Day 7 of the RCAM Family & Life Conference Culminating talk with Most. Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera, D.D. entitled Amoris Laetitia: Perspective and Pastoral Challenges. Commission on Family and Life, Archdiocese of Manila
In celebration of the Season of Creation, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas in collaboration with the National Laudato Si’ Program will be having a webinar on: “Alternative Economic Models/ Development Paradigms”
This will be on October 7, 2021, Thursday, from 3-5 pm.
I will be moderating the event so kindly email laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph if you wish to join.
Thank you very much!
Jun Cruz P.R.O. CBCP- Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas
Per CBCP Circular No. 19-15 dated September 19, 2019, this prayer is to be recited in Sunday Masses on October 3, 2021 and on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, National Teachers’ Day .
God of wisdom, greatest Teacher of all, look with love and kindness on teachers everywhere.
Give them strength of body,
largeness of hearts
and soundness of mind
so that they may perform
their task with vigor, competence,
compassion and patience.
Help them to be committed
to their mission
to shape the tender minds
of the young in the knowledge
of the truth, the love for your creation
and the value of peace in this world.
We, the undersigned convenors of pro-democracy coalition 1SAMBAYAN, strongly denounce the recent order of President Duterte barring his Cabinet and other executive officials from attending legislative investigations in the Senate on the anomalous transactions of Pharmally with the government, specifically with PS-DBM, involving overpriced medical supplies in 2020 and 2021 at the height of the pandemic.
We see traces of the dark days of Martial Law in the president’s recent pronouncements: no respect for the rule of law, no separation of powers between branches of government, and no regard for due process, all done to protect the interest of a private company, his Chinese friends and their friends in government. It is the same heavy-handed, dictatorial, and authoritarian despotic rule employed by the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
We appeal to the PNP and the AFP to remain loyal to the country and the people and ignore this illegal and unconstitutional order, even if it came from their commander-in-chief, who is certainly not acting like the father of a nation. It is an abuse of his commander-in-chief powers, and it does not give him carte blanche to use it to prevent other agencies of government from performing their mandates.
We also appeal to the people to put an end to this regime, to always be vigilant and alert and see the signs of a return of Marcosian authoritarian tactics: the closure of ABS-CBN, widespread graft and corruption, economic recession, and numerous tales of extrajudicial killings and violations of human rights.
We also encourage everyone, especially those who will cast their votes come May 2022, let us unite in choosing leaders who will put the people first above their own interests and those of their friends, who will restore democracy and strengthen our democratic institutions, and who will steer our country to recovery from this pandemic and economic decline.
The Philippine Senate has finally approved the final draft of the Philippine Senate Bill (SB) 2332 or An Act Increasing the Age for Determining Statutory Rape and other Acts of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to Protect Children.
This law is historic and vital to the protection of children and the prosecution of the child rapists that are abusing children every day with impunity. It has repealed the penal code that said it was legal to have sex with a 12-year-old and older. Now it is a criminal act of statutory rape to have sex with a 16-year-old child or younger. A convicted offender faces a possible sentence of life in prison on the credible testimony of the child victim. This law is a powerful deterrent and provides greater protection for vulnerable children. Child rights advocates have been campaigning for this change for decades, Preda Foundation among them, and finally a day of victory for children.
There are many child protection laws in the Philippines and worldwide. US laws cover crimes against children committed by US citizens in the Philippines or any country abroad. The EU countries need to have a similar law.
We need to ask ourselves, why are such laws necessary? While the vast majority of humans love and respect children, millions don’t. As said before, it seems humans, the species with intelligence, are the only species that sexually abuse their own children. There is a deep moral flaw and inclination to evil in human nature and awareness about it among adults and children. It is the first important line of protection. We all have to watch out for them and know that pedophiles and abusers are abusing their own children because they can. It is so easy for a family member to intimidate and abuse a child and then get a child to say she “consented’ with the words, “yes po.”
The child would be unable, without help, to testify in court against her family about the incest rape. Family intimidation would traumatize the child. Few cases are reported, fewer come to court. That is why child sexual abuse has almost become the norm but most people have a mental block to admitting that fact.
We must remember that in a 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, one in every five children in the Philippines in the age group of 13 to 17 said they experienced sexual violence while one in 25 suffered from forced consummated sex during childhood.
Child abuse is common everywhere throughout the world. Surveys show that one in three children worldwide are victims of sexual abuse and one in six boys are abused and raped. The majority of victims bury that anger and pain inside all their lives. It can and does distort a normal life and lead to many psychological traumas and even pours out in anger and violence.
Parents and guardians must never leave their child alone with an outsider no matter how kind, helpful, generous and caring he is or appears to be. At all times, they must follow that rule. Wise men will never be alone with a child not their own.
When you see the emotional pain and hurt endured by child victims, you will understand how much they suffer, most without relief. In the Preda Emotional Release Therapy, it can be seen here: Visit https://youtu.be/G0fFNmHSYic
Paula was a 14-year-old girl, vulnerable, helpless and in the control of her family. When her father and brother and a drinking partner of her father began to sexually abuse her, she was overwhelmed by them and could not escape or run away. She could not fight back and they persuaded her it was normal, that they loved her. It’s okay, let us do it,” they said. They presumed that by her silence she was giving consent to the abuse so much so that they also sexually abused her sister, Maria. They had a homegrown brothel- for free. They presumed the sisters were giving consent by their silence but it’s from fear of punishment and they had no way to complain. They never did give consent. They hated every act. Years later, when Paula was allowed to become a domestic helper, she told her employer about what she had endured.
That good woman contacted Preda Foundation and an investigation was begun and Paula and Maria were rescued and joined the Preda family. They are now free from their abusers and having therapy and education. They are empowered enough to file charges, with the help of the Preda paralegal officer, against their abusive family members. Now, the abusers will pay the consequences if justice is done and seen to be done. The change in the age of consent law will put many more abusers behind bars where they cannot abuse any more children.
Inexplicably, we ask why in 90 years of a male-dominated congress, the congressmen never considered changing the penal law that made children as young as 12 vulnerable, in constant danger of abuse and gave impunity to the pedophiles?
By CBCP News September 28, 2021 Manila, Philippines
With less than a year before the 2022 elections, various faith-based organizations banded together to work for a “clean, accurate, responsible and transparent” polls.
“Halalang Marangal 2022” is a coalition of more than 20 church and civic groups that are committed to ensure “righteous elections”.
Among its main activities include a campaign for voters’ registration, voters’ education and poll monitoring.
Caritas Philippines head Bishop Jose Collin Bagaforo encouraged the faithful to join the movement to achieve its cause.
“We need to share the burden of managing and administering the electoral exercise with the Commission on Elections,” Bagaforo said.
“We need to help fill gaps in the entire process, help explain how automated systems work and reinforce trust and confidence now at an all time low in elections,” he said.
The electoral process, according to him, consists of several stages that citizens should understand and involve themselves with “dynamism and courage”.
He asked the laity to familiarize themselves with the process and know how each stage in the voting chain contributes to transparent and honest elections.
“We have this special responsibility in times of serious moral, economic, health, food security, livelihood and leadership crises,” Bagaforo said.
“Apathy and indifference are unforgivable and jeopardize our democracy and help perpetuate Godless values,” he said.
Aside from Caritas, the coalition is composed of the bishops’ Commissions on Indigenous Peoples and Commission on Youth; the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP); Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas; and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
Other coalition members are the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP); De La Salle Brothers Philippines; Network for Justice and Compassion (NetJC); People Empowerment via Transformative Electoral Reforms (PETER); Philippine Misereor Partnership (PMPI); Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB); Bawat Isa Mahalaga (B1M); The Faith Initiative; and Radio Veritas846.
The national Caritas is hoping that the coming together of various groups will lead to a continuing communal discernment and action.
“We are doing this for the sake of our country and to protect the sacredness of our votes,” said Fr. Antonio Labiao, its executive secretary.
“I hope that we elect leaders whom we can rely on for real peace, justice and for life in this country,” he said.
