Dear Francis: Pontiff flooded with appeals for intervention

MANILA, Philippines - From divorce and mining to gender issues, animal rights and the plight of the disabled, Pope Francis will be flooded with requests for papal intervention when he visits the country today.

Two lawmakers asked yesterday Pope Francis to support a bill at the House of Representatives seeking to legalize divorce in the Philippines and the resumption of peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

Francis was also asked to look at the rising cases of abuse against Filipinas and to intervene in the issue of ecological devastation and human rights violations that large-scale mining operations in the country have brought.

In an open letter to Francis, Gabriela Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmerenciana de Jesus said they have filed the Divorce Bill since 2004.

“But the bill remains in the dustbins of the parliamentary halls,” read the letter.

The lawmakers also asked Francis to support the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front.

“We call on you to look beyond the deceptions that President Aquino will unfold before you,” read the letter. “He and his officials will paint a rosy picture of economic growth by building infrastructure that hide the real situation of poverty among our people or even by demolishing ‘unsightly’ slum houses that they do not want to be seen.”

The lawmakers said they hope the visit of Francis would pave the way for his deeper understanding of the impoverished condition of the majority of Filipino women.

“At least 13 Filipino women are victims of domestic violence every day and poverty prevents them from leaving their abusive husbands or partners,” read the letter.

“We urge you to lend your voice and enlighten our government and church leaders to free our sisters trapped in abusive marriages because we are deprived of the option of divorce.”

The lawmakers said millions of Filipino women nationwide suffer from poverty, injustice and various forms of abuse due to gender bias and government neglect.

“We are your sisters who cannot find jobs in our own land and are forced to work abroad as domestic helpers or to be victimized as trafficked sex slaves, prostituted women or abused service workers,” read the letter.

The lawmakers said millions of Filipino women live in urban slums and cannot feed their children three decent meals a day.

Others are peasant women who toil over land monopolized by landlords, they added.

The lawmakers said thousands of Filipino women also continue to suffer from massive displacement, illegal arrest and detention, torture and political killings due to President Aquino’s counterinsurgency program.

“Our daughters have been raped by politicians, soldiers, even priests and other persons in authority in our society,” they said.

“We ask you to join us in our quest for justice. We are mothers who have lost our loved ones in armed conflict and who long for peace based on justice.”

The lawmakers said the administration has claimed the country is women-friendly because of laws purportedly protecting and upholding the rights of women.

“But what good are laws when poverty becomes the backdrop of increasing violence against women?” they asked.

Four Catholic bishops and 23 environmental groups sought the support of Francis in fighting ecological devastation and the resulting human-rights violations

Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of environmental activist group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (PNE), said: “We are appealing to Pope Francis and the Catholic Church to support the call of the Filipino people to stop large-scale mining plunder and destruction in the Philippines. The mining liberalization policy in the past two decades has led to the destruction of marine and freshwater ecosystems, denudation of forests and displacement of people. As a result, communities suffer from worsening poverty and are more vulnerable to climate change impacts.”

Environmental groups that signed the letter are Kalikasan PNE, Defend Patrimony Alliance, Panalipdan Mindanao, Cordillera People’s Alliance, People’s Surge, 350.org PH, Marinduque Center for Environmental Concerns, AGHAM, Sulong Kiblawan Para sa Kalikasan, UP Saribuhay, Homonhon Environmental Rescue Organization among others.

The bishops who signed the letter are Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, former Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yniguez Jr., Eastern Samar Bishop Crispin Varquez and Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo.

Kalikasan said that the pope’s visit to Asia and the Philippines is part of his preparation in formulating an encyclical on climate change which will educate and instruct the Catholic Church hierarchy to act on environmental and climate change issues.

“The Catholic Church in the Philippines has always been concerned about the ecological destruction and community displacement caused by corporate mining in the country. Testament to this are the statements issued by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) raising concerns on the government’s mining policy. Bishops and priests are active in local and national movements for the protection of the environment and defense of communities against large-scale mining,” said Yniguez, convenor of Stewards of Creation, an ecumenical group opposing large-scale mining in the Philippines.

Bishops Bastes, Arigo and Varquez are vocal in their opposition to large-scale mining in their provinces.

Varquez from Eastern Samar will try to talk to the pope during his visit to Leyte on Jan. 17.

“The Yolanda-affected people of Samar and I are hoping that Pope Francis will take notice of the people’s suffering aggravated by impacts of large-scale mining and climate change,” said Bishop Varquez.

“We beseech His Holiness to rethink the investments of the Roman Catholic Church in giant mining companies and, in line with your righteous call, to invest in sustainable industries and the genuine development and welfare of your poor children,” read the letter to the Pope. – With Perseus Echeminada, Evelyn Macairan