HEAL
OUR LAND
Joint
Pastoral Letter of Bishops of the Bicol Region on Election 2001
If
my people humble themselves and pray); and seek my presence
and turn
away from the.evil ways, I will hear them from heaven
and pardon their sins and heal their land (2 Chron. 7:14)
Dear
Sisters and Brothers, all our beloved faithful in the Church of Bicol:
We issue this statement in view of the forthcoming Elections. This is a
fruit of our collective discernment of your bishops together and with
our priest, religious and lay representatives from the entire Bicol Region
on the occasion of the National Pastoral Consultation on Church
Renewal last month.
.
In our Region, even with noted improvements in government services and
performance, we still find largely "the same economic imbalance,
the same political corruption and the same cultural defects."
Yet. we then also saw the power of God wanting to form a more just society
This much we have seen at EDSA and the many EDSAs in our own region in
prayer vigils and sacrifices-rallies and lightning caravans, Certainly,
this was the hand of God empowering us all! For us to receive once more
the gift. of moral and national renewal' And, we hear the call to a change
of heart - to work hand-in-hand with God. with more openness and daring
to complete the gift of renewal once again begun.
For our region, this is a call to a rigorous faith-based action: Let
politics be truly for public service! We cannot allow ideological forces
- whether in the government, the NPAs or sectarian religious interests
to undermine, much less dictate upon the good of all. We cannot allow
the segregation of our villages or barangays into mere political
bailiwicks, nor the fragmentation of our people along the patronage of
family lines, promised pay-offs and favors. We cannot allow attempts at
nepotism and dynastic proieges, not opportunism nor mass-popularity, All
above, ills, to name a few. are ways of trapo-politics, only much more
preyed upon by the pretentious extremes of armed-struggle and
escapist-entertainment Trapo-politics subverts the constitution and
sidelines the conduct of peaceful democratic elections Way-laid by trapo-politics,
we make ourselves and our youth and our children trapos. To give
way to trapo-politics of guns, goons and gold brings upon ourselves the
wrath of godlessness. And, with you all, we cry: "Lord, heal our
land!"
Sisters and brothers, in the Spirit of the Lord who gives abiding strength
for renewal, let us all stand up for HOPE for an Honest, Orderly and
Peaceful Election Thus, for us to observe: the qualifications for
candidates to public office, courses of action to be undertaken by the
community and particular questions
QUALIFICATlONS FOR CANDIDATES TO PUBLIC OFFICE: Those seeking
public office
must have
1. COMPETENCE. They must have the necessary knowledge and the
ability to do the expected work well. For this, they must be Pro-God (maka-Dios.)
rather than materialistic and
secularistic, not necessarily that they are well-off or popular. For, if
they are without the sense of what is right and wrong how can thev
know and do well what is truly good?
2. INTEGRITY- They must have the spirit of sen-ice. For this, they
must be Pro-people (maka-tawo) rather than pro-self. For, if they
are without the deep respect for the human dignity in all persons, how can
they lead them to gain the fruition of their human rights as individuals
and as a community?
3. HONESTY for Public Office. They must have the commitment for the
common good. For this. they must be Pro-Nation (maka-banwaan)-
defending and promoting the good-of-all with justice, rather than being
for "special/favored" persons or groups: This calls for hone-sty
for public service, proven by the fidelity to marital commitment (to wife
or husband) and to family commitment;, (the right and loving care of the
family), not to- mention commitment to community values and more. For, if
they are without the fidelity due basic commitments they entered into by
their own choice, how can they be entrusted with the common good and
justice demanded by public trust 7
4. LOVE of the Poor. They must be eager to empower people,
most of whom though poor, are responsibly able to transform their
condition For this, they must be Pro-Environment (maka-buhay)
rather than being insensitive to ecology and the cultural wisdom of
communities. For, if they are without this preferential love of the poor,
how can they give the necessary opportunity and assistance to enable
people to have a better life?
To be trusted in politics and to be entrusted by people with the common
good, a good moral character is fundamentally necessary, verified from
past histories and records of candidates.
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY ACTION
1. Help raise the awareness of people regarding responsible voting.
You may especially volunteer to work in a non-partisan way with
non-government organizations such as NAMFREL or the like, or such
Church movements like PPCRV and NASSA VOTE-CARE, etc.
2. Support truly qualified candidates and help ensure that the political
party itself abides by the values of integrity, honesty and issue-oriented
electoral campaign. You may also yourself work for and join a political
party in order 10 get elected into public office and ensure
priority-focused programs of government if elected.
3 Vote wisely and honestly in accordance with a properly formed
conscience, and not because of monetary considerations, family connections
or utang-na-boot,
In urging observance of these guidelines, we also address two
perennial questions
1. Separation of Church and Stale. Nowhere does the Constitution
prohibit clergy and religious from partisan politics. What prohibits them
is the Church's own laws and traditional wisdom. That is, to take an
active part in partisan politics, with its wheeling and dealing,
compromises and confrontations, would be to weaken their teaching
authority and destroy the unity they rep-resent and protect..
Much is, therefore, entrusted to our laity to renew the political leader
according to Gospel principles and values. In this renewal, you, our lay
faithful, are not be passive or dormant. You are 10 take an active role
with singular competence and integrity in partisan political affairs: to
help form the civic conscience of the voting population, and work to
explicitly promote the election of leaders of true integrity to public
office.
2- Money for votes or "kuarta sa bulsa, boto sa balota "
A Catholic voter must simply say NO' Accepting money, but not voting for
the candidate makes you a liar, and, in voting for the candidate, you have
actually sold your vote In both ways, you cooperate in evil. By accepting
any money and, so also premises of family, kahimanwa, ka-kosa
or promises of favor, pay-offs and return-benefits from candidates, no
matter from what source and with what intention, you are perpetuating
dirty politics, graft and corruption. Today's vote-buyers are tomorrow's
grafters. Today's vote-sellers are tomorrow's victims.
»
Finally, we urge all our parish and barangay pastoral councils, all
religious associations and movements, our youth and the media, all our
schools and institutions, all religious communities, in all parishes of
all our diocese, to collectively undertake initiatives toward an honest,
orderly and peaceful elections together with our faithful. most
especially, to always discern and act in prayer together as communities of
faith So do we commend our efforts to Our Lady of Peρafrancia, the
Patroness of Bicolandia, and the intercession of Sis Peter and Paul.
through whose prayers we remain one Archdiocese and one Church for the
Bicol Region, that the good Lord may indeed heal our land.
Given at the City of Naga, Philippines on 30 January of the Year of Our
Lord 2001. For the Bishops of the Bicol Region and their Sees;
Most Rev. LeonardoZ Legaspi
Archbishop af Caceres
Most Rev. Prospero N. Arellano, DD
Most Rev Benjamin J. Almoneda, DD
Prelaiure of Libmanan
Diocese of Daet
Most Rev Manolo A. de los Santos, DD, Most
Rev. Joel Z. Baylon-, DD
Diocese of Virac
Diocese of Masbate
Most Rev. Jesus Y. Varela, DD
Most Rev Jose C Sorra, DD
Diocese of Sorsogon
Diocese of Legazpi
Most Rev. Lucilo B. Quiambao., DD
Diocese
of Legazpi
For any
inquiries or comment, you may contact the WEBMASTER
Last Updated: Sunday, May 06, 2001 10:31:48 AM
CCHOPE ELECTION
2001 