This time, talking about 'faith' in a time of crisis

This time, talking about 'faith' in a time of crisis

(Notes on the President Duterte's Lenten message,
and the People's commitment to continue the struggle)

It seems that the president known for having grudge with the church suddenly talks about 'reflection' if not those of ‘faith’.

For as the Philippines ushers in the season of lent, President Rodrigo Duterte, in his message to the people, stated that it is the time for Filipinos to revitalise their faith and renew relationship with God. From there he urged his countrymen to "Reflect on the Catholic Values and embody selflessness, compassion, and love". Sounds reasonable at first, especially that those virtues hath been common to each and every Filipino, regardless of its belief.

However, his statement seemed to appear himself trying to be faithful as any other people; otherwise, bluntly speaking, it sounds as usual as any other president in a christian-majority country. From there he had to rally his people just like his predecessors to support government efforts in promoting peace and development using christian morality as its basis, spiced up with words like "sacrifice", "service", "virtue", anything to appear himself and his administration as christian as all other christians; for sure everyone heard his statement that he's a "socialist", that his fans praised his feats as "progressive", may as well they would insist that his regime, what more of he as a person be given chance to prove that he is "Christian" in a capital "C" if not "Christ-like"- amidst the fact that his regime been synonymous with bloodied imposition of 'justice' such as oplans "Tokhang"/”Double barrel”/”Kapayapaan” with its extrajudicial actions mostly pointing against the poor.

And because of his statement made amidst the fact that he's been unapologetic from those extralegal acts, will his message also affect his existing and future actions? Again, regardless of his statement, he is the same president who has at times attacked the Church, its clergy, as well as the laity- as he scoffed most at the institution’s opposition to his ‘iron-fisted’ pet measures, particularly those related to peace and order. His supporters even insisted that the church be taxed for opposing the government, if not seeing fake reports churned all over pointing against the church as well as the opposition- calling them "corrupt" if not a "drug addict".

Also to think he even stated that in reaching out to the oppressed God's presence could manifest itself, sounds conscience-provoking towards him, his administration, and his supporters; but again in a time where innocents are wrongfully accused, of seeing homeless folks and people yearning for social justice, is the administration truly reaches out the way the Lord Christ reaches them? These poor folks whom protractedly affected by such inconveniences actually felt that the government whom supposed to be caring treated it as a mere feat when in fact they're usually usually facing threats if not bullets by the same entities who afford to appear as "caring" if not "concerning". Duterte even said that "Let the story of crucifixion challenge us to remain persevering in our struggle for a better life and stronger society," only to found out manifested in a contradicting manner-such as  various protest actions like the recent "Kalbaryo ng Maralita" wherein the masses dramatised what seems to be the agony of the impoverished and the oppressed- with the ruling order acting like Pilate, Herod, and the high priests who crucified Jesus Christ.

Perhaps, to paraphrase the president's message, the long suffering nation named the "Philippines" wishes that in this solemn observance means a chance for a genuine, just, and lasting peace, wherein people are truly united “in building a truly equitable, and inclusive nation having a decent and comfortable life”. Sounds ideal, but the question is, will the current administration truly desired for those goals as such as they focused entirely in their vested interests? Of treating the deaths of innocents as ‘collateral damages’ if not examples of his bloodied campaigns? Nevertheless, all walks of life are still alarmed at these continued acts, which seem to go unchecked, making a concerned telling each and everyone “Ubi boni tacent malum prosperat”, that "Evil prospers when good men are silent."

And all because of these inconveniences,  regardless of the message the president stated in this season,  the oppressed folks will continually strengthen its determination and commitment by reaching out and organizing as many in order to achieve a society wherein peace and justice prevails, all imbued with this statement:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18–19).