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 I MPACT August 2006 / Vol 40 • No 8
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL
Uncivilized Democracy ........................................ 25
COVER STORY
Where Has Technology Brought Our Kids ........ 16
COVER PHOTO CREDIT: DENNIS BALDOZA DAYAO
ARTICLES
Principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church
and Poverty .............................................................. 4
The Universal Destination of Goods ................... 7
The SONA Projects and the Ecclesiastical
Provinces: A Clarion Call to the Laity ................. 9
Organized Killings Threaten Ethnic Survival .13
We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe .........14
STATEMENT
Shepherding and Prophesying in Hope ............. 26
DEPARTMENTS
Quote in the Act ...................................................... 2
Cinema Review ...................................................... 23
Quotes in Quiz ....................................................... 23
From the Blogs ........................................................ 24
From the Inbox ....................................................... 28
Impact Reviews ...................................................... 29
News Briefs ............................................................. 31
THE recent SONA depicted exactly the state of
mind of every sane Filipino: a sigh for a good
future—which is not too far cry from the “pie in the
sky by and by” ridicule on religions by Joseph
Stalin and his comrades who as early as 1905 were
already ruminating of a sure heaven for the prole-
tariat within 70 years, which, of course, remained
a pie in the sky till today.
The only difference is, while that of the
anachronistic communists was a sure flop in 70
years, this one of Ms. Arroyo is going to be a sure
hit within the next three years; that was how it was
presented. One is of the belief that this is not a
will-o’-the-wisp if the making of the supermaids
and super regions will zing as fast as the disap-
pearances of certificates of canvas in 2004 na-
tional elections or the proliferation of casinos in
street corners of Manila and perhaps the prolific
killings of activists and journalists without even
mentioning the phenomenal pulverization of tons
of fertilizers.
Malacañang believes that more feasible and
concrete than lofty imagination is the fund sourc-
ing for the super projects hastily budgeted to cost
372.02 billion pesos from the following sources:
local government units, government-owned or –
controlled corporations, private investors through
BOT schemes, borrowings and development as-
sistance from other countries, and the dregs of the
annual national budget for 2007-2010.
Andaya’s Department of Budget should not be
But
likened to the success or failure of the Sorcery
Department in Harry Potter. And that is because
the SONA was intended for the betterment of the
Filipino people not for the pitiable survival of a
beleaguered presidency. Or so it was seemingly
crafted by the experts of Never Never Land.
Giving it a handful benefit of the doubt, Mr.
Jose Lugay, in his The SONA Projects and the
Ecclesiastical Provinces: A Clarion Call to the
Laity, enjoins the laity to be vigilant in monitoring
the implementation of the super projects in the
event that they become real. Part of our misery is
because the millions of the laity have just been
habitually watching the world go by; very reli-
gious they are but guilty bystanders just the same.
Our cover story disturbingly asks: Where
has technology brought our kids? Pragmatic,
liberal and tolerant, the new breed of hi-tech teen
generation is heralding some confounding inno-
vations, observes Bob Acebedo. Is the emer-
gence of the net generation a cause for alarm? Or
is it just a consequential progression of Teilhard
de Chardin’s noosphere or something? Read on.
Volume 40 • Number 8 3
 A R T I C L E S

W
ithin the context of the general
theme of our Conference, namely,
“Human Rights and the Eradica-
tion of Poverty,” I wish to reflect on The
Principles of the Social Doctrine of the
Church and Poverty.
I plan to develop the topic in the follow-
ing order: first, I shall speak of poverty and
the Social Doctrine of the Church; second, of
some social principles of the Magisterium of
the Church, and, third, of the principal social
principle in our situation, that is, the prefer-
ential love for the poor.
I will consider the concrete topic from a
philosophical—or reason—and a theologi-
cal—or Christian revelation—perspective.
Does the Social Doctrine of the Church
have something to say on poverty and our
obligation to eradicate it?

Poverty and the Social Teachings

of the Church
Someone said that the five races of the
world are summed up in two, namely the, rich
and the poor.
We are all aware that poverty is the
greatest social problem in the world and, in
particular, in the Philippines. As Cardinal
Walter Kasper said recently: “More than
two thirds of the world’s population live in
inhuman conditions of poverty and misery,
whereas others live in prosperity and afflu-
ence” (Statement, July 5, 2006). We all see in
our streets the many faces of the poor.
On the first day of the Third Millennium,
Pope John Paul II the Great said: “At the
beginning of the Century, the issue that
challenges most our human and Christian
consciences is the poverty of countless
millions of men and women” (Message for
the World Day of Peace: January 1, 2000; see and marginalized with preferential love. Ethics, Social Ethics, Bioethics. Manila:
Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, no. 43; Paul VI, The Church of Christ—our Mother and UST Publishing House, 2005, pp. 42-61.)
Octogesima Adveniens, no. 48). The words Teacher—presents to us a body of powerful The SDC is the ordinary teaching of the
of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the doctrine that teaches us to be good citizens Church on social life, structures and relation-
Philippines (CBCP) still ring true—unfortu- and Christians in our world and in our own ships. The Church does not offer technical
nately: “The destitution of millions of Filipi- country; to behave as good social beings: solutions to social problems, nor an eco-
nos is an indictment on all of us who call “By his innermost nature, man is a social nomic system. She is not a political party
ourselves believers” (CBCP, Ang Mahal na being and unless he relates himself to others, either. “The purpose Christ set before his
Birhen, 1975, no. 96). he can neither live nor develop his potenti- Church is a religious one. But out of this
As members of the human family, as alities” (GS, 12). religious mission itself comes a function, a
citizens of the world and of our own country, The Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) light, and an energy which can serve to
we cannot be passive spectators of the tragic is part of her ordinary Magisterium and of structure and consolidate the human com-
drama of poverty. We are asked by our her evangelizing mission (cf. Vatican II, LG, munity according to the divine law” (GS, 42).
humanity—by our common human bonds— 25; John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 54). It is Rooted in Sacred Scriptures and Chris-
to be concerned, to be involved, and to do part of moral theology – or Christian ethics tian Tradition—including the social teach-
something to solve the grave problem of - as the science of Christian praxis (cf. John ings of the Fathers of the Church and great
poverty in particular among our Filipino broth- XXIII, Mater et Magistra, 22, and Pacem in theologians, above all, St. Augustine and St.
ers and sisters. Terris, 32-38: John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Thomas Aquinas -, the doctrinal building of
As followers of Christ, we are asked by Socialis, 41; cf. Fausto B. Gomez, O. P., “The the Social Doctrine of the Church is con-
our faith in Jesus to follow him, to be just to Social Doctrine of the Church: Nature and structed upon four columns, namely, truth,
and love our neighbors, particularly the poor Development,” in his book A Pilgrim’s Notes: freedom, justice and love. (Cf. John XXIII,

4
4 IMPACT •• August
IMPACT August 2006
2006

Principles of the
Social Doctrine of
the Church and
Poverty
First of Two Parts
(Editor's Note: The following is a talk delivered at the conference on "Human Rights and the Eradication of
Poverty" held July 15, 2006 at University of Asia and the Pacific, Pasig City.)
By Fr. Fausto B. Gomez, OP
Pacem in Terris, 35; Vatican II, GS, 26.)
Among the classical four columns, or social
values, of the SDC, two are given preemi-
nence, that is, justice and love. (Cf. GS, 76;
John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia, 14; SRS,
41; PCP II, no. 80.).
Another essential column of the social
Magisterium of the Church (cf. John Paul II,
CA, 2) that I believe should be added to the
four mentioned above is human life. The
Christian is asked by his humanity and his
faith to defend a culture of life against a
culture of death by proclaiming, celebrating
and serving human life, which ought to be
defended from the moment of conception to
natural death, that is, at its beginning, at its
end—and in between beginning and end!
(Cf. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae)
The Christian social vision articulated
by the SDC is formulated in principles of
reflection, criteria for judgment and guide-
lines for action. Among the criteria for judg-
ment, the SDC highlights the preferential
love for the poor, and among the guidelines
for action, the social Magisterium of the
Church advocates peaceful means towards
the solutions of social problems and con-
flicts. Let us consider now the social prin-
ciples.
Principles of the Social Doctrine
of the Church
Moral principles are a fundamental
moral category in general ethics and in the
different kinds of ethics, including social
ethics. In the Social Doctrine of the Church,
its authoritative documents speak of con-
crete social principles for action. Ethical
principles are basic points of reference,
action-guides, general moral directives,
standards of conduct for social commit-
ment. They are closely connected with
values, virtues and norms. Ethical prin-
ciples may be described as expressions of
values and foundations for specific ethi-
cal norms and rules. Ethical principles are
not arbitrary or merely positivistic moral
guidelines, but basic rational orientations
rooted in human nature and—for Chris-
tians and other believers—in faith.
The SDC presents to us different prin-
ciples for social commitment and action. It
is said that “the permanent principles of
the Church’s social doctrine constitute
the very heart of Catholic social teaching”
(Compendium of the Social Doctrine of
the Church, no. 160) This excellent Com-
pendium (2004) of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace presents extensively
the principles of human dignity, the com-
mon good, solidarity and subsidiarity.
These four principles are “the foundation
of all other principles” and even of the
whole content of the Social Doctrine of the
Church (Compendium, no. 160).
In the context of poverty, we focus
our attention on the following basic ethi-
cal principles: respect for persons, justice
and love, the universal destination of the
goods of the earth, and the preferential
love for the poor.
Principle of Respect for Persons
The human person is considered the
moral criterion of ethics: “the human person
is and ought to be the principle, the subject
and the end of all social institutions” (GS,
25). Ethics guides us on the defense and
promotion of the human person, his/her
dignity and rights. The principle of respect
for persons may be formulated as follows:
“The human person ought to be respected
always.”
Respect implies reverence, esteem, and
recognition. Respect for persons means re-
spect for human dignity and rights. In Chris-
tian perspective, respect for persons signi-
fies to recognize and treat them as children
of God, as brothers and sisters in Christ. For
believers, human dignity is grounded on
three sources: The human person as the
image of God; the human person as a child of
God redeemed by Christ and renewed by the
Holy Spirit; and the human person as des-
tined to eternal life.
Why do we have to respect person—
every person? We have to respect the hu-
man person because every human person
possesses inner worth, incomparable value,
and equal dignity. Every human being pos-
sesses human dignity; a unique excellence
of nature characterized by intelligence, free-
dom and love. Human dignity is essentially
equal in all humans. We are all equal in
essential—or ontological—dignity by the
mere fact of belonging to the human specie.
Thus, no matter how miserable a hu-
man being has become through evil ac-
tions, through moral indignity, he or she will
always have the essential dignity belong-
ing to every human being, including those
who cannot exercise their rationality and
the weak.
In ethical and theological perspec-
tive, respecting persons means consider-
ing them as subjects and not as objects, as
ends and not as means, as he or she (better,
as thou) and not as it.
The Catechism of the Catholic
Church and the Encyclical of John Paul II
Veritatis Splendor (1993) speak of the
following kinds of behavior and actions as
contrary to human dignity:
Theft, deliberate retention of goods
lent or objects lost, business fraud, unjust
wages, forcing up prices by trading on the
ignorance or hardship of another, corrup-
tion in which one influences the judgment
of those who must make decisions accord-
ing to law, the misappropriation and pri-
vate use of corporate property of an enter-
prise, work badly done, tax fraud, forgery
of cheques and invoices, excessive ex-
penses, waste … (VS, 100; CCC, 2409).
Volume 40
Volume 40 •• Number
Number 88 55
Principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church and Poverty
Principles of Justice and Love
Respect for persons involves respect
for human dignity, and respect for human
dignity implies necessarily respect for hu-
man rights. After all, human dignity is also
the possession of human rights. Hence, the
ethical principle of respect for persons is
mediated by another ethical principle, namely,
the principle of justice.
Justice is the principle and the virtue par
excellence of the social doctrine of the Church,
a justice that is permeated by love, the form
of all virtues. It entails to give to each person
his/her due, that is, his/her rights, which are
inalienable and inviolable. These rights in-
clude the right to life, the right to liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.
The principle of justice may be formu-
lated as follows: “Give to each person his/
her due, that is, his/her rights.”
It is important to note that rights are co-
relative of duties. John XXIII wrote: “Those
who claim their own rights, yet altogether
forget or neglect to carry out their respective
duties, are people who build with one hand
and destroy with the other. To one man’s
right there corresponds a duty in all other
persons: the duty, namely, of acknowledg-
ing and respecting the right in question”
(John XXIII, PT, no.30).
The principle of justice asks us to re-
spect the autonomy of persons, that is, to
respect their bodily integrity, their con-
science, and their freedom. “Moral autonomy
is realized when our relationships with oth-
ers are lived in key of mutual and horizontal
respect” (M. Vidal). Autonomy, however, is
not absolute. For believers, it is limited by the
principles of stewardship (we are stewards
not owners of our life and possessions) and
the principle of solidarity.
The ethical principle of justice is comple-
mented—and perfected—by the ethical prin-
6 IMPACT • August 2006
ciple of love of neighbor: “love your neigh-
bor as you love yourself, as Christ loves the
neighbor.”
The Sacred Scriptures speak of justice
and love, of justice/love. The supreme prin-
ciple of Christian morality is love; that is, love
of God and love of neighbor: “Charity is the
greatest social commandment” (CCC, 1889).
In social ethics, love of neighbor as fraternal
love is deeply underlined: “Every one must
consider his every neighbor without excep-
tion as another self, taking into account first
of all his life and the means necessary to
living it with dignity” (GS, 27). And yet, there
can be no love without justice.
Indeed, there can be no true love with-
out justice. Charity without justice is a cari-
cature of justice—false charity! Justice is
mini-charity and authentic charity is at least
“just” charity. Columnist Asuncion David
Maramba agrees with singer and philanthro-
pist Bono when he said: “It’s not about
charity, it’s about justice... you’re good at
charity…But justice is the highest stan-
dard.” Comments David Maramba: ‘Some-
times, we seem to have a surfeit of ‘love’ and
‘caring’; it’s almost saccharine. Justice is the
highest standard” (“Justice the Highest stan-
dard,” The Philippine Inquirer: April 27,
2006). Both are speaking not of true charity
as love of neighbor, but of a false charity that
covers up injustices. True charity includes
necessarily justice.
On the other hand, there can be no true
and full justice without love. Justice is in
itself a cold, imperfect and impersonal value.
Its language is “mine,” “yours.” Thus, jus-
tice needs the perfection of love – meaning
to give to others of what is in some way
“mine” but also in some way “theirs.” The
language of love is “ours.” Justice indeed
needs love: “there will always be the service
of love; “ “Love – caritas – will always prove
necessary, even in the most just society.”
There will always be people who suffer, who
are lonely and only charity can give “loving
personal concern” (Benedict XVI, Deus
Caritas Est, 28, b). As John Paul II said, “The
soul of justice is charity” (Address to UNIV.
Vatican City: March 31, 1999; quoted by
NCCB/USCC, In All Things Charity: A pas-
toral Challenge for the New Millennium.
Washington, D. C., 1999.
Justice needs love to be true justice, and
love cannot exist without justice. In the
teachings of the Sacred Scriptures as well as
in Christian tradition, justice and love are
intertwined. (Cf. Fausto B. Gomez, O. P.,
“Some Notes on Biblical Teachings on Jus-
tice,” Philippiniana Sacra, Vol. XLI, No.
121, January-April 2006, pp. 47-80.) Hence,
we speak not of justice alone, not of love
alone, but of justice/love, of charitable or
fraternal justice. The justice of the follower of
Christ is—like Christ’s—a charitable justice
or a fraternal justice. It is, Jesus tells us, the
justice of the Father of the Prodigal Son, and
not of the elder son (cf. Lk 15:11-32); it is the
justice of the one who needs laborers in his
vineyard and pays the same salary to all,
including the workers who went last, and not
the justice of the laborers who went to work
first (cf. Mt 20:1-16). The justice of Jesus
Christ is the justice of his Father—and ours—
who is just with a justice permeated by love,
compassion and generosity.
Furthermore, there is no true prayer
without justice/love. The great prophets in
the Old Testament proclaimed that worship
without justice is not true worship (cf. Ho 6:6;
see Mt 9:13). The Prophet Jesus of Nazareth
continues teaching us that prayer without
justice/love is not saving: “I was hungry and
you gave me food… What you did to the
least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to
me” (cf. Mt chapter 25). The Holy Eucharist,
Bread and Wine of the poor, which is the
center of our Christian life is the memorial of
Christ’s death and resurrection, the sacrifice
of Christ on the cross, and the Sacrament of
the Eucharistic Bread broken for others and
shared in love with all, primarily with the
poor, the proxies of Christ. The Eucharist is
a call to charity, compassion and solidarity
with the poor: “If you want to honor the body
of Christ, do not despise him when He is
naked” (St. John Chrysostom); “to receive in
truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up
for us, we must recognize Christ in the poor-
est, his brethren” (CCC, 1397).
In one of the petitions of the Our Fa-
ther, we ask our Father: “Give us this day our
daily bread.” Our daily bread is the Bread of
the Eucharist, but also the bread needed by
Principles / p. 12
 A R
The Universal
Destination of Goods
By Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ B. Belizar, Jr., SThD
S
ome scenes, played out daily in the
Philippines, could break your heart.
For instance, you’d see thousands
of people cramped in airports, trying to
leave the country out of desperation to
look abroad for jobs and opportunities
that are scarce at home. But you’d also
witness those equally trying to return home
from war-torn Lebanon, cruel working con-
ditions and other tragic work-related expe-
riences in other countries.
There are impressive posh villages,
malls, high rise buildings, state-of-the-art
infrastructures and business establish-
ments in our cities; but these are drowned
T I C L
© Gianni Giansanti/Sygma/Corbis
out by the sheer number of shanties, aging
buildings, makeshift homes and rather slimy
enclaves of the urban and rural poor. You
would think you are in the middle of two
worlds, two countries that are always
meeting (with apologies to Mark Twain)
but barely changing.
Prior Principle
I have often thought that one big
reason why the Philippines and the world
are in such a sorry state today is simply
that so few own so much. Of course, there
is such a thing as a right to private prop-
erty. Even the Church recognizes that. But
E S
it has also been her constant teaching that
there exists a prior principle to which that
right is subordinate. Most people (sur-
prisingly, even otherwise responsible
Catholics) rarely know it. Or if they do, it
isn’t easy to tell. But here goes. The Church
through the Second Vatican Council makes
it clear that “God destined the earth and all
it contains for all men and all peoples so
that all created things would be shared
fairly by all mankind under the guidance of
justice tempered by charity. No matter
what the structures of property are in dif-
ferent peoples…we must never lose sight
of the universal destination of earthly
goods” (GS 69). Unbelievable? Consider
this: This teaching is founded on God’s
original intention of entrusting “the earth
and all its resources to the common stew-
ardship of mankind to take care of them,
master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits”
(Gen. 1:26-29; CCC 2402).
And how does this concern you and
me? You guessed right. This principle is
the basic limitation of the right to private
property. It was not to one individual man
that the earth was entrusted but to man as
a whole, that is, the whole human collectiv-
ity, as implied in the Hebrew word adamah
(from the earth) which describes the con-
dition of all human persons, male or female,
regardless of race, culture or creed that
originated from and dwell on the earth. On
the other hand, the neglect of this funda-
mental truth by our society’s subtle over-
stating of the right to private property has
created the current monstrous imbalances
in the distribution of the world’s goods.
In the Philippines alone, the ratio that
assigns almost ninety percent of the
nation’s wealth to only ten percent of its
population has resulted in the continuing
and dehumanizing poverty of the masses.
Recent studies confirm the observation
that only those who have control of the
ninety percent of the country’s wealth has
had the lion’s share of the benefits from
the supposed tiger status (which only
groaned and not roared among the poor)
of the economy during the Ramos admin-
istration till the present. The irony is not
lost to many that a nation which prides
itself in its Christian identity and heritage
could be so blatantly inconsistent with the
teachings of its faith. The goods originally
meant for universal destination are, in the
Philippines, destined only to a particular
few. What the late Holy Father, Pope John
Paul II, judges to be “one of the greatest
injustices in the contemporary world” (SRS
28) is a daily and ubiquitous reality in this
Christian country.
Volume 40 • Number 8 7
 The Universal Destination of Goods
The Need for a Concerted Effort
Among Nations
Obviously the Philippines is not alone
in the matter of imbalances in goods distri-
bution. Hers is only one among many of
such other imbalances in the whole world.
Which is why the Second Plenary Council
of the Philippines suggests a worldwide
course of action to deal with the problem.
“Because earthly goods are meant for all,
there is a responsibility for developed coun-
tries to aid developing countries and to
correct the terms of commercial relation-
ships that presently favor the richer and
more powerful countries” (PCP II 298). To
a poor nation this is necessary and to an
objective observer, logical. But how does
this sound to the collective ears (or hearts)
of the world’s wealthier nations? In point
of fact, it demands a collective movement
from those nations in the upper rungs of
the wealth pyramid, one that must address
the present distribution imbalances in terms
of offering concrete aids to the economies
of poorer countries and, more radically, by
making corrections to the existing one-
sided commercial relationships in the world
economy.
Tall order? Indeed. Why? Because
such an act has to be guided by a recog-
nition of the social dimension of private
property which sensitizes nations to the
needs of the poorer portions of the human
race and the injustice inherent in merely
8 IMPACT • August 2006
maintaining the status quo. Such a recog-
nition, admittedly, has very few adherents
today except mostly in terms of lip service.
Present realities do, however, admit of
considerable efforts from developed coun-
tries to concretize the first proposition,
that is, they offer certain types of eco-
nomic aid to poorer counties. But the crux
of the matter is that the world’s economic
order is still a cross for poorer countries.
The reason is as simple as it is stark: Very
little is being done to correct it.
A Poor Country’s Courses of
Action
Nothing is one-sided in the quest for
social transformation. Poorer countries
often learn the hard way that the needed
action cannot come, and does not come,
exclusively from the developed countries
of the world. Not even the Church, im-
mersed as always in everything local while
struggling to fulfill a mission deemed uni-
versal, can remain on the sidelines. Be-
sides, poorer countries realize that it helps
to also help oneself find the way out of the
woods. For instance, the Philippine Church
through PCP II already takes a serious look
into the Philippine situation and makes
suggestions of its own.
It is good to look back and bring them
into consideration. Fundamentally PCP II
uses the principle of the universal destina-
tion of goods as a springboard. Setting the
principle in the Philippine context the
Council proposes a threefold course
of action: (1) the avoidance of capital
hoarding by using it instead to create
employment for those who have no
work or are underemployed; (2) the
diffusion of the use and ownership
of the goods of the land for the ben-
efit of all; and (3) a truly comprehen-
sive agrarian reform (PCP II 303).
Capital hoarding is still rampant
but there are more signs of it being
used now than before for employ-
ment generation and for re-energiz-
ing local businesses. But there is
hardly a dent to the problem of the
exclusive use and ownership of the
goods of the land with the exception
perhaps of more communal situa-
tions in the existing religious orders,
in the Basic Ecclesial Communities
and other communities of renewal.
And, needless to say, a truly compre-
hensive agrarian reform remains an
unrealized aspiration in the Philip-
pines.
Conclusion
Our present situation is character-
ized by deep imbalances, disturbing but
no longer surprising, considering that it is
an outcome of an unjust economic and
social order, now further driven by market
forces that work by self-interest. The ques-
tion is asked as to which should prompt
the real changes? Forces from the outside
seeking to break within? Or inside forces
seeking to break out into the open? I say
both. Our social concerns, after all, pre-
suppose an informed social conscience. It
is clear that PCP II’s suggested courses of
action are possible only through a more
mature, less profit-oriented and socially
sensitive mindset among our economic,
political and socio-cultural elite.
We used to have a simpler term for
this: UNSELFISH. But this mindset must
be supported by appropriate laws and
effective socio-economic-political struc-
tures. In a word, the condition needed is
nothing short of what the Christian faith
calls a radical conversion or metanoia that
must take place not only in the hearts of
individual Filipinos, not only in the large
majority of the population but also in those
who influence structures that still prevail
in our society and keep it from being truly
free, equal and fraternal. To quote the late
Pres. John F. Kennedy: “A society that
cannot help the many who are poor cannot
save the few who are rich.” I
 A R T I C L E S

W
hether one believes the State of
the Nation Address (SONA) of
President Gloria Macapagal Ar-
The SONA Projects and the
royo or not, peoples’ money will be spent
for the building of infrastructure—at least
Ecclesiastical Provinces:
some of the SONA projects planned for

A Clarion Call
areas within the Ecclesiastical Provinces
of the Philippine Church. The planning
and implementation horizon is 3 years, 11
months and 6 days or 1435 days, the re-

to the Laity
maining tenure of the President from July
24, 2006. While the Opposition declares
that funds will not be available for this
ambitious plan, Rep. Joey Salceda of the
House Committee on Appropriations gave
assurance that his estimate of P 1.02 trillion
will be available to accomplish the SONA
project plans within the planned period.
The Laity can not just sit by and wait By Jose B. Lugay
and let things happen in an atmosphere
where half of the citizenry believe that
bribery to get permits, overpricing of bid-
ding estimates and corruption practices in
the implementation of infrastructure
projects are prevailing practices especially
during the election period. We have to
know in greater detail and focus on spe-
cific projects that will, if implemented cor-
rectly and “cleanly”, benefit the communi-
ties within the corresponding Ecclesiasti-
cal Provinces and territories.
The Economic Team of the Adminis-
tration estimates that P290 billion out of
the total cost of P1.02 trillion for all the
SONA projects is sufficient and available
for the implementation of the infrastruc-
ture projects. These projects, according to
Department of Transportation and Com-
munication (DOTC) Secretary Leandro
Mendoza, would be financed partly
through the government’s annual budget
and largely through official development
assistance (ODA) extended by various
multilateral and bilateral foreign agencies.
The government-owned and controlled
corporations (GOCC) under the DOTC—
including the Philippine Ports Authority Northern Luzon • International airport in Poro, La Union
(PPA) and the Manila International Air- • Completion of the repair of the Halsema • Improvement of two airports in Batanes
port Authority (MIAA)—have confirmed Highway • Seaport in Salomague, Ilocos Sur and
the existence of funds to support the vari- • Upgrading of the Bagabag airport and improvement of Port Irene.
ous seaport and airport projects. The pri- building a new one at Lallo, Cagayan • Installation of windmills in Batanes
vate sector will be expected to invest in which will connect to the Cordillera by and Ilocos Norte
other projects through the Build-Operate- upgrading the Tabuk-Tuguegarao Metro Luzon Urban Beltway
Transfer (BOT) or the Build-Operate-Own Road
(BOO) schemes. • Expansion of the San Roque Multipur- • Urban, industrial, and services center
The list of infrastructure projects in the pose Dam with the Agno River Project that will span most of Central Luzon,
affected Ecclesiastical Provinces and terri- • Banaoang Irrigation Project • Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mindoro
tories mentioned by the President within • Flood Control—small irrigation and Marinduque - to modernize infra-
the Five Super Regions is presented here projects of the Region II Development structure at least cost in order to effi-
for the affected Dioceses to review and Council headed by Bishop Ramon ciently transport goods and people.
consider in their advocacy for good gover- Villena • Development of the Subic-Clark Corri-
nance to prevent graft and corruption: • Farm to market roads dor as a competitive and logistics cen-

Volume 40 • Number 8 9
 The SONA Projects
ter, investments in the Subic Seaport,
the Clark Airport, and the Subic-Clark-
Tarlac Expressway,
• Connecting the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Road to Dingalan Port through Nueva
Ecija, and the Marikina-Infanta Road
to the port of Real.
• A continuous highway from Clark to
Metro Manila to Batangas Port,
• Connecting the North Expressway to
C-5, and C-5 to the South Luzon Ex-
pressway
• Widening of the South Luzon Express-
way up to Calamba and by August up
to Batangas.
• Building the Coastal road up to Bacoor,
• Connecting the MRT to the LRT from
Monumento to North EDSA,
• Construction of the Northrail to Clark
and the Southrail to Lucena and on to
Bicol,
• Extension of the LRT to Bacoor
• Relocation of squatter homes along
the railroad tracks of Manila,
• Building the roll-on-roll-off (RORO)
port system to link Lucena, Quezon to
Boac, Marinduque,
Central Philippines
• For tourism development to include
Palawan and Romblon, the Visayas
and Bicol, plus the northern Mindanao
islands of Camiguin, Surigao and
Dapitan. Top billed by Boracay, Cebu
and Palawan, it attracts more than half
of the foreign tourists to the Philip-
pines.
• Kalibo airport to be provided with
instrument landing system (for Boracay
tourists)
• San Jose, Romblon airport (P 3 billion
private investment)
• Good roads to destinations all over
Panay,
• Bohol International Airport,
• Upgrading the airports of Puerto
Princesa, Busuanga and San Vicente,
• A new airport in Balabac, Palawan and
a continuous road backbone from El
Nido to Bataraza,
• Lengthening the runway (for tourism
as well as electronics) of Dumaguete
airport,
• Ethanol projects in San Carlos City and
Tamlang Valley, Negros Oriental,
• Building the Santa Barbara, Iloilo air-
port and RORO port in Sibunag to
serve Guimaras,
• Linking Sipalay in Silay airport and
Kabankalan airport.
• International airport in Daraga, Albay
• Upgrading the airports of Siargao,
10 IMPACT • August 2006
and the Ecclesiastical
Guiuan, and Tacloban
to access the perfect
surfs of the Pacific.
• Widening the road to
Dakak in Dapitan and
setting up the RORO
to connect Siquijor to
Santander, Cebu;
Camiguin to Jagna,
Bohol; Ubay, Bohol to
Maasin, Southern
Leyte (for diving in
Limasawa).
• Masbate and Biliran will
be brought into the
RORO Eastern Nauti-
cal Highway from
Surigao through Leyte
through Naval and
Maripipi in Biliran,
through Esperanza,
Aroroy and Burias Is-
land in Masbate and
on to Bicol.
Mindanao
• Mindanao is the prior-
ity for agribusiness in-
vestments, for export
of coconut products
and high value crops.
From its waters come
40% of the country’s
fish catch – hence in-
vestments for the lo-
gistics system linking
Mindanao to the
North:
• Aside from the RORO
now existing from Zamboanga del process outsourcing are located.
Norte through Negros, Panay and It is unbelievable that all these SONA
Mindoro to Batangas, more routes will projects will be completed within the ten-
be developed; one from Cagayan de ure of President Macapagal Arroyo. How-
Oro through Camiguin, Bohol, Cebu ever, since some of these will likely have
and Masbate to Bicol, to be desig- been past the planning stage and now in
nated as the Central Nautical High- the feasibility study stage, it is safe to
way. assume that at least 50% of these projects
• Road projects: the Siocon-Sirawai- will have started its construction before
Sibuco-Baligyan Road in Zamboanga the President’s tenure ends. We recom-
del Norte,Lebak to Maguindanao mend that the Laity in the dioceses where
Road, these projects are located whether they
• Dinagat Island road network in Surigao are actively serving in the church or not,
del Norte, organize an advocacy group. The group
• Hawaiian-Salug-Sinakungan barangay should know the details of these projects—
road in Agusan del Sur, a) type of infrastructure, b) schedule of
• Pangil Bay Bridge, Surigao-Davao Road bidding, c) the approved budget for the
contract (ABC), d) the members of the Bids
Cyber Corridor and Awards Committee (at the national
The corridor runs the length of all the level or the local government level), e) the
Super Regions, from Baguio to Cebu to project implementation timetable, f) speci-
Davao. There are many wings now to the fication and quantities of materials, g)
corridor where call centers and business equipment required, g) Bidders’ qualifica-
l Provinces: A Clarion Call to the Laity

suming we use 20%, this an Observer, readily shares copies of pre-

tions and others.
‘The underlying reason for the recom-
mendation for the Laity to organize advo-
cacy groups is the corruption factor. Even
President Arroyo has implied in her SONA
of the continuing existence of corrupt prac-
tices in government. We quote, “The new
public bidding process has been short-
ened to 45 days for infrastructure, 26 days
for supplies, as of today. Even before this,
Metro Manila firms paying bribes for pub-
lic contracts declined from 57% in 2003
to 46 today.
This is a give-away, a confession that
bribery in public contracts is a prevailing
practice in government institutions. Sec.
R. Andaya admitted in a recent TV inter-
view (ANC) that 18% is added to the infra-
structure cost estimate as an allowance for
variability/contingencies (In other words,
for bribery or graft.) This “allowance” is
even lower than the World Bank estimate
of 20% and PCIJ’s estimate of 30%. As-
will amount to P58 billion of
the P290 billion budget for
the SONA infrastructure
projects.. In any language
this is plain and simple high-
way robbery of the people’s
money!
For this reason, it be-
hooves all Laity of the dio-
ceses where the SONA in-
frastructure projects will be
implemented, to form an ad-
vocacy group to prevent
graft and corruption. The
Diocesan Bishop can do
much by initiating a dia-
logue with the Mayor, Gov-
ernor and Congressman of
the corresponding city/
province to be transparent
in the procurement of infra-
structure projects as re-
quired by the new law. A
simple call to Bishop Gabriel
Reyes who initiated
LAIKO’s participation in
the Advocacy for Good
Governance—as OBSERV-
ERS of the New Procure-
ment Law—will be suffi-
cient to send LAIKO’s team
to orient the diocesan lay
groups regarding the ad-
vocacy now practiced in
Manila.
It is in the pre-procure-
ment stage where the tech-
nical and financial data are
estimated by the Technical Working Group
appointed by the Bids and Awards Com-
mittees of the local government or the
regional DPWH offices. Ideally this is the
occasion where the critical and analytical
eye of the Laity will be needed.
Corruption starts here—the determi-
nation of the total project cost or what the
law defines as the ABC—the approved
budget for the contract. Unfortunately,
the Procurement Law still needs revision
of its Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) to require the Bids and Awards Com-
mittee (BAC) of the government unit to
invite Observers during the presentation
of the project estimate by the Technical
Working Group (TWG) to the BAC.
Moral suasion, coming from the
Bishop, requesting the attendance of the
lay Observer to the presentation of the
project estimate will surely be listened to.
For example, the Ports and Harbors Au-
thority (PPA) where I personally acted as
procurement reports. This was also given
to Atty. Mia Zafra when she took my place
as Observer of this government controlled
corporation. In case the projects are ap-
proved in Manila, the work of the Dioc-
esan Laity is to monitor project implemen-
tation. The experience of the Diocese of
Abra can be replicated in any other dio-
cese. One needs only a champion for the
cause to initiate such a move. Professional
engineers/architects who handled projects
before and who are now active Diocesan
leaders are most qualified to train other lay
leaders in the control procedures. This will
include the monitoring of adherence to
project timetables and completion dates,
quantity and quality of materials used,
conformance to approved designs as well
as compliance of the approved cost esti-
mates.
The participation of the Laity in gov-
ernment procurement is expressly stated in
the Implementing RuIes and Regulations
(IRR) of R.A. 9184. Sec. 13.1 states, “To
enhance the transparency of the process,
the BAC shall, in all stages of the procure-
ment process, invite, in addition to the
representative of the Commission on Audit
(COA), at least two (2) observers to sit in
the proceedings and that of these two
Observers, at least one (1) shall come from
a duly recognized group in a sector or a
discipline relevant to the procurement at
hand; The other observer shall come from
a Non-government organization.
CBCP-LAIKO is acknowledged by the
government as an NGO that may send
Observers to government institutions
upon written request. Malacanang issued
a directive in 2004 to all national govern-
ment institutions informing them that CBCP
through ECLA is accredited to send Ob-
servers for their Bids and Awards Commit-
tees. This does not automatically cover
the local governments. It will be a strategic
move for the Bishops of the affected dio-
ceses to “invite” the local executives for a
dialogue and discuss the anti-graft and
corruption advocacy for the SONA infra-
structure projects.
In doing this intervention, will not the
Bishop be interfering with the State—an
accusation that local government officials
will surely raise—especially those who
stand to lose their campaign funds? Anti
graft and corruption moves are definitely
within the realm of moral renewal. If all the
affected dioceses will support this move,
perhaps we can have the “critical mass”
that is needed for the social transforma-
tion of the Philippines. I

Volume 40 • Number 8 11
Principles of the Social Doctrines of the Church and Poverty
Principles / from p. 6
our bodies, and therefore, a call to share this
bread with the poor: “This petition of the
Lord’s Prayer cannot be isolated from the
parables of the poor Lazarus and that of the
Last Judgment” (CCC, 2831). The Catechism
for Filipino Catholics comments: “Bread is
human only when it is shared and supports
communion with others. This bread calls for
a collective conversion that responds to the
scandalous hunger and starvation so wide-
spread, and so unnecessary, in the word
today, and even in our own Philippines
(CFC, no. 2170).
The priority of justice/love is the prefer-
ential love for the poor. (Cf. Luis Gonzalez-
Carvajal, Entre la utopia y la realidad. Curso
de Moral Social, Santander: Sal Terrae, 1988,
p. 27.) The preferential love for the poor is
grounded on the principle of the universal
destination of the goods of the earth.
The Principle of the Universal
Destination of the Goods of the
Earth
12 IMPACT • August 2006
The principle of the universal destina-
tion of the goods of the earth could be
formulated thus: “God created the earth
for all, and, therefore, all have a right to a
share in the goods of the earth.”
The teaching on the universal destina-
tion of the goods of the earth (John Paul II,
CA, 30-43; PCP II, 297-310) is grounded on
the Sacred Scriptures, where we clearly see
that God is the creator of the earth and all its
goods and that He is preferentially on the
side of the poor, the downtrodden and the
outcasts. (Cf. Fausto B. Gomez, OP, “Some
Notes on Biblical Teachings on Justice,”
Philippiniana Sacra, Vo. XLI, No. 121,
January-April 2006, pp. 47-80.)
The foundation of the principle is this:
God is the Creator and the true owner of all
things:
God intended the earth and all that it
contains for the use of every human being
and people. Thus, as all men follow justice
and unite in charity, created goods should
abound for them on a reasonable basis.
…Attention must always be paid to the
universal purpose for which created goods
are meant. In using them, therefore, a man
should regard his lawful possessions not
merely as his own but also as common prop-
erty in the sense that they should accrue to
the benefit of not only himself but of others.
For the rest, the right to have a share of
earthly goods for oneself and one’s family
belongs to everyone (Vatican II, GS, 69; cf.
PCP II, no. 297).
This principle is grounded upon the
universal right to the use of goods. This
right of all is in a sense “the first principle of
the whole ethical and social order” (LE, 19).
It is, furthermore, an inherent natural right
that is over and above the positive right to
private property: “All other rights, whatever
they are, including property rights and the
right of free trade must be subordinated to
this norm,” that is, the universal destination
of created goods (PP, 22).
Private property then is a human posi-
tive right, but not an absolute right: “The
right to private property is subordinated to
the right to common use, to the fact that
goods are meant for everyone” (LE, 14; cf.
CA, 30). As subordinated to common prop-
erty, private property, including land and
resources, has a social function. Private prop-
erty should be shared for the development of
all. Likewise, group property, national or
multinational property, like technological and
scientific knowledge, must also be shared,
particularly with the poorest (cf. CA, 35; cf.
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church, nos. 172, 177, 179.)
Saint Thomas Aquinas explained con-
vincingly the necessary social dimension
of all private property. He begins by affirm-
ing that God created the goods of the earth
for all. However, he adds, private property
is legitimate and good. Why? Because the
owner takes good care of his own things;
because human affairs are more efficiently
organized if everyone has his own respon-
sibility, and because “men live together in
greater peace when everyone is content
with what is his.” (The problem is this: How
may one who has nothing be content?) Still
the basic ownership of things belongs to
the sobering power of God, while their
administration and use, to men. St. Thomas
adds: However, “no man is entitled to have
things merely for himself, but for all, so that
he is ready to share with others in case of
need” (Summa Theologica, II-II, 66,2).
There is, then, the universal destina-
tion of the goods of the earth and the
consequent obligation to share them with
the needy of the world. Hence, the principle
of the universal destination of the goods of
the earth is mediated by the principle of the
preferential love for the poor.
(To continued next issue)
 A R T I C L E S

W
hen will these killings end? That
was the first question that
flashed through Himpad
Mangumalas’ mind when he heard the
news of an ambush early dawn of July 31
that seriously injured Alex Claver and the
death of his wife Alice, both members of
the Igorot tribe.
In the span of two months, three inci-
dents of killings ripped the indigenous
population. On June 8, Rafael Markus
Bangit was brutally killed in Tabuk Kalinga.
Few days after, seven men wearing ski
masks and bonnets killed Charlie Daylo,
an Aeta and former leader of the Central
Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA) who was
tagged by the Northern Luzon Command
(Nolcom) in 2004 as a commander of the
New People’s Army (NPA).
The figure now stands at 72, since Ms
Arroyo took office in 2001. The recent
killings this year happened at the height of
the president-declared all out war against
the insurgents. Their ethnicity may not
immediately appear in the list of persons
that ended up at the morgue but the num-
ber of indigenous peoples joining the tally
is beyond the usual—it’s terrifying.
August 9 was the United Nation’s- © Roy Lagarde / IMPACT

declared Day for the World’s Indigenous

Populations, but many among the
country’s 12 million indigenous peoples
were not in the mood for the celebration.
What took place instead were protests on
human rights abuses committed against
them and the continued land grabbing of
their ancestral domains.
Indigenous groups are probably the
most marginalized in the country. Some
tribes face the threat of ethnic extinction:
their numbers are dwindling because,
among other factors, outsiders have taken
the land and forests that sustained them.
Because they are mostly found in
upland, remote or coastal areas, indig-
enous peoples continue to bear the brunt
of military operations against armed gue-
rillas. These counter-insurgency opera-
tions exacerbate the plight of the natives
who suffers discrimination under
government’s land. The issue has, in fact,
led to violations of their human rights.
Leaders of the Kalipunan ng mga
Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas
(KAMP), Central Luzon Aeta Association
(CLAA) and Cordillera People’s Alliance
(CPA), in a press briefing at the Cypress in
Quezon City, slammed the government
saying that the unbridled killings of tribal
Filipinos paint a scenario of “political geno-
cide” by the Arroyo government.
They asserted that many of these
Organized Killings
Threaten Ethnic Survival
By Roy Lagarde
abuses against them are apparently in-
tended to obstruct efforts of indigenous
leaders to secure recognition of their com-
munities’ land rights.
Political killings that targeted indig-
enous peoples victimized mainly leaders
and members of KAMP and the Cordillera
Peoples Alliance, two progressive groups
tagged by the military as legal fronts of the
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Leaders and members of indigenous
groups found in at least seven regions are
highly prone to extra-judicial killings, in-
cluding the CAR, Central Luzon, Southern
Tagalog which includes Mindoro and
Palawan islands, Caraga, Southern
Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula and
Socsargen.
While Ms Arroyo denounced politi-
cal killings, she however lauded General
Jovito Palparan who is being accused of
masterminding a series extra judicial kill-
ings of legal activists.
“We continue to deplore the insincer-
ity of the President, Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo to address the worsening political
repression,” said Joan Carling, CPA chair-
person.
Despite agreements reached between
the government and indigenous groups to
respect their human rights and activate the
investigation into the killing of indigenous
leaders, no one has been brought to trial
for these deaths and the issue of land
ownership has not been fully resolved.
Efforts to bring to justice members of
Organized Kilings / p. 22

Volume 40 • Number 8 13
 A R
T
he international Order of Saint Au
gustine celebrates three major anni
versaries in three consecutive years,
2004, 2005 and 2006, known as the Augus-
tinian Jubilee Celebration. This year, the
Order marks its 750th anniversary.
750 th Anniversary of the Grand
Union of 1256
“How good and pleasant it is when
brothers live in unity.” (Ps. 133:1)
Seven and a half centuries have
passed already and the Order of St. Au-
gustine continues to lead a journey to
God. This year, 2006, sets up another mile-
stone in the life of Augustinians around
the world. The Order commemorates its
juridical founding anniversary—the
“Grand Union” in 1256.
Augustinians would always remem-
ber that momentous, concrete sign of the
call to unity. With the Mendicant Move-
ment fresh during that time, several er-
emitical communities were gathered to-
gether through the initiative of Pope Inno-
cent IV. By virtue of the papal bulls Incumbit
nobis and Praesentium vobis, both issued
on December 16, 1243, the Holy
See intended to unite these
hermitical congregations that
sprouted like mushrooms on "Unity will last forever
— that if renewal
the Tuscan region in Northern
Italy. It is held that most of
these communities were Au-
gustinian-inspired in that they
adopted the lifestyle of St. Au- takes place regularly
and authentically."
gustine. Accordingly, their ex-
istence traces back to the time
when Augustine, as a priest
(391 A.D.), and later on bishop
of Hippo (396-430 A.D.), es-
tablished proto-communities that es-
poused his own Rule. Years after, 35 other
Augustinian-inspired monasteries in Af-
rica alone, flourished. Moreover, some of
these Tuscan groups of hermits took on
the monastic rule of St. Benedict. In March
1244, these communities convoked to-
gether and held a founding chapter in
Rome.
Unity further illustrated itself when
the second and final phase of the unifica-
tion process took place in April 9, 1256,
dubbed as the “Grand Union”. With Pope
Alexander IV’s confirmation through the
bull Licet Ecclesiae Catholicae, the her-
mits convened in Santa Maria del Popolo
in Rome—those who observed the Rule of
St. Augustine (Hermits of John the Good
and Hermits of Brettino), those with the
Rule of St. Benedict (Hermits of St. William
14 IMPACT • August 2006
T I C L E S
and Hermits of Monte Favale) and those
other smaller congregations. They forged
“one profession and regular observance
of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine.”
Furthermore, the Order, which was mendi-
cant in nature, adopted the designation
Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini. De-
cades later, the Holy See officially modi-
fied it to Ordo Fratrum Sancti Augustini
in 1969. The Order spread to many parts of
the world in the following centuries.
Presently, the Order has presence in
Central and South America, Asia, Europe
and Oceania—more or less 2,700 solemn
professed friars in about 40 countries serv-
ing in a variety of ministries ranging from
parish and missionary apostolates to edu-
cation and other forms of ministries.
Augustinians in the Philippines
In the year 1565, the first Christian
missionaries reached the Philippines. They
were Augustinians, namely, Fray Andres
de Urdaneta (chief pilot of the expedition
and Superior of the group), Fray Diego de
Herrera, Fray Martin de Rada, Fray Andres
de Aguirre and Fray Pedro de Gamboa.
The conversion to the Catholic faith
of the inhabitants of the islands of Cebu
and Panay, as well as, the provinces of
Batangas, Pampanga, Tarlac, La Union,
Ilocos Norte and Sur, Abra, half of Rizal,
Nueva Ecija and the greater part of Metro
Manila has been one of the great achieve-
ments of the Augustinian Order. More-
over, the Augustinians, alongside other
religious Orders, Congregations and mis-
sionaries, founded a good number of mu-
nicipalities and built most historic churches
in the country. Presently, the Augustinian
Order continues to share its vision and
charism through its apostolic commitments
in the field of education, pastoral and
missionary endeavors, and other areas
where the Church needs apostolic service,
as well.
Presently in the Philippines, the Prov-
ince of Santo Nino de Cebu-Philippines,
which is currently the custodian of the
popular Santo Nino de Cebu and pro-
moter of his devotion, is an independent
province of the Order established in Janu-
ary 15, 1984, with fourteen houses in its
jurisdiction. In its educational apostolate,
it administers schools and a university:
University of San Agustin (Iloilo), Colegio
San Agustin-Binan, Colegio San Agustin-
Bacolod and Colegio del Sto. Nino (Cebu),
as well as, the San Agustin Center of
Studies (Collegium and Professorium Semi-
nary, Quezon City). Pastoral work is also
done in parishes situated on some parts of
the nation: Basilica del Sto. Nino de Cebu
(Cebu), Chrysanthemum Parish (Laguna),
Sto. Nino Parish (Laguna), Sto. Nino de
Cebu Parish (Cebu) and Nuestra Señora de
Gracia Parish (Makati). It also reaches out
to other areas of apostolates where the
Church needs apostolic service, such as
its present missionary work in administer-
ing a quasi-parish in Sorsogon (St.
Lawrence) and another newly established
parish in Surigao del Norte (Our Mother of
Perpetual Help Parish). The prov-
ince also sends some friars to
help in joint missions of other
provinces, such as in Australia,
South Korea, Indonesia, Japan
and some regions of South Af-
rica.
The Order is popularly
known as the Ordo Sancti
Augustini—a name designated
due to its present government
structure. Today, it is interna-
tionally known as Order of St.
Augustine (OSA), an order that
embraces both the contemplative
and active aspects of religious life, with St.
Augustine as its spiritual founder and the
Holy See as its juridical founder. It holds
the charism to “[live] harmoniously with
one mind and one heart intent upon God
and [share] goods in common for the ser-
vice of the people of God.” It envisions
“oneness of all in Christ through friend-
ship and brotherhood”, in other words,
UNITY.
Call to Unity
The call to unity is in a special way an
essence of the Augustinian identity. The
commemoration of the Grand Union of
1256 invites the appropriate venue to re-
flect upon the contemporary relevance of
this crucial event in history in the life of the
Augustinians and, at large, of the servants
 A R
We Remember,
We Celebrate,
We Believe
By Fray Steven Ly, OSA
of God. How relevant is the Grand Union to
our present situation? In his Letter to the
Augustinian Family on the Occasion of
the 750th Anniversary of the Grand Union
of the Order of St. Augustine (Rome, No-
vember 27, 2005), the incumbent prior gen-
eral, Robert F. Prevost, OSA, calls on re-
newal—a word so concise and yet so
encompassing, that it concerns not only
the life of Augustinians per se but also
those of all servants of the Church. Re-
newal in our vocation and mission means
growing with and in Christ, i.e., with Christ
T I C L
as our model and in Christ (in the Church)
as our “renewal center.” He endorses the
mendicant movement as one of the cat-
egorical points by which renewal should
be basically founded. He said: “The char-
acteristics of the mendicant orders that
provide one part of our charism, offer all of
us the opportunity to reflect once again on
our own lives, and they present a chal-
lenge to us as we continue to search for
ways of renewing our service in the
Church.”
Particularly, the following religious
E S
values are underscored for renewal: search
for God, desire to imitate the “poor” Christ,
apostolic dimension of religious life and
fraternal life. The search for God is the
contemplative dimension wherein a reli-
gious is a person of God and for God’s
people. Austerity and simplicity (through
the common life) signifies a religious de-
sire to imitate Christ, who was poor and
humble. The apostolic dimension of reli-
gious life lies in the zeal to respond faith-
fully to the pressing needs of the Church.
Fraternal life consists in communion with
God and one’s brothers and sisters. Re-
newal, though, does not mean intensify-
ing only one of these values. It rather
means fusion of all these values. The prior
general maintains: “If there is something
that can be considered “typical” and spe-
cific to the Augustinians it is precisely the
balance (rather than the radicalization of
one or another element) among the diverse
elements or dimensions that are woven
together in our human experience and in
Christian life: mind and heart, person and
community, God and humans, grace and
freedom, action and contemplation. Our
charism therefore requires us never to
separate or pull apart the elements of inte-
riority, communion of life and service to
the Church.”
Therefore, every servant of God, i.e.,
every Augustinian friar, is called to unity.
As the Divine Persons in the Trinity are so
deeply united in each other, every follower
of Christ is also exhorted the same unity.
In this sense, unity means not only the
living out of the essential values men-
tioned earlier but also the integration of
these constitutive elements of religious
life. The prior general asserts this point:
“To underline this point one more time, I
am firmly convinced that it is the harmoni-
ous integration of these diverse constitu-
tive elements of our spirituality that will
enable us to be faithful to our identity, to
renew our charism in a meaningful way,
and to respond to what the Church and the
world are asking of us today.”
Unity will last forever—that if renewal
takes place regularly and authentically. These
closing but entrusting words of Fr. Robert F.
Prevost, OSA, invite us once again to cel-
ebrate this occasion meaningfully. “The
conversion and renewal of our lives must be,
in the end, the true goal of our Jubilee cel-
ebrations, through the grace of God and our
sincere commitment to promote and take part
in the many different Jubilee activities. To-
gether we can make this 750th anniversary
celebration of the Grand Union a true expe-
We Remember p. 22
Volume 40 • Number 8 15
Where Has
Technology
Brought our
Kids?

16 IMPACT
IMPACT • August 2006
July 2006
C O V E R S T O R Y

By Bob R. Acebedo

F
rankly, there’s no denying about it:
I’m no certified Nethead who can
Pragmatic, liberal and easily get down and digital with
today’s young breed of technocentric
tolerant, the new ‘mouse potato’ generation. Born in the
early 1960’s, I’ve been nurtured long be-
fore PCs, the World Wide Web, cellphones
breed of hi-tech teen and “zero backlog” amenities of telecom-
munications technology.
generation is That being so, and perhaps not unlike
also with the other not-so-old fogies like
me who belong to an era that preceded the
heralding some so-called Generation Y—or those born
after 1979, who have been “the first to
confounding grow up in a world saturated with net-
works of information, digital devices, and
the promise of perpetual connectivity”—
innovations. I find it hard to quash the queasy feeling
of helplessness in ‘connecting’, much less
©D

catching, with today’s spiraling “virtually

connected” teen breed, not excluding my
four teen-age sons.
In a sense, as it were, parents like
me—and also those who do not belong to
the youth-age or “20 and below” cat-
egory—are inevitably apt to feel
marginalized, if confounded or lost, trying
to comprehend the seemingly “incompre-
hensible” nature or character defining the
high-tech teen generation.
No, not that parents or the non-youth
age are the appropriate “definers” of the
young generation. Inarguably, who could
best define or comprehend today’s youth
except (the youth) themselves?
But, gleaned from recent youth stud-
ies and articles, even young people them-
selves—who undoubtedly are so at home
with technology—are equally at a loss in
“defining” or comprehending themselves,
their social relationships, their future, as
well as the complexities of a globalized
environment.
This stunning paradox of the Filipino
‘mouse potato’ teen breed as being more at
home in cyberspace but otherwise lost in the
real contemporary world is precisely ex-
pressed by Katrina Stuart Santiago, herself
claiming as a certified teen ‘mouse potato’
netizen, in her online (www.pcij.org.ph) ar-
ticle, “Finding Spaces”: “We are the high-
tech generation, adept at computers and
cellphone, but unable to communicate well
without a keypad or a clicking mouse. Our
relationships are characterized by, even built
on, text messages and electronic mail, imper-
sonal as these maybe. We conspire with
piracy and free Internet downloads with
gleefully open eyes, morality and ethics
aside. We sit before our computers to find

Volume
Volume 40
40 •• Number
Number 88 17
 W h e r e
ourselves, if not in writing, then in creating
websites, or in looking for jobs, friends, a
community we might belong to. For many of
us, our computers are our best friends, per-
sonal extensions where our studies, our
work, our lives are conducted—if not cre-
ated and re-created—as frequently as we
find the need for it, which is quite often.”
Santiago added that while young
people enjoy being “incomprehensible” to
their elders, they even more likewise exhibit
or expose their incapability to discern or
deal with uncertainties and complexities.
“Our dependence on computers and
cellphones is not only an indication of our
aptitude for high tech tasks and processes,
it’s also an indication of our need for some-
thing we can hold on to, something that
somehow defines us, and only us. We love
being incomprehensible to our elders be-
cause of this technology, and we revel in it.
Unfortunately, a lot of time we also reveal
our incapability at discernment, as we un-
thinkingly forward ill-informed text mes-
sages or emails, upload pictures on the
Internet without realizing the probability of
its distribution, take stolen videos with our
phones and think nothing of it. We have a
hard time deciding whether something is
right or wrong, dangers or not; worse, we
are unable to discern just what role technol-
ogy is playing in our lives, or why it has
become so important to us. This lack of
clarity about the things that define us may
be the only thing we of this generation have
in common.”
New Youth Study Highlights
Santiago’s scathing lamentations be-
moaning her generation’s paradoxical rest-
lessness, perplexity or non-direction—and
yet reveling in it—cannot come as surpris-
ing though. More so, it may yet be taken as
a sign of the times as heralded or corrobo-
rated by the findings of the recent national
youth study, the 2006 McCann Inter-gen-
eration Study. Conducted by the country’s
premiere advertising firm, McCann-Erickson
Philippines, the study announced the
springtime of the emerging Pinoy ‘mouse
potato’ teen generation as it revealed an
impressive host of telling highlights. Con-
sider the following interesting revelations:
• While top leisure activities for teens
after school remain to be traditional
media—watching TV and listening to
the radio, there is an emergence and
prominence of technology-related ac-
tivities like usage of cellphone and
Internet. On weekends, the figures go
higher indicating greater interest and
18 IMPACT • August 2006
H a s T e c h n o l o g
participation in a technocentric life. A future for themselves and their family,
comparison of McCann’s 2000 study and will go wherever this dream takes
versus 2005 figures on activities that them. They will do whatever it takes—
teens engaged show increased popu- including the pursuit of alternative ca-
larity of activities relating to virtual reer paths to make this dream come true.
connectivity. Text Messaging soared The OFW-path encourages them that a
to 40 percent in 2005 from 12 percent in good future is indeed possible. Not
2000; playing computer or video games only are teens aware of it, they are also
to 38 percent in 2005 from 17 percent in inspired and motivated by it. Early in
2000; and Email/Surf/Chat on the Net their lives, our teens are already plan-
to 27 percent in 2005 from 13 percent in ning their immediate future around it,”
2000. similarly, the amount of time the 2006 McCann youth study revealed.
spent on the computer by teens in- • Across the broad socio-economic spec-
creased: 34 percent in 2005 compared trum throughout the country, the choice
to 14 percent in 2000 for those who of academic courses among today’s
spend 3 to more than 5 hours per week youth have generally shifted to Nurs-
on “using the computer for games”; ing with a sterling 69 percent, and fol-
and 25 percent in 2005 from 8 percent lowed by computer-related courses.
in 2000 for those who spend 3 to more • A telling number of today’s teens are
than 5 hours per week on “using the deprived of the company of their par-
computer for Internet”. ents. Almost half, or 48 percent, have
• Accordingly, the Internet Cafe topped registered not having either one (or both)
the list of the teens’ access priorities in parents around most of the time with
© Denz Dayao / IMPACT
2005 with a high 52 percent compared to them. Parental absenteeism is yet still a
33 percent in 2000, indeed democratiz- growing reality among the lives of teens.
ing access to Internet and gaming. • But, among those whose parents are
• The new ways of virtual connectivity are present, here’s another much-needed
so highly-involving for today’s teens dose of good news: there have been
that it is eating into the share of tradi- noteworthy increases in the time spent
tional activities—traditional media en- with parents on a nationwide scale in
tertainment (TV, radio, books/magazine, 2005 compared to 2000. Activities done
DVD/VCD, CD/MP3s, theater movies, with parents have generally posted an
etc.); leisure activities with family and
friends; outdoor sports activities—
which have all posted a downtrend per-
centage from 2000 to 2005.
• The highly virtual interaction of teens
have changed their spending patterns
to reflect their new priorities which are
hinged on technology and connectiv-
ity. Today’s youth spend more on
Internet Café, prepaid phonecards and
postpaid cellphone as they scrimp on
food, beverage, personal care, trans-
portation, clothes and reading materi-
als. Teens’ expenditure on Internet
Café rose to 29 percent in 2005 from 12
percent in 2000, while prepaid
cellphone cards posted 27 percent in
2005 compared to 9 percent in 2000.
• One spot of cheer for today’s teens:
they are devoting more time for studies
or on school-related requirements com-
pared to five years ago. The average
time spent per day for studying or
doing school requirements increased
to 122.5 minutes per day in 2005 from
100 minutes per day in 2000. Pragma-
tism, as the new idealism, drives the
youth to study, acknowledging educa-
tion as a passport to better life. “(The
youth) are willing to dream of a better
g y B r o u g h t
uptrend—eating dinner from 2000’s 68
percent to 2005’s 70 percent; eating
breakfast from 53 percent to 58 percent;
chatting from 45 percent to 47 percent;
watching TV from 29 percent to 40
percent; doing chores from 33 percent
to 39 percent; going to Church from 24
percent to 31 percent; listening to mu-
sic from 17 percent to 23 percent; study
or doing homework from 8 percent to 17
percent; going shopping from 11 per-
cent to 14 percent; and eating out from
8 percent to 14 percent.
More particularly, even dads are trying
to be more present in the lives of their chil-
dren registering such increases from 2000 to
2005 as, namely: eating dinner 58 percent to
63 percent; eating breakfast 44 percent to 50
percent; chatting 32 percent to 38 percent;
watching TV 24 percent to 36 percent; doing
chores 18 percent to 20 percent; going to
Church 14 percent to 25 percent; listening to
music 12 percent to 16 percent; study or
doing homework 6 percent to 11 percent;
going shopping 4 percent to 9 percent; and
eating out 6 percent to 15 percent.
Interestingly, what is remarkably sig-
nificant is that parents are going beyond
the usual activities—eating dinner, break-
fast, etc.—with their children. Worth not-
ing, for instance, is “helping the teens in
their study or doing homework” which the
O u r
mothers got an impressive mark of 113
percent increase from 2000 to 2005, and the
fathers with a superb 83 percent increase.
• Corollary thus to the parents’ seem-
ingly successful ‘catching up’ pres-
ence with their children, today’s teens
are accordingly giving due recogni-
tion to their parents’ efforts. Parents,
with the mom’s rating remaining higher
than that of dad, reign as the most
significant role models in the lives of
teens with 60 percent rating for the
mom as the “most admired female” and
50 percent for dad as the “most ad-
mired male”, top-grossing other per-
ceived role models like sister/brother,
aunt/uncle, movie personality, politi-
cian/public servant, cousin, and friend.
• Finally, on the value systems of today’s
Filipino ‘mouse potato’ teen genera-
tion, some likely disturbing findings
surfaced, namely: (1) across all activi-
ties covered in the study, only the use
of illegal drugs and, to a certain extent,
cheating on one’s boyfriend or girl-
friend, are considered as outright
wrong; (2) for many other things, only
about 6 out of 10 of Filipino teens
consider the following acts are wrong—
taking something without paying, use
of violence, drugs, drunk driving, sui-
cide, marital infidelity, and casual sex;
(3) about half of the teen respondents
think that pre-marital sex, sex on TV,
phone/Internet sex, porn, and sexually
explicit language is wrong; (4) only less
than half of the teen respondents think
that abortion, divorce/separation, vio-
lence on TV, paying for sex, and gay
relationships are wrong.
In general, the contemporary Filipino
youth’s value systems, the study revealed,
have indicated a further “loosening” of
moral standards among the teen populace
who seem to have become, as it were, more
tolerant to marital divorce and separation,
and homosexual relationships.
Hard Questions, Disturbing
Implications
Alright, unmistakably so as a sign of
the times, the present age has no doubt
heralded the springtime of the Pinoy ‘mouse
potato’ teen generation, proclaiming as it
were to be a different breed—pragmatic,
adept and so inured with technology, mor-
ally liberal and tolerant, but yet lost, with
uncertainties and all, drifting through both
the cyberspace and the real world.
But, while not ignoring the few spots of
cheer—teens devoting more time for stud-
K i d s
ies, parents ‘catching up’ to be more present
to their children, etc,—unraveled by the 2006
McCann Inter-generation Study, the coun-
try yet faces some hard questions and dis-
turbing implications, if innovations, brought
about by the invariably technocentric lives
of today’s teen generation.
Among other things, for instance, one
vulnerable arena where impact of modern-
day virtual connectivity may readily be
felt, as most observers generally believe,
is the realm of social relationships among
the youth. Will the Teens’ technocentric
lives redefine or bring innovations to their
relationships with the important people in
their lives—their family, friends, school,
and other social institutions? Or, has per-
sonal face-to-face relationship lost its
meaning and value to the young as to be
substituted with virtual connectivity?
Already, as revealed by the McCann’s
2006 youth study, modern-day teens have
rather conspicuously gravitated to the
Internet Café (which posted a high 52 per-
cent in access priority rating) than to the
important persons or access centers in their
lives like family (with only 28 percent), friend
(13 percent), school (1 percent), business
center ( 0 percent), relatives (4 percent), and
other relational factors (2 percent).
What makes information and commu-
nication technologies (ICTs) alluring to
children and teenagers, says Kathryn
Montgomery, co-founder of the Wash-
ington-based nonprofit group Center for
Media Education, are three basic elements:
interactivity, convergence, and ubiquity.
But that modern technology has radi-
cally changed the nature of familial and so-
cial relationships among today’s youth or
that previous generations have better or
more meaningful relationships than of
today’s teen breed are glaring points that
Alecks Pabico of the Philippine Center for
Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) can categori-
cally disagree—for which reason, he has no
qualms in relating or ‘connecting’ with mod-
ern technology or with today’s teen breed
even if, as he claimed, he was born and
nurtured in the era of a pre-networked world.
In his online article, “Virtually Yours”, Pabico
explained: “(So) who we are to argue that our
(pre-Generation Y or pre-networked) gen-
eration nurtured far more meaningful and
dynamic relationships only because ours
did not need the interaction of machines? Of
course, some may argue that relationships,
whether of the filial, fraternal, or romantic
kind, require the personal, face-to-face, hu-
man touch for them to endure the test of time.
But even without this, relationships may
thrive if there is one remaining constant:
Volume 40 • Number 8 19
 C O V E R S T O R Y

communication in whatever form and man-
ner that generations may choose.”
For another instance, again among other
things, one stunning finding—rather likely as
speck of good news—revealed by McCann’s
2006 youth study is the emerging phenom-
enon of pragmatism, touted as the “new ide-
alism”, fueling the young to devote more time
to studies as a passport to better life.
Granted likely, the unabated trend of
labor migration due to the country’s sordid
economic state and the OFW-path may have
serendipitously, if inevitably, provided the
young to strive more in their studies. But,
some observers contend, the OFW-path
that the teens are covetously aspiring may
yet spell a disturbing future for them: ab-
sence or separation from their existing or
future families.
Lastly, another conspicuously disturb-
ing finding spawned by the McCann’s 2006
youth study is the further “loosening”, if
decadence, of moral standards among the
youth. It is particularly stunning to note that
only around one-half or 50 percent of the
estimated 16.5 million youth population in
the Philippines casually consider the follow-
ing acts as wrong: premarital sex, taking
something without paying, use of violence,
drugs, drunk driving, suicide, marital infidel-
ity, casual sex, sex on TV, phone/Internet
sex, porn, and sexually explicit language.
Sadly enough, inversely put, this glaringly
means that the other half, or 50 percent, of the
16.5 teen population do not consider such
acts as wrong!
Worse, the McCann study further re-
vealed, more than 50 percent of the Filipino
teen population have become tolerant
enough as to consider abortion, divorce/
separation, violence on TV, paying for sex,
and gay relationships NOT wrong!
Have parents or the family—suppos-
edly the vanguard, if not the last frontier, of
children’s moral upbringing—lost its forma-
tive grip on today’s teen generation? Or,
while not wittingly abandoning their forma-
tive responsibility or ground, have parents
already succumbed to the dumbing din of
extra-familial stimuli—the Internet, media,
peers, etc.—and effect or bring about a
radical value shift among the youth that
makes, among others, casual sex permissible
and traditional preconditions for sex such as
marriage or true love irrelevant?
There is no denying indeed that mod-
ern-day society and its technological ameni-
ties do not lack, aside from the Internet, all
sorts of stimuli enormously pounded on the
young. On the hot topic of sex, for one,
young people are constantly bombarded
with messages about sex-advertisements
using sex to sell products, double entendres
on noontime variety shows, pirated porno-
graphic DVDs sold for less than 80 pesos in
Quiapo, gyrating MTV starlets, explicit lyr-
ics of hip-hop songs, etc., etc.
Inevitably, the burning debate on sex
education deserves, whilst in passing at
least, particular attention. The bone of con-
tention is principally grounded on: Whose
moral primary task is it to provide sex educa-
tion to the young? Parents? The School? Or,
the State? Archbishop Paciano Aniceto,
chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commis-
sion on Family and Life (ECFL), for one,
firmly stresses the Catholic Church’s posi-
tion on the issue: “The Catholic Church
teaches that sex education is the sole right
and responsibility of parents and no excuse
or alibi can justify the public teaching of sex
education by strangers.”
Saying that sex is sacred, Aniceto also
reiterated that sex education should be taught
by parents in the context of marriage and
“not an extra-curricular activity” of the young.
“Sexuality must be taught in the context of
the marital union, not as a mere subject in a
classroom which is devoid of values and
total absence of the context of marriage, but
as part of their maturation in the family,”
Aniceto explained.
But, curiously, anent to the findings of
McCann’s 2006 youth study, its quite com-
forting to note that parents are seemingly
getting successful in trying to be more present
to their children as indicated by the notewor-
thy increases in the time spent with parents
on some activities as eating dinner, break-
fast, chatting, watching TV, doing chores,
going to Church, listening to music, study or
doing homework, going shopping, and eat-
ing out. Worth noting, particularly, accord-
ing to the youth study findings, is that
parents have impressively excelled in being
present to their children in “study of doing
homework” activity, posting a spectacular
increase percentage rating from 2000 to
2005—for the mothers, 113 percent, and the
fathers, 83 percent.
Are parents indeed successfully “catch-
ing up” with the hi-tech teen generation?
But, how explain the eroding—or, as used by
McCann’s study finding, “loosening”—
value systems of the young?
It is deigned imperative then to spot the
catch: McCann’s study finding indicating
the parents’ superb performance in being
present to their children in some activities
refers only to the 52 percent of the teen
respondents—or, approximately a little more
than half of the 16.5 million teen popula-
tion—whose parents are around. Hence,
while fairly acknowledging indeed the ef-
forts of parents, it yet equally disturbing to
observe that, as the same study found, al-
most one-half or 48 percent of the country’s
teen population do not have either one (or
both) parents around.
On the whole, thus, it may be more plau-
sible to observe that McCann’s youth study
finding of a conspicuously “loosening” or
eroding value systems of the young may very
well be a disturbing reminder for parents not
only to be present but, more so, to strive more
to become truly the parent that they should be
to their children—provider, mentor, and
formator—and, none the least, morally ac-
countable for their children’s future.
All these have led me musing over how
my four teen-age sons—who undeniably
belong likewise to the current ‘mouse potato’
breed of the so-called “lost” generation—
would figure in the future with their own
children or with the generation after them.
Yes, until now I haven’t quashed yet the
queasy feeling of helplessness in ‘connect-
ing’ with today’s virtually connected teen
breed—again, including my four sons. But,
whilst I may not ‘catch’ with them yet, I am
quite relieved to find out that by far I am
getting to know them. I

20 IMPACT • August 2006

 Shepherding
Shephering and / from p.30
dation of a civilization of life and
love, the family is most seriously
threatened. Therefore, Catholic
lay groups as well as our Bish-
ops’ Commission on Family and
Life have made many public in-
terventions about these and they
shall continue to do so.
23. Charter Change
We reiterate what we said
in January this year: Elections
in 2007 must not be cancelled.
The Church recognizes that in
a democracy power emanates
from the people—i.e., that “the
subject of political authority is
the people considered in its
entirety…This people trans-
fers the exercise of sovereignty
to those whom it freely
elects…but it preserves the
prerogative…[of] evaluating
those charged with governing,
and in replacing them when
they do not fulfill their func-
tions satisfactorily.” (Compen-
dium of the Social Doctrine of
the Church, no. 395)
While we agree that cer-
tain aspects of our Constitu-
tion may need amendments and
revisions, we do not support
hasty efforts to change this
fundamental law of the land
without the widespread discus-
sion and participation that such
changes require. We continue
to believe as we did in our state-
ment on Charter Change in 2003,
that changing the Constitution
involving major shifts in the
form of government, requires
widespread participation, total
transparency, and relative se-
renity that allows for rational
discussion and debate. This is
best done through a Constitu-
tional Convention. The reasons
for constitutional change must
be based on the common good
rather than on self-serving in-
terests or the interests of politi-
cal dynasties.1
24. Impeachment.
We wish to make the CBCP
position clear and unambigu-
ous on the present impeach-
and Prophesying
ment plans:
24.1. We are undoubtedly
for the search for truth. There-
fore, in all sincerity we respect
the position of individuals or
groups that wish to continue
using the impeachment process
to arrive at the truth.
24.2. But as Bishops re-
flecting and acting together as
a body in plenary assembly, in
the light of previous circum-
stances, we are not inclined at
the present moment to favor the
impeachment process as the
means for establishing the truth.
For unless the process and its
rules as well as the mindsets of
all participating parties, pro and
con, are guided by no other
motive than genuine concern
for the common good, impeach-
ment will once again serve as an
unproductive political exercise,
dismaying every citizen, and
deepening the citizen’s nega-
tive perception of politicians,
left, right and center.
25. Electoral Reform
We reiterate our call for a
thorough reform of the Com-
mission of Elections to restore
trust in our electoral process.
The call for resignation or even
prosecution of a number of the
Commissioners should not be
lightly brushed aside. The elec-
toral process, including count-
ing of votes, needs to be re-
formed and modernized before
the next elections.2
26. Extra-Judicial Killings
On extra-judicial killings, the
CBCP stand is of long standing.
We have issued statements on
this issue in the past. Needless
to say, we join the outcry of
groups that have denounced the
increasing number of extra-judi-
cial killings of journalists and
social activists suspected as
sympathizers of insurgents al-
legedly by some ultra-rightist
elements in the military. But at
the same time, we cannot close
our eyes to the great number of
extra-judicial killings that some-
times do not come to light in the
newspapers but are known to us
in our dioceses. These are kill-
ings reported by our people as
allegedly perpetrated by insur-
gents for various reasons, such
as agaw-armas operations the
failure to pay a revolutionary tax,
or “blood-debt to the people.”
These we also unequivo-
cally denounce. The defense of
human rights and of human dig-
nity must itself be just. It has to
be impartial, irrespective of reli-
gious belief or ideology.
Conclusion
We asked above if the fact
of our being Christians has
made our society become more
peaceful, more fraternal, more
just? We ask the question
again.
Volume 40 • Number 8
in Hope
It is easy to answer no if we
focus only on the many critical
problems that continue to plague
Philippine society and that so far
have been intractable to any sat-
isfying solution. And because
of the suffering they cause, we
give way to a despairing sense
of helplessness.
But are we really without
hope as a people?
In this Year of Social Con-
cern, we turn our thoughts to
what our faith in Christ tells us
we must do out of love for our
neighbor. And we see what
many of our people, priests and
religious, but lay men and
women especially—away from
the limelight and the glare of
publicity—are doing quietly to
put into practice what they un-
derstand Christian social con-
cern means. Non-partisan
groups like Kapatiran and One
Voice, when they remain non-
partisan, are especially to be
commended and encouraged.
So too are the many initiatives
(not the least those of our own
Church Social Action Centers)
at combating endemic corrup-
tion in public and private life
that are working quietly at the
lower levels of government and
society. These give us hope
that our common task to bring
about greater social justice in
our country is not without any
effect.
We have dedicated this
Year of Social Concern to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. We
pray that their redeeming love
continue to be with us as we
work to bring peace and justice
to our suffering people.
For the Catholic Bishops Con-
ference of the Philippines,
Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo, D.D.
President, CBCP
July 9, 2006
(Footnotes)
1 CBCP, “Renewing Our Public Life
Through Moral Values: Pastoral
Statement” 29 January 2006.
2 CBCP “Building a Civilization of Love’:
A Pastoral Exhortation for the Year of
Social Concerns”, 11 May 2006.
21
 IMPACT Magazine

We Remember / from p. 14
rience of fraternal communion in
our Augustinian family, through
which we will strengthen our
bonds of friendship also with
the other Augustinian families,
and we will become more and
more promoters of unity and com-
munion in the Church and in our
world.”
STVI at 10
As eagles soar high under
the vibrant sunshine to renew
themselves, so do the
Villanovans. This year also
marks an important landmark in
the youthful life of the province’s
college seminary. The St. Tho-
mas of Villanova Institute of
Philosophy commemorates its
10th year of commitment in pre-
paring “eaglets” to soar high,
i.e., in forming seminarians in
the Augustinian way.
The St. Thomas of
Villanova Institute of Philoso-
phy (College Seminary), named
after the patron of studies in the
Order of St. Augustine, St. Tho-
mas of Villanova, is affiliated
with the University of San
Agustin in Iloilo City. It is owned
and administered by the Au-
gustinian Friars of the Province
of Santo Nino de Cebu-Philip-
pines. The late Rev. Fr. Bernar-
dino Ricafrente, O.S.A., the then
prior provincial, initiated the
project in March 1993. He con-
ceptualized the establishment
of the San Agustin Center of
Studies (SACS), which now
houses the Saint Thomas of
Villanova Institute (STVI). On
January 30, 1996, the seminary
was blessed and inaugurated
by the then prior general of the
Order, Very Rev. Fr. Miguel
Angel Orcasitas, O.S.A. The in-
stitute was pioneered by twenty-
four student seminarians with
Rev. Fr. Rommel Par, O.S.A. as
the first director of studies.
For a decade now, the In-
stitute has produced candi-
dates to the Order who em-
body a sound mind and body
under the mentorship of some
notable friars of the Province
of Sto. Niño de Cebu and excel-
lent professors from leading
universities in Metro Manila.
Since 2005 the institute has
opened its doors to candidates
of other religious orders or con-
gregations for philosophical
studies. In the summer of 2006,
it opened its program for Mas-
ter of Arts in Philosophy Major
in Augustine.
The institute prepares
young, aspiring student-semi-
narians in their future endeavor
to be heralds and witnesses of
Christ. It specially forms their
mind through philosophical
studies, capitalizing on the idea
that reason is the handmaid of
faith. It holistically envisions a
community of brothers and
friends with high ideals, pro-
moting quality and integral reli-
gious formation and Augustin-
ian studies journeying harmo-
niously towards God in the ser-
vice of the Church. It commits
itself to the development of well-
integrated and socially respon-
sible individuals living harmo-
niously through a Christ-cen-
tered life of love, prayer, interi-
ority, humility, communication
and friendship. It particularly
endeavors to help formands
assimilate the Augustinian val-
ues envisioned by the Ratio
Institutionis (Plan of Augus-
tinian Formation), which is re-
sponsive to the apostolate of
the church; to promote authen-
tic Augustinian culture based
on the teachings and works of
St. Augustine; and, to promote
an ecclesial community inspired
by the ideals of St. Augustine.
Villanovans live on. Tolle
Lege! Tolle Lege! I

Organized Kilings / from p. 13
the armed forces allegedly responsible for
human rights violations have yet to see
court trials or convictions.
Reportedly, some military personnel
already charged with killings and disap-
pearances, have remained at large for some
years now thus preventing judicial pro-
ceeding from taking place.
Abuse against indigenous peoples
and the failure to investigate them and
bring those responsible to justice have
also been a matter of concern for Interna-
tional indigenous rights groups and, of
course, the Church.
“A sad state of the country today.”
This was how Caloocan Bishop Deogracias
Iñiguez, chairman of the Committee on
Political Affairs of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), pic-
tured the continuing disregard of human
life and basic rights of the people.
Mangumalas, a leader of the KAMP,
said the apparent trend in the killings of
indigenous peoples is their participation
in political organizations which actively
oppose the military policies and “pseudo-
development projects like large-scale for-
eign mining.”
In the last few years, a hostile re-
sponse has been bullying them to negate
what little gains the Indigenous Peoples
Rights Act (IPRA) has made for the com-
munity that had been neglected. Notwith-
standing its legal guarantees, “the gov-
ernment has ignored every conceivable
barrier that aims to protect the indigenous
peoples.”
In spite of government pronounce-
ment that it will distribute some 100 certifi-
cate of ancestral domain title (CADT) an-
nually to indigenous peoples, some 12.2
hectares are up for grabs by both medium
and large-scale mining companies with
pending applications of mining rights.
Based on the Mining Act of 1995,
about 15 million hectares will be opened
for mining operations, 53 percent of which
are situated within indigenous areas.
KAMP claimed that of the 24 known
priority projects of the government for
large-scale mining—meant to raise a total
investment of over 8 billion dollars in
2013—18 cover indigenous territories. Ten
of them are in Mindanao, one in Mindoro
and six in the Cordillera and Northern
Luzon.
They indicated that atrocities com-
mitted against indigenous leaders are aimed
at gagging them simply because they es-
pouse causes that undermine the interests
of big investors in mineral exploration.
“We are not going to surrender. We
boldly take this challenge as a fight for
genuine peace and democracy,”
Mangumalas said. I

22 IMPACT • August 2006

 CATHOLIC INITIATIVE
W orkaholic architect Michael
Newman (Adam Sandler) keeps
breaking promises to his wife
Donna (Kate Beckinsdale) and kids Ben-
jamin and Samantha to spend more time
with the family. More inclined to please
his egocentric boss, Mr. Ammer (David
Hasselhoff)---who is in turn obsessed with
pleasing Arab and Japanese clients---
Michael is too busy to bother with family
dinners, let alone camping with his chil-
dren. When one day he discovers that he
can't turn on the TV without turning on
the ceiling fan or the garage door as well,
Michael sets out to find a universal con-
trol in a local houseware shop called Bed,
Bath and Beyond. IN the "beyond" sec-
tion of the store he stumbles upon an
inventor who gives him a remote that can
control things way beyond TV and garage
doors. All he needs to do is point and click
and he gets to control nearly everything:
lower the volume of the dog's barking,
make people move in slow-mo, suspend
life of party guests as he sneakily does a
trick, make his family disappear so he can
focus on his work, etc. However, the
gadget's inventor, Morty (Christopher
Walken) will only give it to Michael on
one condition: that he may not return it.
Once the remote is in his possession,
Michael finds out that the point-and-click
doodad has acquired a life of its own and
in fact imposes its own will on him.
Comedian Adam Sandler seems to be
outgrowing his nasty-vulgar-angry-boy-
trapped-in-a-man's-body mold as he takes
on this "comedrama" character. Sandler
fans will still be delighted by Click's not-
so-subtle approach to the story as evident
in its crude humor, vulgar language and
expressions, etc. These, plus other outra-
geous ingredients in Click like profanity,
ethnic stereotyping, sexual sight gags
among others are purposefully used to
provide a contrasting background to
ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE: MANKIND CENSURE INJUSTICE, FEARING THAT THEY MAY BE VICTIMS OF IT AND NOT BECAUSE THEY SHRINK FROM
COMMITTING IT. - PLATO
FOR ENLIGHTENED MOVIE APPRECIATION
CINEMA
REVIEW
Title: CLICK
Running Time: 98 mins
Lead Cast: Adam Sandler, Kate
Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David
Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner,
Sean Astin, Cameron Monaghan,
Jennifer Coolidge
Director: Frank Coraci
Screenwriter: Steve Koren, Mark
O'Keefe
Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Cinematography: Dean Semler
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Location: U.S.A.
Technical Assessment:  ½
Moral Assessment: zzz
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and
above
Michael's conversion towards the end. world's choicest cheeses, he loses sight of
The plot proved to be a challenge to the his priorities and eventually loses his grip
movie's editing?a challenge that is well on life. He gets to possess an empowering
hurdled as proven, for instance, by the high-tech gadget until it possesses him.
scenes required by the fast-forward and Click is a like a docu-drama disguised in
fast-rewind of Michael's universal remote. comedy's costumes. But despite that dis-
Less meticulous editing of such scenes guise, its lesson comes across unequivo-
would have resulted in a great deal of cally: it's never worth giving up family for
confusion in the viewer. career. Success should serve love, other-
The trailer of Click tells only half the wise work is mere slavery. Ambition en-
truth about the movie: that there's this guy slaves, and when one becomes a slave, his
who gets to own a devise that would allow worldly success also becomes a one-way
him to play God, almost. The whole movie ticket to doom.
discloses the rest of the truth: that playing (Date Reviewed: 11 August 2006 @
God doesn't pay. Michael is not a bad guy, www.cbcpworld.com/cinema)
but being trapped in the rat race for the
Volume 40 • Number 8 23
 F R O M T H E B L O G S

Sacristy Clergy
and torture—or not. It is better to place the
present administration over and above the
law—for the sake of unity.
Only this way will there be truth and
justice in this country… The administra-
tion simply determines which is true and
just. No “if’s” nor “but’s”. And peace will
reign supreme all over the land. Those who
dare dissent would be either bought or
eliminated. And there would be harmony
and prosperity.
The clergy with their bishops will sim-
ply pray. After all, this is what they only
know and should wherefore do. Schools
teach children to observe obedience, pa-
tience and silence the bishops should know
better. They should be quiet when they

B
y the sacristy, of the sacristy, for
the sacristy—this is what the
present administration wants the
clergy with their bishops to be: “sacristy
clergy”. Stick to preaching about heaven
and the angels. Do only novenas and
processions. Praise the Lord. Do nothing
more. Be good little boys. Behave. Do
what you are told by the government. And
that’s it.
Leave the administration alone. It has
the final say on what is right or wrong,
depending on what is convenient or
troublesome. It has the prerogative to
determine what virtue is or vice according
to what is profitable or otherwise. More
importantly, on account of its direct, exclu-
sive and frequent heavenly communica-
tions, the present administration is in fact
over and above the so called “ten com-
mandments”.
The administration has the certain and
certified prerogative of deciding who is cheat-
ing, lying, stealing, or not. It also exclusively
judges on what is graft and corruption, what
is massacre and murder, what is abduction
come to know of extrajudicial killings, wit-
ness the poverty and misery of many people,
behold the abuses of public officials, the
exploitation of children and women.
Over and above all, the clergy with
their bishops should see nothing, hear
nothing, say nothing and do nothing when
they come to know and feel that the present
administration either promotes or allows
the degradation of human dignity and the
violation of human rights.
This is the way to “peace!”
http://www.ovc.blogspot.com

F Supermaids
irst was the expressed
claim of being “the best
leader”. This was followed
by the vision of this nation as
an “enchanted kingdom”.
Thereafter came the projection
of “super regions” in the coun-
try. Now, it’s coming out with
the making of local
“supermaids” for export. One
can only wonder what could
come next? Would “superman”
himself be called soon?
Housemaids or domestic
helpers are a reality of long
standing in the country. They
have been much appreciated
long since. To these times, they
continue to render invaluable
service to many homes and fami-
lies. From being a mere
“utusan”, they are now called
“katulong” by parents and
“ate” by young children they
care for. The laws of the land
even came out in their favor
particularly in terms of their
working conditions and right-
ful benefits.
In other words, most
housemaids in the Philippines
are helpful and trusted mem-
bers of Filipino families. A good
number of them enjoy the same
blessings as well as suffer the
same difficulties families have.
Not few of them stay and live
with the same families for de-
cades, growing old with the
children and their parents.
A good number of parents
would be lost without house-
maids. They go to market, do
the cooking, keep cleaning.
They wash, dry and iron
clothes. They watch the chil-
dren, the house, the pets, they
are first in waking up and last in
going to sleep—after doing a
hundred and one things dur-
ing the day. This is precisely “supermaids” deploy them big depreciation of house-
why Filipina domestic helpers abroad, make money out of maids as objects of commerce.
are in demand even abroad. them. It is ok if they are treated A great despair of making
But it is both shameful like slaves. It is of no impor- money by exporting no less
and pitiful for the supposedly tance if they are physically than human persons. A clear
best administration in an al- and emotionally violated. It admission of the dire economic
legedly promising country to does not really matter if their condition of the country.
even proudly talk about its rights are denied. How false and foul can
glorious vision of a three point Such a design and desire someone become?
national agenda: produce betray the following realities: a http://www.ovc.blogspot.com/

24 IMPACT • August 2006

 E D I T
Uncivilized Democracy
T he “People’s Initiative” is an exercise in
futility. Such was also the beginning and
end of “Pirma” launched some years ago
for the same purpose. The Constitutional Assem-
bly is a pie-in-the-sky. The charter change de-
sired and designed by the present administration
will not happen as scheduled. Those who are
salivating to have a free ride for a longer tenure of
their respective public office will ultimately end
up with mouth dry.
The conclusion is wherefore obvious. The 2007
Elections will take place as provided by the Con-
stitution. But this political exercise would only
matter if the Commission on Elections were made
acceptable, credible and accountable. Otherwise,
the country would only continue to wallow in even
more serious and pervasive doubt, dissent and
division efficiently caused by the 2004 elections.
The socio-ethically sick institution in the coun-
try that is COMELEC notwithstanding, there are
early and clear indicators announcing this early
that the 2007 Elections are on deck. This signs
are ominous. But they have become predictable
and customary in the country.
Presenting the three more popular and signal
O R I A L
indicators of the forthcoming 2007 Elections:
One, the daring comeback of jueteng. Two, the
staging of bank robberies. Three, the schedule of
kidnappings. This is not to mention the bloody
intramurals among seasoned politicians that al-
ready began with the recent blasting of the ve-
hicle of a provincial governor.
How sad but how true. It is already the third
millennium. Yet, politics in the country are still
very far from being civilized. And the infallible
victim of dirty and devious politics is the same—
the people, the poor in particular.
True democracy and honest elections are
inseparable realities. One without the other is a
farce. The strength of the former is buttressed by
the integrity of the latter. The falsity of elections
guarantees the instability of democracy. This is a
living truth especially in the country.
It is a blatant contradiction when after the
elections, some of those proclaimed as winners
are precisely the losers. Not really elected by the
people, they actually assume public office. Not
truly chosen by the electorate, they dare become
part of democratic governance. That spells
trouble—big and lasting societal trouble!
Volume 40 • Number 8 25
Beloved People of God:
Greetings of peace, joy, and hope in
the Lord!
1. The Lord, indeed, has given us an
experience of his love and peace in the five
days that we spent doing our spiritual re-
treat. We prayed and meditated. In prayer we
recalled that out of his love the Lord has
called us to be shepherds of his flock. He has
made us so by his ineffable grace of Episco-
pal ordination.
2. In these past days we were reminded
again and again that our shepherding has to
be grounded solely on the love of God. If out
of love the Lord has called us, so in love of
him we are to feed His flock. Thus, Peter was
called and appointed by Jesus as shepherd
of the flock. Pastoral charity has to be the
very life of the shepherd. Love has to be at
the root of our task to proclaim the Word of
God, to preside at worship, celebrate the
sacraments, and lead in serving you, our
beloved people.
Shepherding and
3. But in this Year of the Social Concern
of the Church, we have become even more
deeply aware how challenging it is for us to
be your shepherds. For what we see before
Prophesying in Hope
us are the faces of poor people confused by
complex factors beyond their control, politi- A CBCP Pastoral Letter on Social Concerns
cal polarization, burning social issues, and
the cultural and religious situation of our
country that we all dearly love. With a sad
feeling of debilitating hopelessness, they
wonder when the seemingly endless politi- 6. If, as the Lord himself says, this beloved people, bring to the fore the neces-
cal battles in Manila would ever give way to commandment to love God and neighbor is sity of linking faith and life. They also indi-
the more pressing problems of their daily the summary of the law and the prophets, cate the intimate and inseparable oneness of
economic struggles. They wonder if their most certainly it likewise summarizes what the Gospel of Love and the Gospel of Justice,
deepening impoverishment would ever find Christian life — the new life given us in the i.e., the moral implications of the Lord’s
a unified political response. Spirit of Jesus — has to be. Gospel in all dimensions of human life, indi-
4. As shepherds we offer our moral and 7. More profoundly, God’s compas- vidual, social, political, economic, cultural,
religious guidance. For this reason we focus sionate love for us is personified in His only and religious.
our reflection on the social doctrine of the begotten Son, Jesus our Savior. This is why
Church. We do so in the light of the Gospel our beloved Pope Benedict XVI says: “Be- 10. For this reason we set out before
of Jesus, our Lord and Savior as it illumines ing Christian is not the result of an ethical you these important realities of
the darkness of our day. We invite you, our choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with our faith:
beloved People, to use our reflections as an event, a person, which gives life a new
Pastors to help guide your own discernment, horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus 10.1. “The Church’s social doctrine is
discussion, decision and action. Caritas Est [DCE], 2005, no.1). an integral part of her evangelizing ministry”
8. From the truth of Jesus, urgent ques- (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
The Place of Social Doctrine in our tions arise. Do we ever encounter Jesus who Church [CSD], 2004, no. 66). Pope Paul VI
Mission to Evangelize. is the very reason for our being Christian? had asked: “How in fact can one proclaim the
How do we encounter him? Does this per- new commandment (of love) without pro-
5. At the very outset we remind you of sonal encounter change our life, our life in moting in justice and in peace the true, au-
God’s love for all of us even as we experience the family, our life in the community, our life thentic advancement of man?” (Evangelii
great sorrows. Deus Caritas Est – the pro- in society? If we believe in Jesus and love Nuntiandi [EN], 1975, no. 31).
found first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Him, have we become better persons, better 10.2. As “an essential part of the Chris-
perhaps programmatic of his pontificate, Christians, better citizens? Have we become tian message,” the social doctrine of the
brings us back to the most basic of the better followers or disciples of Jesus? Has Church points out the direct consequences
teachings of the Lord and of His Church: God the fact of being Christians made our society of that message in the life of society and
is love. God loves us. It is because of who become more peaceful, more fraternal, more situates daily work and struggles for justice
God is that we need to love God above all else just? in the context of bearing witness to Christ the
and to love our neighbor as ourselves. 9. Such blunt disturbing questions, our Savior” (CSD, 67).

26 IMPACT • August 2006

 S T A T E M E N T

“Simon,
“Simon, son
son of
of John,
John, do
do you
you love
love • Priests participate in the Bishop’s mis- denying herself and her fidelity to Christ:
me?”
me?” He
He replied,
replied, “Yes,
“Yes, Lord,
Lord, you
you know
know II sion of teaching, sanctifying, and gov- ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!’”
love
love you.
you. Jesus
Jesus said
said to
to him,
him, look
look after
after my
my erning the Christian community. By their (1 Cor 9:16); CSD, 71). The Gospel then has
sheep.”
sheep.” (Jn.
(Jn. 21:16)
21:16) life of consecrated self-giving, members a public relevance. This is even more under-
of religious congregations and institutes standable when we realize that the Church
too give an eloquent and prophetic sign cannot ignore “the corrupting effects of in-
of the social doctrine of the Church. justice, that is, of sin” (CSD, loc. cit.).
• On their part the lay faithful seek the 13. Therefore, the Church has a duty “to
kingdom of God by living and working in denounce when sin is present: the sin of
the context of secular human realities, injustice and violence that in different ways
participating directly in social, economic, moves through society and is embodied in
and political affairs for the common good it” (CSD, 81). In this way the Church’s social
and transforming them according to doctrine defends human rights “especially
God’s will (see Paul VI, Populorum those of the poor, the least and the weak.”
Progressio [PP], 1967, no. 81; The Sec- One can easily see how this right and duty
ond Plenary Council of the Philippines to denounce is both religious and moral. It is
[PCP-II], 1992, nos. 435-38; CSD, 541- inseparable from the evangelizing mission of
543). the Church.
• On the other hand, we as shepherds 14. In the Old Testament God chose
clearly have the duty to pass moral judg- prophets to proclaim God’s word, announc-
ments even in matters political but we ing judgment and hope to Israel. Today the
cannot actively involve ourselves in Church fills the role of prophet to herself and
partisan politics (PCP-II, 340). If Pastors to society. Her social doctrine is prophetic.

pe were “to take active part in partisan poli-

tics they would weaken their teaching
authority and destroy the unity they
represent and protect” (PCP-II, 343).
It is both judgment and hope. It calls to
conversion. It enkindles hope. It bears the
seeds of personal and social transformation.

10.3. “On the one hand, religion must
not be restricted ‘to the purely private
sphere’, on the other, the Christian message
must not be relegated to a purely other-
worldly salvation incapable of shedding
light on our earthly existence” (CSD 71,
citing Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus
[CA], no. 5).
10.4. Undoubtedly, to be true shep-
herds, we as Bishops have to teach the
integral Gospel, the gospel of the Lord with
all its social implications. This is a non-
negotiable task for the shepherd who is also
the teacher of his people. The social dimen-
sion of love is, after all, the clear implication
of the Lord’s teaching on the love of neigh-
bor as an active solidarity with those who are
in need. Without this solidarity one cannot
be welcomed into the Reign of God (see Mt.
25:34-46; Jas. 2 and 5).
10.5. At the same time, we as bishops
do have to remind ourselves again and again
that in the Church there is a variety of roles.
While “the primary responsibility for the
pastoral commitment to evangelize social
realities falls to the Bishop,” (CSD, 539), he
is assisted by all members of the Church in
a variety of ways.
10.6 . Granting all the above and given
the autonomy of the temporal sphere, it re-
mains a perennial teaching of the Church that
she cannot take on a political task as her
immediate responsibility. It is not her respon-
sibility to provide any political blueprint for
the just ordering of society (cf. DCE 28; PCP-
II, 330-53). She has her own role to play in
promoting justice, e.g., to influence life, pub-
lic and private, with the integral Gospel, to
form the social conscience of her members, to
provide a moral light that illumines, a spiritual
force that critiques social behavior and struc-
tures, denounces or purifies and reinforces in
the light of the Word of God (see PCP-II, 248).
The Social Doctrine of the Church
as Prophetic
11. The People of God know that our role
as shepherds includes the duty to “teach the
truth of faith: the truth not only of dogmas
but also of the morals whose source lies in
human nature itself and in the Gospel”
(CSD, 70, citing Vatican II, Dignitatis
Humanae, 14 and John Paul II, Veritatis
Splendor, 27, 64, 110). For the Church has
“the right to proclaim the Gospel in the con-
text of society, to make the liberating word of
the Gospel resound in the complex worlds of
production, labour, business, finance, trade,
politics, law, culture, social communications,
where men and women live” (CSD, ibid.).
12. This is also a duty, since the Church
“cannot forsake this responsibility without
Social Doctrine in the Context of
the Philippines.
15. In 2001 the National Pastoral Con-
sultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR) stated
that the social analysis done 10 years earlier
by the Second Plenary Council of the Philip-
pines (PCP-II, 1991) was still substantively
valid. This social analysis (see PCP-II, Ap-
pendix I, pp. 275-91) described the major
problems of our country in terms of:
(a) Political imbalances;
(b) Economic imbalances; and
(c) Ambivalent cultural values reinforcing
these imbalances.
16. To prepare for the great Christian
Jubilee of the Year 2000, we your Bishops
picked these three major problems for pasto-
ral reflection. Premised on theological and
moral principles such as those in the social
doctrine of the Church, we wrote three pas-
toral exhortations: on Philippine Politics
(1997), on the Philippine Economy (“Devel-
opment with a Human Face, 1998), and on
Philippine Culture (1999). To cap these three
pastoral reflections, we suggested a long
term response to our problems by writing a
pastoral exhortation on Filipino Spirituality:
what it means to be holy in our Philippine
situation (2000).
17. We urge you, beloved People of
God, to revisit these pastoral exhortations.
They contain principles, directives and
guidelines for action from the social doc-
trine of the Church that remain valid and

Volume 40 • Number 8 27
 F R
No
Pointing
Fingers
A man asked his fa
ther-in-law, “Many
people praised you for a
successful marriage.
Could you please share
with me your secret?” The
father-in-law answered
with a smile, “Never criti-
cize your wife for her
shortcomings or when
she does something
wrong. Always bear in
mind that because of her
shortcomings and weak-
nesses, she could not find
a better husband than
you.”
We all look forward
to being loved and re-
spected. Many people are
afraid of losing face. Gen-
erally, when a person
makes a mistake, he
would look around to find
a scapegoat to point the
finger at. This is the start
of a war. We should al-
ways remember that when
we point one finger at a
person, the other four fin-
gers are pointing at our-
selves.
rowena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net
28
28 IMPACT •• August
IMPACT July 2006
2006
O M T H E I N B O X
W e convince ourselves
that life will be better af-
ter we get married, have a baby,
then another. Then we are frus-
trated that the kids aren’t old
enough and we’ll be more con-
tent when they are.
After that, we’re frustrated
that we have teenagers to deal
with. We will certainly be happy
when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life
will be complete when our
spouse gets his or her act to-
gether, when we get a nicer car,
are able to go on a nice vaca-
tion, or when we retire.
The truth is, there’s no
better time to be happy than
right now. If not now, when?
Your life will always be filled Be Happy Today!
with challenges. It’s best to
admit this to yourself and de- So, stop waiting—until There is no better time
cide to be happy anyway. Hap- your house is paid off, until than right now to be happy.
piness is the way. So, treasure
every moment that you have
your kids leave the house, until
you go back to school, until
While happiness is a desti-
nation, it begins in a jour-
and treasure it more because you lose ten pounds, until you ney. So—work like you
you shared it with someone gain ten pounds, until you fin- don’t need money, love like
special, special enough to
spend your time with...and re-
ish school, until you get mar-
ried, until you have kids, until
you’ve never been hurt, and
dance like no one’s watch-
member that time waits for no you retire, until summer, until ing.
one. Christmas, until you die rowena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net
Perception
D ifferent people have different perception.
One man’s meat could be another man’s
poison. A couple bought a donkey from the
market. On the way home, a boy commented,
“Very stupid. Why neither of them rides on the
donkey? “Upon hearing that, the husband let
the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides
them. Later, an old man saw it and commented,
“The husband is the head of family. How can the
wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on
foot?” Hearing this, the wife quickly got down
and let the husband ride on the donkey.
Further on the way home, they met an old
Lady. She commented, “How can the man ride
on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no
gentleman.” The husband thus quickly asked
the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they
© Lito C. Uyan/CORBIS
met a young man. He commented, “Poor don-
key, how can you hold up the weight of two struggled. They lost their balance and fell into
persons. They are cruel to you.” Hearing that, the river. Do not let yourself be guided solely
the husband and wife immediately climbed down by the comments or perception of others. Be
from the donkey and carried it on their shoul- guided rather by what is objectively good and
ders. moral—despite public perception which is a
It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on quicksand.
a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and r owena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net
 I M
SEX TALK WITH KIDS & TEENS
A Manual on Training Parents as Educators on the Truth &
Meaning of Human Sexuality
Marlon Castillo Ramirez, ed. Episcopal Commission on Fam-
ily Life (ECFL) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) and Human Life International-Asia (HLI-
Asia).
T he controversial sex educa-
tion modules peddled recently,
albeit subsequently recalled, by
the Department of Education for
high school students reaped a
blistering whirlwind of criticisms
from well-meaning
parents and pro-
life advocates, un-
leashing even fur-
ther the strident de-
bate on whose ap-
propriate duty is it
to provide sex edu-
cation to the
young. The new
dynamism indica-
tively unfurls the
contemporary
huddle to crack on
sexual ignorance
among the young
that, as not a few
sex education en-
thusiasts insist,
has precipitated
today’s alarming consequences
of sexual promiscuity. And the
Church cannot simply sit on its
wings, or lie supinely on its back,
as the debate rages on. Sex Talk
With Kids & Teens is the Philip-
pine Church’s unassuming but un-
relenting alternative to bring back
parental authority in providing sex
education to the young. Devel-
JESUS OUR PEACE
Reflections from the Holy Ground
Bp. Socrates Villegas, DD
W hat makes a ground holy?
Is it the peaceful revolution
by millions of freedom-loving
people who with flowers and ro-
saries were able to force a dic-
tator into exile and to restore de-
mocracy to a once-shackled na-
tion? Is it the Shrine built on the
crossroads of the First People
Power as a testament to peace
and to the loving intercession of
Mary Queen of Peace? Is it an-
other People Power of righteous
anger and indignation at the fla-
grant flaunting of immorality of its
nation’s top leader and his sup-
porters? Cadged from his years
of ministry as Rector of the Shrine
of Mary Queen of Peace, Bishop
Socrates Villegas reflects from
the holy ground of the EDSA
Shrine on the historic events that
turned the tide of a nation’s lead-
P A C T R E V I E W S
A HEART FOR THE POOR
The Thought and Spirituality of Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz
Msgr. Jesus-Romulo C. Rañada
M sgr. Aloysius
Schwartz, who passed
away on March 16, 1992 and
Phillip
whose process for Causes of Be-
oped by a team of consultants
that include some noted person-
alities—Angelita Miguel-Aguirre,
atification and Canonization has
since been in order, has left be-
hind a long and impressive profile
M.D.; Edna Garayblas-Monzon, of accomplishments that notably
M.D.; Fr. Gregory D. Gaston, STD, include, among others, his single-
MA; Orestes Monzon, M.D.; handed founding and successful
Ianessa Ang- operation of conspicuously nu-
Ramirez, M.D.; Sr. merous Boystowns and
M a r i s s a Girlstowns for poor and under-
Rebosura, RVM; privileged youth—street children,
and Bishop Jesus the homeless and the aban-
Varela, STD, JCD, doned—in some five countries as
DD—Sex Talk Korea, the Philippines, Mexico,
With Kids & Brazil, and Guatemala. Twice nomi-
Teens anchors its nated for the Nobel Peace Prize,
moral rationale on in 1994 and 1992, Msgr. Al re- intimations with the divine—his
the Church’s doc- ceived important awards such as spirituality. A Heart for the Poor is
trinal teaching ar- the Korean Presidential Medal Or- Rañada’s take embodying Msgr.
ticulating parents’ der of Civil Merit in 1975, the Ko- Al’s faith and understanding of
primary and in- rean National Award in 1976, the how this faith builds up the King-
alienable right and Ramon Magsaysay Award for In- dom of God in the lives of the poor.
duty to educate ternational Understanding in 1983, “Msgr. Al’s spirituality begins with
their children. the Mother Teresa Award in 1988, presence, not absence. Not the
Without hesita- and the National Caring Award in absence of material goods but the
tion, it openly aims 1992. But more than the awards presence of Christ. Not the ab-
to reclaim the time- and accolades, who really was sence of opportunities but the
honored position of parents as Msgr. Al? Msgr. Jesus-Romulo presence of people who care. Not
primary educators of their chil- Rañada, who once served as the absence of power but the
dren, particularly in the field of President of the Theological Com- presence of people who have in
human sexuality. The training mission for the Archdiocesan Pro- themselves the capacity to take
manual is deigned best in empow- cess for the Causes of the Beati- control of their lives. In every way,
ering parents, educators, coun- fication and Canonization of the Msgr. Al looks at the world not in
selors, catechists, ministers, pas- Archdiocese of Manila, terms of despair but of hope,” fore-
tors and other individuals who are uncondescendingly ventures to words Cebu Archbishop Ricardo
committed to stem the tide of answer such question delving into Cardinal Vidal. Spiritually exhilarat-
sexual revolution Msgr. Al’s world, heart, thought ing, A Heart for the Poor is an im-
and, most importantly, his sublime perative reading.
PRIMER ON GAMBLING
Abp. Oscar V. Cruz
ership. In Jesus Our Peace,
Bishop Villegas plumbs the
depths of his heart and exposes
The seemingly interminable de-
bate on gambling legalization in
the anguish and pain—and like- the Philippines—what with the
wise the joy and exhilaration— celebrated but aborted Senate
that come from a man’s constant inquiry on the illegal numbers
search for peace in his commu- game of Jueteng—has unmistak-
nity, his country, and most impor- ably not deterred any bit the
tantly, his heart. It is a journey that country’s foremost anti-gambling
brings him to the holy ground of crusader Archbishop Oscar V.
many people’s heartsthe people Cruz, national chair of the
he serves in Krusadang Bayan Laban Sa
the same Sugal (National Crusade Against
way a shep- Gambling), from relentlessly
herd tends pressing even more his long-
his flock. No drawn battle against all forms of
denying, gambling in the country. Primer ‘buts’ with gambling, dismantling
Jesus Our on Gambling is Abp. Cruz’ bold feeble arguments in favor of gam-
Peace is take on upping the moral ante of bling, and unhesitatingly exposes
spiritually his heroic campaign. Taking stock the evil scourge of gambling.
refreshing of the Church’s doctrinal teach- Down to earth, homespun and
and rejuve- ings on gambling, Abp. Cruz uncondescending, Primer On
nating minces no words, neither ‘ifs’ nor Gambling is surprisingly wise.
Volume 40
Volume 40 •• Number
Number 87 29
29
 Shepherding
Shephering and / from p. 27
relevant for the problems that currently
beleaguer us. A reflective perusal of these
documents would prevent the kind of mis-
information, misinterpretation, and misun-
derstanding of the Bishops’ position on
various burning social issues.
18. Let us briefly recall the principles in
the church’s social doctrine that PCP-II
chose to emphasize in the light of our social
problems:
18.1 . Integral Development – Human
Dignity and Solidarity (see Paul VI, Populorum
Progressio [PP], 14; John Paul II, Sollicitudo
Rei Socialis [SRS], 29, 31; PCP-II, 294; CSD,
130-134, 192-93). The human person is at the
center of the Church’s social doctrine and the
subject as well as object of development in all
human dimensions.
18.2. The Universal Purpose of earthly
Goods and Private Property. This social prin-
ciple (see Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 63;
PCP-II, 297; CSD, 171-181) underscores the
injustice of the poor distribution of the goods
and services originally intended for all.
18.3. Social Justice and Love. These are
“the principal laws of social life” (John XXIII,
30 IMPACT • August 2006
and Prophesying in Hope
Mater et Magistra, production. The person has primacy over
39; see PCP-II, 304; things” (PCP-II, 316; see also CSD, 270-81).
CSD, 201-08; DCE, 18.7. Integrity of Creation. “Because
26, 28). The lack of the integrity of God’s creation is violated,
consideration for the our people suffer the destruction brought
common good is a about by droughts and floods. Those disas-
lack of social justice. ters cannot be traced merely to the uncon-
“… for interpersonal trollable powers of nature, but also to human
relationships and greed for short term economic gain. The
social structures to physical limitations of our natural resources
be put in order, jus- imply a moral demand, the duty of respon-
tice is not sufficient. sible dominion over nature” (PCP-II, 323; see
Love is necessary” SRS 26, 34; CBCP, What is Happening to Our
Social justice as the Beautiful Land, 1988; see also CSD, 461-87).
justice of the com- 18.8. People Empowerment. “No social
mon good (PCP-II, transformation is genuine and lasting where
305). Here we add people themselves do not actively partici-
the words of Pope pate in the process…. We understand ‘people
Benedict XVI as a power’ to include greater involvement in
comment on our decision-making, greater equality in both
politics: “Justice is political and economic matters, more democ-
both the aim and the racy, more participation” (PCP-II, 325-26; see
intrinsic criterion of CSD, 189-91).
all politics. Politics 19. To the above social principles, we
is more than a mere add two more principles from the social
mechanism for de- doctrine of the Church that the NPCCR in
fining the rules of 2001 emphasized, namely, the leading role of
public life: its origin lay people in social transformation (see also
and its goal are CSD, 541-74) and the family as the focal point
found in justice, of the evangelizing mission of the Church in
which by its very the Philippines (see also CSD, 209-254).
nature has to do with 20. Fifteen years after the Second Ple-
ethics. The State nary Council of the Philippines, our social
must inevitably face situation has not substantially changed. The
the question of how justice can be achieved above principles from the social doctrine of
here and now” (DCE, 28). the Church remain relevant and prophetic.
18.4. Peace and Active Non-Violence They represent a judgment on the way we are
(see Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World, as well as hope for what we can be as a nation.
1971, nos. 40, 65; CSD, 494-96). “The road to
total liberation is not the way of violence, The Social Doctrine of the Church
class struggle or hate; it is the way of love, Applied to Some Burning Social
brotherhood and peaceful solidarity” (John Issues.
Paul II, To the People of Tondo, Feb. 18, 1981,
no. 7; also his speech To the People of the 21. In the light of the social doctrine of
Sugar Plantations, Bacolod, Feb. 20, 1981). the church, we state the CBCP position on
18.5. Love of Preference for the Poor. As the following burning issues:
PCP-II states, “The common good dictates 22. The Family under Siege.
that more attention must be given to the less We are deeply troubled by attempts to
fortunate members of society. We as a Church, legislate or make as state policy ideas that
indeed, opt for all men, women and children of tend to weaken or even destroy cherished
the world but above all, preferentially we opt religious values regarding the nature of life,
like Jesus for the ‘little ones,’ the poor and the nature of marriage as union of man and
marginalized of our societies” (PCP-II, 312; woman, child bearing, the values formation
see also SRS, 39, 42; PP, 47; CSD, 182-84). of children, etc. Such ideas are part of an
18.6. The Value of Human Work. The orientation that is fundamentally secularis-
primary basis of the value of work is not what tic and materialistic, separated from their
work produces objectively but who does the religious and moral roots. We find them in
work, i.e., the human person (see John Paul pending bills about population, marriage
II, Laborem Exercens, 1981, nos. 6, 11-12). and family, reproductive health, and sex edu-
Again, here are the words of PCP-II: “The cation in schools. The Filipino family is ill-
human person is the subject of work and served by these developments. As the foun-
must not be treated as an instrument of Shephering and / p. 21
 N E W S B R I E F S

KOREA INDONESIA vidual conscience, a ques- MYANMAR

Unicef faces difficulty rais- Indonesia claims new
ing funds for N. Korea
Due to the nuclear de-
velopment program and
missile tests by North
Korea the U.N.
Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) is having dif-
ficulties raising funds for
North Korea as interna-
tional donors have been
“shying away”, a Saroso hospital for bird
UNICEF official said.
According to Asia
Pulse, South Korea sus-
pended its humanitarian
aid of rice and fertilizer
to the North after the
latter’s missile launches
on July 5, while Japan,
which has contributed as
much as $16 million in the
past, has not yet given
any funds for the North
to UNICEF.
IRAN
HR group appeals to
Iranian gov’t
Human Rights Watch
(HRW) has cautioned the
Iranian government to re-
verse its threat of pros-
ecution against Shirin
Ebadi’s Center for De-
fense of Human Rights,
(CDHR) saying it is a huge
setback for safeguarding
human rights in Iran.
HRW said that if
CDHR is threatened for
defending human rights,
then no one who works
for human rights can feels
safe from government
prosecution. CDHR is
the country’s prominent
independent human rights
group, declared by the
Iranian government as an
illegal organization.
bird flu victim
A 16-year old boy was
listed as the latest bird flu
case here. An official
from the Indonesia’s bird
flu center said the patient
was hospitalized after
having contacts with dead
chicken in Cikarang and
was transferred in Sulianti
flu patients after two
days.
Ilham Patu, a spokes-
man for the Sulianti
Saroso hospital, con-
firmed the diagnosis and
said the boy was in a
stable condition. He re-
mained under close ob-
servation.
INDIA
Protest meets anti-con-
version law
The Madhya Pradesh
government despite objec-
tions from opposition par-
ties has approved amend-
ments to render harsher
anti-conversion law, caus-
ing widespread protests on
the part of the state’s
Christian and Muslim reli-
gious minorities. The law
mandates that a person
wishing to change his or
her religion must present
a written petition to the
local district judge a month
beforehand. If they fail to
do so they can be pun-
ished with a fine up to
1.000 Rupee or a prison
sentence.
Spokesman of the
Catholic community Fr.
Anad Muttungal said that
faith is a private matter
that concerns the indi-
tion in which the state
cannot interfere.
PAKISTAN
Landslides, floods kill
140 people
The number deaths
caused by heavy land-
slides and floods in north-
ern Pakistan since last
month, have reached to
140. The tragedy is
blamed on the annual
monsoon rains that
started last month.
At press time, the UN
refugee agency reported
that landslides and floods
have forced 6,000 quake
survivors to return to
emergency camps and
that nearly 20,000 others
are set to do so.
HONG KONG
Pro-environment pro-
tests pollution
Environmentalists
shrouds Hong Kong in
darkness in a lights-out
protest over rising pollu-
tion in the southern Chi-
nese territory.
As if to stress the
point, gray smog blan-
keted the high-rise city
as organizers made final
appeals for citizens and
corporations to switch
off their lights for three
minutes to show their
anger at worsening air
quality. The campaign
aims to educate citizens
on how their everyday
activities, especially
when it involves con-
sumption of electricity,
can have a direct effect
on the environment.
Rebel group OKs
landmine ban
An anti-landmines
campaign group has said
it hopes two of
Myanmar’s largest
armed opposition move-
ments would give up us-
ing the weapons, after a
smaller rebel group com-
mitted itself to an inter-
national ban.
Geneva Call, which is
trying to get armed rebel
or resistance groups to
follow the conditions of
the 1997 Ottawa Con-
vention outlawing anti-
personnel landmines, an-
nounced that the Chin
National Front had joined
its parallel pledge on July
31. Two other groups in
Myanmar have already
joined the commitment
against anti-personnel
landmines, but 11 more
are thought to be using
them.
NEPAL
Maoist rebels, Nepal gov’t
revives peace process
Maoist rebels and the
Nepal government said
they had settled a dis-
pute over monitoring
each other’s fighters and
weapons, a move which
revives their peace pro-
cess and power-sharing
plans.
Under the agreement,
the rebels would confine
their soldiers and weap-
ons to camps in the coun-
tryside and the army
would stay in barracks,
while UN civilians would
monitor both sides, they
said in a joint statement.

Volume 40 • Number 8 31
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WebArt - A three-day course on

web designing, web mainte-
nance, and file transfer proto-
col; given to pastoral workers.

Our Content Department

SysAd - A highly technical
training on Systems Adminis-
tration, bandwidth manage-
ment and server maintenance.
In pursuit of its mission, CBCPWorld gives priority to content develop-
ment. The target is to saturate the cyberspace with wholesome content
which are faith-related, educational and social-advocacy oriented.
Its services are: Web Designing, Web Maintenance, Web Hosting,
Content Sourcing and Editing, and Video Production.
CBCPWorld is child-friendly with safe, clean and wholesome internet
content.