February 21, 2012 02:52 AM
MANILA, Feb. 20, 2012—The Church’s family and life ministry is beefing up its campaign by facilitating communications nationwide and giving the promotion of natural family planning a boost.
The new chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL), Antipolo Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes, DD, in a meeting in Bacolod Saturday directed ECFL diocesan director and workers to take actions to step up the campaign.
February 21, 2012 02:49 AM
MANILA, Feb. 20, 2012–In a statement released Saturday, Gabriela party list admitted that the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, pending in both chambers of Congress, is neither pro-poor nor pro-women.
“The RH bill cannot be genuinely pro-poor and pro-women for as long as it espouses population control, which blames poverty on women’s bodies, fertility and population,” Gabriela stated in its Facebook page.
February 19, 2012 07:06 PM
MANILA, Feb. 19, 2012—The country’ association of major superiors of religious women urged Chief Justice Renato Corona to allow the opening of his dollar accounts for the sake of transparency and accountability.
The religious body in a Feb. 17 statement expressed disappointment on the Supreme Court’s issuance of temporary restraining order (TRO) that prevented the Senate Court from obtaining the dollar accounts of Corona.
February 19, 2012 06:53 PM
NAVOTAS City, Feb. 19, 2012—The rehabilitation of mangrove forests along Navotas City coastline will not be successful if the city and national governments would pursue the reclamation of more than three (3) kilometers (2.05 statute miles) of the bay.
In a statement, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the P50 billion (US$1,174,260,165.57 based on the prevailing foreign exchange rate of P42.58:$1.00) reclamation project will not make Navotas City more prosperous, rather it will endanger not only the mangrove forests, but also the livelihood and the homes of the small fisherfolks in the 14 barangays affected by the project.
February 19, 2012 06:51 PM
MANILA, Feb. 18, 2012—A network of anti-mining organizations is launching a nationwide movement to protest the ongoing mining activities within the ancestral domain of the indigenous people.
Dubbed as “Thousand Streamer Campaign” (TSC) the movement is a protest against the ongoing sell-out of the country’s mineral resources to local and transnational mining corporations, as well as an expression of unity and support to the struggle of indigenous peoples for self-determination.
February 17, 2012 01:01 AM
MANILA, Feb. 16, 2012—Why pass a reproductive health (RH) bill when specific agencies are already tasked with addressing issues that the bill is supposedly concerned with?
The question was put forth by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D. when asked about his thoughts on the notion of dialogues between the Church and the State about the legislative measure.
February 17, 2012 01:00 AM
ANTIPOLO City, Feb. 16, 2012—The Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) and the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) fear that the money that is supposedly allotted for the compensation of farmworker-beneficiaries (FWBs) will be “used” by Malacañang to “influence” the outcome of the ongoing impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.
February 16, 2012 03:45 AM
MANILA, Feb. 15, 2012—As long as a true spirit of dialogue will guide discussions between Church and government representatives, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle D.D. looks forward to opportunities to do his part in such dialogues concerning the reproductive health (RH) bill.
Emphasizing that he was expressing personal views and not the position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the prelate, who was part of the Church panel that participated in previous discussions with Malacanang said his role is to explain to [the government side] the whole position of the Church.
February 14, 2012 05:58 AM
MANILA, Feb. 13, 2012—It’s that time of the year again when flowers, chocolates, and even motels and condoms are highly marketable among those who are “in a relationship,” which is why a ranking Church official reminded lovebirds, especially the young, to remain pure and chaste in love amid the commercialization of Valentine’s Day.
Fr. Conegundo Garganta, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY), warned unmarried lovers against giving into their curiosity and drive for adventure to indulge on what only married couples are entitled to engage in: sex.
February 14, 2012 05:54 AM
SORSOGON City, Feb. 13, 2012—Thousands of delegates from various parishes of the Diocese of Sorsogon celebrated the 3rd Diocesan Basic Ecclesial Communities day last February 4, 2012 at Pilar, Sorsogon.
With the theme, “Saradit na Kristianong Komunidad padagos sa paglakbay na nagsisimbag sa pangapodan na magin mga tunay na Kristianong Disipulo,” (Basic Ecclesial Communities continue to journey in response to the call to become authentic Christian disciples) the celebration began with a motorcade led by Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD, and 28 parish priests in the diocese.
February 10, 2012 06:37 PM
MANILA, Feb. 9, 2012— If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.
A Catholic Church official posed this statement for Supreme Chief Justice Renato Corona as he urged the latter to allow the opening of his dollar bank accounts with the Philippine Savings Bank.
Fr. Edu Gariguez of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action said the move is necessary for Corona to prove that there is nothing to be afraid of on his bank records.
February 8, 2012 02:13 AM
MANILA, Feb. 7, 2012—Farmworkers in Hacienda Luisita are eyeing the newly appointed Solicitor General with “distrust”, saying he was one of the Cojuangcos’ trusted men.
Atty. Francis Jardeleza had replaced José Anselmo Cadiz after the latter stepped down from the post because he wanted to go back in private practice.
But speculations are rife that the former solicitor general was sacked by the Palace as a strategy for the Cojuangcos to take back what is truly they own: the disputed Hacienda Luisita.
February 8, 2012 02:11 AM
MANILA, Feb. 7, 2012— The country’s seismology bureau has called for an immediate repair of old Catholic Churches which are prone to damage by earthquakes.
According to the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) warned that historical churches must be prepared for quakes as the country is not far from active fault lines.
Dr. Renato Solidum, Philvolcs director, noted the initiative of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to renovate old churches but he said this must be done as soon as possible.
February 8, 2012 02:09 AM
MANILA, Feb. 7, 2012— A Catholic priest has warned Tuesday against Negros Oriental residents’ lack of preparedness to deal with an earthquake.
Fr. Edwin Laude, Diocese of San Carlos’ Social Action director, said yesterday’s quake that hit Negros provinces demonstrated that many people are not sure what to do.
“They do not have any knowledge yet about what to do during earthquakes,” said Laude.
February 7, 2012 02:00 PM
MANILA, Feb. 6, 2012— The head of the Catholic bishops’ leadership has asked the people to join him in praying after an earthquake claimed seven lives and ruined houses and buildings in Visayas.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, urged the faithful to pray for those who have died and to be spiritually close to those who were affected.
February 7, 2012 02:27 AM
MANILA, Feb. 6, 2012— A Catholic archbishop has warned that last week’s resignation of a ranking official of the Aquino administration will not be the last.
After Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz, retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said he does not want to rule out that many more will leave.
February 6, 2012 12:04 AM
ANTIPOLO City, Feb. 5, 2012—Media rights’ organization, Burgos Media Center, expressed doubts on the motives of Malacañang in transmitting its own version of the Freedom of Information bill, last February 03.
BMC spokesperson Marc Joseph Alejo said, the Palace’s version of the FOI bill is relatively weak and he doubts what particular sector of the society that the said legislation is “serving.”
The media rights advocate criticized the particular provision of the bill which exempts bilateral agreements between the Republic of the Philippines and other countries to public scrutiny.
February 2, 2012 01:53 AM
MANILA, Jan. 31, 2012— A Catholic bishop has blamed the government’s economic policy as the culprit behind the rising incidence of hunger in the country, the auxiliary bishop of Manila said.
Simply giving people with financial aid is not enough to prevent famine, said Bishop Broderick Pabillo. Instead, he said, the government needs to overhaul the policies that upended the food supply.
January 30, 2012 03:34 AM
MANILA, Philippines (Jan 30, 2012) - Feeling no clamor from the people, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) decided yesterday to put on hold the issuance of any statement on the ongoing impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, adding that they pray for enlightenment and they trust the way Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is presiding over the proceedings.
CBCP president Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that while the they had issued statements on important national events in the past, they will not be doing it this time because there is no strong compulsion from the people for them to do so.
January 29, 2012 12:21 AM
MANILA, Jan. 28, 2012— Church leaders are called to bring hope to the country marked by calamities, social problems and political chaos, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said.
Under the “dark clouds and in the midst of poverty and suffering”, CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma urged his fellow prelates to “own and declare that there is hope.”
January 29, 2012 12:19 AM
MANILA, Jan. 28, 2012— The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines starts today its three-day plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Center in Manila.
At least a hundred bishops from various dioceses across the country will meet to tackle church and pressing national concerns.
January 18, 2012 01:17 PM
MANILA, Jan. 18, 2012—The entire Filipino communities, here and abroad, are keeping an eye on the on-going impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato S. Corona, which has started Monday, January 16.
Migrante Middle East regional director John Leonard C. Monterona, in an email said, that their chapters in the entire oil-rich region would be spending long hours watching the trial over the internet and via cable television.
January 18, 2012 01:13 PM
MANILA, Jan. 17, 2012— A Roman Catholic diocese has criticized Iligan City government’s response in the relief efforts to Typhoon Sendong and its aftermath.
Atty. Leo Saragoza, legal counsel of the Diocese of Iligan, said the criticism consisted primarily of condemnations of mismanagement and the lack of preparation in the relief effort.
January 14, 2012 06:51 AM
MANILA, Jan. 12, 2012— An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has criticized yesterday’s violent demolition of shanties in San Juan City, leaving at least 26 people injured.
Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action, said it is disappointing that the demolition happened despite a moratorium on relocation in Metro Manila.
January 10, 2012 07:37 AM
MANILA, Jan. 9, 2012—Multi-sectoral groups joined efforts in cleaning up portions of Luneta Park of trash right after the vigil in honor of the Black Nazarene, January 9.
Church and civic groups, comprising workers and volunteers from the Archdiocese of Manila Ecology Ministry, San Jose de Trozo Parish, the St. John the Baptist Parish (also known as the Quiapo Church) and devotees from Malolos, Bulacan took part in the clean up after the Holy Mass presided by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle this morning.
