You Are Invited Mercy Fabros Learning Session Series – An Urgent Call: A People’s Vaccine Against COVID-19

Warmest greetings!

We hope that you all are keeping healthy and safe during these strange times.

In honor and celebration of the life of a staunch health and human rights activist, our beloved colleague in the advocacy towards sustainable development, Mercedes “Mercy” Lactao Fabros, Social Watch Philippines-Alternative Budget Initiative (SWP-ABI) is launching the “Mercy Fabros Learning Session Series.”

You are all invited to the first episode tackling a timely public health discourse, “An Urgent Call: A People’s Vaccine Against COVID-19″ on August 5, Wednesday, 3:00-5:00PM (via Zoom).

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We hope to see you all in this event as we are once again brought together by our dearest friend and mentor, our “Nanay Mercy”. As Mercy would always remind us about, we also hope that we continue to work in the spirit of human solidarity, help each other, and learn from one another as we all grapple to fight for people’s right to health and participation.

Please message us (alternative.budget.initiative@gmail.com) to register! You can also text Christian Payumo (09366367184) to secure your slot.

Social Watch Philippines

SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, 6 August 2020
«YOU ARE THE “NOW” OF GOD» (Cv 178)
Catholic Action’s young people in the light of Christus Vivit with all young people >> more
>> For registration: Format

AFTER Webinar with Luisa Alfarano, Emilio Inzaurraga, Msgr. Salvator Niciteretse
23rd July 2020
UNIVERSAL FRATERNITY AND POLITICS WITH A CAPITAL P
– video, texts of the interventions and final prayer >> more

UPCOMING WEBINARS – 4th September – 2th October
In the Special Year of the anniversary of the Laudato si’ >> more

The elderly are your grandparents
IFCA promotes among the CAs of the World the campaign launched by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life >> more

#Pray for the world >> more

(…) The sign of those who walk this path of the Kingdom is creativity, always trying to do more.
And creativity is what takes life and gives life, and gives, and gives, and gives… It always looks for many other ways to give life.
Jesus, Who is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, cannot but inspire joy, all the joy of the world: the joy of discovering a meaning in life, the joy of committing oneself to the adventure of holiness.
Angelus, 26 July 2020

Release date: 27 July 2020

To our compatriots/kababayans:

In brief, here is the “State of our Nation” from Kapatiran Party’s perspective:

After more than four years into the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, we are very disappointed that our country has hardly progressed in our democratic and economic development, in what is turning out to be a de facto Martial Law.

We saw positive signs of good governance emerging in the first three years, but became sadly lacking in this past year. In the first half of this regime, there were the quick response access to calling 8888, cleansing of Boracay and Manila Bay, clearing of streets esp. in Baclaran and Divisoria, increasing benefits of senior citizens, and attempts to unity by off-and-on inclusion of the vice-president in the cabinet. But many other campaign promises remain unfulfilled, esp. the pro-poor priority to end ENDO contractualization, as well as a realistic Balik-Probinsya program.

Pandemic response. In the past five months, the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a dismal failure, especially if we compare it with most of our Asian neighbors — we continue to suffer from increasing infections and death rates. We protest the unequal treatment of violators of health protocols, like priority testing for VIPs and exemption from sanctions for irresponsible VIPs, like Senator Koko Pimentel and NCRPO Chief General Debold Sinas.

We appreciate the bayanihan spirit that has prevailed among our citizenry, esp. from the private sector, to volunteer their time, money and services, in partnership with our local government officials to address the survival needs of our poor sectors. We laud the sacrificial services of our frontliners, especially those in the health care sector. Many of them have given their lives due to the government’s failure to provide timely and effective protective equipments for them. We hope that as we open schools and turn teachers into frontliners, health protocols will be fully adhered to, so as not to jeopardize the well-being of our students and our education sector.

Apparent corruption. We question the lack of planning and transparency in the procurement of protective gears and mass testing kits, as well as the hiring of additional medical and contact tracing personnel. Why has the DOH not use the UP-developed testing kits? Why have the DOH, DOST and FDA hardly moved to verify and endorse our local organic cures, like VCO, lagundi, moringa and Prodex-B? What happened to the requirement of the president to give weekly financial updates on the implementation of the Bayanihan Act to the legislature? No reports to the public?

It would have been very helpful during this pandemic if the government could have rolled out the National ID system that was legislated in 2018 with a budget of Php2 Billion per year: where is it? What about the reported national debt of Php8.6 trillion as of June 2020: where did the money go? How is this going to be repaid? All these smell of not just incompetence but also of corruption. Even in the access to line 8888, why has there never been a report on how many calls have been received, and what actions were taken to remedy the charges of corruption? We hope the government will act immediately to clear all these suspicions, and present a clear plan for economic recovery soonest, with realistic job opportunities as we enter the “new normal.”

It is very sad that during this pandemic, our legislature showed apparent subservience to the whims of the executive, particularly in the hasty passing of the Anti-Terrorism bill and the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise bid:

Anti-Terrorism Law. We find some provisions to be unconstitutional as written, hence we are grateful for the 18 petitions that have been filed before the Supreme Court by our respected legal luminaries, esp. retired SC senior associate justice Antonio Carpio and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. We hope that the SC will rule to void the entire ATL.

ABS-CBN franchise. We join the majority of our people who favor the granting of franchise to ABS-CBN by Congress (per SWS survey). Thus we hope that the denial of this franchise bid in the House Franchise Committee will be submitted to the 301 members of the House to decide on the future of the said network.

Press freedom. This apparent persecution of ABS-CBN reflects a pattern of  repression of critical media as well as misuse of the social media that employ trolls to proliferate fake news against critics allegedly using government funds. Our country ranks as third most dangerous nation for journalists in the world. The right to opposition and dissent is the main means for checks and balance in all democracies.

Charter change. We learn of plans by the administration to push Charter change very soon. Though we are open to Chacha towards federal and parliamentary forms of governance, we strongly oppose the proposals to take out term limits and anti-dynasty provisions. We hope a new Constitution will clearly call for a decentralized form of government based on the principle of subsidiarity.President Ramon Magsaysay said, “I believe that government starts at the bottom and moves upward,  for government exists for the welfare of the masses of the nation.”

Foreign policy. We favor the administration’s claim to “a friend of all, enemy of none” independent foreign policy, so we do not wish to be a province of China, USA or any country. However there are many instances of pro-China stances, like hesitance to file protests to their misuse of our islands and aquatic resources in the West Philippine Sea, reluctance to pursue investigation on the ramming of the fishing boats of our fishermen, special treatment for online gambling operations (POGOs), and deference  to abusive and criminal behavior of legal(?) Chinese migrant workers here. Thus, we salute ex-Ombudsman Carpio-Morales’ attempt to file a “crime against humanity” complaint against China’s President Xi Jingping before the International Criminal Court. We also urge the regime to clarify their off-and-on stance on the Visiting Force Agreement, which we favor at this time, in light of China’s aggressive moves globally.

Creation care. We see the mismanagement of our environment through the carbon-emitting use of coal & gas instead of alternative renewable sources of energy (like solar, wind and water/waves), and the exploitative deforestation in building the Kaliwa dam and other lands of our indigenous people.

Anti-poor actions. Besides the above abuses of the poor mentioned above, we also question the sincerity of this government to care for our poor compatriots. Why use local “gossipers” to turn themselves against their own neighbors in the house-to-house search for COVID positives? Why is there the plan to hunt down and tax the entrepreneurial poor who are trying to make a living online amidst this pandemic?

Continue reading

August 10, 2020

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

The peace and love of the Lord!

As we continue with our journey of faith through our online conversations amidst the uncertainties that we are facing, we would like everyone to be enlightened on the extent of this pandemic and related issues surrounding it.

With this, we are pleased to invite you once again to a “SHEMA” Listen and Do Conversations III: “The State of Pandemic in our Country “on August 15, 2020, 2pm to 4:00 p.m., via zoom. We have invited Dr. Maricar Limpin, Philippine College of Physicians Vice President to enlighten us on this very important concern. It is an imperative for all of us to be knowledgeable on this so that we could act accordingly and be spared from the onslaught of the Covid 19 virus.

Please invite the members of your organizations, your family members and friends. Kindly register by sending an email to: laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph indicating your name & organization on or before August 14, 2020.

Thank you.
Our prayer for you safety. 

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

PMPI Press Release | Assessment of President Duterte’s 5th SONA

Quezon City, Philippines — A day after President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address, July 28, Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI), a faith based social development and advocacy network with more than 200 members nationwide held an online assessment of President Duterte’s State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) to the people.

DUTERTE’S GOVERNMENT IS A FAILURE

The Post-SONA “Virtual Rally” overwhelmingly gave a failure grade to five areas the network deems important – Human rights, Environment, Climate Change, Covid-19 response, and Philippine Sovereignty and the West Philippine Sea.

Fr. Danny Pilario, a Vincentian missionary priest in Payatas and known human rights advocate lamented the dangers of the newly passed anti-terror law and its continuous violations of right to life with the continuous killings of supposedly drug users/pushers despite the covid-19 situation. Likewise, the priest said that the government does not anymore respect the sanctity of the church as a place for people’s refuge. He narrated that he was actually in the Quiapo church to attend mass when two police officers confiscated the belongings and placards of some churchgoers who were silently sitting and showing off the placards.

“Para sa’kin, ito ay labag sa karapatang pantao, the human right to worship and express your faith in the divine,” Fr. Pilario said.

“All throughout the history from the medieval times even the ancient times, the church has always been the place of sanctuary and no matter how powerful is political power, they will respect the sanctuary of the church. But today in the context of anti-terror law, police have powers to just enter the church premises, pick on someone even during a rite. This for me is very difficult context on which human rights today is lived in the Philippines,” Fr. Pilario added.

Meanwhile, for Melody Asia, PMPI Anti-Mining campaigner and Rodne Galicha, a climate change advocate and Executive Director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, both said that even if President Duterte have mentioned for the fourth time during a SONA his concern for the environment, they are all lip service. The passage of the National Land Use Act (NLUA) which he said is his priority bill is not moving in Congress. There was even no mention to address the issues of climate change and climate emergency.

“How can you not fail this government in terms of environment protection when days before the fifth SONA, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has recommended the reopening of mining sites that were shut down during the time of late Gina Lopez, as DENR secretary and proposed that mining be the driver for our economic recovery, Ms. Asia said.

“No mention of climate change issues clearly indicates that this government does not put importance and priority to address this issue,” Mr. Galicia reiterated.

As for the COVID-19 response of the government, Dr. Isidro Sia stated the need for DOH to improve its response to the pandemic. He emphasized the need for effective communication to facilitate better understanding of the issue, policies on managing it must be humane and compassionate, and governance must be systematic. He said government must learn from experiences of other countries and that whole-of-society approach should be truly adhered to.

“I vehemently disagree to the statement of the President that we can’t do anything on the issue of West Philippine Sea. Sabi niya wala daw siyang magagawa, inutil daw siya. “He should have said that he will defend what we have already won at the United Nation’s Tribunal,” Atty. Alex Lacson, who is also the co-founder of MALCOLM Law Firm, said.

Furthermore, Atty. Lacson said that there are many ways to protect our territories without going to war. He said that other countries have done so already to protect their stakes in contested territories involving China, like Vietnam, Indonesia, and even Australia. “We can’t just surrender without putting up a good fight,” Atty Lacson added.

WHERE TO IN THIS SITUATION?

Bishop Colin Bagaforo, the newly installed National Director of NASSA/Caritas Philippines and Bishop of the Diocese of Kidapawan in a video message said that President Duterte should heed the call of the nation since there is a growing dissent and different opinions with regards to his report.

He asked the faithful to push for nation building that draws out from the demands of faith as indicated in the PCP II (Plenary Council of the Philippines II). “A nation where human dignity is upheld, respected and promoted, where moral principles prevail in social-economic life and where justice, love, solidarity are the inner driving forces of development,” Bishop Bagaforo said.

“We need to push for a just and green recovery and development. It looks like that the hurdle towards this is huge. However we need not lose steam and hope. We have to be patient but persevering, in ensuring that the rights of people and nature are respected, protected and fulfilled by this government” Yoly Esguerra, National Coordinator of PMPI said.

Also admonishing the people to draw strength from the Christian faith and deriving from the story of the weed and wheat in the bible, she said,  that the bad weeds will always be around in our society. For now, it might be hard to pull these bad weeds immediately, but at the right time and moment, we will be able to weed out the bad from the good. “For these to happen we must go back to our community and prepare them so that they themselves can recognize the good and bad and claim what is rightfully theirs.” Ms Esguerra added.

The participants in the online assessment have rated President Duterte’s performance with a grade of pass, ambivalent and fail. A whopping 93.2% have rated that President Duterte’s performance on the key thematic issues were a failure and only 6.8% have rated that they feel ambivalent or unsure. No one gave the President a passing grade.

Pahayag ni VP Leni Robredo

July 29, 2020

Sa puntong ito, halos isang buwan na na mahigit isang libo bawat araw ang dagdag sa mga COVID positive cases ng bansa. Halos magdadalawang libo na rin ang pumanaw, bukod pa sa napakaraming naospital, naubusan ng ipon, nawalan ng trabaho, o nakakaranas ng paghihirap at pangamba sa mga panahong ito. Mahigit limang buwan na ang lumilipas mula nang naiulat ang unang kaso ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa.

Sa malaking bahagi ng panahong ito, minabuti ng Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo na gawin ang makakaya upang tumugon sa kahit anong paraan basta may maitulong, gaano man kalimitado ang aming budget o mandato.

Humaharap ako sa inyo ngayon upang iulat ang mga natutuhan namin sa panahong iyon: Ang feedback mula sa mga eksperto, mula sa mga doktor, at mula sa mga pinakaapektado—ang hinaing ng mga nasa komunidad, ng mga frontliners, ng mga napipilitang sumugod sa panganib dahil kailangang magtrabaho, ng mga drivers, ng mga locally-stranded individuals na napipilitang matulog sa hagdan o bangketa.

Sa harap ng ganitong kalaking krisis, lalo lang tayong malalagay sa panganib kung matitibag ang mga institusyon nating pampamahalaan. Ituring sanang karagdagang ambag ang pahayag na ito—mga rekomendasyon at aral mula sa halos limang buwan na naming pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kababayan para labanan ang COVID.

Hindi mapipigil ang pandemya kung basta mag-aabang na lang tayo ng bakuna. Kailangang maampat ang pagkalat nito sa lalong madaling panahon. Nagsisimula ang lahat sa tamang datos, na pundasyon ng tamang desisyon. Mula dito, matutukoy ang kung sino at aling mga lugar ang dapat tutukan pagdating sa mass testing, contact tracing, at suporta sa mga komunidad at ospital. Kung magiging tama ang tugon sa aspekto ng healthcare, mako-control ang community transmission, magiging mas mabilis, ligtas, at strategic ang pagbubukas ng ekonomiya, maiiwasan ang pagkawala ng trabaho, at hindi na dadami pa ang dadanas ng kahirapan. Mababawasan ang pangamba ng pagsasara, at hindi na kakailanganing umabot sa punto ng pagle-layoff sa mga empleyado, o mas malala, sa pagtiklop ng mga negosyo.

Ito ang broad strokes ng plano. Wala akong duda na mulat ang pamahalaan dito. Pero malaki ang krisis, at maraming dapat gawin, kaya kailangan nating lahat maging mas maliksi sa pagtukoy sa mga puwang, at maging mabilis at malikhain sa pagpuno nito. Heto ang ilang mungkahi:

Una, linisin at pabilisin ang pagkalap ng datos ukol sa COVID-19. Kung magagawa ito, magiging mas matibay ang pinagmumulan ng mga desisyon, polisiya, at programa para mapigilan ang paglaganap ng virus.

Marami nang mga eksperto ang naglabas ng iba’t ibang platform para maging repository ng datos. Ang kailangang gawin, piliin ang pinakamainam dito, at gumawa ng isang ecosystem ng pagtugon kung saan standard ang pagka-sentralisado.

Isa pa: Kung mali at buhol-buhol ang pag-input ng data, babagal ang validation; babagal din ang proseso ng decision-making. Halimbawa: Sa data na nakakalap, may discrepancy sa mga nagpositive at confirmed cases. May mahigit 113,000 cases ang nagpositive sa testing, ngunit nasa 80,000 pa lang nito ang confirmed cases. Ibig sabihin, kailangan talagang humabol ang verification, dahil maraming positive ang hindi agad naisasama sa opisyal na data.

Dapat magkaroon ng communications campaign para ang mga nagpapagamot mismo ang tumiyak na wastong impormasyon ang naitatala tungkol sa kanila. Malawak ang kakayahan ng pamahalaang magpalaganap ng impormasyon, kaya umaasa tayong magagawa ito sa lalong madaling panahon.

Ikalawa, at karugtong nito: Isama ang mga pamantasan at academic institutions para tumulong sa validation process ng DOH. Maraming gustong tumulong, pero may mga pagkukulang sa volunteer management process. Ilista ang mga handang tumulong at ang kanilang kakayahan, at agad na silang iugnay sa mga unit na nangangailangan ng tulong upang ma-maximize ang kakayahang ito.

Maraming paraan para ma-maximize ang mga gustong tumulong. Halimbawa na lang, puwede nilang pag-aralan ang surveillance at pooled testing: Igugrupo ang mga tao at itetest nang minsanan ang grupong ito. Kung nag-negative na, hindi na sila kailangang isa-isahin pa. Sa ganitong paraan, mas marami ang matetest, pero mas makakatipid sa mga testing kit.

Ikatlo, siguruhing mabilis ang turnover time ng mga COVID-19 tests. Alamin kung bakit nagkakabacklog, kung saang mga laboratoryo ito nagaganap, at tulungan silang makahabol. Sa ganitong paraan, on-time ding mahahabol ng mga contact tracers ang mga dapat pang i-test. Sa contact tracing, alam nating may mga model at teknolohiya nang gumagana, tulad na lang ng sa Baguio. Para wala nang kanya-kanya, tumukoy na tayo agad ng iisang platform at technology, iisang standard na proseso, at imungkahi sa mga LGU na ito ang gamitin kaysa magkanya-kanyang diskarte.

Ikaapat, ukol naman sa mga locally-stranded individuals: Nagpadala na tayo ng rekomendasyon sa kinauukulan na bigyan sila ng libreng swab test bago bumiyahe. Hinahanap din ang mas organisadong pagpo-proseso ng mga LSI—at hindi ‘yong napipilitan silang matulog sa semento o sa ilalim ng tulay, o nagsisiksikan at nalalagay sa mas matinding peligro ng exposure sa COVID. Kailangang maglaan ng maayos na lugar kung saan puwede silang maghintay ng biyahe nang may sapat na espasyo at kung saan din ine-enforce na minimum health standards. Dagdag pa rito, kailangan ding tutukan at bigyang-lakas ang mga LGU para pag-uwi ng mga LSI, magkakaroon sila ng maayos na pagkakakitaan. Puwede itong gawin through cash-for-work programs na partikular para sa mga LSI.

Ikalima: Sang-ayon tayo sa pagkakaroon ng isang “whole of nation approach.” Maisagawa sana ito higit pa sa pagkakaroon ng mga bagong posisyon, bansag, o titulo ng mga tauhan. Ang totoong whole of nation approach, maayos ang pangangasiwa at kumukumpas sa iisang direksyon. Aling direksyon, at sino ang kukumpas? Dapat public health professional na tunay na nakakaintindi ng problema: Pandemya ang ugat ng lahat ng suliranin ngayon. Kapag napigil ang pandemya, isa-isa na ring malulutas ang iba pang hamon, kasama na ang sa ekonomiya.

Ikaanim: Siguruhin ding iisa ang kumpas ng pampubliko at pribadong sektor. Bukod pa sa usapin ng data, pagdating din sa ayuda at sa procurement ng mga kagamitan, marami ang pagkakanya-kanya na kung maiiwasan ay magdudulot ng mas maliksing overall response mula sa lahat. Dapat nang bumuo ng risonableng consensus ayon sa iisang stratehiya, at gumalaw ang lahat nang walang pag-aatubili, pangingimi, o hadlang.

Ikapito: Pangunahin sa isang matibay na healthcare system ang pagpapalakas sa mga ospital. Siguruhin na equitable at sistematiko ang pagbubuhos ng resources sa mga ospital para makasabay sila sa demands ng pandemya. Kung sisilipin ang national data, mukhang hindi pa overburdened ang healthcare system. Pero iba ang sinasabi ng mga ospital na nakakasalamuha namin. Marami na silang kinakailangang tanggihan dahil wala nang espasyo. Natural lang na dapat isaayos ang sistema para makarating ang suporta sa mga lugar na pinaka nangangailangan nito.

LiCAS News
Mark Saludes, Philippines
July 28, 2020

Philippine Catholic church leaders found President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation address on July 27 wanting, sounding “like his usual rant.”

The president’s speech, which lasted one hour and 46 minutes, was delivered before a limited audience at the House of Representatives due to health restrictions amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, described the president’s speech as “full of motherhood statements.”

“In general, it has no track record to show that he is trustworthy. It is punctuated with bad language, too,” said the prelate.

In the first five minutes of his speech, Duterte slammed an opposition senator and the Lopez family, owners of ABS-CBN, the broadcast network that Congress recently denied a franchise.

“Media is a powerful tool in the hands of oligarchs like the Lopezes who use it in their battle with political figures,” he said.

The president also slammed Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for supposedly defending the Lopezes.

Duterte was referring to Drilon’s statement that political dynasties must be banned to truly dismantle oligarchy in the country.

Nothing significant

Benedictine Sister Mary John Mananzan said she “did not hear anything significant” in the president’s speech, adding that it was just “a usual Duterte speech” that failed to address pressing issues.

The nun said the speech had “no real assessment” of how the government has performed in the past four years since Duterte became president.

“How can you be a president when you do not have an objective way of looking at reality? It is always in relation to himself … what he likes and does not like,” said Sister Mananzan.

The nun said Duterte “should’ve zeroed in on present issues,” especially the coronavirus pandemic and the looming economic meltdown brought about by the health crisis.

“What are we going to do with the pandemic? He did not say much about it,” said Sister Mananzan.

She denounced the president for pressing for the passage of a law that will allow the reimposition of the death penalty in the country.

In his speech, Duterte asked Congress to bring back the death penalty by lethal injection for drug-related crimes.

“I reiterate the swift passage of a law reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for crimes specified under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” he said.

Sister Mananzan described the speech as “narcissistic” and centered on what the president “likes and does not like.”

Achievements negated by actions

Bishop Arturo Bastes, retired prelate of Sorsogon, said most of the achievements that the president mentioned in his speech were “negated by his many dire actions.”

The prelate said Duterte has an “endless list” of failures and bad decisions including his approval of the Anti-Terrorism Law and the attacks on press freedom.

Bishop Bastes lambasted Duterte’s “apparent treachery to our territorial integrity” for “his subservience and cowardly attitude toward China.”

In his speech, Duterte said he “cannot afford” to go to war to assert the country’s rights over parts of the South China Sea, which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

“We have to go to war. And I cannot afford it. Maybe some other president can but I cannot. I’m useless when it comes to that. Really, I’m useless to that. I can’t do anything,” said Duterte.

“China is claiming it, we are claiming it. China has the arms. We do not have it. So, it’s as simple as that. They are in possession of the property, so what can we do?” he added.

Failure to understand human rights

Father Edwin Gariguez, outgoing executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the bishops’ conference, said the president “does not understand the very context of human rights.”

The priest slammed Duterte for “using and twisting the very words of human rights defenders to justify his war on drugs that killed thousands of innocent people.”

Father Gariguez told LiCAS.news that it is “ironic to vow to uphold human rights and then later threaten to kill drug users with the revival of the death penalty.”

In his speech, the president said his administration “believes that freedom from illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption, and criminality is itself a human right.”

“Rest assured that we will not dodge our obligation to fight human rights,” said Duterte.

Franciscan priest Angel Cortez, executive secretary of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, said the president’s speech “exposed the present government’s inefficiency in acting on the country’s real problems.”

The priest said Duterte did not even mention plans “on how to address the ills of society” that affect mainly the poor and the marginalized.

“Was the speech really reflect the true state of the country?” asked Bishop Dindo Ranojo of the Philippine Independent Church.

“The people are suffering … We are now living under debt and the people will still suffer on how to pay for the debt incurred during this pandemic,” the bishop noted.