Fasting, Prayer, and Atonement at the People Power Monument
Today our democratic institutions are being taken apart piece by piece. Democratic principles and values are under vigorous attack from those sworn to uphold them. Yet if public opinion surveys are reliable, most of our people seem to view the dismantling of our democracy with disturbing equanimity, little realizing what they stand to lose. This dangerous crisis proves how fragile were the gains of EDSA 1986.
In acknowledgment of this crisis and in atonement for our collective culpability for it, organizations of the peasantry, the urban poor, the Roman Catholic Church, and other sectors have declared a nine-day period of prayer and fasting at the People Power Monument (PPM) from February 17 to 25. Dasal at Ayuno Laban sa Cha-Cha, Para sa Demokrasya: Pag-amin, Pagtitika, Pagababago at Pagkakaisa (Fasting and Prayer against Cha-Cha, for Democracy: Admission, Repentance, Transformation and Solidarity) is initiated by thePambansang Kilusan ng Mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), a national confederation of small farmer, fishers, indigenous peoples, rural women and youth organizations; the Urban Poor Alliance Action Committee (UPAC), an alliance of informal settler organizations in Metro Manila; and GOMBURZA, a group of clergy, religious, and laity committed to the Roman Catholic Church’s social teaching.
Dasal-Ayuno focuses on the endangered 1987 Constitution, one of EDSA 1986’s most precious legacies. Following the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, the 1987 Constitution was drafted by a Constitutional Commission representing the broadest coalition of basic sectors and political forces that ever worked together on a nation-building project in this country. It is exemplary in the world for its commitment to social justice and human rights.
“The current administration seeks to cast aside this legacy, proposing to replace it with a federalist project short on social justice principles and long on authoritarian possibilities lurking beneath its extravagant promises”, Fr Robert Reyes, the leader of Gomburza and among those who committed to do a full fasting, taking in only water for the entire nine days.
“Malaking panganib sa aming mga magsasaka, mga manginigisda, mga katutubo, mga manggagawa, kababaihan at kabataan ang proyektong ito ng ating pamahalaang baguhin ang Saligang Batas. Nakalagay sa panukalang batas sa Mababang Kapulungan, ang Resolution of Both Houses No. 8, na bibigyan na ang mga dayuhan ng karapatang mag kontrol ng mga kalupaang agrikultural higit sa isang libong ektarya at higit sa 50 taon. Samantalang milyun milyong mga magsasaka pa rin natin ang walang sariling lupa., Hindi naipatupad nang seryoso ng lahat ng mga administrasyong nagdaan ang nakasulat sa Saligang Batas patungkol sa Katarungang Panlipunan, kaya hanggang ngayon laganap pa rin ang kahirapan sa ating bayan. Hinihiling naming ipatupad nang lubusan, hindi palitan ang Saligang Batas!” said Ka Rene Cerilla on behalf of Minyong Agsaluna, President of PAKISAMA, who is also joining Fr. Robert in a full nine-day fast.
“Kasama po ang mga iba’t ibang samahan naming mga maralitang taga-lungsod sa adhikain ng gawaing ito na makatulong na pagkaisahin ang iba’t ibang grupo, at institusyon na labanan ang mapanganib na Cha Cha,” said Ka Jose Morales, leader of UPAC, whose 200 urban poor members will be joining in a day of prayer and fasting on February 21 with Bishop Yniguez leading the mass.
Each day of the nine-day period will celebrate one of nine themes drawn from the 1987 Constitution: human rights (Feb 17), the protection of the environment and indigenous peoples (Feb 18), agrarian and fisheries reform (Feb 19), labor reforms (Feb 20), urban poor reforms (Feb 21), the participation of the youth in nation-building (Feb 22), gender equality (Feb 23), sovereignty (Feb 24), and democratic institutions (Feb 25). Various civil society organizations, religious congregations, Catholic Schools, and dioceses have been invited and started to join and sponsor a day committing to pray and fast mobilizing their respective constituencies. IDEFEND, for example, the broadest coalition of human rights organizations in the country will lead at 3-5PM on February 17 the participating schools and congregations and parishes in the discussion on human rights provisions in the 1987 Constitution and to express its defiance against the Cha Cha project. They will then join the mass at 6 pm. All participants in the event will only be served water.
Dasal-Ayuno opens with a symbolic re-enactment of the February 17, 1872 execution of the native secular priests ** Gómez, José Burgos, and Joaquín* Zamora, an event that planted the seeds for the Philippine revolution against its colonizer Spain. The re-enactment will begin at the GOMBURZA monument in **, Manila on the morning of February 17, and end at the execution site at the Luneta. Activities at the PPM commence in the afternoon with a period of solemn prayer and silence from 3 to 6PM, a Mass at 6PM, and a short program at 8PM. This program will be replicated every day at the same time except for February 25, the 32nd anniversary of the EDSA Revolt, when the program will be held in the morning.
All are invited to join this solemn and prayerful celebration of our still unfinished and now endangered democracy.
