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“Mining cannot be at the service of capital but of poverty eradication. It is a social justice issue and it has to be addressed taking into account the country’s mass poverty and gross inequalities.”
Recently, UNICEF released its latest annual report, titled “The State of the World’s Children 2012: Children in an Urban World,” which examines the plight of children and young people living in urban environments. A rather cold, aseptic foreword, considers the scandalous reality that emerges from the report. Reading through it, we perceive, beyond the numbers, the suffering of millions of children, their tears, and their cries for help. This data should upset us and commit us to the pursuit of radical change.
President Aquino plans to issue a historical Executive Order (EO) to regulate the mining industry to protect the environment and the rights of people. A strict order is needed and, hopefully, it will levy at least a 20% tax on mining profits. Hundreds of thousands of justice-loving Filipinos live in hope and expectation that it will be so.
The Philippines is benefiting little from its enormous mineral wealth due to the existing Mining Act, says Fr. Edwin A. Gariguez, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ National Secretariat for Social Action – (CBCP-NASSA). He has been in the forefront of the battle to stop mining operations in the Island of Mindoro and lobbying for a new mining law which may take into account people’s rights and respect for nature.
On Easter Sunday, ask any Filipino – even a four-year-old child – and you will hear: “Jesus is alive! I saw Him meet His mother; Mary is happy and smiling!” Without doubt, here is living liturgy and genuine biblical proclamation! Here is authentic inculturation of the faith!
