President Duterte during a convention of his supporters at the Cuneta Astrorome in Pasay City on March 21 —MALACAÑANG PHOTO
As the country ushers in the Holy Week, President Rodrigo Duterte, who once cursed at the Pope and railed at bishops, urged Filipinos to “reflect on the Catholic values and embody selflessness, compassion and love.”
In his Holy Week message, the President said it was the time for Filipinos to revitalize their faith and renew their relationship with God.
Believer in God
“As we put our hands together in prayer, may we use this as an opportune time to rekindle our religious fervor and cherish our time-honored traditions as a pious people,” Mr. Duterte said in the statement.
Not known for being particularly spiritual, Mr. Duterte had said he was a believer in God but not religion.
He has had a testy relationship with the Catholic Church, which continues to hold sway over a large majority of the population.
In December 2015, before he won the presidential election, Mr. Duterte sparked outrage when he called Pope Francis a “son of a whore” for causing traffic gridlock during his January 2015 visit to the Philippines. He later apologized.
The Philippine leader had also delivered on a number of occasions invective-laced diatribes against Catholic bishops and the Church for their strong opposition to the bloodshed that marked his war on drugs.
Charitable actions
“As we reflect on the Catholic values and embody selflessness, compassion and love … let us remember to always help and uplift the downtrodden because it is only through charitable actions that we can make God’s presence visible among us,” Mr. Duterte said.
To ensure a safe and peaceful Holy Week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had ordered all local government units (LGUs) to convene their respective peace and order councils.
DILG officer in charge Eduardo Año directed all governors and mayors to prepare for the anticipated exodus to the provinces for the Holy Week.
Worry-free vacation
In a statement on Saturday, Año said that LGUs must be “on their toes to guarantee that no untoward incident takes place.”
“Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a time for spiritual recollection for Filipinos. LGUs should ensure that people can undertake their activities without worrying about their safety,” he said.
The top DILG official directed LGUs to mobilize traffic enforcers, village watchmen, barangay peacekeeping action teams and public safety officers. —With a report from Jeanette I. Andrade