Solidarity for the Moral Vote

At 9:30 a.m. yesterday, April 6, the first ever Solidary Mass for the Moral Vote was held, officiated by Cardinal Jose F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila with the homily by CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo “Ambo” Virgilio S. David.

Priests, other religious/lay people gathered together for this historic event at the National Shrine of our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran Church.

The reason for the solidarity mass was immediately clarified by Bishop Ambo when he referred all to the Gospel of John for that day: Verse 31: “Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples (and Verse 32) and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The whole Church, then, especially the officials of the Church, has the mission to seek out Jesus, to seek the truth, to remind and lead believers in God to follow the truth because Jesus Christ proclaimed “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

It is imperative, then, for the Church to remind all that the campaign and May elections are crucial events that call for all to discern the truth, God’s truth.

Bishop Ambo mentioned that even as Pontius Pilate observed/discerned the truth about Jesus, he, sadly, veered from the truth and leaned more on the loud voices of the “majority” crowd paid to free Barabbas and have Jesus Christ crucified instead.

Before he ended his deeply reflective homily, Bishop Ambo asked all for a moment of silence, for all to listen to the voice of God about who to vote for this May, to listen to one’s conscience about one’s moral choice.

“Piliin ang binubulong ng iyong konsensya.”

“Piliin ang maka-Diyos, maka-tao/maka-mahirap, maka-totohanan, maka-kalikasan.”

Elsewhere, as the campaign intensifies, as May 2022 election draws near, Leni-Kiko and team supporters are conspicuously observed to be actively taking the campaign, not only on the ground, on the secular level, but up to the heavens, with prayers, masses, rosaries and more spiritual invocations.

Calls for collective prayers, collective assemblies, both locally and globally, are vigorously making the rounds, especially in social media.

Expect more spiritual engagements though, not only from the Leni-Kiko team, but possibly, from other candidates/supporters as well!

May the Lord guide our people to cast moral votes for “servant-leaders who will put the greater good of the majority, especially the poor/marginalized/vulnerable, above any personal or group interests; servant-leaders who will seek office to genuinely “serve and not be served”; servant-leaders of integrity/compassion,” and those who will lead us to do what is for the greater good, what is for God’s greater glory, Amen.”

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During the hybrid April 5 CSO Waste Summit, Mayor Mike Rama mentioned following the majority vote, the rule of law, in the final decision about the WTE and waste solutions in his solidarity message shared and kindly read by Mr. Cerwin Eviota, PIO chief of the mayor.

It is our sincere prayer that the MAJORITY VOTE Mayor Mike is referring to is a MORAL VOTE, one based on the truth about WTE and one that is best for the greater good of the greater majority, and what is for the greater glory of God, His people, and His planet.

It was promising to see and hear, in dialogue, WTE proponents/opponents from various sectors (CSOs/urban poor/academe/LGUs/business/media/others).

Thank you to all organizers/staff of PCEJ, ECOWASTE, RCE-Cebu, speakers (especially Dr. Jorge Emmanuel), Mayor Mike/Councilors Archival, Dizon, Garganera, all participants for the productive CSO Waste Summit!

Padayon ta all together to create a sustainable Cebu City through harmonized/unified/ eco/people/planet- friendly, ‘moral-not-majority-vote’ solutions to Cebu City’s waste management problems!