There’s no letting up. Before the Christmas break, various groups gathered together in an interfaith rally, Dec. 14 at the Roxas Blvd in Manila and reiterated calls for Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign.

BY EMILY VITAL
Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 45, December 16-22, 2007

There’s no letting up. Before the Christmas break, various groups gathered together in an interfaith rally, Dec. 14 at the Roxas Blvd in Manila and reiterated calls for Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign.

Anti-gambling advocate Catholic Archbishop of Lingayen Oscar Cruz, led the activity. Joining him were members of Concerned Citizens, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, White Ribbon Movement, Black and White, Union of Masses for Democracy and Justice (UMDJ) and Solidarity Philippines.

Bp. Cruz told the crowd in Filipino, “Hindi na baleng mawala sa atin ang maraming kinakain. Hindi bale kung ang ating bulsa’y mawalan ng laman. Ang pakiusap ko lang, tiklop-tuhod, huwag tayong mawawalan ng pag-asa. Kapag pag-asa ang nawala sa atin, nawala nang lahat.”(It does not matter if our food is not enough. It does not matter if our pockets have been emptied. My only plea, knee-bent, is that we never lose hope. If hope has been lost, we would have lost every thing.)

Bp Cruz said that if man has no one to turn to, the Lord is always ready to listen and to stand in solidarity with man. “Ang sabi Niya, ‘Humingi ka at ika’y bibigyan. Hanapin mo at iyong makikita. Kumatok at ikaw ay pagbubuksan. Ito ang ating ginagawa ngayon…Lumalakas ang aking pag-asa at pananampalataya na ang bayang ito ay mayroon pang kinabukasan dahil may tiwala tayo sa Diyos.” (The Lord said, ‘ask and you shall be given. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. This is what we are doing right now…My hope and faith that this country still has a future strengthens because we trust in the Lord.)

Bp. Cruz said that he feels the anger of those who have spoken. He told them not to worry because all things will come to an end and only God is eternal.

Bp. Cruz further said, “Ang katotohanan ay mas mahaba pa kaysa sa nagpapanggap na reyna, namumuhay sa Palasyo at marahil, nais magkaroon ng korona.” (The truth is more lasting than the one who pretends to be a queen, who lives in a Palace and probably, wishes to have a crown.)

Meanwhile, Sr. Maureen Catabian of the Religious of Good Shepherd (RGS), said,”Hindi tayo patatalo sa kadiliman. Tayo ay mananatiling liwanag ng katotohanan, katarungan at pag-asa.” (We will not be defeated by darkness. We will remain as the light of truth, justice and hope.)

Sr. Catabian said that the RGS sisters will not stop in condemning the corruption of the Macapagal-Arroyo government. She said, “Buhayin natin ang diwang Hesus at Inang Maria na ibinulid mula sa trono ang mga nasa kapangyarihan at binusog ang maralita.” (Relive the spirit of Jesus and Mother Mary who overthrew the powerful from their thrones and fed the poor.)

The Protestants also issued a strong statement against the Arroyo government.

Rev. Rex Reyes, newly elected general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) said,”Graft and corruption have gone from bad to worse. [Corruption] has reached brazen proportions while our people live in abject poverty.”

Rev. Reyes said, “Decency and genuine public service have been sacrificed in the name of power…Reject what is morally bankrupt. when the public trust is lost then the moral ascendacy has been lost.” Bulatlat

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