Palma promises to pray for P-Noy

EXACTLY two years yesterday, President Benigno Aquino III assumed his post as the country’s top leader.

But has he done enough?

“He is doing his best. Some people say there are indications of growth,” said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

The 62-year-old prelate assured the president of his prayers.

“We need to pray for our leaders because it is not easy to be up there. There are many challenges,” Palma said when interviewed after the diaconate ordination rites at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral last Friday.

Palma, however, criticized Aquino for the latter’s support on the proposed Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

“There are many advisers or pressures from other parts of the world to act that way.

“With regards to the RH bill, how much can he leave the congressmen to decide on their own,” said Palma, who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

“We are given an opportunity to lead. History will judge us in the future,” he added.

The Catholic Church continues to lobby against the RH bill, whose provisions include public access to government-funded supplies of condoms and contraceptives.

The RH bill is also known as the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011.

Palma reminded those who wanted to run for the 2013 elections to be reminded of what the politics should be about.

“Politics should not be bad. It’s a way of serving the community,” he said.

While one can’t judge the motive of those who wanted to seek a government post in the elections, Palma said they should remember to leave a legacy of “good performance and honest service.”/Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol