CCHOPE ELECTION 2001

In partnership with VOTECARE, PPCRV, NAMFREL and major media organizations!

 

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


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Last Updated: Sunday, May 06, 2001 10:31:48 AM