Poverty, Terror and Globalization Hurt Most Families

Families today are being torn by widespread poverty, terror and globalization. And President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who led the nation in celebrating the 4^th World Meeting of Families last week, has been asked to junk her pro-globalization policies which have torn millions of families apart in her own country. 

By Dennis Espada 
Bulatlat.com

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who last week led the celebration of the 4^th World Meeting of Families (WMF) in Manila has been asked to look into her globalization policies that ironically torn millions of families apart in her own country.

Militant groups led by the women’s alliance, Gabriela, said families today are being torn by widespread poverty, terror and globalization owing to Macapagal-Arroyo’s own globalization policies.

In a parallel activity called the “Parade of the Filipino Family,” Gabriela secretary-general Emmi de Jesus

Called the president’s globalization policies as a malady wreaking many Filipino families, mainly the small peasants and workers comprising majority of our population.

Globalization, De Jesus said, has made prices of basic services and commodities soar, rendering them inaccessible to the poor. “At kapag nakakahanap ng boses upang mag-protesta ang mga pamilyang ito, sinasagot ito ng terorismo ng estado” (whenever these families rise up to protest, they encounter terrorism of the state),  she said.

“Now is the time to highlight the true and miserable face of the Filipino family: one that is being shattered by poverty and violence,” she said during the parade.

The Gabriela leader also cited government programs seen to be “anti-family,” such as the labor-export policy resulting in the departure of at least 2,383 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) every day last year. “Wala namang makuhang regular na trabaho at disenteng sahod ang ating mga manggagawa kaya’t tinitiis na lang nilang magkahiwa-hiwalay ang pamilya kaysa nga naman sama-sama silang mamatay ng dilat sa gutom” (Our workers do not get regular and decent jobs here so they go abroad with a heavy heart, instead of seeing themselves die of hunger with eyes open), she said.

The Roman Catholic Church-sponsored WMF was a worldwide gathering of families to enable them to pray, dialogue, learn, share and deepen their understanding and appreciation of the family. The meeting takes place every three years upon the invitation of Pope John Paul II, head of the Church.

A changing face

A narrow viewpoint sees the family to be a group of persons, regardless of number, who live in the same house, under the authority of a head who furnishes the means by which the members of the group subsist.

In a broad sense, however, it is a group of persons united together by ties of marriage and blood.

The New Family Code, which was enacted into law by then President Corazon Aquino, defines marriage as “a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property relations during the marriage within the limits provided by this Code.”

In a recent study, the NGO Parent's Alternative Inc., entitled Ang Relasyong Mag-asawa (Marital Relations), offers an alternative model of marriage: “a special union of two individuals having sufficient maturity as well as physical, emotional, social, intellectual and economic preparedness; in union in accordance to mutually-accepted ritual or belief; having certain goals and directions; has a definite role in social transformation and depends on each other with regards their development as a whole.”

PAI’s concept recognizes the equal rights and welfare of each of the couple. Roles and tasks are identified through discussions and are not dictated by perceived strengths and weaknesses of sex.

Second, it seeks to respect the individual’s choice whomever he/she wants to be with as long as they fulfill each other’s happiness and worth.

Third, couples are allowed free to set the contents of their own agreement without any pressure. Decision-making is based on discussion and mutual agreement.

Fourth, it emphasizes the active participation of families in struggling for social change.

Fifth, it values maturity and preparedness to lead a successful marriage.

Nowadays, even children are forced to marriage against their will due to inconsequential reasons (such as early pregnancy or loss of virginity).

Lastly, couples should freely choose when to have a family. Bearing children should not be viewed as a natural product of marriage but a product as a result of their preparedness to provide love and care to another individual, the PAI study says. Bulatlat.com

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