THE NUMBER of dioceses holding simultaneous rallies on Aug. 20 to protest Charter change has risen to 47 even as a senior Church official urged the founder of the El Shaddai Movement to follow his bishop on issues with moral dimensions.
The dioceses of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, and Digos, Davao del Sur, have firmed up plans to hold rallies on Friday. Forty-five other dioceses earlier finalized plans to hold rallies against Charter change.
More groups have also signified their intention to hold rallies to oppose moves by President Estrada to amend the Constitution.
In Cebu, at least 12 groups from different sectors yesterday attended the launching of the Reject Charter Change Movement (Reject).
Among those who joined the launching of Reject were representatives from nine Catholic religious groups--the Salesian Fathers, the Religious of Virgin Mary, the Society of Divine Word, the Redemptorist Fathers, the Religious of Mercy, Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of St. Paul and the Carmelite Sisters.
For its part, the Kilusang Mayo Uno appealed to employers to allow their workers to take a ''day off'' on Friday to enable them to attend the protest rallies being organized by the Church.
Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla said Bro. Mike Velarde, founder of El Shaddai, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, founder, president and spiritual director of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide, must follow Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on issues with moral dimensions.
''The principle to follow: lay people in Manila, including El Shaddai (followers) and Velarde, Jesus is Lord Church members and Villanueva, must follow their bishop--and that is Cardinal Tagle--on matters of the faith,'' Capalla said in Legazpi City on Saturday.
Capalla and some 100 bishops and other church leaders came to Legazpi City to attend the Silver Episcopal Ordination Anniversary of Bishop Jose C. Sorra.
Velarde is leading a rally cum celebration of his 75th birthday on Wednesday while a belated birthday celebration on August 23 at the Rizal Park in Manila on the same day that Tagle lead a rally against Charter change on Ayala Avenue in Makati City.
While Villanueva is leading a rally cum celebration of his 81st birthday on October 6 while a belated birthday celebration and anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide on October 19.
The El Shaddai rally will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III. Capalla said lay Catholics could disagree with their bishops on political issues like Charter change.
But he declared in a pastoral letter which was read in all the churches in the Davao archdiocese that moves to amend the Charter were ''morally sinful'' and ''outright oppressive.''
Capalla stressed that the Church must also make a stand on political and economic issues with moral dimensions.
Mindanao
In Mindanao, he said, the Catholic Church had made a stand against Charter change because the proposed amendments would allow foreigners to own land in the country amid widespread lawlessness.
Catholic Church leaders in Cebu, Negros Occidental and Iloilo are preparing to bring thousands of people to the streets for the pro-democracy protest rally on Aug. 20.
In Cebu City, the rally spearheaded by Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is expected to mobilize some 250,000 people, according to Msgr. Roberto Alesna.
Besides Charter change, the Cebu rally will address the threats to press freedom, cronyism, foreign debt, gambling, illegal drugs, pornography, prostitution and violence against women and children.
Representatives from the Philippine Peasants Institute, the Kilusang Pambansang Demokrasya and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter also attended the launching of Reject in Cebu.
In Negros Occidental, Bishop Vicente Navarra of Kabankalan City and Bishop Nicolas Mondejar of San Carlos City have called on the faithful to join the rallies set in their respective areas.
A Church-led rally in Bacolod City is also expected to draw a lot of people despite Bishop Camilo Gregorio's announcement that he will not join the mass action.
Gregorio had said he was against moves to change the Constitution but he believed the rally would be a ''useless and futile exercise'' and ''a waste of time.''
Rivas letter
In the absence of a pastoral letter from Gregorio, some Bacolod priests read instead in their Masses on Sunday the letter of Msgr. Victorino Rivas, vicar general of the Diocese of Bacolod, inviting the faithful to join the Bacolod rally.
In his letter, Rivas said ''given the numerous statements of Pope Francis I regarding the ill effects of the neo-liberal policies of globalization against the poor of the world, we are morally and duty bound to inform the people on the move to globalize the Constitution through numerous amendments favoring the whims of giant transnational corporations controlling the world economy.''
In Iloilo, parishes from all over the province had been told to send delegations to the rally being spearheaded by the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (Jasac).
Members of the Hublag Demokrasya, a church-backed anti-Charter change coalition, and cause-oriented groups are also participating in the rally.
''If the Constitution is changed, this can jeopardize our civil liberty, particularly freedom of expression and of the press, and more cronies are to be surely benefited by this move,'' said Fr. Meliton Oso, director of the Jasac.
Organizers have designated two assembly areas for participants, at the plaza of Jaro district and at the Rotary Amphitheater, beside the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
Hublag Demokrasya will lead the assembly at the Rotary Amphitheater.
At 2:30 p.m., the two groups will march toward St. Clement's Church in Lapaz district for a prayer rally at 3 p.m.
At the end of the rally, organizers will release balloons attached to a banner with the word ''Kahilwayan,'' Hiligaynon for freedom, will be attached.
Tagbilaran
In Tagbilaran City, the Church-led Aug. 20 and October 19 activity will come in the form of a symposium that will spell out the anti-Charter change sentiment of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The symposium will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City.
Boholanos opposed to amending the Constitution launched on Sunday the ''People Resist Cha-cha'' movement.
Its convenors include Fr. Justino Estoque Jr. of the Promotion of Church People's Response; Michael Bagaipo of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Bohol; and John Gerard Lumantao, of the National Union of Students of the Philippines-Bohol.
In Davao City, militants and moderates will again join forces for the rally on Friday, their second team-up since the Sept. 21, 1997 anti-Charter change rally.
3 marches
Leaders from the militants and the moderates, Catholic and Protestant churches have agreed during a weekend meeting to follow what they did in 1997: hold three separate marches from the northern, southern and central parts of the city and converge either at Rizal Park or Freedom Park for the prayer rally.
Glen Amoroso, Bayan secretary general, said such an expression of unity showed the people's serious concern over the ''selfish'' motives behind Mr. Estrada's move to amend the Constitution.
He said the people were also alarmed by the President's ''pattern of actions'' undermining the democratic gains won by the people.
Amoroso noted the continued attacks by the President on the INQUIRER for ''its unwavering critical reports about his presidency, the return of the Marcoses and their cronies in powerful business and political posts and the move for a compromise settlement on Marcos ill-gotten wealth.''
On Wednesday, the multisectoral People Resist Against Rising Tyranny-Southern Mindanao will hold a ''Torch Parade for Freedom'' in the city's main streets to entice more people to join the Aug. 20 and October 19 rally.
In urging workers around the country to take a synchronized ''day-off'' on Friday, KMU chair Crispin Beltran said the threats to democratic rights and the nation's patrimony under the Estrada administration were ''much more dire than the effects of any supertyphoon.''
''We ask the capitalist employers to allow their workers to do so (attend the mass actions) as a matter of patriotism,'' Beltran said.
The militant labor group had earlier announced it would mobilize its ranks to join the rally to be held on Ayala Avenue in Makati.
KMU said it would hold coordinated mass actions nationwide along with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).
''It's crucial that the Filipino working people go out into the streets and loudly air their protests against the Estrada government's comprehensive attempt to curtail civil and political rights and sell out to foreign monopolies what remains of our nation's wealth,'' Beltran said in a statement.
More protests
The Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya said it would also launch coordinated mass actions on Aug. 20 and October 19 to add voice to the Church-led rally.
Sonia Soto, KPD chair and co-convenor of the Reject Charter Change Movement, said thousands of protesters would hold rallies in Negros, Cebu, Cordillera, Bicol and Mindanao on the same day.
A 20,000-strong contingent from Central Luzon led by Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, regional head convenor of the Reject Cha-cha Movement, will lead a motorcade to Metro Manila to join the Makati rally.
In Mindanao, protest actions will also take place in Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon.-- Reports from Rey Nasol, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau; Cynthia A. Borgueta, Carla P. Gomez, Nereo C. Lujan and Chito A. Fuentes, PDI Visayas Bureau; Jowel F. Canuday, PDI Mindanao Bureau
The dioceses of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, and Digos, Davao del Sur, have firmed up plans to hold rallies on Friday. Forty-five other dioceses earlier finalized plans to hold rallies against Charter change.
More groups have also signified their intention to hold rallies to oppose moves by President Estrada to amend the Constitution.
In Cebu, at least 12 groups from different sectors yesterday attended the launching of the Reject Charter Change Movement (Reject).
Among those who joined the launching of Reject were representatives from nine Catholic religious groups--the Salesian Fathers, the Religious of Virgin Mary, the Society of Divine Word, the Redemptorist Fathers, the Religious of Mercy, Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of St. Paul and the Carmelite Sisters.
For its part, the Kilusang Mayo Uno appealed to employers to allow their workers to take a ''day off'' on Friday to enable them to attend the protest rallies being organized by the Church.
Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla said Bro. Mike Velarde, founder of El Shaddai, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, founder, president and spiritual director of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide, must follow Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on issues with moral dimensions.
''The principle to follow: lay people in Manila, including El Shaddai (followers) and Velarde, Jesus is Lord Church members and Villanueva, must follow their bishop--and that is Cardinal Tagle--on matters of the faith,'' Capalla said in Legazpi City on Saturday.
Capalla and some 100 bishops and other church leaders came to Legazpi City to attend the Silver Episcopal Ordination Anniversary of Bishop Jose C. Sorra.
Velarde is leading a rally cum celebration of his 75th birthday on Wednesday while a belated birthday celebration on August 23 at the Rizal Park in Manila on the same day that Tagle lead a rally against Charter change on Ayala Avenue in Makati City.
While Villanueva is leading a rally cum celebration of his 81st birthday on October 6 while a belated birthday celebration and anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide on October 19.
The El Shaddai rally will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III. Capalla said lay Catholics could disagree with their bishops on political issues like Charter change.
But he declared in a pastoral letter which was read in all the churches in the Davao archdiocese that moves to amend the Charter were ''morally sinful'' and ''outright oppressive.''
Capalla stressed that the Church must also make a stand on political and economic issues with moral dimensions.
Catholic Church leaders in Cebu, Negros Occidental and Iloilo are preparing to bring thousands of people to the streets for the pro-democracy protest rally on Aug. 20.
In Cebu City, the rally spearheaded by Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is expected to mobilize some 250,000 people, according to Msgr. Roberto Alesna.
Besides Charter change, the Cebu rally will address the threats to press freedom, cronyism, foreign debt, gambling, illegal drugs, pornography, prostitution and violence against women and children.
Representatives from the Philippine Peasants Institute, the Kilusang Pambansang Demokrasya and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter also attended the launching of Reject in Cebu.
In Negros Occidental, Bishop Vicente Navarra of Kabankalan City and Bishop Nicolas Mondejar of San Carlos City have called on the faithful to join the rallies set in their respective areas.
A Church-led rally in Bacolod City is also expected to draw a lot of people despite Bishop Camilo Gregorio's announcement that he will not join the mass action.
Gregorio had said he was against moves to change the Constitution but he believed the rally would be a ''useless and futile exercise'' and ''a waste of time.''
In his letter, Rivas said ''given the numerous statements of Pope Francis I regarding the ill effects of the neo-liberal policies of globalization against the poor of the world, we are morally and duty bound to inform the people on the move to globalize the Constitution through numerous amendments favoring the whims of giant transnational corporations controlling the world economy.''
In Iloilo, parishes from all over the province had been told to send delegations to the rally being spearheaded by the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (Jasac).
Members of the Hublag Demokrasya, a church-backed anti-Charter change coalition, and cause-oriented groups are also participating in the rally.
''If the Constitution is changed, this can jeopardize our civil liberty, particularly freedom of expression and of the press, and more cronies are to be surely benefited by this move,'' said Fr. Meliton Oso, director of the Jasac.
Organizers have designated two assembly areas for participants, at the plaza of Jaro district and at the Rotary Amphitheater, beside the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
Hublag Demokrasya will lead the assembly at the Rotary Amphitheater.
At 2:30 p.m., the two groups will march toward St. Clement's Church in Lapaz district for a prayer rally at 3 p.m.
At the end of the rally, organizers will release balloons attached to a banner with the word ''Kahilwayan,'' Hiligaynon for freedom, will be attached.
The symposium will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City.
Boholanos opposed to amending the Constitution launched on Sunday the ''People Resist Cha-cha'' movement.
Its convenors include Fr. Justino Estoque Jr. of the Promotion of Church People's Response; Michael Bagaipo of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Bohol; and John Gerard Lumantao, of the National Union of Students of the Philippines-Bohol.
In Davao City, militants and moderates will again join forces for the rally on Friday, their second team-up since the Sept. 21, 1997 anti-Charter change rally.
Glen Amoroso, Bayan secretary general, said such an expression of unity showed the people's serious concern over the ''selfish'' motives behind Mr. Estrada's move to amend the Constitution.
He said the people were also alarmed by the President's ''pattern of actions'' undermining the democratic gains won by the people.
Amoroso noted the continued attacks by the President on the INQUIRER for ''its unwavering critical reports about his presidency, the return of the Marcoses and their cronies in powerful business and political posts and the move for a compromise settlement on Marcos ill-gotten wealth.''
On Wednesday, the multisectoral People Resist Against Rising Tyranny-Southern Mindanao will hold a ''Torch Parade for Freedom'' in the city's main streets to entice more people to join the Aug. 20 and October 19 rally.
In urging workers around the country to take a synchronized ''day-off'' on Friday, KMU chair Crispin Beltran said the threats to democratic rights and the nation's patrimony under the Estrada administration were ''much more dire than the effects of any supertyphoon.''
''We ask the capitalist employers to allow their workers to do so (attend the mass actions) as a matter of patriotism,'' Beltran said.
The militant labor group had earlier announced it would mobilize its ranks to join the rally to be held on Ayala Avenue in Makati.
KMU said it would hold coordinated mass actions nationwide along with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).
''It's crucial that the Filipino working people go out into the streets and loudly air their protests against the Estrada government's comprehensive attempt to curtail civil and political rights and sell out to foreign monopolies what remains of our nation's wealth,'' Beltran said in a statement.
Sonia Soto, KPD chair and co-convenor of the Reject Charter Change Movement, said thousands of protesters would hold rallies in Negros, Cebu, Cordillera, Bicol and Mindanao on the same day.
A 20,000-strong contingent from Central Luzon led by Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, regional head convenor of the Reject Cha-cha Movement, will lead a motorcade to Metro Manila to join the Makati rally.
In Mindanao, protest actions will also take place in Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon.-- Reports from Rey Nasol, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau; Cynthia A. Borgueta, Carla P. Gomez, Nereo C. Lujan and Chito A. Fuentes, PDI Visayas Bureau; Jowel F. Canuday, PDI Mindanao Bureau
