The bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila enjoined Catholics to unite spiritually to pray the rosary for the May 9 elections.
In a pastoral statement, they invited the faithful to recite the Marian prayer as families and communities from April 30, feast of St. Pope Pius V, to May 9, Election Day.
With God, the bishops said, there is nothing to fear despite the “enemy’s daunting use of fake news, trolls and distorted history”.
“Let us again turn to our Blessed Mother and ask her intercession to help us vote what God desires for us,” read part of the letter signed by Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila. .
The bishops then encouraged the electorate to vote for the candidates who will promote the common good, especially the poor and marginalized.
They also called for prayers for the Commission on Elections that they may accomplish their mission to conduct an efficient, fair and honest election.
Church-labor group urges voters to choose pro-worker bets
A Church-labor organization called on voters to consider the labor agenda of candidates as one of the major factors in choosing whom to vote for.
The Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS) said it is important for the public to know the labor programs of the candidates, especially those seeking for national positions.
“Voters must consider candidates that prioritize and advance the labor agenda,” said its chairman Bishop Gerardo Alminaza in his message for this year’s Labor Day.
The San Carlos prelate also called on the nation’s future leaders to remain steadfast in their promise of protecting the rights of workers.
He lamented, for instance, how the practice of contractualization remains rampant all over the country despite bold promises of candidates in the past elections to abolish it.
Contractualization, he stressed, undermines job security which further results in massive unemployment.
“They must immediately scrap anti-labor laws that perpetuate oppression and exploitation and craft more laws that promote and protect the rights and dignity of workers,” Alminaza said.
The organization assured it will continue to link arms and stand in solidarity with the workers and other marginalized sectors of society.
“We will continue to remain vigilant especially after the election period in demanding pro-labor policies,” the bishop added.
“We hope and pray that our future leaders will bring about genuine societal change; one that would benefit the least of our brothers and sisters in society,” he also said.
International Labor Day on May 1 is a public holiday in many countries like the Philippines.
The CWS said the country will celebrate this year’s labor day in the midst of “worsening socio-economic and political crises.”
It said workers have barely recovered from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic where millions of Filipinos lost their jobs.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported a 6.4 percent unemployment rate in February, which roughly translates to around 3 million jobless Filipinos. CBCP News
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