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Millions Can be Mobilized for Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap
Open Letter
Millions Can be Mobilized for Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap
Dear Mr. President-elect Noynoy Aquino:
The Lord give you peace!
I serve the town of Dingalan, Aurora which has 11,000 registered voters and through the PPCRV we monitored here widespread vote buying during the election. There are so many poor people here and the election was indeed a time to earn a little more to appease the hunger, to cure the sick and have some money for education. As if by miracle suddenly Dingalan became a first class municipality. Municipal and provincial candidates poured out cash, food, free rides, water hoses, bancas, improved roads, promised jobs enrolled in payrolls, scholarships. So many were paid and made to sign as as coordinators and pool watchers, etc. Heaven was promised to the poor for their votes. The prophet Amos would complain: “They bought the poor for a pair of sandals.” I found it disgusting how the poor lost their dignity being paid with P100, P150, P300, P500 and P1500 even in the middle of the night. And this is a town that believes in God! As
Church leaders we have to examine ourselves if we have presented the true image of God.
What happened in Dingalan seems to have been experienced all over the country. We were hoping that election time would be a democratic exercise to tilt the balance of power in favor of the poor who are the majority. That did not happen. As it was before, it generally became again an opportunity for the 300 powerful families in the country to consolidate their political base.
Except for the fact that the poor were able overwhelmingly to rally behind your campaign walang corrupt walang mahirap the political landscape seems to be frustrating. It would it have been better if, instead of election, we just gave the political leadership to the highest bidder.
Mr. President, entrenched interest groups are now threatening you with their political gains. On our part in Dingalan we are resorting to legal remedies to reverse the effect of vote buying. It is an uphill battle and we will need all the support that your government can provide to bring about truth and justice. We are also painfully aware that many of your supporters too will be hit by your “walang corrupt” stance. But you can unite the impatient millions who voted for you and even for other candidates that also campaigned for genuine change. These millions can be mobilized to support your agenda for change. Above all, you can rely on God who is incorrupt and is more powerful than all political alliances.
It took Nelson Mandela 30 years in jail before South Africa freed itself from unjust structures. Pope Paul the VI reminded us 40 years ago that “too many, have too little for too long.” Please lead us with wisdom and strength so that with the rich natural and human resources of the country we can finally be free from unjust local and international structures and from unequal distribution of wealth: the youth are in school, the sick are cured, no OFWs are enslaved to work abroad and no one is hungry anymore.
Yes – “ The Filipino is worth dying for” – your father reminded us. We can painstakingly work together towards a reality when gifted ordinary people are elected into office because no one sells vote anymore. We would have recovered our dignity and principles. Buyers of votes and violators of the election laws are disqualified and imprisoned.
(Sgd) Fr. Pete Montallana, OFM
San Patricio Parish
Dingalan, Aurora
May 18, 2010
Millions Can be Mobilized for Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap
Dear Mr. President-elect Noynoy Aquino:
The Lord give you peace!
I serve the town of Dingalan, Aurora which has 11,000 registered voters and through the PPCRV we monitored here widespread vote buying during the election. There are so many poor people here and the election was indeed a time to earn a little more to appease the hunger, to cure the sick and have some money for education. As if by miracle suddenly Dingalan became a first class municipality. Municipal and provincial candidates poured out cash, food, free rides, water hoses, bancas, improved roads, promised jobs enrolled in payrolls, scholarships. So many were paid and made to sign as as coordinators and pool watchers, etc. Heaven was promised to the poor for their votes. The prophet Amos would complain: “They bought the poor for a pair of sandals.” I found it disgusting how the poor lost their dignity being paid with P100, P150, P300, P500 and P1500 even in the middle of the night. And this is a town that believes in God! As
Church leaders we have to examine ourselves if we have presented the true image of God.
What happened in Dingalan seems to have been experienced all over the country. We were hoping that election time would be a democratic exercise to tilt the balance of power in favor of the poor who are the majority. That did not happen. As it was before, it generally became again an opportunity for the 300 powerful families in the country to consolidate their political base.
Except for the fact that the poor were able overwhelmingly to rally behind your campaign walang corrupt walang mahirap the political landscape seems to be frustrating. It would it have been better if, instead of election, we just gave the political leadership to the highest bidder.
Mr. President, entrenched interest groups are now threatening you with their political gains. On our part in Dingalan we are resorting to legal remedies to reverse the effect of vote buying. It is an uphill battle and we will need all the support that your government can provide to bring about truth and justice. We are also painfully aware that many of your supporters too will be hit by your “walang corrupt” stance. But you can unite the impatient millions who voted for you and even for other candidates that also campaigned for genuine change. These millions can be mobilized to support your agenda for change. Above all, you can rely on God who is incorrupt and is more powerful than all political alliances.
It took Nelson Mandela 30 years in jail before South Africa freed itself from unjust structures. Pope Paul the VI reminded us 40 years ago that “too many, have too little for too long.” Please lead us with wisdom and strength so that with the rich natural and human resources of the country we can finally be free from unjust local and international structures and from unequal distribution of wealth: the youth are in school, the sick are cured, no OFWs are enslaved to work abroad and no one is hungry anymore.
Yes – “ The Filipino is worth dying for” – your father reminded us. We can painstakingly work together towards a reality when gifted ordinary people are elected into office because no one sells vote anymore. We would have recovered our dignity and principles. Buyers of votes and violators of the election laws are disqualified and imprisoned.
(Sgd) Fr. Pete Montallana, OFM
San Patricio Parish
Dingalan, Aurora
May 18, 2010
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