Month: March 2022

Circular No. 22-06

17 March 2022

RE: Joining Pope Francis in Consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Blessed Mother

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It has been more than four weeks now since Russia declared a war of occupation against Ukraine. We have seen in the daily news reports how the Russian military forces have bombarded one Ukrainian city after another, destroying private residences, business establishments and public infrastructures, killing hundreds of civilians and forcing millions of people to flee as refugees to other European countries.

 Each day that this war lingers on increases its potentials of escalating into a bigger and  more serious conflict between Russia and its allies on the one hand, and the United  States and its NATO allies in Europe and other nations of the world, on the other hand.

 It can lead to the fearful scenario of a Third World War.

 Because it has been 77 years since our last experience of a World War, we have tended  to take global peace for granted. The past three quarters of a century of peace have  brought prosperity to the world precisely because the military defense budgets of  nations have radically decreased. The average in Europe has gone down to only 3% of  the national budgets and made it possible for governments to appropriate more  substantial funds to the more fundamental necessities of their citizens.

Suddenly, this war in Ukraine is making nations worried again for their security. Germany has already doubled its military budget and most other European countries are following the trend. We therefore need to pray very hard for peace.

In our own context in the Asia Pacific region, we can only hope that Russia’s sudden shift to an expansionistic geopolitical policy does not motivate any of its allies from doing the same thing on their neighboring countries.

Even if Europe is relatively far from the Philippines, we have every reason to be apprehensive about these global developments. We are conscious of the fact that, in just the past few years, the peace and security of some of our own national territories have been among our major domestic concerns, especially in the West Philippine Sea, where an ally of Russia has already set up its own military installations, despite all our protestations. This is now turning out to be the more important global context that should determine the way we will choose a new set of leaders for our country in the coming elections. This too we must pray very hard for.

In view of this, we your bishops have decided to join the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 2022, Friday, Solemnity of the Annunciation.

The Holy Father has made this decision in response to a letter earlier sent to him by the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops on March 2, 2022. In that letter, they said, “In these hours of immeasurable pain and terrible ordeal for our people, we, the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Ukraine, are spokesmen for the unceasing and heartfelt prayer, supported by our priests and consecrated persons, which comes to us from all Christian people to dedicate, Your Holiness, our Motherland and Russia.”

“Responding to this prayer,” they wrote, “we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima. May the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, accept our prayer: Regina Pacis, ora pro nobis!”

On March 15 oil companies will again implement another round of one-timebig-time oil price increase: 12.00/liter for diesel and P7.00/liter for gasoline. This amounts to a total of P18.00/liter of diesel in just two weeks. This is by far the biggest oil price hike in Philippine history and the biggest since the Oil Deregulation Law was implemented 24 years ago. As usual, transport and agricultural sectors will be hit hard by these series of OPH.

CWS reiterates its previous statement that the series of OPH is unjust and antipoor. In the world market, these price increases are driven by mere speculation brought about by the war in Ukraine. In the Philippines, the current inventory of the big oil companies was purchased at a much lower price yet are sold at a much higher price. In fact, Petro Gazz was able to implement a P5.00/liter rollback in its prices. CWS calls on the government to:

1. Act decisively on this issue especially that this will adversely affect the poorest of the poor. In the first place, government should be blamed for these unreasonable increases in fuel prices. In a deregulated oil industry, government control over oil companies is removed or reduced giving oil industries superfluous power to operate more freely, including price adjustments.
2. Suspend Value Added Tax (VAT) and excise tax on oil. This will automatically and significantly decrease fuel prices by P50.00 which will provide some sort of relief for consumers already battered by the economic hardship brought about by the pandemic.
3. Urge Congress to convene a special session to pass a law suspending VAT and excise tax on oil and junking the 24-year old Oil Deregulation Law.
4. Provide immediate relief for jeepney drivers, farmers and fisherfolks, workers, and urban poor communities.
5. Implement a nationwide increase in minimum wage.

We call on church-people to stand with the workers, farmers, fisherfolks and jeepney drivers in asserting these demands. Church-people can show their support by actively participating in protest actions such as noise barrage, and posting in various social media platforms. We can flood social media with calls such as “No to Oil Price Hike!”, “Suspend taxes on fuel!”, “Junk Oil Deregulation Law!” “Wage Increase Now!”, “Economic Relief Now!”. We invite church-people to join in a nationwide protest against OPH on March 18. These mounting protests are aimed to pressure the government to act on this pressing issue.

No to Oil Price Hike!
Suspend taxes on fuel!
Junk Oil Deregulation Law!
Wage Increase Now!
Economic Relief to Transport and Agricultural Sectors Now!

Signed:

Davao Oriental is a beautiful province. It is home to the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mindanao, the Mt. Hamiguitain Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS). Its beautiful seascape, including the Pujada, Mayo, and Balete Bay, have also been declared as Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW). In these rich natural frontiers are the unique flora and fauna – most of which are still waiting to be discovered.

However, this natural wonder is consistently being threatened by mining activities. In 2021, the Philippine government approved a Banaybanay Nickel Laterite Mining Project to cover 6,363.3368 hectares of land, spanning Barangays Puntalinao, Causwagan, Pintatagan, Maputi, Panikian, and Mahayag in the Municipality of Banaybanay.

The controversial discoloration of the Mapagba River (banner photo) and nearby river tributaries recently raised concerns among local communities. On January 14, 2022, the said incident occurred after a 12-hour sustained rainfall, giving us a hint of the environmentally-damaging activities upstream. The same phenomenon was documented in an adjacent Barangay Causwagan in December 2020.

Mine tailings pose risk to the livelihood of thousands of people downstream who heavily rely on fishing, rice farming, and tourism. Also, it poses direct threats to the biodiversity in Banaybanay waters, such as the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Moreover, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology – Department of Science and Technology (PHILVOLCS-DOST), including the Department of Geophysics in Kyoto University and Department of Geography in Hiroshima University, confirmed that Davao Oriental sits on a 320-km stretch fault line, commonly known as the Surigao-Mati FL. Continued mining will aggravate the threats brought by the fault line.

House Bill 1124 (later substituted by House Bill 6563), otherwise known as the “Davao Oriental Mining-Free Zone Act,” has already been approved by the 18th Congress in June 2021, pending approval by the Senate. This Act encapsulates the “policy of the State to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.” Now is the right time to enact this legislation to prevent any more destruction caused by mining.

We call on the power of the people to help us deter the destruction brought about by mining. Please help us SAVE DAVAO ORIENTAL FROM MINING by signing this online petition for the CANCELLATION OF THE BANAYBANAY NICKEL LATERITE MINING PROJECT.

SIGN THE PETITION