Month: May 2018

The Asian Social Institute (ASI), the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas, ChaCharot: Samahan ng Tutol sa Charter Change, and the Urban Poor Associates, are jointly convening a Kongreso ng Taumbayan, to insist that national decision-making must include the opinions most important stakeholders: the poor.

The Kongreso brings national focus to the issues that matter the most: food security, quality and sanctity of life, and the chance for a better future for all.

These issues should take up the time wasted on the attempt to change the Constitution.

Rice, EJK, and the TRAIN that struck the poor badly —BIGAS, TODAS, HAMPAS — preoccupy the poor.

Supposedly, these issues will be addressed by charter change. A shift to a Federal form of government —according to the Administration mouthpieces — will guarantee equitable distribution of resources and fully decentralized governance Therefore, they say: sure-fire food on the table, available work, wellbeing.

But the facts are clear. Today’s scandalous price of rice, the even more horrible prospect of no rice to buy, the constant threat of death by execution or as collateral damage in poor communities, and the extreme trials of the daily commute and extremely low buying capacity —among many other Calvaries endured by the poor—clearly shows that the welfare of the poor is last on the minds of the present Administration.

Even if Federalism proves a good option in the future, in the hands of the Administration today, any turn to Federalism will lead to anti-poor, anti-democracy outcomes.

Objectives

The Kongreso ng Mamamayan is convened, therefore, to set our priorities right as a nation.

Place the poor at front and center of national policy: this is the mantra of the gathering. Make sure there is food to eat at affordable prices, work available at decent wages, and efficient ways to travel to and from work—even before demanding more sacrifices in the name of so-called progress. In fact, all government policy and programs cannot be progressive if decision-making happened only among politicians.

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CBCPNews
May 3, 2018
Manila, Philippines

Catholic bishops have issued a prayer to be recited by churchgoers for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Released today by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, it asks for the “wisdom” to elect people “who will work for truth, justice, and the upliftment of human dignity”.

It also expresses the wish for a “gift of discernment” so that voters will elect candidates who will be able “to give a voice to the poor, the powerless, the abandoned, and the oppressed.”

Fr. Marvin Mejia, CBCP Secretary General, said it will be prayed in Masses from May 6 until May 13.

“It is suggested that it be said after the Post Communion Prayer of the Mass in all the masses,” according to him.

The prayer for the May 14 polls, which is available in English, Tagalog and Cebuano translations, was released on the eve of the start of the campaign period.

Prayer For The Barangay Elections

Lord God,
we come to you as the Barangay Elections approaches.
In Christ, you have given us the model
of a servant who lays his life down for his sheep.
Give us the wisdom to elect women and men
who will work for truth, justice, and
the upliftment of human dignity.

We ask you to enlighten our minds and hearts
so that we may search for Shepherds after your Son’s heart
to watch over our barangays.

Teach us Christ’s way of looking at people –
so that we will be able to give a voice
to the poor, the powerless, the abandoned, and the oppressed.

And finally, grant us the gift of discernment –
so that we may wisely exercise the gift of suffrage
as an expression of our desire for peace
and love for neighbor.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.
Saint Michael and all Holy Angels, watch over us.

Panalangin Para Sa Halalang Pang-Barangay (Tagalog)

Panginoong Diyos,
dumudulog kami sa iyo habang papalapit
ang Halalang Pang-Barangay.

Kay Kristo, binigyan mo kami ng huwaran
ng isang lingkod na handing ialay ang kanyang buhay
para sa kanyang kawan.

Pagkalooban mo kami ng dunong
na makapaghalal ng mga babae at lalaking
magtataguyod ng katotohanan, katarungan,
at pagtataas ng dignidad ng mga tao.

Hinihiling naming liwanagan mo ang aming mga utak at puso –
upang makahanap kami ng mga Pastol na hinulma sa puso ng iyong Anak
na mangangalaga sa aming mga Barangay.

Ituro mo sa amin ang pamamaraan ng pagtingin ni Kristo sa mga tao –
upang mabigyan namin ng boses
ang mga mahihirap, mahihina, inabanduna, at mga inasapi.

At huli, tulutan mo kami ng biyaya ng pagwawari –
upang matalino naming magamit ang biyaya ng paghahalal,
bilang pamamaraan ng pagpapahayag
ng aming pagnanais para sa kapayapaan,
at ng aming pag-ibig para sa aming kapwa.

Hinihiling namin ang lahat ng ito
sa pamamagitan ni Kristo, na aming Panginoon.
Amen.

Maria, Reyna ng Kapayapaan, ipanalangin mo kami.
San Lorenzo Ruiz at San Pedro Calungsod, ipanalangin ninyo kami.
San Miguel at lahat ng mga Banal na Anghel, bantayan ninyo kami.

Pag-Ampo Alang Sa Piniliay Sa Barangay

(Cebuano)

Ginoo among Dios,
mianhi kami nimo sa okasyon sa umaabot na Piniliay sa Barangay.

Diha kang Kristo, gitagaan mo kami og modelo
sa usa ka sulugoon nga naghalad sa iyang kinabuhi
alang sa iyang mga karnero.

Hatagi kami sa kaalam sa pagpili sa mga babaye ug lalaki
nga kinsa magserbisyo alang sa kamatuoran, hustisya,
ug pagtuboy sa dignidad sa tawo.

Lamdagi ang among mga hunahuna ug kasingkasing –
aron makakita kami og magbalantay
nga naay kasingkasing sama sa imong Anak
na magbantay sa among mga barangay.

Tudloi kami sa paagi ni Kristo sa pagtan-aw sa mga tawo –
aron makahatag kami og tingog
sa mga kabus, sa mga walay gahum,
sa mga gibiyaan, ug sa mga dinaugdaug.

Ug sa katapusan, hatagi kami sa gasa sa pag-ila –
aron maangkon namo ang maalamong paggamit
sa gasa sa pagpili
isip pagpahayag sa among tinguha alang sa kalinaw
ug paghigugma sa among isigkatawo.

Kini among gipangayo pinaagi ni Kristo na among Ginoo.
Amen.

Maria, Rayna sa Kalinaw, i-ampo mo kami.
San Lorenzo Ruiz ug San Pedro Calungsod, i-ampo ninyo kami.
San Miguel ug mga Santos nga Angheles, bantayan kami.

Photo credit: Hataw Tabloid

Supreme Court to Decide on Quo Warranto on May 11

Supreme Court insiders gave information that the SC Justices agreed to a special en banc meeting on May 11. This is highly unusual given that the SC is in recess and is scheduled to return to work only in June. The only possible reason for them to convene at this time is for them to “go for the kill” and decide on the Quo Warranto petition against CJ Sereno.

They want CJ Sereno out of the SC before Congress reconvenes and decides on the impeachment case, and sends the Articles of impeachment to the Senate. If the SC is able to do that, the House can declare the impeachment case moot and academic and no longer has to act on it. This is tantamount to the SC usurping the power and authority of the Senate, because according to the Constitution, the Chief Justice may be removed only by impeachment in a Senate trial.

By removing CJ Sereno by Quo Warranto, she will be denied her day in court, and she will be denied her right to defend herself against the slanderous accusations hurled against her in the House Committee of Justice hearings.

This is why it is critical that we do everything possible to stop the SC from making the biggest mistake they will ever make by deciding on the Quo Warranto petition. We must demand that Congress finish what it started and bring the impeachment case to the Senate as soon as possible.

Statement on Quo Warranto on PDI

We gathered over 300 names of prominent and influential people in government, arts, civil society and the church in support of a public statement against the Quo Warranto petition against CJ Sereno. The statement was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 2. (please see attached pdf file of the ad).

Prominent politicians who lent their names to the statement included former VP Teofisto Guingona, former Senator Rene Saguisag, Senator Antonio Trilanes and Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Congressmen from the Makabayan Block, and other former government officials.

Also included were National Artists Bien Lumbera and BenCab, filmmakers Lav Diaz and Mike de Leon, writers Ricky Lee and Krip Yuson, directors Joel Lamangan and Anton Juan, and actors John Arcilla, Jaime Fabfegas and Agot Isidro.

Catholic Church leaders included Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of CDO, six other Catholic Bishops, and dozens of priests and nuns. Evangelical and Protestant church leaders included Bishop Ef Tendero, Bishop Noel Pantoja of PCEC, Padi Rex Reyes of the NCCP, Bishop Dan Balais of IFP and Bishop Leo Alconga of PJM.

In the statement we urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the Quo Warranto petition against CJ Sereno, reminding them that it is illegal and unconstitutional and poses a serious threat to the independence of the judiciary. We also called on them to inhibit the five (5) SC Justices who testified at the House Committee on Justice and showed their bias against CJ Sereno. We called on the five biased justices to inhibit or else they should resign.

The newspaper ad became headline news the next day. Check out the news item on the Inquirer. (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987257/senate-urged-to-fight-for-right-to-try-cj). We heard from SC insiders that it caught the Justices by surprise. They didn’t realize that CJ Sereno had that kind of public support.

As a follow up, a wealthy donor sponsored the re-publication of the ad in the Philippine Star on Monday May 7. Please watch out for it.

Lobbying at the Senate

A group of over forty prominent people who were signatories to the statement also held a press conference at the Senate. The group urged the Senators to prevent the Supreme Court from usurping their power and authority to discipline the Chief Justice.

The group included Bishop Dan Balais, Bro. Mon Orosa, former Rep. Teddy Casino, and former CHR Commissioner Etta Rosales. They gave the office of the Senators a visit and were met by the chiefs-of-staff of the Senators. The Senators were not available as the Senate is still in recess. The Senate will reconvene on May 15, 2018.

The lobbying effort was covered by the media and even made it to the frontpage headline in Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 3. Check out the PDI acticle: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987052/senators-urged-to-act-on-sereno-quo-warranto

As a result, we were able to get Sen. Franklin Drilon to state on behalf of the Senate minority that impeachment is the only means by which CJ Sereno may be removed from office. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto also called on the Supreme Court to stop its Quo Warranto hearings. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987412/recto-backs-senate-action-vs-sereno-quo-warranto

Dasal at Ayuno

Pastor Jack Hesed Alvarez, an Evangelical pastor from Payatas, along with four Catholic volunteers have started a 10-day fast at Padre Faura near the Supreme Court from May 1-10 to protest the Supreme Court’s actions Continue reading

Photo credit: ABS CBN

Continue Lobbying Efforts at the Senate

We aim to get at least twelve Senators to join the effort to stop the Supreme Court from deciding on Quo Warranto petition against CJ Sereno. We already have the support of the six (6) minority Senators (Drilon, Pangilinan, Aquino, De Lima, Hontiveros, and Trillanes), and Senator Ralph Recto. We need at least five (5) more Senators to make up a majority, that will present a strong voice against the Supreme Court taking jurisdiction over the Quo Warranto case.

We only have a few days left before May 11, so we need your help in reaching out to Senators who have yet to make a stand on this issue.

If you have direct access to any of the Christian Senators (Villanueva, Gatchalian, Villar, Honasan, Sotto, Pacquiao) or any of the neutral Senators (Poe, Legarda, Angara, Binay, Elercito, Escudero), please help us convince them to act to stop a Quo Warranto decision by the SC. Please get in touch with me through email or mobile phone 09990905890 for coordination.

Press Conference on May 9

The Coalition for Justice will have a press conference on May 9 to announce its May 11 activities. The press conference will be at the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) Building at #56 Mother Ignacia corner Sct. Dr. Lazcano St. Assembly is at 9am, and the press conference will start by 10am.

We would like to invite those who signed the Quo Warranto statement to join us during the press conference.

Jericho March for Justice

The culmination of all our activities this coming week will be the Jericho March for Justice on May 11, 2018. To be led by various Evangelical and Catholic groups, the Jericho March for Justice intends to put pressure on the Supreme Court to inhibit the Biased 6 Justices (De Castro, Bersamin, Jardeleza, Tijam, Peralta, and Martirez), and to dismiss the Quo Warranto petition.

The idea is to march and pray around the block where the Supreme Court is located. We expect that people will assemble in the area as early as 6am. The Jericho march should commence by 7am and may continue until the Supreme Court finished its special session sometime towards noon. But people will be prepared to stay longer should it become necessary.

Catholic lay organizations under Sanguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (LAIKO) have committed to take part in the march. Students from various Catholic universities are also being encouraged to participate. Several Evangelical groups have also committed to be at the march on May 11. Groups affiliated with the Makabayan Block and Tindig Pilipinas have also committed to take part in the Jericho March.

We would like to encourage your members to participate as well. Participants are requested to bring candles, along with their own supply of water, food and umbrella as protection from the midday sun.

Here is the Jericho March Facebook Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/2163335810560818/

Philippine Wall of Light Rescheduled

This is the best news I’ve heard in a while.

Given the critical importance of May 11, the leadership of the Christian Coalition for Justice Righteousness and Truth (CCJRT) composed of Bishop Dan Balais of IFP, Bishop Leo Alconga of PJM and PCEC, Ptr Domeng Rivera of JIL, Bro Mon Orosa and Bro Wyden King of NFS Ministry, have decided to advance the implementation of the Philippine Wall of Light from its original may 12 schedule to May 10-11, and to transfer from its original venue of EDSA to Padre Faura.

Philippine Wall of Light will happen between 4-9pm on the last day of Dasal at Ayuno on May 10. Then on May 11, at least 10,000 people from churches involved in CCJRT will converge in Padre Faura to join the Jericho March for Justice.

Philippine Wall of Light will simultaneously take place on May 10 and 11 at Regional Trial Courts in various parts of the country.

Continuing Call for Participation and Support for CJ Sereno

This coming week is critical in our struggle to defend CJ Sereno. May 11 is a critical Red Line that we must not allow the Supreme Court to cross. Please continue to pray, and encourage your members to participate in the activities at Padre Faura all the way to May 11.

We pray that all these efforts will have the intended result of stopping the Supreme Court from deciding on the Quo Warranto petition against CJ Sereno.

May Jesus Christ the Lord reign in the Philippines. May His Truth, Justice and Righteousness be established in our nation, as it is in heaven.

In His Name and for His greater glory!

Ptr. Caloy Diño
Lead Convenor, Coalition for Justice

The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice calls on the Asian Development Bank to push for an energy policy that truly liberates the countries from dirty, destructive, coal and fossil fuels and uphold the commitments enshrined in Sustainable Development Goals Agenda, Strategy 2030, and the Paris Climate Deal.

After almost 10 years of the adoption of the Energy Policy, several agreements and binding documents were drafted to give weight on the ADB’s goal to lessen the impacts of climate change and provide frameworks for global collective action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, despite the existence of these, ADB’s Energy Policy still continues to allow for the financing of infrastructures that supports new coal plants and other coal-related industries.

Proof of the matter is, in the Philippines, ADB has also extended loans of $120 million for the construction of the Korea Electric Power Corporation’s 200-MW coal-fired power plant in Cebu province and $200 million for the rehabilitation of the Masinloc Power Partners Ltd.’s 600-MW coal-fired thermal power plant in the Zambales province. It has an approved project for Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (PINAI) wherein equity investment worth $1,054,850 million was approved. This involves a 552 MW coal-fired power plant in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte – a joint venture of GNPower Kauswagan and PINAI.

Clearly, ADB failed to stay true to its goals and failed to go beyond ceremonial meetings. ADB has failed to fulfill its mandate.

It is not enough to recognize that millions have been left behind and remain desperately poor. Long term and sustainable solutions should have been the benchmark of assessing its performance above all else

It is about time that we hold ADB accountable for supporting the coal industry and for failing to see the bigger picture of how poor remains to be the most vulnerable sector affected by the impacts of climate change exacerbated with the continuous emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The existence of some coal industries here in the country has been fueled and empowered by ADB’s misguided support to the coaligarchs which causes miseries and suffering to the people.

We demand ADB out of Asia Now!

Stop funding climate disasters!

ADB, breakfree from fossil fuels!

Fr. Shay Cullen

4 May 2018 

Catholic church leaders have spoken out to condemn the brutal killing of a young priest, Father Mark Anthony Ventura, 37, from Gattaran town in the province of Cagayan last  Sunday, 29 April 2018. Father Mark was shot by an assassin at Barangay Piña Weste gymnasium on the outskirts of Gattaran town after celebrating the Eucharistic mass. He was blessing children and chatting to the members of the parish choir when he was shot dead. The gunman ran away and escaped on a motorcycle driven by another man.

Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said in a statement: “We are totally shocked and in utter disbelief to hear about the brutal killing of Fr. Mark Ventura, Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao. Right after celebrating the Sunday Eucharist at 8 o’clock in the morning today, he was shot to death by murderers riding in tandem. We offer our prayers for Fr Ventura, for his bereaved family and the lay faithful of Tuguegarao. . . We condemn this evil act! We make our appeal to the authorities to act swiftly in going after the perpetrators of this crime and to bring them to justice.”

Father Mark was outspoken in support of the rights of the indigenous people and was against the mining activities that are intruding into their ancestral lands. Father Mark is newly appointed director of the San Isidro Labrador Mission Station in Mabuno village, also in the town of Gattaran.

The indigenous people in the region are under great pressure from the local and international mining interests who are striving to get access to the rich mineral deposits in the ancestral lands of the indigenous people. Father Mark was said to have supported them in their struggle for justice. Some tribal leaders have been vilified as terrorists thus justifying military action against them. Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan also said his party “condemns the senseless killing” of Father Mark Ventura.

Hit men are also targeting supporters of human rights and political prisoners. Father Marcelito Paez, 72, was assassinated by unknown riding-in-tandem hit men on a motorcycle in Jaen, Nueva Ecija last December 2017. He was helping a jailed political prisoner at the time of his brutal murder. The Italian priest, Father Fausto Tentorio, 59, was murdered in North Cotabato in October  2011 when he was leaving his rectory by a motorbike-riding hit man. Father “ Pops,” as he was called, was the third missionary priest of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) who was murdered in the Philippines. He died inside the compound of the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish church in Arakan, North Cotobato, Mindanao. When local mining firms backed by multinational mining corporations encroached into the ancestral lands of the indigenous people, Father “Pops” was there to help them fight for their The fellow missionaries of Father “Pops” were murdered also.

Father Tulio Favali was brutally killed on April 11, 1985 in Tulunan, North Cotabato and Father Salvatore Carzedda was killed in 1992 in Zamboanga City. Recently, Sister Patricia Fox from Australia has been ordered to leave the Philippines for allegedly “engaging in activities that are not in keeping with the terms of her missionary visa.” She attended a rally for political prisoners and helped indigenous peoples also.

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