On Pinoy Politics, Economy and Laudato Si
A Reflection on Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home
Br. John Andrew Bautista, OP
“Those
who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly
to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms…Politics
must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the
dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy.” – Laudato Si
Election time is nearly upon us, and it
promises to be an interesting one. With
few months left before the much anticipated National Elections this coming May
2016, Filipinos are still left reeling and wondering who can possibly be our
nation’s leaders from the national to the local level. At this point in time,
perhaps even Juan Dela Cruz still
needs to make up his mind on who will be his bet and kingpin to take over the throne
in Malacañang, which is undeniably, the most coveted and sought-after post in
the land.
While from the most ordinary to the
vastly affluent Filipinos are scratching and shaking their heads in perplexity
and gratuitous confusion, economic players, businessmen, entrepreneurs and
capitalists of our economic industries are conceivable more plunked in pressure
because of this forthcoming shake-up of power in the government. For them, a
change of power means a change of bosses, a change of trade partners and a
switch of loyalty. This 2016 National Elections is for them a big liability,
rather than a faultless opportunity.
With the release of this first-ever papal
encyclical on climate change and the environment, several political leaders and
members of the local government have been anxious and distressed because this
encyclical unequivocally offends their partners and donors in the economic and
corporate industries. In the Philippines, little did we know that a great
number of our prominent political leaders who are governing our country today
are at the same time, belonging to the economic players and land-owning elites
of the society. Who has not heard yet of these prominent names such as the
Cojuangcos, the Aranetas, the
Jacintos, the Madrigals, and the Yulos?
According to Political Scientist Temario Rivera in his book Landlords and Capitalists, “Through government influence, these landed
capitalists caused the diversion of state resources to traditional elite
economic activities like sugar and coconut milling, limiting further industrial
diversification.” [1]
With this fact and reality we have now with
regards to our leaders in power and serving in office, having both political
and economic power is not at all wrong and immoral, but rather it can be said
that having both at the same time is altogether tempting and extremely dangerous.
One can imagine the assets of the family’s domain — business revenues, land,
agricultural commodities and industries can all be used and expended to attain
and preserve political dominance in the Government.
Moreover, a politician who
in himself an above-board landlord and capitalist can easily approve or veto
rights and policies that will favor his own interests and promptly discount the
welfare and the benefit of the public. Regrettably,
with all this array of admonition that we continuously relay to the leaders
serving our country, still, several of our revered idols in the political arena
have an obvious monopoly of politics and the
economy. This condition, indubitably, puts our society in serious peril.
Heeding to the call of Pope Francis
in Laudato Si, it is imperative that
not only in every election time or period that we suddenly become choosy and
selective with the leaders that will rule our land, but rather, if we truly
want to be a “watchdog” of the nation that we all love, we should all commonly
safeguard it and care for it, for after all, it is our ‘common home’ as our
Holy Father would put it. We shall select leaders who will not put our country,
our Mother Earth at risk by having leaders pursuing personal and selfish
interests. We should not select leaders who are driven by money and power but
of genuine public service and love for humanity.
My dream and vision as a concerned
citizen and as a student of the Catholic faith, is all but simple— what we need
are political leaders with a renewed character and moral fibre, leaders who can
redefine political leadership not as individuals who think of themselves but
rather of others. In a word, they should be Christ-like. They should be men and
women thinking that everybody is part of one family, of one shared home. It is
on this outlook and mindset I most humbly and honestly
believe that we can ultimately take care of the world that we live in.
As our struggling nation continues to
hope for a promise of change and prosperity in a government that is always been
labeled as ‘corrupt’ and ‘inefficient’, the big question is: “Can these prominent and influential
economic players who are significantly involved in the transformation, development
and welfare of our country valiantly cooperate with the next set of leaders
that are coming ahead? “ Our Holy Father Pope Francis is echoing the
demands of communities around the world who want real solutions to be done. In
order to address the ecological and economic crisis of the world, our leaders
need to enforce measures that should benefit and do good to everyone and not
with selfish and narcissistic driven solutions.
Our journey in choosing our next
leaders will be nonetheless challenging and problematic for us, that’s for
sure. But at the end of the day, whatever one's political status or
affiliation, we have a moral obligation to keep an eye on these political
candidates on this forthcoming elections. We all have the power to choose the
leaders who will be the builders and guardians of our common home.
This act may look like a feeble step in
our desire for change, nevertheless this move is nothing but a brave response
to the call of Laudato Si.
#JuannaChange #PhilippinesOurCommonHome #Hopefor2016 -
[1]
Temario C. Rivera, Landlords and Capitalists: Class, Family and State in Philippine
Manufacturing (Diliman QC: University of the Philippines Press, 1994)
45-46.
Wow! hindi ka nagsabi by blog ka pala ha! hehe
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