Through prayers, advocacies, and presence, the FMAs actively uphold the truth in two of the more hot social issues besetting the country today — the Lozada witnessing in the ZTE scandal and the Sumilao farmers’ cause to regain their land. It is significant to note the position of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP) and the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP) where the FMA Philippine Province is a member of both. AMRSP says (excerpt): “We thank God for having been given the rare privilege of taking an active part in the triumph of truth over lies in a culture of fear and moral bankcruptcy. We believe Jun Lozada is only an example of what is happening in our government institutions. We humbly recognize that God, in His mysterious ways had made us his instrument in enabling Jun Lozada to come out with his historic revelation to the Press and to the Senate; we consider him a modern David confronting a Goliath… Let us heed the call of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for communal action: Truth hurts. Truth reveals. But the truth must be served. The truth will set our country free… This truth challenges us now to communal action…”
CEAP says (excerpts) : “Following his conscience, Rodolfo Lozada Jr. these days has revealed possible corruption in the handling of government contracts. His confession has stirred memories of other allegations by other people of graft and greed in the government, and is shaking the souls of many to speak and act in response. What of us, the CEAP, an association of 1,252 schools, colleges, and universities with at least 2 million students and around 120,000 school personnel and faculty? We too must speak, we too must act… In tandem with the CBCP we invite our member schools and their constituents, our alumni and friends individually and communally to pray for guidance on what to do in these times of tension and difficulty…. We encourage the establishment of truth centers in our schools so that our students, teachers, and staff are led to continuing awareness, reflection, and formation toward social-political engagement…”
On the Sumilao Farmers, last February 11 and 12, Don Bosco School Community provided home to them and invited them to pray with and speak to the Sisters, students, and staff on issues of the land taken from them. This is a concrete step of solidarity and getting the FMAs and their constituents engaged in supporting the cry of the poor when the government fails to move. The Sumilao farmers have the right to their 144-hectare ancestral land now taken over by a big business firm. The Catholic Church continues to support their cause especially through Bishop Pabillo, SDB and the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan by the Ateneo de Manila University of the Jesuits.
