Month: April 2006

From the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website

1. Introduction

“The Church… must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.” (Deus Caritas Est, 28) This challenging call of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, impels us to express to you, our beloved People of God, our deep concern over the attempt of certain sectors to make hasty and substantial changes to our Constitution, supposedly through the “People’s Initiative” provision in our present charter. We speak to you, not as lawyers or politicians, but as Shepherds, applying principles of our Catholic Social Teaching to our present situation, and inviting you to discern, decide and act in the light of the Gospel.

We recognize and respect those many concerned and thoughtful Filipinos who see constitutional reform as necessary remedy to the country’s many problems at present. In our pastoral statement of January 2006, we already stated that “we agree that certain aspects of our Constitutions may need amendments and revisions.” What we wish to challenge and express unease about is the process by which these changes are being brought about.

Continue reading “CBCP’s Pastoral Statement on PIRMA”

Sikat ang Pinoy!

The New York Times published yesterday (April 5) an editorial on Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and democracy in our country.

Here are excerpts from the editorial entitled “Dark Days for Philippine Democracy.”

“Mrs. Arroyo is no Ferdinand Marcos, at least not yet. But this onetime reformer is reviving bad memories of crony corruption, presidential vote-rigging and intimidation of critical journalists. Unless the Philippine Congress and courts find ways to rein in her increasingly authoritarian tendencies, democracy itself may be in danger.

“President Bush has repeatedly hailed Mrs. Arroyo as an important ally against international terrorism. He now needs to warn her that by undermining a hard-won democracy, she is making her country far more vulnerable to terrorist pressures.”

Read the full text at the New York Times or at the PCIJ blog.

“My reason for not accepting the post of prime minister is because this year is an auspicious year for the King, whose 60th anniversary on the throne is just 60 days away. I want all Thais to reunite,” Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, said in explaining his decision to quit.

He said he “want all Thais to reunite.” Familiar, eh? That is because we heard similar words from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a few years ago. Arroyo “honored” Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our martyred national hero, by declaring she would no longer run in 2004.

“…I have decided not to run for President during the election of 2004.

“If I were to run, it will require a major political effort on my part. But since I’m among the principal figures in the divisive national events for the last two or three years, my political efforts can only result in never-ending divisiveness.”