Routes
Gengos builds new politics, Lagdameo seeks God's blessings
Ilonggos warmly welcome the "new politics" espoused by Atty. Benjie Gengos. I was witness to the real spirit of volunteerism of a group of good citizens who desire new politics. It was an occasion where Gengos was invited to a public forum. The host community of different socio-economic orientations was the one who prepared the venue, little food, and audio-visual equipment. The community then discussed local and national issues with Gengos. The process was supposed to be a model for how the democratic process should be.
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Many are impressed with the elective government service record of Gengos. "Gengos is not corrupt." This is a label, which has become synonymous with Gengos. With the Philippines now popularly considered the most corrupt nation in Asia and the 9th most corrupt in the world, Gengos is a rarity. I heard many compare his kind with that of the elder generation Liberal Party former Senator Jovito Salonga.
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CBCP head and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo seeks God's blessings for the Philippines for unresolved issues that beset the nation. He asks the Filipino nation to pray -- to pray for everything and for everyone that these will be guided for a fair, honest and peaceful May 14 elections and for national good.
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Archbishop Lagdameo on behalf of the Catholic Bishop's Conference is indispensable. I have learned that the Baptist, the Aglipay, the Iglesia and almost all the Filipino churches are having their own voter's education. All the churches are tired with the way Philippine elections are run.
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In political crises, the churches in ecumenism were there. They were in the EDSAs. In the issue of the CON-ASS, the church was there.
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I believe the church should always be thee where the question of change for good is. The church should not be alienated from the physical existence of people. Inadequate economic life deprives spirituality. This is not Marxist. This is reality. The church is also a socio-economic ministry. It is an institution of moral advocacy and should be in the lives of a people especially in times of difficulty.
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God will not be happy to see His flock in this archipelago in Asia suffer from bad politics. God will not be happy with bad politics in the Philippines.