August 7, 2019

The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) encourages Congress to allow the conduct of the May 2020 BSKE as scheduled. To do otherwise contravenes the principle of regularity in the conduct of an election and deprives the electorate of seeking accountability from elected officials by submitting themselves to a fresh mandate.

Moving the date of elections set by law can only be justified when any of the conditions mentioned in Section 5 of the Philippine Omnibus Election Code exist: any serious cause such as violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia or records, force majeure, and other analogous causes of such a nature that the holding of a free, orderly and honest election should become impossible in any political subdivision. It is the task of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make such determination, which in turn should be through public hearings.

The planned deferment of the May 2020 BSKE to May 2022 (Sen. Go version) / May 2023 (Sen. Marcos version), unwittingly or not, extends the term of incumbent barangay and SK officials without a clear mandate from their constituents.

Periodic elections are an institutionalized governance feature in countries that have chosen democracy as their form of government. Upholding the conduct of periodic and genuine elections becomes an obligation under international law. These are articulated in both Article 21 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and Article 25 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Both can be described as foundational legal commitments that require free and fair elections to be held on a regular basis.

Regular and periodic elections are part of universal principles and guidelines to promote genuine democratic election processes. These international election standards can be traced back to the cardinal principle that citizens have a right to take part in the governance and public affairs of their countries. Article 21, Section 3 of the United Nations (UN) UDHR enshrines this cornerstone precept: “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”

Further, the ICCPR stipulates that every citizen must be provided the right and opportunity, without discrimination, based on distinctions of “race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” and without unreasonable restrictions, to “vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections.”

Thus, the regularity of elections is important to establish the mandate, legitimacy and moral authority of elected leaders. Not holding elections regularly could undermine the democratic process of ensuring the citizens’ right to choose their leaders and make them accountable.

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A Call to Serve the Poor and the Needy

Since  Christ  willed to be born poor, he chose for himself  disciples who were poor. He made himself the servant of the poor and shared their poverty.  He went so far as to say that he would consider every deed which either helps or harms the poor as done for or against himself. Since God surely loves the poor, he also loves those who love the poor. For when one person holds another dear, he also includes in his affection anyone he loves or serves the one he loves. That is why we hope that God will love us for the sake of the poor. So when we visit the poor and needy, we try to understand the poor and weak. We sympathize with them so fully that we can echo Paul’s words:  ” I have become all things to all men”

Although in his passion he almost lost the appearance of a man and was considered a fool by the Gentiles and a stumbling block by the Jews, he showed them that his mission was to preach to the poor: “ He  sent me to preach the good news to the poor.” We also ought to have this same spirit and imitate Christ’s actions, that is, we must take care of the poor, console them, help them, support their cause.

We must try to be stirred by our neighbors’ worries and distress. We must beg God to pour into our hearts sentiments of pity and compassion and to fill them again and again with these dispositions.

Word of God

 Prov 14:31 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and           needy….Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker , but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

 Psalm 9:17-18 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “ I will protect them from those who malign them”.

Values / Attitude  (towards the poor and the needy)

Kindness               Empathy               Generosity                Charity

Doctrine

Fraternal Charity :  A Work of Justice Pleasing to God ( CCC 2462 ).   How can we not recognize Lazarus, the hungry beggar in the parable ( cf. Lk 17:19-31 ), in the multitude of human beings without bread, a roof or a place to stay? How can we fail to hear Jesus : “As you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me” ( Mt 25:45 )?

Moral

Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. T he corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity.

Worship

Prayer of intercession has particular value, for it is an act of trust in God and, at the same time, an expression of love for our neighbor. I n reality, our prayer will be all the more pleasing to God and more effected for our growth in holiness if, through intercession, we attempt to practice the twofold commandment that Jesus left us. Intercessory prayer is an expression of our fraternal concern for others, since we are able to embrace their lives, their deepest troubles and their loftiest dreams. Of those who commit themselves generously to intercessory prayer we can apply the words of Scripture : “ This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people” ( 2 Mac 15:14 )

Faith Response

Affirmation/ Conviction : Empathy with the poor in the community

Commitment:  Involvement in the feeding program of our parish

Celebration / Prayer:

Prayer of the Faithful ( General  Intercessions, Monday first week of Lent) with the response :  Lord, let us love and serve you in others.

1.              That the Church may become a home for the lost, the stray, the weak and the wounded. Let us pray to the Lord.
2.              That  rich nations may seriously undertake steps to help in the development of poorer nations. Let us pray to the Lord.
3.              That through our practical generosity, the neglected and rejected of our society may be drawn to the Kingdom of God. Let us pray to the Lord.
4.              That we may spread the reign of the Kingdom in our homes, workplaces and in the community we belong. Let us pray to the Lord. 5.              That the dead may enter the Kingdom prepared for them. Let us pray to the Lord.

Father, knowing your boundless love for all people, we confidently bring  our intentions before you in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

BLESSED ARE THE POOR

The Church’s social doctrine is marked with a “preferential option for the poor” PCP 11 asserts that this option, following Christ’s own, takes on great urgency in our country where a very great  number   of our people wallow in abject poverty and misery, while tremendous social privileges and deference are accorded the rich and powerful. ( PCP 11 312 )

This option, however, must be properly understood. The Church obviously desires to bring the message of salvation to every human being, to every culture and social environment, but in the first place to those who are most in need. Thus “the preference for the poor is a Christian preference,” for Christ came to proclaim a message of salvation to the poor (cf. John Paul 11, to people of Tondo,3). It is an “option in the exercise of Christian charity to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness. It affects the life of each Christian inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ. But it applies equally to our social responsibilities and hence to our manner of living.(CFC1187)

Word of God :  Lk 6:20-23

The poor incarnate the evangelical values in their lives:
Blest are you poor, the reign of God is yours;
Blest are you who hunger, you shall be filled;
Blest are you who are weeping, you shall laugh.
Blest shall you be when men hate you, when they ostracize you and
insult you and proscribe your name as evil because of the Son of Man…
Rejoice and exult, for your reward shall be great in heaven.

Values/Attitude

Kindness     Generosity     Empathy     Charity     Detachment

Doctrine:  Love for the poor

God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them.” Give to him who begs from you, do not refuse him who would barrow from you”; “ you received without pay, give without pay”( Mt5:42)It is by what they have done for the poor that Jesus Christ will recognize his chosen ones ( Mt25:31-36) When the poor have the good news preached to them” it is the sign of Christ’s presence. ( Lk 4:18 ) The Church’s love for the poor is a part of her constant tradition .This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus and of his concern for the poor. Love for the poor is even one of the motives for the duty of working so as to be able to give to those in need.( Eph 4:28) It extends not only to material poverty but also to the many forms of cultural and religious poverty.(CCC 2444)

Moral

St. Luke does not speak of poverty “of spirit” but simply of those who are “poor”(cf.Lk6:20). In this way, he too invites us to live a plain and austere life. He calls us to share in the life of those most in need, the life lived by the Apostles, and ultimately to configure ourselves to Jesus who, though rich, “made himself poor” (2 Cor8:9)

Worship

The ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others. Prayer is most precious, for it nourishes a daily commitment to love. Our worship becomes pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to living generously, and allow God’s gift, granted in prayer, to be shown in our concern for our brothers and sisters. This is the worship most acceptable to God.(GE 104)

Faith  Response

Affirmation :     Appreciation of the blessedness of the poor

Commitment:   Giving hopeful advice to the confused and weary

Celebration   :   Prayer for solidarity with the poor

Compassionate and loving God,
We praise you for the many gifts you provide us
May we be mindful of those who go without, each and every day. Help us to provide the resources needed for our brothers and sisters. Burdened by the suffering caused by poverty and oppression, Let our work this day be a reminder of our interconnectedness with all your beloved children. Open our eyes to see the needs of the community. Cleanse our ears to hear the cries of the poor. Anoint our hands and feet to be instruments in fulfilling your justice. We ask this all through your Son Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever, Amen.

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We, PhilCCRS and FTCC,  Stand With Our Bishops:

As in the days of the prophet Nehemiah where those “who were building the wall, those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other” (Nehemiah 4:7), we, the Philippine Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services, Inc ( PHILCCRS) and the Federation of Trans-parochial Charismatic Communities (FTCC) stand together with all the laborers in the vineyard of God in our pursuit of Truth, Justice and Peace for our country.

We will continue our work of building the Kingdom by proclaiming the Truth and our mission to defend God’s people by seeking Justice for the maligned, persecuted and the oppressed.

Having worked through the years so closely with the Archbishop Socrates Villegas, D.D. and Bishop Teodoro Bacani, D.D., Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, D.D., and Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, D.D., our organizations can attest to their good-will and moral ascendancy.

Thus, we declare our full support for these men of Peace and we enjoin everyone to journey with them with our love and prayers.

We Stand With Our Bishops For Truth, Justice And Peace!

With PhilCRRS & FTCC and our Members,
Dr. Arcadio L. Tamayo, M.D.
National President

Pastoral Letter of Bishop Bernardino C. Cortez of the Prelature of Infanta

4 August 2019

ST. JOHN MARIE VIANNEY

Dear Brother Archbishops, Bishops and Administrators:

Greetings of Peace!

Come September until October 4, 2019 we will celebrate the Season of Creation. This is the time to promote and expound our Pastoral Letter – “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion, Hope in the Face of Climate Change.”

In spirit of solidarity for “our common home” (Pope Francis) and in this regard, may we present to you our appeal and campaign: NO TO KALIWA DAM! We ask you, your ecology ministry, earth ministry desk to support us in our 10 Million Signature Campaign – No to Kaliwa Dam,

Please seriously consider our appeal as expressed by the letter that follows:

August 1, 2019

Your Excellences: Archbishops and Bishops: Maka-Kalikasang Pagbati – Laudato Si!

We would like to thank you for the Pastoral Letter “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion, Hope in the Face of Climate Emergency.” You have encouraged us “to discern the issues and actively care for the Earth.”

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A Petition to President Rodrigo Duterte to Revoke the Kaliwa Dam Project

The Kaliwa Dam Project violates legal processes and the Philippine constitution, is destructive to the environment, and is against the country’s national interest.

With the increasing demand for water supply in Metro Manila, costly options appear to seemingly solve this concern. In fact, the recent “water crisis” was used to expedite and justify the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project as the solution to such.

We stand against this short-term solution because the Kaliwa Dam Project:

● Will be built on the ancestral domain of at least 5,000 Dumagat-Remontados;

● Is being expedited by the railroading of its legal process, particularly the right of the Dumagat-Remontados to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent process under IPRA;

● Will destroy the biodiversity and habitat of 126 species in 300 hectares of the Sierra Madre and endanger 100,000 residents downstream with the risk of massive flooding;

● Will entail an unnecessary 10.37 billion-peso loan from China, further worsening our debt-ridden economy;

● Will need every Filipino, including those outside Metro Manila, to shoulder the debt;

● Faces a short lifespan of 5-6 years due to the high rate of sedimentation the dam will cause;

● Allows China to settle disputes on the project using their laws and on their territory;

● And may cause our government to surrender Philippine territory to pay off the loan.

We thus call on President Rodrigo Duterte and all government leaders to revoke the Kaliwa Dam Project. We believe that this project will not address the problem but also make conditions worse for the Philippines. Alternative water solutions that are both cheaper and more sustainable (e.g. watershed rehabilitation, repairing and improving existing dams and water distribution facilities, water conservation policies) have been offered by various experts.

We, the Filipino people, say NO to Kaliwa Dam, and YES to alternatives!

“Caring for ecosystems demands far-sightedness, since no one looking for quick and easy profit is truly interested in their preservation. But the cost of the damage caused by such selfish lack of concern is much greater than the economic benefits to be obtained.”

(Laudato Si, No. 36)

Wilfredo G. Villanueva
July 28, 2019

Corregidor is that tadpole-shaped island guarding the entrance of Manila Bay. Called Fort Mills, it was the last stand of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East or USAFFE against the Japanese onslaught in 1942.

Vice President Leni Robredo is our Corregidor in 2019, being the last stand of the organized opposition against the evil regime of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The battle begins on August 9 at the Department of Justice. Every Filipino and Filipina worth his or her salt should pray on-site or in their homes, or show up in the area for a demonstration of support while the Vice President and other opposition figures explain their side vis a vis the charges of sedition on testimony of a reinvented witness called Bikoy.

If Leni falls, BBM will take her place and the script will be concluded with the resignation of Duterte. President Bongbong Marcos, feel it in your bones. And shiver.

But unlike in Japanese times, we cannot hope for a return of democracy as we know it. The country will be cut up into states under a federal government and there will be no term limits for elective officials.

We have no more time. The enemies of our values, tradition, history, flag, are fast advancing. It will be open season for the Marcoses, GMA, Dutertes AND China. Kiss the Philippines goodbye.

What can we do, given that:

We have no murdered Ninoy Aquino to rally around;

Our opponents have studied the People Power playbook and have plugged all loopholes, making another instantaneous EDSA an uphill climb, if not an impossibility;

We have no singular message or spokesperson;

We are a sad people, we wake up and sleep with hopelessness.

Here’s what I think we can still do:

Pray. Returning to God is 51 per cent of the agenda, or we will just be like a “poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more.” Let God show the way out of this morass.

Act. Begin by using social media as a bulletin board only. Views and opinion are still welcome but posts of this nature must ring with pride and optimism for the cause, otherwise keep your thoughts to yourself and your loved ones.

Act. Show up in rallies if able. Hong Kong is everyone’s dream of a malawakang protesta.

Act. Campaign, just like for Ocho, but this time for Leni. Create awareness on what’s happening to her, start conversations wherever you are centering on “last stand,” “Leni the tireless government official still addressing the needs not only of the laylayan ng lipunan but also of our need for a beacon in stormy seas, an inspiration, grace under pressure, family values, beauty inside and out in the face of bako-bakong pamunuan.”

Yun lang muna. Please share away. No need to ask for permission. Thanks.