“In the Philippines Today, God Calls us Most Urgently to Serve the Poor and the Needy”

July 23, 2008

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last July 7-8, 2008, we successfully conducted the Second National Rural Congress or NRC-II. More than 300 participants representing the rural poor and the clergy converged at the San Carlos Seminary, and had a fruitful interaction, discussing the very important and complicated issues that surround the communities in the rural poor in the Philippines.

In the context of meaningful dialogue, the Congress was convened by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and it intended to help strengthen and sustain the Church-rural poor linkages established some forty years ago, during the 1967 National Rural Congress. A participatory and transformative course of action was done that led to the:

Identification and discernment of urgent national and local issues confronting the rural poor;
Recommendation of policies and programmes for both the Church and the government to address the identified issues,
Internalization and elaboration of lessons learned on Church-rural poor linkages since the First National Rural Congress, and
Identification of potential actions and concrete mechanisms for Church-rural poor linkages to implement NRC-II resolutions.[2]

Using the backdrop of the Catholic Social Teachings, and reflective of the SEE-JUDGE-ACT framework, this momentous event allowed both the Church and the rural poor to expand their understanding of the situation, the circumstances, and the possible solutions to the myriad problems that confront the rural poor – the farmers, the fisherfolk, the indigenous peoples, the women and the youth – those that have less in life. It is hoped that this event will strengthen the will to be a “Church of the Poor”.

“Before today’s forms of exploitation of the poor, the Church cannot remain silent. She also reminds the rich of their precise duties. Strong with the Word of God[3] , she condemns the many injustices which unfortunately, even today are committed to the detriment of the poor.” [4]

The Journey to NRC-II

In the journey towards this Congress, it was emphasized that the actual event was merely a culmination of a series of equally important discussions held at the Diocesan and Sub-Regional Consultations (DRCs/SRCs) conducted since last November 2007 until March 2008. More than fifty (50) DRCs and BEC consultations were facilitated by NASSA and similarly, thirteen (13) SRCs were convened by the Philippine Misereor Partnership (PMP). Afterwards, five Regional Rural Congresses (RRCs) were convened between April-May 2008. These consultations allowed the rural poor to articulate their concerns, and the Church to listen and discern their roles in accompanying the rural poor in their voyage.

To ensure that the interface between the Church and the rural poor is effected, the ad intra and ad extra approach was used to add vibrancy to these consultations. The former refers to the internal Church structures and the latter to the support mechanisms and external groups that provided direct partnership work with the rural poor and the Church.

A parallel track of several researches, seminars, and high-level caucuses was similarly completed during the period, complementing the formal consultation processes. These tracks involved many individuals and institutions, coming from the academe, media, civil society, Church groups, legislators and the Bishops themselves. Various publications, papers, statements and documentations have been produced and compiled to supplement the workshops that came about in NRC-II.

What was SEEN

In the course of the Congress, several important information came out clearly. The rural poor are trapped in a vicious cycle of dependence and hopelessness, mainly due to the fact that they do not have enough access or control of their assets. The bountiful harvest from the God-given endowments of land, forests and waters are not being enjoyed by the rural poor. The dire situation is reflected in the circumstances of the rural poor.

The farmers have not completely owned their land; the small fisherfolks are lamenting the displacement of their fishing activities and communities, due to pollution and encroachment of large-scale fishers; the indigenous peoples’ culture and ancestral domains are threatened by large-scale mining and logging; rural women face the many challenges of nurturing the well-being of the children and at the same time, respond to the economic needs of the entire family as well. The rural youth are in a special situation, as they are left confused and sometimes misguided, because of the complex problems and situations that they find themselves due to this poverty.

Complicating this indigence are the apparent forces that intensify the cruel reality of poverty across the sectors and across the regions. The environment is gasping for help, as pollution and degradation of natural resources are rampant in the rural areas. The issue of the aggressive entry large-scale mining and logging has been brought out in many of the sectoral and regional workshops. These extractive industries are threatening not only the lives and livelihoods of rural communities, but also endanger ecological balance, as it destroys forests, watersheds, agricultural lands, and coastal areas. This imbalance in nature and ecology leads to more disasters and tragedies at the personal and communal levels. Another cross-cutting theme is the phenomenon of migration. This has distressed the family, and in the process, introduced a whole new set of moral issues.

“Each person, no matter how poor is endowed with an inalienable dignity as an image of God, a child of God , redeemed by God and entrusted with an eternal destiny . Each person has to be respected as equal member of the human family, actively participating towards the common good in solidarity with others.”[8]

What was Realized

Being mainly observers was not the intent of the Congress. Going deeper into the dialogue, several causes of this rural poverty were unearthed. Foremost appears to be the lack of serious implementation of laws and policies designed to promote asset reform and social justice. Inadequate resources and capacities to provide basic services were also mentioned. One other major concern was the prevailing graft and corruption and the “culture of helplessness” – that there is nothing anyone can do to make change happen. On the other hand, it was also recognized that some problems on the level of awareness and knowledge of the rural poor, that they need to learn more about their rights and responsibilities as citizens and as followers of Christ. This involves the responsibility of caring for the family, and the earth as well. There is also a need to organize the sectors and the communities, so that they can enhance and complement each other towards self-help and self-reliance. Finally, there is also a need to reach out, link and partner with the many institutions that are excited and ready to serve the rural poor communities.

Roles and involvements of these many institutions have also been recognized. For its part, the Church has mobilized its Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) and the Social Action Centers (SACs) to be at the forefront in responding to the needs of the rural poor. These institutions have provided training, organizing, credit services, disaster response, spiritual and social formation and other modes of support. The non-government organizations (NGOs) have worked together with different peoples’ organizations (POs) in advancing broadly sustainable development in the rural areas. The academe and the media have produced and disseminated information and knowledge. In the midst of the Congress, it was essential that an inter-faith dialogue was encouraged, with representation from the Christian groups, the Moslems, and the indigenous religious of the IP communities articulating the perspective of their groups.

Emerging Proposals

The significance of NCR-II will be diminished if we fail to highlight some of the principal themes that emerged, initially coming from the sectoral discussion groups and the regional planning sessions. These themes do not comprehensively reflect the detailed discussions and agreements of the Congress, but represent the common and most urgent calls of the rural poor.

On the issue of landlessness and land reform, two proposals were presented – the extension of CARP with major reforms (CARPER) and the enactment of a new land reform law (GARB). The Congress recognized that there is a need to further review and to deepen the understanding of the implications of both proposals.

From the fisherfolks, they called on the strict implementation of the Fisheries Code (or RA 8550), including its review to address some loopholes in its implementation. The fisherfolk also identified specific issues such as landlessness, the presence of destructive fishing methods and called for more activities that will enhance the capacities of the fisherfolk sector, including trainings, organizing and partnership-building within the sector, to address these issues.

Form the indigenous peoples, the call centered on the recognition of the customary laws and culture of the IP communities, the implementation and review of IPRA, and a specific advocacy on opposing the transfer of the NCIP to the DENR.

From the rural women sector, they urged the need to protect and uphold the welfare and rights of women, through the enhancement of Filipino values of family and moral responsibility. They also appealed to all concerned agencies and institutions to provide more support to respond to the special needs of women, such as the issue of domestic violence, access to basic social services, livelihood, health, family planning and awareness-building on women’s rights.

From the rural youth, their call centered on strengthening the moral and spiritual foundations of the youth. They requested that Church and the academe strengthen their programs on spiritual and moral values formation, in order to equip the youth with more tools and handles to guide them in their growing and maturing years.

Finally, from the consolidated “Other Sectors”, a set of recommendations were forwarded that addressed the wide-ranging but distinctive concerns of labor-related issues, informal urban settlers, persons with disabilities (PWDs), elderly, small rural traders, migrants and their families and the informal sector. A common thread that weaved their discussion anchored on the themes of addressing the problem of graft and corruption, strengthening the roles of the local government units as direct providers of services to the sectors, exacting accountability from government, NGOs and other institutions, and the need to promote networking and linkaging among the stakeholders.

Overall, the proposed emerging roles of the Church in these themes is to become a facilitator - a moderator or an intermediary that nurtures a platform for interaction among the rural poor, the government, civil society and the private sector. One of the notable concrete proposals was the creation of an “institutionalized dialogue”, a process and venue where the rural poor can continually and sustainably interact with the Bishops and the Catholic Church. There was also a recommendation to activate specialized desks in the Church structure that maybe be able to specifically implement sectoral or thematic work at the parish, diocesan, regional and even national levels.

Moving Forward

It is imperative that the dreams and aspirations of NRC-II must be fulfilled through action. In the next few months, several things will happen that can hopefully cultivate a sense of hope for the rural poor and their partners, in order for them to overcome the forbidding challenges of rural poverty.

First, the official proceedings of the NRC-II will be released in Aug. 15, 2008;

Second, the official publication of NRC-II will be produced, published and issued by November 10, 2008, in time for the National Assembly of the BECs, and also as a reference document for the many planned activities of the civil society partners;

Third, the operational structure of NRC-II, including the Central Committee and its working groups, will be retained in order to oversee post-NRC-II activities and establish clear plans regarding actionable resolutions of the Congress, including the institutionalization of the dialogue process started;

Fourth, re-echoing sessions of the NRC-II will be conducted either at the Diocesan or Sub-regional levels, to be convened by the respective Bishops. These sessions will expectantly enrich the regional plans, sharpen the regional translation of the sectoral discussions, and identify mechanisms by which local action plans can be initiated;

Fifth, collectively (as CBCP) and individually (as Bishops), the Church shall actively pursue in carrying out the prophetic role of the church in articulating and addressing the issues of the rural poor, through the provision of programs at the Church and the mobilization of resources;

Sixth and finally, the CBCP, through its Permanent Council, shall study and reflect on the results of NRC-II, and will issue its Pastoral Statement on its next Plenary Assembly, on January 2009.

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD
Chairman-NRC II

Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, DD
Vice Chairman-NRC II

NRC II Secretariats

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[1] Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 20 Janaury – 17 February 1991, The Conciliar Document “Go…I am with you always!”, Part II, A Church Renewed, No. 122
[2] Laborem Exercens – On Human Work on the Ninetieth Anniversary of ‘RErum Novarum”, Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, 14 September, 1981.
[3] Cf. Is 5:8; Jer 5:25-28; Jas 5:1, 3-4
[4] Pope John Paul II to the Cardinals, Members of the Pontifical Household and the Curia: “The charism of Peter: To serve universal unity by protecting and defending the Gospel’s authenticity,” L’Osservatore Romano, Jan. 21, 1985, p.8
[5] Gn 1:26-27; cf Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World 12, 14-17; Jn 1:13; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Rom 8:14-17; cf John Paul II, To the People of the Sugar Plantations, Bacolod City, Feb. 20, 1981, No. 8
[6] Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World 22
[7] Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World 63
[8] Acts and Decress of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 20 January – 17 February 1991, The Conciliar Document “Go…I am with you always!”, Part II, A Church Renewed, No. 296