Church calls on laity to lead fight vs graft and corruption
Church leaders have called on lay people to be more active in fighting graft and corruption.
Delegates to the national convention of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines held at the Punta Villa Resort here were called to be more active in fighting graft and corruption and practicing good governance.
The three-day convention which ended yesterday was attended by around 500 lay people representing dioceses in the country.
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said graft and corruption remains one of the most pressing problems of the country.
"The convention is very practical because this is a good preparation for the forthcoming national elections," Lagdameo said in an interview.
"The Church encourages the vigorous participation of the laity in governance not only in the Church but also of society. The laity must be at the forefront in solving our social problems," the prelate said.
Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes, chair of the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on the Laity said lay people can help minimize if not eradicate corruption.
"Bishops and priests can only exhort them to do it and to provide spiritual formation, but they should be at the forefront," Reyes said in a separate interview.
He said that based on reports and from accounts of lay people, graft and corruption in government is worsening.
"The challenge to all government officials in all levels of governance is to live the faith," said Reyes.
In his homily during a Mass, Reyes acknowledge that corruption in government has been institutionalized in the country.
"It must be hard to be a good, to be a Christian politician in the Philippines," he said.
Reyes said that corruption exists even in the Church.
"There is corruption in the Church because we are human. But not as much as in government," he said drawing laughter and applause from the audience.
When interviewed later, Reyes said the practice of giving an "SOP," or standard operating procedure, which involves an automatic kickback to officials in government projects, purchases or transactions should be stopped.
Reyes said it seems that the practice has already become acceptable to the people and they have stopped opposing it.
"There must be a change in mindset. It is not acceptable. It is wrong," said Reyes.
The Council of the Laity of the Philippines has thrown its support for Pampanga Gov. Eddie "Ed" Panlilio against a recall campaign to oust him from office.
In the statement issued at the culmination of the three-day national convention, the national organization of lay people said they are supporting Panlilio's campaign to "promote integrity and honesty in government."
"We are backing him in his fight for good governance and his battle against the proposed recall, which will bring to naught his noble and difficult work against graft and corruption," the group said in a statement.
Panlilio, who is on on leave from his duties as priest, was one of the speakers in the convention.
He won the gubernatorial race in landmark victory against powerful political figures defeating former provincial board member Lilia Pineda and then incumbent Gov. Mark Lapid in the 2007 elections on a platform calling for radical change, good governance and against traditional politics.
But he is facing a recall bid initiated by a nongovernment organization led by a former election campaigner of Pineda.
Citing loss of of confidence in the governor's leadership, the group aims to gather the signature of at least 100,000 registered voters in the province. The number is more than 10 percent of the 977,000 registered which is required in a recall election.