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CBCP: CEAP urges attendance at anti-Chacha rally


MANILA, Philippines - Catholic educators encouraged Filipinos Thursday to join Friday's multi-sectoral rally against Charter change (Chacha) in Makati City. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website said Thursday that Catholic educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP) president Msgr. Gerardo Santos made the call at a mass in Quezon City Wednesday. Santos, in urging the public to join the interfaith rally on Friday, claimed "almost 20,000" are expected to attend. The CEAP president also chided the Chacha proponents in Congress, saying these lawmakers are only after their personal and political agenda. Catholic school students at Wednesday's mass at St. Peter's Church included those frmo De La Salle University, Adamson University, College of the Holy Spirit, Don Bosco Technical School, Philippine Christian College, San Beda College, Concordia School, Miriam College, University of Sto. Tomas, Divine World Seminary, St.Paul Manila, La Consolacion College Manila, St.Joseph's College Quezon City; Sta.Isabel College, Stella Maris, Sta. Catalina College, Daughters of Charity, St. Pedro Poveda, St.Scholastica College, Sienna College and the Order St. Benedictine College. Farmers group Task Force Mapalad, Yulo farmers, Hacienda Bacan farmers and the Calatagan farmers also attended the mass. On Wednesday, the CEAP voiced opposition to Chacha, branding it as "self-serving" and "for a few." It also urged the youth, especially students in Catholic schools, to be watchful of moves by some sectors for term extension. "As Catholic schools we cannot stand idly by while the common good is sacrificed and our basic political institutions, including popular sovereignty through regular elections, the bicameral nature of Congress, an independent judiciary and the hard-won 1987 democratic Constitution itself, are thoroughly undermined," the CEAP said in a full-page newspaper ad dated Dec. 3. It added what Filipinos need now is "genuine social and political reform for the many, not self-serving charter change for a few." On the other hand, the CEAP said government should be concentrating on at least two pro-poor efforts, including the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with reforms, and issues of land, food, and equitable development. It said the government should also be concentrating on electoral reform, voters education and credible and meaningful elections in 2010. "The call is not just to defend democracy. We are asked to help deepen democracy to make it truly inclusive, participative and socially just. It is this kind of democratic system that truly befits the name. Thus we commit ourselves to building a genuine democracy which enshrines our core belief in the dignity of every human being, that God Himself shared by becoming one like us in Jesus," it said. Signing the statement were CEAP officers and regional directors led by president Msgr. Gerardo Santos, vice president Fr. Gregorio Bañaga Jr., treasurer Mother Assumpta David, and directors-at-large Atty. Ulpiano Sarmiento III and Dr. Carmelita Quebengco. The CEAP statement lamented that with Charter change, the common good is now often subordinated to narrow private interests. It said the needs of the majority who are poor are often sacrificed for the self-serving ends of a few. "Many unresolved questions of corruption and abuse of power are fostering a culture of impunity and a political climate of deep distrust and powerlessness. Thus the call to watchfulness beckons Christians to become engaged citizens in a perilous time when democracy and social justice are under serious threat," it said. "It is unfortunate that in the present context, Charter change which could truly be a genuine instrument of long-term institutional reform is viewed with deep suspicion and is seen as endangering democracy itself," it added. But the CEAP noted this is similar to 2006 when Chacha advocates could "barely conceal" that their real aim is not reform but further concentration of power. "Even as they pay lip service to economic and political development, Chacha proponents cannot disguise their overriding objective of prolonging the stay in power of current officials, particularly the president," the CEAP said. It reminded national leaders that what the Filipino need now is truth, accountability and genuine social and political reform for the majority. "We certainly do not need any Charter change that will only service the narrow interests of the few who are currently in power. Thus we emphatically say 'No to any Chacha before 2010!'" the CEAP said. - GMANews.TV
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