiding the conscience of the people in making a clear distinction between good and bad politics, praiseworthy politicians and unworthy politicos, trustworthy and dangerous political candidates.
Working for structural changes in Philippine politics that progressively do away with inculturated graft and corruption, and thereby gradually inculcate habitual right conscience in the exercise of public offices as public trusts.
Promoting laws that are premised on what is objectively right and just, and which assure and advance the common welfare of the citizenry.
Inspiring and urging the Christian lay faithful not only to be more involved in the political life of the country, but also to actually take a more active part in Philippine politics.
Whether the general public, and/or the political community in particular, would accept or reject the avowed pastoral ministry of the Church specifically in Philippine politics now and in the years ahead is eventually left to their respective option. Even the Good Lord respects the free will that He gave to human beings. Much less may His Church impose her Social Doctrine on the Filipino politicians. Hers remains the mandate to evangelize Philippine politics — among the other dimensions of Philippine society. To the politicians belongs the eventual decision to listen or play deaf thereto. But they may not claim that the Church did nothing to guide their lives as individuals and their ways as politicians.
The Church has a singular advantage that no politician or political party, no administration or national leadership can truly claim or could ever have: all the time to teach, all the time to guide, plus all the time to wait. Meantime, the Church in the Philippines may not and will not renounce its role and burden as the moral compass of the Filipino people, Philippine politics included.
Most Rev. Oscar V. Cruz, D. D. is the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan. He says he is also a priest who writes in the light of faith and reason.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Charter Change - and the Philippine Bishops
CHARTER CHANGE
CBCP spokesman says solons are missing the point
By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 06:42pm (Mla time) 12/09/2006
THE CATHOLIC Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has no official comment yet on the House of Representatives’ latest moves to revise the Constitution, saying members of its permanent council are still consulting each other for unified stand that will be released by Monday.
However, in what might be a foretaste of the influential group's reaction, CBCP spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio told reporters Saturday that Speaker Jose de Venecia and his allies were missing the point by now calling for a separately elected constitutional convention to amend the Charter instead of forming Congress into a constituent assembly for the same purpose.
"These people do not get the point. The point is the people do not trust them. The people can't entrust Cha-cha [Charter change] to those that they do not trust," Quitorio said, stressing that his words were his personal reaction and not the CBCP's.
Quitorio said that he was mystified by the motivation behind the rush to amend the Charter, adding, "We have lots of problems today, such as the devastation of Bicol by the recent supertyphoon. Why don't we address these first?"
"Charter change is not the problem of the common folk; those pushing for it seem to be obsessive-compulsive in doing so. There's something wrong here, why are they so insistent?" he said.
Asked if the CBCP would go ahead with its plan to stage a rally against Charter change and the constituent assembly on Friday, Quitorio said the faithful should wait for the announcement of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP president.
"He has not said anything about this yet, but I've been feeding him updates on the matter," he said. He added a meeting of top CBCP officials may be held on Monday to gather inputs from the CBCP permanent council members.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches said it was worried by the politicians' rush to amend the Charter and by the tension it has created.
"We are concerned with the action of the House of Representatives in pushing for a constituent assembly. In their objective to shift to a parliamentary unicameral system, they are conducting their business as if they were already a unicameral parliament," PCEC said in a statement.
While the constitutional issue of whether the Senate can be bypassed forming Congress into a constituent assembly is a matter for the Supreme Court to decide, PCEC said it believed "the welfare of the nation requires that congressmen and senators must engage in open and honest dialogue regarding all the relevant issues."
"We appeal to our lawmakers to rise above narrow, partisan and personal politics. Is statesmanship impossible in our beloved land?" it said.
The Protestant group stressed that they recognize that no Constitution is perfect, that there are many ways of amending it and that they support the shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government, calling the latter "more democratic and more efficient."
Like the CBCP, PCEC called on its faithful to remain "prayerful, vigilant, and sober," adding, "Let us all enter into the discussions on how to improve our Constitution. Can we do this freely and eagerly without calling each other names? Let us do so because we love our country. It is the only one we have!"
CBCP spokesman says solons are missing the point
By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 06:42pm (Mla time) 12/09/2006
THE CATHOLIC Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has no official comment yet on the House of Representatives’ latest moves to revise the Constitution, saying members of its permanent council are still consulting each other for unified stand that will be released by Monday.
However, in what might be a foretaste of the influential group's reaction, CBCP spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio told reporters Saturday that Speaker Jose de Venecia and his allies were missing the point by now calling for a separately elected constitutional convention to amend the Charter instead of forming Congress into a constituent assembly for the same purpose.
"These people do not get the point. The point is the people do not trust them. The people can't entrust Cha-cha [Charter change] to those that they do not trust," Quitorio said, stressing that his words were his personal reaction and not the CBCP's.
Quitorio said that he was mystified by the motivation behind the rush to amend the Charter, adding, "We have lots of problems today, such as the devastation of Bicol by the recent supertyphoon. Why don't we address these first?"
"Charter change is not the problem of the common folk; those pushing for it seem to be obsessive-compulsive in doing so. There's something wrong here, why are they so insistent?" he said.
Asked if the CBCP would go ahead with its plan to stage a rally against Charter change and the constituent assembly on Friday, Quitorio said the faithful should wait for the announcement of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP president.
"He has not said anything about this yet, but I've been feeding him updates on the matter," he said. He added a meeting of top CBCP officials may be held on Monday to gather inputs from the CBCP permanent council members.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches said it was worried by the politicians' rush to amend the Charter and by the tension it has created.
"We are concerned with the action of the House of Representatives in pushing for a constituent assembly. In their objective to shift to a parliamentary unicameral system, they are conducting their business as if they were already a unicameral parliament," PCEC said in a statement.
While the constitutional issue of whether the Senate can be bypassed forming Congress into a constituent assembly is a matter for the Supreme Court to decide, PCEC said it believed "the welfare of the nation requires that congressmen and senators must engage in open and honest dialogue regarding all the relevant issues."
"We appeal to our lawmakers to rise above narrow, partisan and personal politics. Is statesmanship impossible in our beloved land?" it said.
The Protestant group stressed that they recognize that no Constitution is perfect, that there are many ways of amending it and that they support the shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government, calling the latter "more democratic and more efficient."
Like the CBCP, PCEC called on its faithful to remain "prayerful, vigilant, and sober," adding, "Let us all enter into the discussions on how to improve our Constitution. Can we do this freely and eagerly without calling each other names? Let us do so because we love our country. It is the only one we have!"
Philippine Catholic Church in Politics
On Dec. 15, all roads lead to Rizal Park
By Carla Gomez, Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Christian V. Esguerra
Inquirer
Last updated 00:18am (Mla time) 12/08/2006
Published on Page A1 of the December 8, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE CATHOLIC Church is organizing a massive prayer rally on Dec. 15 against the House of Representatives' move to amend the Constitution by convening itself into a constituent assembly (Con-ass).
Part of the Church's plan is to fill up Rizal Park in Manila which, in rallies past, had held up to around one million people.
A Protestant umbrella group, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, is joining the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and the charismatic Catholic group El Shaddai in opposing the Malacañang-backed move in the House.
Other groups and individuals such as labor and peasant organizations and President Joseph Estrada are calling on their forces to oppose Con-ass.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the CBCP, issued on Wednesday a strongly worded statement describing the House effort as "fraudulently illegal and scandalously immoral."
The CBCP yesterday said simultaneous prayer rallies would be held in all dioceses around the country, according to Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, conference spokesperson.
The country has 86 dioceses, including the military ordinariate, the Church unit for soldiers and policemen headed by Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak.
"There is a need to respond more collectively to the present crisis produced by the prospect of Charter change (Cha-cha) by administration congressmen desperately bent on creating themselves into a constituent assembly," Lagdameo said in the statement titled "Watch and Pray: Magmalasakit Para sa Bayan."
He called on people to be vigilant, saying the temptation to manipulate and to hold on to power endangers the common good and the safety of the greatest number.
Rosales' blessing
Quitorio said the prayer rally had the blessing of Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, archbishop of the powerful Metropolitan See of Manila.
The low-key cardinal is known to shy away from politics, preferring instead to focus quietly on poverty alleviation and values formation programs in his archdiocese.
Rosales is expected to join other Metro Manila bishops at Rizal Park for the big anti-Charter change prayer rally, according to Quitorio. The other prelates are Bishops Deogracias Iñiguez of Caloocan, Antonio Tobias of Novaliches, Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, Jesse Mercado of Parañaque and Francisco San Diego of Pasig.
Quitorio said the rally was the bishops' reaction to developments in the House, particularly the adoption of the majority bloc's resolution convening Congress into a constituent assembly.
No more morals
"We are alarmed with what's happening at the lower house," he told the Inquirer. "There are no more morals, no more rules. The rule is what suits administration congressmen."
Quitorio said the CBCP was particularly dismayed that supporters of President Macapagal-Arroyo seemed more preoccupied with their political interest in Manila while thousands of Filipinos were dying and starving in Bicol in the aftermath of Typhoon "Reming."
He said it was unwise for the Arroyo administration and its allies in the House to push for Con-ass with apparent haste and questionable motives. "They're just instigating the people," he said.
Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. confirmed last night that he met with El Shaddai leader Bro. Mariano "Mike" Velarde early in the day in a bid to forge an alliance against the House-only Con-ass.
"I've been going around conferring with groups opposed to Con-ass to apprise them of the Senate position, as well as to get their position," he said.
The Senate invited Velarde, who earlier told the Inquirer that he would block the legally flawed House Con-ass, to a hearing set for Monday on the proposals to amend the Constitution.
The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, which pushed for the dismissed people's initiative to amend the Charter, sought a breakfast meeting with Villar today in a bid to broker a dialogue between the Senate and House on Charter change.
Nat'l Council of Churches
In a statement, the NCCP said it was joining "the CBCP and other sectors of society in their efforts to thwart this deceptive machination to tinker with the Constitution."
The NCCP said it was not against Charter change per se. "Amendments are necessary in order for the Charter to ensure the welfare of the citizens. No doubt, the present Constitution stands in need of substantial improvement, but definitely not at this time and certainly not for the wrong reasons," it said.
In Tanay, Rizal, where he is detained, Estrada urged Filipinos to go out into the streets and protest Con-ass.
"With every breath I have, I will fight this unconscionable rape of our Constitution and the murder of our democracy and freedoms," Estrada said in a statement.
He deplored the move of the House majority to convene a Con-ass without the cooperation of the Senate.
"As in 2001 when (President Macapagal-Arroyo) mounted a coup d'etat in January to depose [me], the Constitution was treated as a dirty rag. There was no respect shown for the Constitution and democracy, with the sacred document and covenant with the Filipino people trampled by the coup plotters," he said.
Estrada, despite five years in detention, remains the acknowledged leader of the United Opposition.
In May 2001, Estrada's arrest and detention caused thousands of his loyalists to come out into the streets and picket the Edsa Shrine in what would be called Edsa III.
Davao businessmen
In Davao City, businessmen are opposing Con-ass as a means of introducing amendments to the Constitution, an official of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) said.
DCCCII has about 386 members and is considered one of the country's influential business groups.
But lawyer Bienvenido Cariaga, DCCCII president, clarified the chamber was not against the moves to amend the Constitution. He said the chamber would prefer a constitutional convention (Con-con) as a way of introducing changes in the Charter to prevent politicians from inserting provisions that would serve their interests.
He said during the chamber's general assembly on Dec. 2, at least 55 members stood up for Con-con while only two voted in favor of Con-ass. Cariaga said on Tuesday the chamber distributed survey forms and found out that 99 percent of those who answered were against Con-ass.
He said businessmen fear that the Con-ass would become a venue for politicians to introduce changes that would only further their personal agenda.
Widespread protests
Militant groups are also gearing for widespread protest actions.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said it would mobilize its 1.5 million members to launch protest actions against Con-ass.
"We should also join our forces with that of the Church and the El Shaddai as well as other forces genuinely against Charter change and have the people's interest at heart," said KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos in an e-mailed statement.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno, Partido Manggagawa and Sanlakas said they were planning mass actions in Metro Manila and elsewhere against Con-ass.
"If they think the people would accept hook, line and sinker the Cha-cha they're cooking, they're mistaken," said KMU chair Elmer Labog.
Labog said that once the Constitution was opened to amendments or revisions, basic labor rights such as the eight-hour daily work, prohibition on contractual jobs and freedom to form unions might be removed.
Noise barrage
Members of Partido Manggagawa and allies Sanlakas and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino held a noise barrage at noon yesterday against Con-ass at Mabuhay Rotunda in Quezon City, along Edsa at the corners of North and Timog Avenues, Malinta interchange in Valenzuela City and SM Fairview.
Today, the Ilonggos' Movement Against Arroyo's Charter Change (I March) and Bagong Alyansang Mabayan in Panay will kick off their protest actions in Iloilo City.
In Ormoc City, Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, parish priest of the Saints Peter and Paul, called on the faithful to raise a collective voice to stop the "Cha-cha" train.With reports from Juliet Labog-Javellana, Norman Bordadora and Jerome Aning in Manila; Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas; Rizalene Acac and Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao
By Carla Gomez, Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Christian V. Esguerra
Inquirer
Last updated 00:18am (Mla time) 12/08/2006
Published on Page A1 of the December 8, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE CATHOLIC Church is organizing a massive prayer rally on Dec. 15 against the House of Representatives' move to amend the Constitution by convening itself into a constituent assembly (Con-ass).
Part of the Church's plan is to fill up Rizal Park in Manila which, in rallies past, had held up to around one million people.
A Protestant umbrella group, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, is joining the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and the charismatic Catholic group El Shaddai in opposing the Malacañang-backed move in the House.
Other groups and individuals such as labor and peasant organizations and President Joseph Estrada are calling on their forces to oppose Con-ass.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the CBCP, issued on Wednesday a strongly worded statement describing the House effort as "fraudulently illegal and scandalously immoral."
The CBCP yesterday said simultaneous prayer rallies would be held in all dioceses around the country, according to Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, conference spokesperson.
The country has 86 dioceses, including the military ordinariate, the Church unit for soldiers and policemen headed by Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak.
"There is a need to respond more collectively to the present crisis produced by the prospect of Charter change (Cha-cha) by administration congressmen desperately bent on creating themselves into a constituent assembly," Lagdameo said in the statement titled "Watch and Pray: Magmalasakit Para sa Bayan."
He called on people to be vigilant, saying the temptation to manipulate and to hold on to power endangers the common good and the safety of the greatest number.
Rosales' blessing
Quitorio said the prayer rally had the blessing of Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, archbishop of the powerful Metropolitan See of Manila.
The low-key cardinal is known to shy away from politics, preferring instead to focus quietly on poverty alleviation and values formation programs in his archdiocese.
Rosales is expected to join other Metro Manila bishops at Rizal Park for the big anti-Charter change prayer rally, according to Quitorio. The other prelates are Bishops Deogracias Iñiguez of Caloocan, Antonio Tobias of Novaliches, Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, Jesse Mercado of Parañaque and Francisco San Diego of Pasig.
Quitorio said the rally was the bishops' reaction to developments in the House, particularly the adoption of the majority bloc's resolution convening Congress into a constituent assembly.
No more morals
"We are alarmed with what's happening at the lower house," he told the Inquirer. "There are no more morals, no more rules. The rule is what suits administration congressmen."
Quitorio said the CBCP was particularly dismayed that supporters of President Macapagal-Arroyo seemed more preoccupied with their political interest in Manila while thousands of Filipinos were dying and starving in Bicol in the aftermath of Typhoon "Reming."
He said it was unwise for the Arroyo administration and its allies in the House to push for Con-ass with apparent haste and questionable motives. "They're just instigating the people," he said.
Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. confirmed last night that he met with El Shaddai leader Bro. Mariano "Mike" Velarde early in the day in a bid to forge an alliance against the House-only Con-ass.
"I've been going around conferring with groups opposed to Con-ass to apprise them of the Senate position, as well as to get their position," he said.
The Senate invited Velarde, who earlier told the Inquirer that he would block the legally flawed House Con-ass, to a hearing set for Monday on the proposals to amend the Constitution.
The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, which pushed for the dismissed people's initiative to amend the Charter, sought a breakfast meeting with Villar today in a bid to broker a dialogue between the Senate and House on Charter change.
Nat'l Council of Churches
In a statement, the NCCP said it was joining "the CBCP and other sectors of society in their efforts to thwart this deceptive machination to tinker with the Constitution."
The NCCP said it was not against Charter change per se. "Amendments are necessary in order for the Charter to ensure the welfare of the citizens. No doubt, the present Constitution stands in need of substantial improvement, but definitely not at this time and certainly not for the wrong reasons," it said.
In Tanay, Rizal, where he is detained, Estrada urged Filipinos to go out into the streets and protest Con-ass.
"With every breath I have, I will fight this unconscionable rape of our Constitution and the murder of our democracy and freedoms," Estrada said in a statement.
He deplored the move of the House majority to convene a Con-ass without the cooperation of the Senate.
"As in 2001 when (President Macapagal-Arroyo) mounted a coup d'etat in January to depose [me], the Constitution was treated as a dirty rag. There was no respect shown for the Constitution and democracy, with the sacred document and covenant with the Filipino people trampled by the coup plotters," he said.
Estrada, despite five years in detention, remains the acknowledged leader of the United Opposition.
In May 2001, Estrada's arrest and detention caused thousands of his loyalists to come out into the streets and picket the Edsa Shrine in what would be called Edsa III.
Davao businessmen
In Davao City, businessmen are opposing Con-ass as a means of introducing amendments to the Constitution, an official of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) said.
DCCCII has about 386 members and is considered one of the country's influential business groups.
But lawyer Bienvenido Cariaga, DCCCII president, clarified the chamber was not against the moves to amend the Constitution. He said the chamber would prefer a constitutional convention (Con-con) as a way of introducing changes in the Charter to prevent politicians from inserting provisions that would serve their interests.
He said during the chamber's general assembly on Dec. 2, at least 55 members stood up for Con-con while only two voted in favor of Con-ass. Cariaga said on Tuesday the chamber distributed survey forms and found out that 99 percent of those who answered were against Con-ass.
He said businessmen fear that the Con-ass would become a venue for politicians to introduce changes that would only further their personal agenda.
Widespread protests
Militant groups are also gearing for widespread protest actions.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said it would mobilize its 1.5 million members to launch protest actions against Con-ass.
"We should also join our forces with that of the Church and the El Shaddai as well as other forces genuinely against Charter change and have the people's interest at heart," said KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos in an e-mailed statement.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno, Partido Manggagawa and Sanlakas said they were planning mass actions in Metro Manila and elsewhere against Con-ass.
"If they think the people would accept hook, line and sinker the Cha-cha they're cooking, they're mistaken," said KMU chair Elmer Labog.
Labog said that once the Constitution was opened to amendments or revisions, basic labor rights such as the eight-hour daily work, prohibition on contractual jobs and freedom to form unions might be removed.
Noise barrage
Members of Partido Manggagawa and allies Sanlakas and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino held a noise barrage at noon yesterday against Con-ass at Mabuhay Rotunda in Quezon City, along Edsa at the corners of North and Timog Avenues, Malinta interchange in Valenzuela City and SM Fairview.
Today, the Ilonggos' Movement Against Arroyo's Charter Change (I March) and Bagong Alyansang Mabayan in Panay will kick off their protest actions in Iloilo City.
In Ormoc City, Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, parish priest of the Saints Peter and Paul, called on the faithful to raise a collective voice to stop the "Cha-cha" train.With reports from Juliet Labog-Javellana, Norman Bordadora and Jerome Aning in Manila; Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas; Rizalene Acac and Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao
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