An association of Catholic schools in the Philippines has urged voters to show their love for God and the country in upcoming elections by voting for candidates who promote human rights and fight tyrany.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said on Feb. 7 there was no room in government for candidates with distorted values.
The Philippines officially kicked off three months of campaigning on Feb. 8 ahead of polls in May to elect a new president and legislature.
“We believe that our Christian values should be proclaimed vigorously in these elections….Thus, we vehemently reject candidates who run under the platform of lies and historical distortion- disseminated in social media by massively-financed trolls,” said the group in a statement signed by 26 school heads from various Catholic learning institutions around the country.
They said they valued truth that is central to education, yet is undermined by trolls and fake news.
The CEAP was taking aim at a top presidential candidate and son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos for attempting to revise the country’s history by claiming that martial law under his father was a golden era.
“We vehemently reject … particularly the brazen presentation of the Marcos dictatorship and martial law as benevolent regimes in our political history. We denounce candidates who exploit our people’s poverty through vote-buying and intimidation,” the group added.
The schools also criticized President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara, who supports her father’s war on illegal drugs.
“We value justice, and thus reject candidates who have supported the unjust acts of the current [Duterte] administration, particularly its drug war that has killed thousands, mostly the poor and powerless, and the blatant lack of remorse and accountability from the country’s leadership,” the group added.
The group said that the Philippines would be struggling between hope and despair with an uncertain future if corrupt politicians are again voted into power.
Thank you. You are now signed up to Daily newsletter
Every Filipino must choose the good, shun the bad, especially those with records of corruption, they said.
“We support leaders who wield power as a social responsibility and not self-entitlement, and who can connect to the spiritual in their lives, through their conscience, discernment, and faith in God,” they added.
The educators said their mission was to pursue the truth not only inside the classroom but also in the upcoming elections.
“We humbly pursue our mission to be beacons of light – to bring the light of truth, justice, democracy, and integrity to our society, now languishing in the darkness of lies, injustice, authoritarianism, and dysfunctional leadership and governance. The May elections are an opportunity to break this darkness,” they said.
Support UCA News…
….As we enter the first months of 2022, we are asking readers like you to help us keep UCA News free.
For the last 40 years, UCA News has remained the most trusted and independent Catholic news and information service from Asia. Every week, we publish nearly 100 news reports, feature stories, commentaries, podcasts and video broadcasts that are exclusive and in-depth, and developed from a view of the world and the Church through informed Catholic eyes.
Our journalistic standards are as high as any in the quality press; our focus is particularly on a fast-growing part of the world – Asia – where, in some countries the Church is growing faster than pastoral resources can respond to – South Korea, Vietnam and India to name just three.
And UCA News has the advantage of having in its ranks local reporters who cover 23 countries in south, southeast, and east Asia. We report the stories of local people and their experiences in a way that Western news outlets simply don’t have the resources to reach. And we report on the emerging life of new Churches in old lands where being a Catholic can at times be very dangerous.
With dwindling support from funding partners in Europe and the USA, we need to call on the support of those who benefit from our work.
Click here to find out the ways you can support UCA News. You can make a difference for as little as US$5…
Credit: Source link
