Php 70.00 Vol. 44 No. 1 • JANUARY 2010 - IMPACT Magazine Online!
Php 70.00 Vol. 44 No. 1 • JANUARY 2010 - IMPACT Magazine Online!
Php 70.00 Vol. 44 No. 1 • JANUARY 2010 - IMPACT Magazine Online!
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Dear People<br />
of God,<br />
“Happy<br />
New Year!” This<br />
greeting may not<br />
just remain a simple<br />
wish; its realization<br />
is within<br />
reach. <strong>No</strong>w, more<br />
than ever, we hold<br />
the promise of a<br />
happier Philippines,<br />
despite the<br />
tragedies that happened<br />
in the preceding<br />
year.<br />
Institutions need<br />
change. <strong>No</strong> less<br />
than the late Holy<br />
Father, Pope John<br />
XXIII of holy memory, said when he convoked the Second<br />
Vatican Council: “Ecclesia semper reformanda est”. (The<br />
Church must always be in the process of reform). <strong>2010</strong> in<br />
our political life is an election year; people through the<br />
exercise of their right of suffrage will effect a power shift<br />
in the executive and legislative branches of our civil government.<br />
We must retain what is good, promote what still<br />
needs improvement and discard what is base and corrupt.<br />
However, admittedly and sadly, a number of us have remained<br />
myopic by focusing our attention only to the satisfaction of<br />
the moment, swayed by the glitter of money and promises of<br />
We represent all walks of life and<br />
communities in the coastal,<br />
low and highland areas. We<br />
come together this <strong>No</strong>vember 19, after<br />
reeling from the multiple crises that<br />
have been aggravated by the destructive<br />
climate risks.<br />
We believe in the indivisibility of<br />
human survival and human development,<br />
reject the thesis of “survival of<br />
the fittest” as socio-economic underpinning,<br />
and advocate for the propitious<br />
partiality towards the weaker and<br />
marginalized members of our people<br />
and society.<br />
We do not accept the conjecture<br />
that the catastrophic effects of climate<br />
change are inevitable.<br />
<strong>No</strong>netheless, we believe it is an<br />
issue of cooperative survival. We<br />
thus close ranks to commit ourselves<br />
STATEMENTS<br />
New Year’s Message<br />
patronage, and do not raise our eyes beyond election time<br />
to the resultant situation created by our indiscretion. Those<br />
who have allowed, much worse abetted, corruption to thrive<br />
in our midst, do not have the right to complain.<br />
If we were a part of the problem yesterday, we can also<br />
be a part of the solution today. We hold the key to a better<br />
tomorrow. We need an informed electorate enlightened<br />
through voters’ education, a vigilant citizenry who will guard<br />
against the attempts of some to frustrate the genuine will<br />
of the people, and steadfast persons who stay undaunted by<br />
intimidation of ruthless politicians, in order to put into office<br />
reliable leaders who would guide our nation in the coming<br />
years.<br />
The poor constitute the greater part of our population.<br />
They are remembered and courted by politicians during<br />
the campaign period. “Poverty alleviation”, “more jobs”<br />
and “upliftment of the masses” are some familiar refrains<br />
chanted by candidates and issues incorporated into their attractive<br />
platforms. If only there is political will, the economic<br />
situation of our people would be far better now that it was<br />
generations back.<br />
Social transformation starts within ourselves. Election<br />
is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss. Over and above<br />
the factors beyond our capacity, with our great faith in God<br />
and in ourselves, we can still make our wish for a happy<br />
new year a reality. God bless us all.<br />
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, DD<br />
Bishop of Tandag<br />
CBCP President<br />
December 30, 2009<br />
Fairness in a Fragile World—Climate Change<br />
A Declaration of Convergence and Unity<br />
unequivocally to the crucial task of<br />
rebuilding our nation and communities<br />
through multi-dimensional reforms.<br />
To address the perils of climate<br />
change objectively, the primary link to<br />
asset reform must be established on solid<br />
ground. The coverage would include: (a)<br />
peace and security, (b) adequate access<br />
to essential services such as education,<br />
health care and basic amenities, (c) gainful<br />
employment or livelihood within the<br />
country, and (d) human development at<br />
the community, familial and personal levels<br />
from the short to long-term periods.<br />
All these aggregated constitute holistic<br />
social justice and the systemic enabler<br />
for the people to reasonably and vigorously<br />
address climate change directly<br />
today and for future generations.<br />
We observe that the present meteorological<br />
shifts started as a slow<br />
process of environmental degradation<br />
one millennium ago, which has started<br />
to spiral rapidly towards a tipping point<br />
at the onset of the prior century. We<br />
express serious concern for climatic<br />
phenomena, such as tsunami, extreme<br />
floods, landslides, earthquakes, hurricanes,<br />
poisoning of land and sea, rapid<br />
depletion of natural and biotic resources,<br />
melting of polar ice caps, depletion of<br />
ozone layer, among others. And we are<br />
much more seriously concerned that<br />
most of these phenomena are caused by<br />
human recklessness and greed.<br />
We therefore convey our anxiety<br />
and fear on the ability of our beloved<br />
mother earth to carry our children into<br />
the next century. It is in this light that<br />
we join in the call of the United Nations<br />
for a legally binding climate treaty<br />
among rich and developing nations on<br />
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