He was, it was said, a social progressive but an ecclesiological reactionary; a pastoral bishop who had been deeply influenced by the Second Vatican Council but who then — or so some critics volubly asserted — directed his entire pontificate towards a restoration of the Catholicism of the preconciliar period…Partly, these conflicting perceptions were based on a tendency to judge him by criteria which were either theologically superficial or wholly secular….  Man’s vocation was to become what God intended him to be: the drama of every human life was the struggle against evil, both personal and social……John Paul II sensed that the newborn democracies of Eastern Europe faced massive new challenges….  The encyclical evaluated the modern crisis of moral relativism, linking the recognition of universal moral norms to democratic equality, the defence of the socially marginal, the just distribution of wealth and integrity in government.His third effort to establish the moral basis of life in democratic societies was the 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), which argued that democracies risked self-destruction if moral wrongs were legally defended as rights.

He points to remarks made by Sen. Manuel Villar, who says one shortcoming of Philippine society is what he describes as the “employee mentality”.The question of entrepreneurship is at the heart of whether this country can move forward or not: entrepreneurs are the dynamo of the modern-day middle class, just as employees who aspired for comfortable careers within a corporate environment were the bedrock of society in the past….  Government offered a safety-valve in terms of officially supporting emigration abroad and the OFW phenomenon.The problem since then has been the failure of society and the state to at least turn the hard-earned money of Filipinos working and living abroad, into a means for producing and investing capital here at home.  At the same time, the traditional ills of big business -what the academe refers to as “rent-seeking,” that is, exchanging support for the powers-that-be for preferential treatment that gives business supporters an unfair advantage, hasn’t been curbed.

Malaya’s story puts forward interesting numbers:48% of those surveyed are against charter change.43% are in favor of charter change (up from 36% in October and 29% in March of last year).9% are undecided, less than last year’s 16%Of those in favor of changes:27% say it will solve the political crisis26% say it will push economic development and progress24% say it will reduce politicking between the executive and legislative11% say it will be easier to change an administration no longer trusted by the people11% say many provisions need to be changedFurthermore, with regards to those in favor of changes:52% say President Arroyo is not the most acceptable person to lead the country, regardless of whether the Constitution is changed or notOf those against changes:17% are opposed because changing the government would not be enough unless politicians change16% are opposed because they think charter change is just a ploy to divert attention from the political crisis faced by President Arroyo 13% are opposed because they think there is no need to change the Constitution at all 11% are opposed because they think that politicians want it because they want to be in power 9% are opposed because they think that the country is not ready for a parliamentary government 8% are opposed because they think it is a way to give Mrs.  Arroyo a graceful exit Furthermore, with regards to those against changes:41% say President Arroyo is not the appropriate person to lead the country.However, 66% of those surveyed have little (53%) to no knowledge at all (13%) of the Constitution.  34% say they have sufficient to a great deal of knowledge about the Charter.The Daily Tribune is more blunt: Majority of Pinoys clueless on Charter—Pulse AsiaGov sees 12M signatures for Cha-cha The Manila Standard-Today reports, Initiative requires law, Comelec saysComelec split on Charter change: Legality of signature drive in questionThe Manila Times, though, says Brawner’s done a somersault: Brawner flops on people’s initiativeStill, as the Inquirer reports, Arroyo ally says there’s fund for Cha-cha Rape trial moved to MakatiThe March of Democracy continues: Mayor Bans Rallies During Arroyo’s Visit to Panabo CityThe question of immigration reform has legal and illegal immigrants to the USA worried.

The Inquirer reports, Ramos supports signature campaign, the Manila Standard-Today says FVR supports initiative: both say Ramos is behind the people’s initiative effort in principle but is unhappy with the way the Palace refuses to take center stage (the former president is still prickly: Walk the talk, Ramos tells Arroyo, according to Malaya)….  Buses, and jeepneys (which should really be replaced by more modern vehicles) should be either a state or local government monopoly.In the punditocracy, Scott Mcmillan writing in Slate reports on the first free parliamentary election in the Ukraine since their “Orange Revolution.”  A familiar story: the depression and dissatisfaction that comes in the wake of People Power; and yet, the genuine restoration of freedom that shouldn’t be overlooked.Tony Abaya is firmly for extraconstitutional solutions -apparently his objection to past ones were that they included socialists and communists.Juan Mercado bats for more writers to focus on science and technology (“S&T”).

Ellen Tordesillas and atty-at-work and Peter Laviña in Davao see striking similarities between what’s underway, and the manner in which Ferdinand Marcos got around the 1935 Constitution’s requirement for a formal plebiscite to approve any new constitution.  The PCIJ Blog has a roundup of events, with a focus on the orchestrated assemblies in Antipolo City, as well as links to the documents carefully prepared by the administration and its allies.Coffee with Amee has a Fr. Bernas story.After All thinks consolidating the government’s ad placements might just be good for provincial media….  After Edsa, as a way of democratizing things, publishing laws and government ads for things like My personal view is that government advertising, as experience has shown, is too tempting to be permitted to continue.

Proposed ResolutionResolutionWhereas, under the Constitution the Republic of the Philippines, sovereignty resides exclusively in the people;Whereas, under the Constitutions and the laws of the Republic, the citizenry has been empowered to initiate and approve resolutions as a basic means of expressing the sense and opinions of the people, whether on local or national issues;Whereas, the President of the Philippines, by her actions and behavior, has disgraced her office, cast her position and legitimacy into disrepute, divided her people, and refused all reasonable petitions from the public to be held accountable for her actions;Whereas, the time has come for the people to reclaim for themselves the power to be heard by those elected into office, from the humblest barangay official to the President of the land;Now therefore be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, by the people of _________ that we wish it known that,We, the sovereign Filipino people, do hereby resolve and make it known to all, that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo no longer enjoys the trust and confidence of the people, and that we, the people of _________, hereby withdraws our support from her administration.Note: A resolution for a Constitutional Convention would do just as well.III….  Within a period of thirty (30) days from receipt of the petition, the Commission shall, upon determining the sufficiency of the petition, publish the same in Filipino and English at least twice in newspapers of general and local circulation and set the date of the initiative or referendum which shall not be earlier than forty-five (45) days but not later than ninety (90) days from the determination by the Commission of the sufficiency of the petition.In a local initiative and referendum, the initial requirement is: minimum of 1,000 people in provinces or cities, 100 for municipalities can file a petition to propose a resolution before the local legislature and if not acted upon within 30 days, the people will inform the local legislature of their intent to use the power of initiative in which case, you have 90 days for cities and provinces to secure their signatures, 60 days for municipalities and 30 days for barangays.

…The only participation of the COMELEC or its personnel before the filing of such petition are (1) to prescribe the form of the petition; (2) to issue through its Election Records and Statistics Office a certificate on the total number of registered voters in each legislative district; (3) to assist, through its election registrars, in the establishment of signature stations; and (4) to verify, through its election registrars, the signatures on the basis of the registry list of voters, voters’ affidavits, and voters’ identification cards used in the immediately preceding election.”While this case declared unconstitutional the procedure of initiative in revising the Constitution, the general principle that the petition must be accompanied by the required signatures applies to local initiative as well because Sec.

Cops slam CHR report: last night’s news had the Secretary of the Interior and Local Governments clad in combat fatigues (looking like he misplaced his glasses along the way) growling that civilians are unqualified to judge the military: he forgets he heads a civilian police force, and that he no longer works for Ferdinand Marcos.  Like it or not, until he accomplishes the scrapping of the present Constitution, the Commission on Human Rights has a mandate to interfere -the only problem being it seems to interfere too little and too slowly.Bangko Sentral cuts RP’s dollar surplus forecast.Judge in Subic rape case pulls out; arraignment postponed Palace balks at criticisms over order to regulate state ads….  More seriously, Thailand assures embassies government’s still functioning: but when you have to make such assurances, well…In the punditocracy, Dan Mariano tackles Jamby Madrigal’s electoral record -and questions concerning her mandate.Emil Jurado doesn’t think ABS-CBN is serious about facing up to charges in court, and is convinced Charter Change will proceed, regardless of Constitutional obstacles.

Catch S.G.

Jose BurgosJose RizalAndres BonifacioAurelio TolentinoCrisanto EvangelistaDiosdado MacapagalFelixberto OlaliaRaquel Edralin-TiglaoRigoberto TiglaoIn the punditocracy,In the blogosphere,maetrics points to the forum Libertas, which in turn points to the fears of Warner Brothers that the film “V for Vendetta” might cause trouble among American youth.Quote of the day:During the debate on the Executive Power it was the almost unanimous opinion that we had invested the Executive with rather extraordinary prerogatives….  Learning our lesson from the truth of history, and determined to spare our people the evils of dictatorship and anarchy, we have thought it prudent to establish an executive power which, subject to the fiscalization of the Assembly, and of public opinion, will not only know how to govern, but will actually govern, with a firm and steady hand, unembarrassed by vexations, interferences by other departments, or by unholy alliances with this and that social group.  Thus, possessed with the necessary gifts of honesty and competence, this Executive will be able to give his people an orderly and progressive government, without need of usurping or abdicating powers, and cunning subterfuges will not avail to extenuate his failures before the bar of public opinion.-Claro M.

In other business news of sorts, Small town lotteries get Palace go-ahead (I’m actually for turning jueteng into a state monopoly like other forms of gambling; wiping out gambling is as futile as Prohibition was in America, and as harmful in the long run).20-plus senators sign assembly resolution: so sorry, but nyet to the both houses vote as one argument of the House.In Thailand, the Nation, in its editorial, says Democracy put to the ultimate test:…Thaksin Shinawatra has launched an all-out offensive against his swelling ranks of critics….  Protesters are demanding that any fresh election for a new government must be preceded by a thorough reform of the Constitution and weeding out of corrupt elements from key democratic institutions.Returning Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party to power through the ballot box on April 2 under the existing seriously flawed political system can only seriously jeopardise Thailand’s democracy and imperil its destiny as a viable economy….  If we remain too long in a state of apathy and inaction, we may wake up too late, when we have already lost our freedom.Connie Veneracion explains how bias and distortion can either creep in, or be actively fostered, in media; she believes self-regulation is not enough to maintain standards in media or protect the consumer from the effects of bad journalism.Tony Abaya asks, if the present political order must pass, how do we tackle the question of what kind of alternative to pursue?Juan Mercado says every Filipino who migrates or works abroad has already voted in a referendum.