Civil society should lead new ‘People Power’ – CBCP head

The civil society should lead a new kind of “People Power" needed by the country for it to rise from the political rut caused by widespread corruption in the government, according to the head of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines. In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said not the Church, but the civil society should lead in the country’s “new brand of People Power." Lagdameo made the statement amid the Senate inquiry into the alleged anomalies in the P329.48-million National Broadband Network controversy that was linked to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo. “Hindi natin dapat kunin sa civil society ang responsibilidad na dapat gampanan nila, (The civil society should not be robbed of the responsibility that they have to perform)" said Lagdameo. In his Web log, Lagdameo said that based on the Church’s Social Doctrine, the “lay people" or the “civil society" are the ones “called to identify steps that can be taken in concrete political situations." He said that if based on "collective discernment which can occur in unpredictable ways, the communal action is People Power, it will have to be with a different brand." "It will not be simply a repeat of the past. What brand will it have? What is God through the signs of the times telling us? The movements of some groups for a National Campaign Against Corruption in the government may be a sign," he said. Lagdameo said that for the new brand of "People Power" to succeed, social actions must involve "praying, reflecting, deciding, and acting together" for the "national good." Worse frying pan He said the first “People Power" that ended the Marcos dictatorship could no longer be repeated because many of those who led the uprising were already old, while others had already died. “Many of the participants in that decisive People Power have already died. Those who are still around are 22 years or almost a quarter of century older. Age is an important factor that comes with the cynicism, apathy and indifference for another People Power," he said. The second People Power which catapulted Mrs Arroyo to power should not be repeated according to Lagdameo because it only “installed a leader who has been branded as the most corrupt." He surmised that this might be the reason why the civil society “regard(ed) People Power with cynicism and indifference." “They are afraid another People Power might only bring the country from one frying pan to a worse frying pan," he said. In a related development, GMA News Saksi said Church leaders, groups from the civil society and the business sector, and militant organizations had agreed to push through with the Interfaith Prayer Rally on February 29 at the Luneta Park in Manila. The event will be attended by the La Salle Brothers, Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, Jesus Is Lord Movement, Intergrated Bar of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Black and White Movement, and militant organizations. Series of Masses Also, various Church and student groups under the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP) supporting NBN-ZTE scandal whistleblower Rodoldo Noel Lozada Jr will launch a series of Masses at universities and schools in Manila and Quezon City. Radio dzBB on Tuesday quoted the CEAP as saying that the Masses would be its response to the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for “communal action" in search of the truth behind the National Broadband Network (NBN) controversy. The CEAP said that on Sunday, February 24, a Mass would be held at Adamson University on San Marcelino Street in Ermita, Manila. This will be followed by a Mass at the University of Sto. Tomas on España Street in Manila on March 2. The third Mass will be held at the De La Salle University along Taft Avenue in Manila on March 9, followed by another ceremony at the Miriam College along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on March 16. On March 23, a “Mass for Truth" will be held at the La Salle Greenhills campus in Mandaluyong City. Finally on March 30, a Mass will be held at the Claret School on Mahinhin Street in UP Village, Quezon City - GMANews.TV