Category: News

ARPNET

The Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) strongly condemns the attack against our fellow researcher and trade union activist Otto De Vrie. The Philippine government cancelled his permanent visa and issued a deportation order to De Vrie because of his active participation in the labor rights  advocacy.

According to documents issued by the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration, De Vrie has been accused by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency or NICA of participating in protest rallies organized by “Communist-Terrorist Groups (CTG) front organizations.” After the passage of the Anti-Terror Law, the Duterte administration has intensified its already unabated red-tagging spree. NICA has labeled the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER), the labor NGO for which De Vrie has been volunteering, as “CTG-affiliated.”

De Vrie, 62, hails from the Diocese of Rotterdam, Netherlands and started his immersion in the Philippines in 1991. He was invited by Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD of the Prelature of Infanta to do pastoral work in the country. For more than 30 years of his pilgrimage in the Philippines, he has witnessed the dire conditions of Filipino workers and other marginalized sectors of society. He has regularly visited striking workers in picketlines and has lived in urban poor communities to see the workers’ plight and hear their demands and struggles. As part of his mission for the working class, De Vrie has been a volunteer researcher for EILER five years.

He also worked as an electrician in various construction projects to investigate the harsh working conditions in the construction sector. His immersion among construction workers provided the material for his contributions to studies. Among the notable research papers with which De Vrie was involved are: “Mega-FTAs and Their Implications on Asian Workers” (2017), “Garment Workers Training Manual” (2018), and “Will Healthcare Become Universal in the Philippines?” (2019).

De Vrie’s present predicament is reminiscent of that of late Archbishop Helder Camara of Brazil who said, “When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist.”

EILER is an active member-organization of the APRN in Southeast Asia. It participates in workshops and webinars aimed at advancing the rights of society’s marginalized sectors, and engages with other regional CSO formations such as the ASEAN People’s Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) and Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM).

EILER’s humble beginnings can be traced to the 1970s when it started as a church labor center. It continues to be an ecumenical service institution devoted to labor education, research, training, and advocacy work. Its flagship output in the 1990s, “Genuine Trade Unionism” has brought together church groups, academic institutions, and the youth working to defend workers’ rights. EILER has become a worker’s school — building the capacity of workers for forming unions and training new leaders and educators.

The APRN expresses its concern over the government’s “communist-terrorist” tagging of EILER, a labor think-tank which the APRN has worked with over the years. This is the Duterte administration’s maneuver to vilify its critics to silence them.

The grave terror and communist tagging of NGOs and people’s organizations are part of the Duterte government’s vilification campaign against independent and critical voices. Instead of heeding the plight of the marginalized in the country being given voice by institutions like EILER, the Duterte government chooses to silence them.

Despite, for example, the record levels of job losses, price hikes, and hunger during the pandemic, the National Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), one of the government’s machinery that orchestrates these wrongful accusations, has received a total of P 16.4 billion (USD 339,430,800) for its 2021 budget, which should been allocated to social services and aid that will benefit the workers and the poor.

The administration has been negligent in its duties to its people. More than 500,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus. Joblessness is worse than ever with 10.9 Million workers who lost their jobs and are suffering from lower income. Hunger spikes due to price hikes. The trend of shrinking and closing civic spaces rapidly escalates with the spate of illegal arrest, fabricated charges, and killing spree against rights defenders and activists.

It is no wonder that the Philippine government ranks lowest among ASEAN countries in terms of Covid-19 response. According to a recent survey titled “The State of Southeast Asia: 2021” published by the Asean Studies Centre of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, 53.7 percent of Filipino respondents expressed disapproval of the Duterte administration’s pandemic response, 17.9 percent expressed “strong disapproval, and only 6 percent expressed “strong approval.” Continuing protests of various people’s organizations and CSOs amid the pandemic is proof of the people’s dissatisfaction with the government’s actions.

APRN stands with EILER and Otto De Vries. The research group urges the Philippine government to halt the revocation of De Vries’ permanent visa and revoke instead its terror- and communist-tagging of EILER. APRN is also inviting its members, affiliates, and network of advocates to express solidarity with De Vries and EILER and condemn the Duterte government’s continuous and rabid red-tagging rampage.

SIGN THE PETITION 

Church People – Workers Solidarity (CWS) Statement on the Bureau of Immigration’s cancellation of Otto de Vries’ permanent resident visa and red tagging of EILER

The Church People – Workers Solidarity (CWS) vehemently condemns the recent attack and harassment of missionary worker Otto de Vries. The Duterte government, through the Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered the cancellation of Otto’s permanent resident visa and was consequently Ordered to Leave the country. The said Order was based upon the false and malicious allegations made by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) accusing Mr. Otto of engaging and actively “participating in protest rallies of Communist-Terrorist Groups (CTG) front organizations.”

Mr. Otto, a 62-year old Catholic missionary from the Netherlands came to the Philippines in May 1991 upon the invitation of the Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, Prelature of Infanta in order to do pastoral work. For years, Mr. Otto was involved in various NGOs and church-based organizations advancing the rights of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. CWS can attest to fruitful missionary work among the workers in the Philippines. For almost three decades Mr. Otto lived in slum areas around Metro Manila in order to immerse himself in harsh conditions of the workers and urban poor. He worked as a welder, electrician, and maintenance of a steel factory in various factories. His experience in these workshops opened his eyes to the dehumanizing circumstances of contractual workers who receive below minimum wage and work in unsafe working environments.

Contrary to the allegations made by NICA, organizing workers’ associations and unions and educating them about their rights and welfare does not constitute acts of terrorism. Neither is doing research work about the concrete conditions of the working class an illegal political activity. Mr. Otto has long been an affiliate of the Ecumenical Institute for Labor and Research (EILER), a civil society organization that has advocated for labor rights and welfare for more than four decades. Just recently, EILER has become a victim of red-tagging by the Philippine government accusing EILER of being a “communist-terrorist” affiliate. As a convener and long-time partner of CWS, we stand in solidarity with EILER in condemning the recent attack and harassment of civil society organizations, labor organizations and church people. CWS stands with EILER in defending our democratic rights; we likewise support EILER’s advocacy of serving the workers. The recent saga of red-tagging, intimidation, and harassment of legal organizations have intensified in the wake of the Anti-terror Law (ATL). State forces, especially the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) have become more audacious in labeling civil society organizations and individuals as “communists” or “terrorists”. Indeed, ATL weaponizes the State to go after political dissenters. What is more alarming is the fact that red-tagging has become a prelude to State-sponsored killings.

Mr. Otto has exemplified, concretized, and lived out the mission of the church to become a Church of the Poor. Instead of harassing and intimidating church workers, CWS calls on the government to recognize the selfless contributions of Mr. Otto in uplifting the conditions of Filipino workers. Lastly, CWS urged the Bureau of Immigration to reconsider its Order to send the Dutch missionary out of the country.

to Red-tagging!

Hands off Otto! Hands off Labor Rights Defenders!
Stand with EILER! Hands off civil society organizations!

February 15, 2021

To: All Laiko Members: Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity & National Lay Organizations

Re: WALK FOR LIFE 2021

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

“All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

-Pope Francis

In line with our vision and despite the present situation, to “build together a life integrated in our faith, founded on love, solidarity, righteousness and peace,” we will be holding once again the annual WALK FOR LIFE on February 20, 2021, 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm.

This year however, because of the restrictions, we will do it differently. Instead of actual walk, we collaborate with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Dance Exchange on Air for an online rendition of the event dubbed as: “Walk for Life: A Celebration of Life through Dance”

Our event has Two (2) parts. First Part is the Dance Production, portraying various expressions of value and reverence for life. The second Part will be an anticipated Eucharistic Celebration to be officiated by the Chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity & Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D., at the Santissimo Rosario Parish, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila.

The Walk for Life 2021 will be shown live at the following Online Platform:   YouTube Channel of Dance Exchange Philippines, Facebook Pages of:

https://www.facebook.com/dancexchangephilippines/
https://www.facebook.com/cbcplaiko
https://www.facebook.com/cbcpnews
https://www.facebook.com/SantisimoRosarioUST/
https://www.facebook.com/NCCAOfficial/ https://www.facebook.com/dinagyang.idfi.1

We issue this Joint Statement to clarify the surrounding facts relative to the presence of policemen at the Talamban Campus of University of San Carlos this morning, February 15th, that to us is of serious concern.

To recall, the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) Philippines Southern Province supported the Archdiocese of Cebu–Commission on Social Advocacies (COSA) project of a bakwit school program with Save Our Schools (SOS) Network.

For this, the SVD hosted last March 11, 2020 the delegation of forty-two (42) students accompanied by five teachers and three community elders (Datu), after four other educational institutions in Cebu hosted the same. The delegation was housed at the SVD-owned retreat house, accessible through USC–Talamban Campus. The delegation was supposed to complete their modular schooling on April 3, 2020 after which, they would have returned to their respective indigenous communities.

As we all know, though, the Cebu City government imposed quarantine restrictions beginning March 13, 2020 to stem the spread of coronavirus disease of 2019 (CoViD-19). After being locked down, the SVD Community has since sheltered the delegation at its retreat house, providing them with comfortable accommodation, and allowing them the use of its facilities for the lumad’s recreation.

When the quarantine restrictions loosened, plans were made for their safe return to their homes. Because the return necessitated logistical preparations to be made and entailed costs such as those relating to the swab tests, fare and food allowance, the travel of the delegation was planned to be carried out in batches. At least four of the delegates have so far returned to their place, and another batch was scheduled to return this week.

It, thus, came as a surprise that reports about minors being “rescued” surfaced today. While COSA mentioned that some parents were coming over to fetch their children, it did not dawn on us that the parents’ visit will necessitate the presence of policemen. Here, no rescue need ever be conducted because the presence of the lumads in the retreat house was for their welfare and well-being, and all throughout, they were nurtured, cared for, and treated with their best interest in mind.

(original signed)
Most Rev. JOSE S. PALMA, D.D.
Archbishop of Cebu

To All Laiko Members: National Lay Organizations & Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

We are forwarding to you the letter to the Bishops from NASSA/ Caritas Phillipines on the Alay Kapwa Lenten Campaign.

Bishop Broderick Pabillo is requesting everyone to support this noble undertaking.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
LAIKO Secretariat

Christians are invited to join an online Prayer Marathon on 8 February for an economy without human trafficking.

By Vatican News staff writer

All Christians are invited to participate in an online Prayer Marathon on  Monday, 8 February, marking the 7th International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking.

The marathon has been organized by the International Committee of the World Day, coordinated by Talitha Kum, the network of consecrated life against trafficking in persons of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). Other partners include the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Service to Integral Human Development, Caritas Internationalis, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations, the Focolare Movement and many other local organizations involved at the local level.

Event organizers announced that with this online marathon, it will be the first time that every organization working against trafficking in persons will be able to participate in the main event together.

An economy without Human Trafficking

The theme chosen for 2021 is “An Economy without Human Trafficking.” It brings into the spotlight “one of the main causes of human trafficking: the dominant economic model of our time, whose limits and contradictions are exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic,” reads a statement on the organization’s website.

This 7th International Day of Prayer and Awareness, it says, “is an invitation to multiply and promote new economic experiences that oppose all forms of exploitation.”

8 February, the statement explains,  is “an important date because it marks the liturgical memorial of St. Bakhita, the slave girl who became a saint and universal symbol of the Church’s commitment against slavery.”

In explaining this year’s initiative, Sr Gabriella Bottani, coordinator of Talitha Kum, says: “With ‘The Economy of Francesco’, the Holy Father has asked the Church to stop and reflect on the dominant economic model and to find alternative paths. We found ourselves perfectly in tune, since the trafficking of people is an integral part of an economy of exclusion, where the rules of the market are destroying the fundamental values of human coexistence, based on respect for dignity but also on the protection of the environment. The dominant economic model is one of the main structural causes of human trafficking in our globalized world. Through this day, let us trace together a path of reflection for an economy that promotes life and dignified work for all”.

Participating in the prayer initiative

This year an online Marathon of Prayer has been organized due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It will take place on Monday from 10 am to 5 pm CET. There will also be a moment of prayer all together at 1 pm CET. It will be attended by all the Talitha Kum networks around the world, divided into blocks according to continents.

Event organizers also announced that a video message of Pope Francis will air around 1:40pm.

Individuals can support the World Day through the official hashtag #PrayAgainstTrafficking.

The online Prayer Marathon will be live-streamed on YouTube. Further information is available on the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking website.

Francis expresses his solidarity with Myanmar’s people and calls for social justice and national stability

UCA News Reporter
Updated: February 08, 2021 04:56 AM GMT

Pope Francis prayed for justice and peace in Myanmar as tens of thousands took to the streets of the conflict-scarred nation to protest the military coup.

He used his Angelus address on Feb. 7 to express his concern over the generals’ Feb. 1 power grab that has set back the country’s transition to full democracy.

“These days I am following with great concern the developments of the situation that has arisen in Myanmar,” the pope said, adding that Myanmar is “a country that, since the time of my apostolic visit in 2017, I carry in my heart with much affection.”

Pope Francis held a moment of silent prayer for Myanmar during his Angelus address and expressed “my spiritual closeness, my prayers and my solidarity” with its people.

“I pray that those who have responsibility in the country will place themselves with sincere willingness at the service of the common good, promoting social justice and national stability, for a harmonious coexistence,” he said.

As Feb. 7 marked a day of prayers for peace, Catholics in Myanmar attended Mass, recited special prayers and held fasts following the coup.

While they were praying at home or churches, thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities across the country including Yangon, Mandalay and Monwya to denounce the coup and call for the release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and an end to military rule.

In Mandalay, the second-largest city of Myanmar, young protesters took to the streets on motorcycles followed by some cars.

Older people clapped in support and gave the three-finger salute as some offered food and water to protesters. The salute is a reference to The Hunger Games movies and a popular symbol of recent pro-democracy protests in Thailand that has been adopted in Myanmar.

Young people waved National League for Democracy (NLD) flags while some held banners reading “Military rule fail, fail”, “Oppose military dictatorship” and “Democracy win, win”.

Tens of thousands of people also rallied in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7.

In an appeal letter on Feb. 4, Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon urged citizens to stay calm. “We have shed enough blood. Let no more blood be shed in this land,” he said.

Cardinal Bo used Twitter to quote St. John Paul II’s comment that “the lay faithful can’t remain indifferent or be strangers and inactive in the face of all that denies and compromises peace, namely, violence, war, torture and terrorism, concentration camps, militarization of public life, the arms race.”

By CBCP News
February 6, 2021
Manila, Philippines

Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila told priests to leave their comfort zone and reach out to the margins of society or else risk becoming just under “maintenance mode”.

As the archdiocese opened its celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, he told parishes to continue on their “missionary mode” especially to the “peripheries”.

“Being in a state of mission is not optional,” Pabillo said in his homily during Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Saturday.

“It is the necessary condition if we want to be renewed as a living church, and not just be a museum that is visited once in a while but could not change lives,” he said.

The celebration also marked the 442nd anniversary of the elevation of Manila as a diocese, the first in the Philippines, having under its jurisdiction the entire country.

In 1595, Manila was raised to an archdiocese with Nueva Segovia in Ilocandia, Nueva Caceres in Bicol and Cebu in the Visayas as its suffragan dioceses.

But even with deep historical roots, Pabillo warned of “the danger of becoming monument”.

“We may have these, but let us not, as church, be just antiques, museums and artifacts whose main concern is preservation and conservation,” he said.

Reflecting on the Jubilee year’s theme, “Missio ad Gentes,’ he asked the parishes to continue this “expanding mission of Manila to which we are all heirs to”.