MANILA, May 21, 2009-If the clergy and laity will be ordered to abandon their work in Gawad Kalinga (GK) communities nationwide, the poor families who benefit from the renowned housing program are sure to suffer.
Thus says Joe Tale, the executive director of the Couples for Christ (CFC), as he appealed to Archbishop Oscar Cruz to reconsider his instruction to the parishes and chaplaincies of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan to disengage from GK after it recently gained autonomy from the CFC International Council (CFC-IC).
Saying both the GK and CFC-IC do not want its pro-poor projects to be undermined by the separation, Tale urged the prelate to "let CFC members [who are usually active parishioners] to continue their work in GK."
"Although the CFC-IC foregoes its control over the GK board, what we are not letting go is the CFC's work with GK. Albeit becoming two distinct organizations, the CFC and GK are still working together in solidarity for the poor," Tale said.
He also clarified that the CFC-IC's decision to allow GK to form its own leadership ranks is not a "split," but merely a way of "letting go of each other so both organizations can grow."
"It is really not a split but just letting GK have its own governance framework and corporate structure. Although the two organizations are now independent from each other's leadership, there is still interdependence in terms of membership," he said.
"In fact, CFC members still have something to do with GK because we encourage them to continue their work in the GK communities. Otherwise, the beneficiaries of GK's noble housing advocacy will suffer if the existing GK sites will be suddenly abandoned," he added.
But Cruz maintained that since GK has dissociated from the CFC, it also disconnected from the Catholic Church. In choosing to operate as a non-religious organization, GK is open to tie up with institutions whose policies contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Tale, however, clarified that in the event GK teams up with corporations and groups promoting population management, the terms of the partnership will not be applicable in GK communities led by CFC members.
"GK's partnership with pharmaceutical corporations is still hypothetical yet plausible at this time. But [once it becomes a reality], such partnership will not be allowed to penetrate the communities under CFC. The values that the partners carry, like those of CFC's, must be respected," Tale said. (Kris Bayos)