Phl poverty a social scandal – CBCP

MANILA, Philippines – Catholic bishops depicted yesterday poverty in the Philippines as a “social scandal.”

In the pastoral letter “To Bring Glad Tidings to the Poor,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) asked Filipino Catholics to be more sensitive to the plight of the poor.

“While we gratefully recognize advances in Philippine society in such areas as basic education, fundamental aspects of the economy, the struggle for elusive peace in Mindanao, the war against corruption, and in all the shameful slime uncovered in connection with the now unconstitutional Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), we cannot help but admit with Pope Francis that 28 percent of our people still ‘are barely living from day to day’,” read the pastoral letter.

“The income gap between our rich and poor has not closed: the richest ten percent of our population is earning ten times more than the poorest ten percent, with the income of the richest families soaring way beyond the income of the poorest.”

The CBCP called on the faithful to act as responsible citizens instead of blaming the government for the societal upheavals facing the country.

“This is a social scandal for which we cannot just blame government,” read the pastoral letter.

“We need to understand our role in it, our personal responsibility for it in our individual lives and shared cultures, and return to Jesus.”

The bishops took up the cause against “economy of exclusion” that could be interpreted as giving prime importance to wealthy and influential individuals while neglecting the plight of less fortunate.

“It is an economy which pampers the wealthy with mansions, multiple cars, yachts, helicopters, exotic food, outstanding education, state-of-the-art gadgetry, influence and power, but excludes others, especially the poor, from regular jobs that generate more than subsistence, from liberating education, minimum health care, decent and safe housing, and modern modes of communication,” read the pastoral letter. –Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)