‘Pope Francis’ plea for gov’t to help poor, stop corruption a timely wake-up call’

MANILA, Philippines – A wake-up call.

“Valid observation about corruption in the Philippines.”

“It’s about time the government really hear the voice of the people, especially the poor.”

These were some of the reactions of Catholics to Pope Francis’ speech in Malacañang yesterday morning.

Those interviewed were among the thousands of people who lined Roxas Boulevard to see the Pontiff on his way back to the Apostolic Nunciature on Taft Avenue after celebrating a Mass at the Manila Cathedral.

Most of them agreed that corruption in the government has been mainly to blame for the diversion of state resources from the poor, and the state should exert efforts to improve the lives of poor Filipinos.

Marlon Bacong, 51, who makes a living selling bottled water and soft drinks at Rizal Park and the neighboring Ermita area, described as “valid” the Pope’s call for an end to corruption.

A native of San Jose del Monte town, Bulacan province, Bacong said “poor people like me are among the victims of corrupt people in the government.”

He said he had “on several occasions fallen prey to policemen and security guards who demanded tong, ranging from P20 to P50” from vendors before allowing them to sell their wares on Roxas Boulevard

Lilia Dionisio, a 54-year-old housewife from Molino town, Cavite province, observed that the reported delay in the distribution of cash and material donations to some survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan), which ravaged Eastern Visayas in November 2013, was a “case in point” of corruption in the government.

“Some media reports said that aid had yet to reach some of the victims more than a year after the natural disaster hit that area. Why? I think everyone knows why,” she said.

Dionisio, who is also Mother Butler or a volunteer worker at the St. Joseph Chapel in Barangay Molino IV, appealed to the government to “really work hard to eliminate corruption, as well as make extra efforts in helping the poor improve their lives.”

Teresita Delgado and Sosita Pureza, vendors and neighbors at Parola Compound, in Manila’s Tondo district, believe that “efforts are being made by the government to help the poor.” But both wondered why many poor people have still been getting poorer.

Like them, Ma. Melissa Alolong, a nurse from Guiguinto town in Bulacan, said government assistance to the poorest of the poor could hardly be felt.

She expressed hope that the state would “double its efforts in helping the poor improve their place in society where the rich seem to get richer and the poor get poorer.”

Winnie Reyes, an eye doctor from Pasig City, and police Senior Insp. Melanie Redon said they believed that the poor should not be totally dependent on the government to improve their lives.

Redon, a native of Pinili town, Ilocos Norte province, said “poor Filipinos should also help themselves. That is, by working hard.”

For Dionefred Tabusan, a housekeeper at the University of the Philippines Infirmary in Diliman, Quezon City, the Catholic faithful “should find time [to do] even random acts of kindness to fellow Christians.”

Tabusan was wearing a T-shirt with this message: “We must spread our hands in feeding the hungry … Let’s all act as one.”

Fernando Sengco strongly agreed. The 66-year-old retired businessman from Navotas City said “charity and compassion are basic Christian values.”

“Being Catholics, we should adhere to these,” he added.

Singer and anti-pork-barrel activist Ito Rapadas said the Pope’s message on corruption should be a “reminder” to all politicians of the “reason why they are in government service.”

Rapadas, who brought along with him his two sons, said the Pope’s views on the importance of family would also have a lasting impression on the Filipinos.

“The family as an institution is under attack and he’s conscious of that by [reminding us] to take care of our own families,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the government officials’ encounter with the Pope would have “a positive net effect [on] them.”

“I just hope that those involved in plunder would have a change of heart and try to refocus their attention on truly serving the people,” Rapadas said.

“The message was short, but very meaningful. Although he did not say directly how to combat [corruption], it’s a reminder that it should not be accepted at all in [any] form,” he added.

Rapadas also reminded the Filipinos to look at the papal visit beyond the merrymaking it brought.

“The [Pope’s visit] is very important to us because he’s the symbol of the Church, being its leader. But behind the frenzy and controlled chaos, sometimes the message is forgotten. So we have to listen carefully,” he said.

For Linda Balisacan, the Pontiff’s message should prompt government officials to reflect on their actions as public officers “whose sworn duty is to serve the people and not to steal the people’s money.”

Balisacan, a mother of five, said the papal speech was very timely, as it came barely a year before the national elections in 2016 and amid the Sandiganbayan trial of three senators for plunder and graft over the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“In the next few months, politicians will make promises again to win our votes. Hopefully, they would be guided by the Pope’s message against corruption,” she said.

Nelda Sansaed, 57, said the Pope’s message about respect for human dignity, love of the poor and helping the survivors of Supertyphoon Yolanda

struck her the most.

“It was a beautiful speech about mercy and compassion, which is the theme of his visit. He reminded us to assist the survivors of Yolanda,” she said.

“My faith in God was strengthened after I heard him speak. I also thought my sins were forgiven. I’m deeply touched by his presence,” she added.