Pope Francis, Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, has decried the continued widening gap between the rich and the poor, and the moral, and financial obligation the government should provide its citizens. This was contained in his message entitled: “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace“.
In the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), after several days had passed, reportedly, there were still people in the devastated areas who were begging for basic government services. Politicking has taken the upper hand with government officials, instead of ensuring the fundamental rights and needs of these people.
The Pope also attacked the multimillion pay-outs of executives, while ordinary employees are given ‘crumbs.’ Remember, the million bonuses of SSS executives, while members’ contributions are increased, and interests on loans are not reduced a single cent. The government said it was justified. What about the Pork Barrel funds senators receive?
Pope Francis, himself, moved to a small guest house and uses a Ford instead of living in the Vatican Palace and riding a Mercedes.
Previously in his speech during Family Day, he talked about how money controls people’s lives nowadays. Presently, in the Philippines, greed and corruption, apparently, control the goals and lives of many people in government, based on the alleged 10 billion Pork Barrel Scam and similar scams that empty the pockets of taxpayers into the pockets of greedy politicians.
Reportedly, the fundamental rights of majority of Filipinos are not provided by the national government.
“Even a sideglance at the state of your infrastructures — your hospitals, your schools, your courthouses, your markets, your government offices — will reveal their state of disrepair and obsolescence and the blame does not belong to your local governments.”
The rising cost of basic services, such as, electricity, LPG, and gas indicated that there would be a resulting increase in the prices of basic commodities, as well, and the government should do something about it.
Based on the aforementioned scenario, Pope Francis is, indeed, referring to the Philippines in his papal message.
Will government take a significant and pivotal rule to ensure basic services to the people? You can answer this question based on the facts presented here.
