watch and pray
Watch and Pray
Here is the official statement regarding Charter Change.
Character more than Charter Change: CEAP Official Statement on charter change
Character more than Charter Change
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) is against the present moves to change the Philippine Constitution.
We would have been open to a Constitutional Convention. But with the recent acts in the House of Representatives – making itself a Constituent Assembly without regard for the Senate or the nation as a whole – even if the decision is now to have a Constitutional Convention instead, we feel that the better move is to postpone the changing of the Constitution. It is not that we think the Constitution is perfect. It is not. It needs changes. But the way things are going, we believe that suspicions of vested interests of our legislators would be minimized or avoided if, for now, we just bracket off these moves on Charter change.
CHARACTER, more than Charter, change is needed.
Change our charter, and what would we really achieve if we do not also change our character? A Constitution may be the fundamental law of the land, but if we do not also follow the fundamental promptings of our conscience, what will we really have changed?
To be sure, character development is a lifetime task and challenge. And if that is all we do, it may be argued, then we may never get to change our Constitution at all. We agree. But if there is also no desired change in what we believe and how we behave, then Charter Change no matter how beautiful it may seem to be, will not really lead to the betterment of our nation.
We decry the act of the House of Representatives in making itself the Constituent Assembly. We can grant that our legislators may have good intentions. But the impression given by their act is simply arrogance of power and lack of delicadeza. We commend them if, having realized not just the political consequences of their decision but also its moral implications, they now call for a constitutional convention. But we suggest that they and, indeed, we -- all lay aside even the thought of changing our Charter now.
Charter Change now is being presented -- wrongly -- as the equivalent of institutional reform. It is not. And those who are against Charter Change now are being portrayed as against reform. We are not. We are FOR reform – but the right ones at the right time. We are for reforms that really help the poor; changes that strengthen democracy; moves that improve politics as it is practiced today. If those rushing Charter Change are really sincere about reforms, then let them first reform the electoral system and restore its trustworthiness – starting with a thorough revamp of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Make the 2007 elections truly credible. Then, when the necessary safeguards against self-interest shall have been set, and after a massive education campaign, maybe we can resurrect the plan to change the Constitution. Until then, let the present Charter stay.
In the schools, colleges, and universities that we run we shall continue teaching our students, aside from the curricula they come to us to follow and learn, love for our country, respect for our laws, and willingness to give our best for God and others, beyond interests of self.
We accept that the call for CHARACTER change must start with us and must always continue. As we do this, to the nation we pledge our cooperation in everything that is for the good of our people, and we vow vigilance in preventing what may lead to the nation’s ills.
We watch and pray, as Jesus in the Agony in the Garden told his disciples, so we do not fall into temptation. We urge our members to pray that we, our legislators, and our nation as a whole may have the humility to ask to be guided by the Holy Spirit and the strength of will to follow His lead. May we not yield to the temptation to make another Constitution for our country but forget to remake the constitution of our hearts.
What we more urgently need to do now is to watch, pray, and work to change -- not our Charter but our CHARACTER.
For and on behalf of the Association,
The CEAP Board of Directors
FR. RODERICK C. SALAZAR, JR., SVD
President/Region 7 Director
Author: Fr. Pres. Roderick C. Salazar, Jr., SVD16 / December / 2006
Here is the official statement regarding Charter Change.
Character more than Charter Change: CEAP Official Statement on charter change
Character more than Charter Change
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) is against the present moves to change the Philippine Constitution.
We would have been open to a Constitutional Convention. But with the recent acts in the House of Representatives – making itself a Constituent Assembly without regard for the Senate or the nation as a whole – even if the decision is now to have a Constitutional Convention instead, we feel that the better move is to postpone the changing of the Constitution. It is not that we think the Constitution is perfect. It is not. It needs changes. But the way things are going, we believe that suspicions of vested interests of our legislators would be minimized or avoided if, for now, we just bracket off these moves on Charter change.
CHARACTER, more than Charter, change is needed.
Change our charter, and what would we really achieve if we do not also change our character? A Constitution may be the fundamental law of the land, but if we do not also follow the fundamental promptings of our conscience, what will we really have changed?
To be sure, character development is a lifetime task and challenge. And if that is all we do, it may be argued, then we may never get to change our Constitution at all. We agree. But if there is also no desired change in what we believe and how we behave, then Charter Change no matter how beautiful it may seem to be, will not really lead to the betterment of our nation.
We decry the act of the House of Representatives in making itself the Constituent Assembly. We can grant that our legislators may have good intentions. But the impression given by their act is simply arrogance of power and lack of delicadeza. We commend them if, having realized not just the political consequences of their decision but also its moral implications, they now call for a constitutional convention. But we suggest that they and, indeed, we -- all lay aside even the thought of changing our Charter now.
Charter Change now is being presented -- wrongly -- as the equivalent of institutional reform. It is not. And those who are against Charter Change now are being portrayed as against reform. We are not. We are FOR reform – but the right ones at the right time. We are for reforms that really help the poor; changes that strengthen democracy; moves that improve politics as it is practiced today. If those rushing Charter Change are really sincere about reforms, then let them first reform the electoral system and restore its trustworthiness – starting with a thorough revamp of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Make the 2007 elections truly credible. Then, when the necessary safeguards against self-interest shall have been set, and after a massive education campaign, maybe we can resurrect the plan to change the Constitution. Until then, let the present Charter stay.
In the schools, colleges, and universities that we run we shall continue teaching our students, aside from the curricula they come to us to follow and learn, love for our country, respect for our laws, and willingness to give our best for God and others, beyond interests of self.
We accept that the call for CHARACTER change must start with us and must always continue. As we do this, to the nation we pledge our cooperation in everything that is for the good of our people, and we vow vigilance in preventing what may lead to the nation’s ills.
We watch and pray, as Jesus in the Agony in the Garden told his disciples, so we do not fall into temptation. We urge our members to pray that we, our legislators, and our nation as a whole may have the humility to ask to be guided by the Holy Spirit and the strength of will to follow His lead. May we not yield to the temptation to make another Constitution for our country but forget to remake the constitution of our hearts.
What we more urgently need to do now is to watch, pray, and work to change -- not our Charter but our CHARACTER.
For and on behalf of the Association,
The CEAP Board of Directors
FR. RODERICK C. SALAZAR, JR., SVD
President/Region 7 Director
Author: Fr. Pres. Roderick C. Salazar, Jr., SVD16 / December / 2006
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