2010 Polls Signal New Hope - Legaspi

NAGA CITY, Jan. 1, 2010-With the automation of May elections promising a political exercise reflective of the people's will, a high-ranking prelate said the upcoming mid-year polls may yet signal new hope for the country and Filipinos in particular.

Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, in a New Year Message, said the automated elections give fresh hope to the electorate that it will truly reflect the people's will.

"The automation gives us reason to be optimistic that the election will reflect the people's true will," he said, adding that people are hopeful because through automation, "fraud in the counting of votes will be at least reduced."

By voting during elections, Legaspi said people express their hope for a better future, but hastened to add that "this hope needs to be coupled with a commitment to vote for leaders who will promote common good." He emphasized that voting is not only a duty expected of citizens "but as believers of Christ."

The former CBCP President said the Church has never been remiss in calling upon the faithful to follow their conscience in order to cast a meaningful vote. He said "following one's conscience requires an enlightened conscience" that must be attended by "a pursuit of truth, and a discernment of God's message in concrete circumstances."

"It is therefore crucial for every faithful citizen to truly understand the political situation of our country," he further said.

Oligarchic politics

Quoting the 1891 Church document Rerum Novarum, the prelate said the Church has denounced the concentration of power upon a small number of very rich men who "lay upon the laboring poor a yoke a little better than that of slavery itself."

Legaspi said the situation persists in the country and hinders democracy to mature and permeate in Philippine society. Oligarchy, which is the rule of elite families, negates democracy, he said.

He lamented that Philippine politics has all the characteristics of an oligarchy with about 300 elite families running national and local government units.

"According to the latest Social System survey, only 1% of the total Philippine population belongs to the ruling class that craft the social, political and economic life of the country," the prelate said. "Only 9% belong to the middle class while the great majority, 90% of the population, belongs to the lower class," he added.

He went on to describe the ruling class as "moneyed and landed" who rule the country by provinces, congressional districts, cities and municipalities.

Legaspi cited some features of oligarchic politics in the country characterized by election fraud and violence through illegal voter registration, intimidation and undue pressure of voters, vote-buying and vote rigging (dagdag-bawas) and election-related violence including widespread killings and kidnappings. He described the November 23, 2009 killings in Maguindanao as the worst election-related violence.

The prelate said oligarchic politics is strengthened by costly campaigns, especially when competition becomes intense, "when economic stakes are high and when the electorate continue to expand." He said the campaigns become costly when advertisements in the tri-media are "used long before the campaign period."

Political Turncoatism or the switching from one political party to another has been commonplace due to the absence of marked differences in ideology, platforms and programs, he said. He also took note of shifting allegiances based on party resources and winnability, and not on principles.

"What binds or unbinds our political leaders is quid pro quo politics which means 'something for something,' the 74-year old prelate noted. He observed political leaders enter into arrangements with other politicians "that benefit both of them."

Transactional politics which is characterized by exchange of favors is self-serving and has been proven detrimental to common good, Legaspi said.

Oligarchic politics, according to him, is strengthened by extrajudicial killings which include "disappearances". He said these killings desired impact is fear, paralysis and the breakdown of organizations that are vocal in its opposition and efficient in mobilizing public protest.

He went on to say oligarchic politics happens due to "power hoarding" - when politicians seek to perpetuate themselves in power by endorsing bench warmers, so they can easily reclaim their posts after three years.

"Others simply shift from the executive branch to the legislative branch such as from governor to congressman or mayor to congressman and vice-versa," he added.

Hope in these troubled times

Legaspi said the "seemingly insurmountable issues of our political landscape" caused many Filipinos to focus on personal godliness and "to distance from communal responsibility." He said hopelessness "has crept in and has weakened the Filipino spirit."

Pope Benedict XVI's Spe Salvi, according to the prelate, proved a very important point "that to have faith is to hope" and "to continue to hope for peace, justice and equality of human dignity is faithfulness to the Father's will."

He said Aristotle, in his book Politics, described democracy as the best form of government. But, it can only be democracy where the majority comes from the middle class, he stressed.

The wide gap between the rich and the poor obstructs authentic democracy because a master and slave relationship reigns between the leaders and their citizens, he noted.

Legaspi said with the vast number of Filipinos living in great poverty from generation to generation, governed by a handful of elite running the country, "we must admit in humility that here is no genuine democracy." He said there is an urgent need to "confront this truth so we can hope for the right kind of change."

To hope for democracy is to hope for the creation of a middle class where people are truly empowered, he opined.

Aside from building the middle class, Legaspi said there is a need to have Hope for Social Justice which calls for equal dignity of human persons that requires "the effort to reduce excessive social and economic inequalities." He said the essence of social justice is bridging the gap between the rich and poor, the powerful and the marginalized and the elite and the lower class.

Legaspi said the founding of Kapatiran Party "is evidence that there are among our lay faithful who are committed to their role as members of the Church in the society." He said he finds it a deep concern to promote a sense of community among our people and restore integrity in politics within the tenets of the Kapatiran Party which has waged an uphill battle in the 2010 elections "but it is a concrete sign that the hope for social justice is alive."

He said social justice as a virtue can be expressed in many ways like bringing to public forum the condemnation of prostitution, jueteng, illegal logging and quarrying, holding political leaders accountable for graft and corrupt practices, lavish lifestyles and abuse of power and organizing to protect religious rights, the integrity of families and the life of the unborn.

"The exercise of rights, the lay faithful's participation in the public square and in politics must not be motivated by patronage and subservience to any political leader in the building of human and personal kingdoms, but must be impelled by the mission to build God's kingdom on earth," he said.

Upcoming elections can be a fresh start

Legaspi said the upcoming elections can mark a new beginning, but admitted electing new leaders does not guarantee an end to the scams and corruption.

"We must hope for the right change so real transformation can take place," he said, emphasizing the need to create and strengthen the middle class before genuine democracy can take place.

He further said people can only be empowered if "we develop the virtue of social justice" which "finds true motive, inspiration and fulfillment in building God's kingdom on earth."